Am I menopausal? Help!

Yep, sounds like it. Your symptoms sound very much like mine. I thought I'd got away with it. Fat chance!

Everyone's experience is different. Mine were:

not being able to sleep.
having panicky episodes at night when finally asleep.
hot flushes (but no sweating.).
sweating! With a kind of pungent, animal smell.
feelings of panic for no reason.
And the worst: a dragging, constant tiredness.

I went to the Doc but was refused HRT, so I upped my exercise and tried to eat better.

Other symptoms I've had which may be accounted for by the meno are overactive bladder, and putting weight on easily.

Ring any bells?

Certainly sounds like the menopause. My symptoms include, sleeplessness, hot flushes, excessive sweating to the point of having to get up in the night to dry myself! Permanent tiredness, wooly headed!
It's been eleven years since it started. The sleeplessness and wooly head are much better now but I'm still tired and the hot flushes haven't diminished.
I'm told that some women experience hot flushes for 14-15 years, so I may well have a way to go yet.
Sounds like a horror story, but really it's not so bad.

I feel like I'm suffering on the menopause front too. Periods became increasingly intermittent over the past four years or so and now seem to be one every six months. Thought they'd stopped altogether but no, very heavy one arrived last week just as I Was going on a boating holiday......aaaah!
Other symptoms , as others, extreme tiredness, forgetful, unable to get the right words out etc
Tearfulness and also rather depressed in the mornings.
Hot flushes not too bad but what I do suffer from is muscle aches - tennis elbow in both arms (not from playing tennis tho!)
Does any body know whether this sort of muscle problem is likely to be linked to menopause.....and how to alleviate it? Wondering about acupuncture.......

Hotandbothered - My situation has a few similarities to yours. I am also 52 and had a Mirena coil for 17 years,am on my fourth one now. The main reason I had the Mirena was because of excessively heavy and painful periods. Contraception was a secondary consideration,as up until 4 years ago,my sex life was non-existent! The Mirena solved the period problems thankfully. When I had the last one put in (just under 4 years ago) I was told that when it was removed in July 2017,that it would be my last one as I would have gone through the menopause by then. So by rights,I must be actually going through the menopause/gone through the menopause by now. But I have no idea if I have! I have had absolutely no bleeding at all since the last Mirena was fitted but with the previous ones I did have sporadic,light bleeding. So I don't know if the lack of bleeding is due to the menopause or a result of having the Mirena for so long. The ONLY menopausal symptoms I get is hot flushes now and again,and just a general feeling of being too warm a lot of the time. Apart from that,nothing. I did one of those menopause urine tests about 7 months ago,but it came up as negative.. I asked my GP's advice shortly after that,and he said to wait until I have the Mirena removed next year then have a blood test as this would be he only way to confirm it. So another year of not knowing!

gettingonabit ringing a LOT of bells. I eat pretty well (apart from all the chocolate) and do a lot of exercise and neither of those things appear to be helping

hildajennij 11 years - crumbs. I was counting on one or two! I'm a bit scared now

redheadedcat yes this is my worry on the periods front

spangles yes the feeling of being too warm rather than sweats. Doesn't last that long but intense while it does.

If this is only the start I am panicking

I also have pain in both elbows, nine years into menopause. The pain is on the outside of the elbows, so i think that makes it 'golfer's elbow'. It started a couple of years ago on the right when I had overused it carrying garden waste but now it is in both. Redheadcat does this sound familiar? I haven't had any treatment, just keep hoping it will get better. It's worst in the morning.

rubysong I also have elbow pain which started about 1 year ago and is aggravated by overuse. Fortunately only one elbow is affected. I take NSAID's when it's at it's worst and these help a little but a friend who suffered with a similar problem has a cortisone injection every 6 months and is pain free.

These articles might help
www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/health/health-advice/this-is-really-disappointing-news-about-women-and-the-menopause
www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/health/health-advice/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-menopause
This book also looks good.
www.amazon.co.uk/Truth-About-Hormones-Vivienne-Parry/dp/1843544296

I was 40 when I got those type of symptoms, went to docs and was pooh poohed "you're much too young". Went again at 44 when had no periods for 18 months and they did blood tests and sent me in for a scan which confirmed menopause. There are tests you can have, so ask for them!

Oh and by the way, I'm 56 now and still getting the odd hot flush although not as frequent as they used to be - thank goodness. Apparently the earlier you go through the menopause, the longer it lasts! Great!

Don't worry, we don't all have raging hot flushes. I remember having what I can only describe as sweating and feeling weak for a few minutes, once. I was 48, my husband had left when I was 42 and I was busy getting my life on an even keel. My 2 girls were at university and I worked full time. I remember having a light period for about 3 days and nothing at all since. I am now 75. My girls both tell me I had mood swings but nothing g much else. Everyone is different. Don't worry about it and you may be fortunate in having few problems. ?

Yes, you are certainly experiencing menopausal symptoms. Periods can just stop, and the Mirena coil confuses this sometimes. See your GP if you wish to consider HRT. There are many benefits from taking it, especially bone and heart protection. The new menopause guidelines were published recently, and every GP should talk you through risks and benefits. See the women's Health Concern website. A good recourse for women.
Exercise, healthy eating and enjoying life will help you through. If vaginal dryness becomes a problem, HRT helps as well as a good lubricant. Pjur med lubricants are the best on the market.
Good luck.

Something I found really useful was Agnus Castus. I went into the local herbal shop and said I wanted something to stop me turning into a werewolf and the woman behind the counter handed me a bottle of pills without further ado. Before that I'd wanted to trash the flat and kill people every month. After Agnus it was relatively smooth sailing. Good luck, Hotandbothered. ?

I took Menopace, which stopped the raging hot flushes.

I started the menopause at 52 with three solid months of hot flushes all night, every night and after three months of next to no sleep and a demanding job I went to the GP who gave me Tibolone a variant of HRT. I have been fine on it and am still taking it 11 years later hen I stopped as I had to have an operation the flushes came roaring back. the GP says I can stay on this as long as my BP is OK (I take bisoprolol for this). I also manage the BP through exercise, healthy eating and trying to keep my weight in check.

I've had all the symptoms you describe put up with it for a few years then went to dr. Been on HRT for quite a few years now and its the best thing I have done. Sleep better don't get so many hot flushes and not had a period for 10 years. If you find you can't cope go see what your options are

I had a Mirena fitted about twelve years ago to sort out very heavy and irregular periods. My periods stopped after the Mirena was fitted and I have had no menopausal symptoms at all. In fact the doctor asked me a while ago if I've been through the menopause and was astonished when I said I didn't know as have had no symptoms. He did a blood test and confirmed that I had sailed through and we can only think that the hormone release from the Mirena must have 'sat' on any symptoms that were trying to hit me. He also says to leave the Mirena in as its hormone release is long gone and it will do not harm in staying in place. Have I just been lucky? I'm now nearly 68.

I am also 52 and have had the Mirena coil fitted for about 12 years and like Alex said the doctor told me to leave it there as it will help when I hit menopause I occasionally get hot flushes so I guess I might be on the menopause. I get no other symptoms but I do put it down to the hormones released from the Mirena coil.

Great thread.

I'm 52 and my menopause consisted of heavy periods becoming very regular, after a life of irregular periods. Thy then got lighter for 3months and then stopped. I have the odd hot flush, no sweating, mainly after having red wine. That's it.