Thanks everyone for your posts and support. I'm hanging in there,and doing lots of research on natural remedies and self help. I've tried Estroven and soy milk and found that my anxiety increased...wonder if I have estrogen dominance and soy isoflavones are aggrivating symptoms instead of helping?? I tried taking 1/2 tablet of a B complex + C vitamen (B vitamins make me nauseous). It may be too soon, but I think I'm feeling some relief from the anxiety. My sleep patterns have been upset because for the past 6 months I've been working at a new job on the night shift. I work alone on this shift in a hospital stat lab, so you can imagine the environment of sporadic high stress situations. After 30 years of this type of work I believe that my adrenals must be mush by now. I also raised my special needs son (now 25) as a single mother. I have remarried (after 21 years divorced!), moved to a beautiful small town , and have simplified my life significantly (except for the job!) I'm thinking that my endocrine system was in high gear for so long, that it now doesn't know what to do with the positive changes. Throw in menopause, and it's really screwed up! Thanks for listening girls, I know we'll all get through this eventually. This forum is a great way for us to help each other through it! Gayle

Very pleased to have found this site...it’s literally the only one on the web with real women talking about what is really happening to them in this stage of life - the only one I can find anyway!! Amazing to see the diversity of experience which does not fit the textbook or what we are commonly told...I shouldn’t be surprised really, people always spread so widely to each side of what is ‘typical’ in pretty much everything. It’s reassuring anyway even if a tad strange to find it on a house decorating website. I’m 47 and might be in menopause, or Perimenopause...last period was in May and very light. Before that had one in November and a super heavy one in September - 3 weeks long and not fun. I had a D&C in October and then an iron infusion in Nov as I felt so lousy and had v low iron, made an amazing difference - totally recommend that if heavy periods wipe out your iron. No wonder women are tired quite frankly with this kind of crazy stuff going on in our lives! Anyway...I have a question to ask everyone - with all these periods coming and going, does it mean that you are still fertile, or ovulating, on and off as well? Even when in your 50’s? Has anyone’s Dr suggested they should still take bc meds to prevent pregnancy? I’m asking from the other perspective - in hopes that I might still have a glimmer of fertility - if I get any more periods :) Thanks

Just adding my ten cents worth, having read everybody's different experiences. I was seeing pink streaks of blood on the toilet paper after urinating, and at first thought it was a urinary tract infection. Antibiotics for that didn't make any difference. Then I tried to determine if it was really urinary, or perhaps vaginal instead. It seemed like it was both which seemed crazy and impossible and scared me half to death. And it was only apparent when I wiped after urinating. It wasn't like I was bleeding like with a period or anything like that. Long story short is doc explained that the urethra and the vagina share a wall, and that as I'm nearly 65 and about 13 years past menopause, it was probably that shared wall that was atrophying (drying out) and causing the light bleeding. Which made sense as my husband had major surgery about a year ago and as he's 78 years old, we just haven't gone back to regular sex which had probably been keeping my vagina well lubricated. Anyway, doc prescribed a pea sized amount of Estrace externally three times a week. I tried that for four weeks and it made no difference at all. I did some research and as I trust the Mayo Clinic, I went with their recommended dosage of 2 grams daily, some just inside the vagina with my finger, the rest externally, for one to two weeks. Halfway through the second week the bleeding had completely gone away. Mayo then says half that dosage for the next one to two weeks, which I'm trying now, and then 1 gram three times a week for three out of every four weeks as a maintenance dose. I'm going to try the pea sized amount three times a week instead and see if symptoms come back - hopefully they won't. I want to use the minimum amount possible, yet keep the problem under control. Only side effect I noticed was when I went to the 2 grams daily, my nipples were very sensitive but that has improved.

I am 45 and have had palps all my life. PVC'S are what I am having, pre-ventricular contractions. Totally benign, been through every test they could think to run. Used to have them when I was young from anxiety disorder. Then they went away for years and came back as I started to have peri-menopausal symptoms. I am currently suffering with them and have been steady for about 5 days. I have found the following things bring them on: Stress, hormone fluctuation (especially the week before my period), and when my back is out. Between T1 and T2 there are two nerves that run directly to the heart. If your back is out there, it can cause PVC'S. Last night was really rough. Had TONS of them and almost contemplated going to the ER but there really isn't anything they can do for me. I do magnesium but only transdermally. Taking the pill is worthless. You are better taking it in through the skin with epsom salt baths or foot baths. That is the best way to get magnesium into your system. Don't do the calcium with all I have read about it causing plaque in the arteries. I will have to read up on any safe ones or just juice more calcium containing greens since I can't do milk. They are so frustrating and it makes me want to scream. Good news is, this morning, since I started my period last night, I seem to be better. I don't feel like I am having them or at least not as many. But after a night of having so many, my chest feels a bit like I had a really bad low sugar attack. It usually takes me a few days to come back around after a super strong bout of them. I am not sure about you ladies but I am about over these peri-menopausal symptoms. I have had them since age 35. Enough is enough. Do lots of meditation, energy healing (reiki and chios), essential oils, and other natural treatments. They are the best way I have found to deal with this stuff. Good luck all.