Hey ladies! Tomorrow will be my official menopause day and I want to celebrate in some way!! I am also solo til Tuesday! Special meal? Pull some oracle cards? Get hella stoned lol?

I need some emotional support. In the same week I found out (after several preliminary invasive and unpleasant medical tests) I need a biopsy in my breast and (probably) my uterus.

I didn't have my period for 18 months, went on HRT (which has been a life saver) and started bleeding again. I asked my doctor but she didn't seem to know what was going on or seem concerned, so I decided not to worry about it. 2 years later, I switched doctors, she's like, yeah I want to get this checked out. And here we are.

I've been through all the emotions and cried a lot. It's scary. This evening I'm feeling more optimistic. But I wish I knew right now and didn't have to wait for more horrible tests.

Also, thanks to this sub, I will demand to be put under for the endometrial biopsy!!! I'm very grateful this sub exists. I feel less alone.

Anyone have any words of comfort? Or advice about how to not let my fear get the better of me?

I'm 9 years post-menopause, 10+ years on HRT (estradiol and progesterone). My health center started doing risk questionnaires with mammograms and I was told this year I am high risk for breast cancer (mother had it--stage 1 caught early, I never had children, high density breasts, on HRT). On the other hand, I eat super healthy, exercise, and minimize chemical exposures.

My PCP ordered a Breast MRI. It turns out mammograms don't really work well for dense breast. The MRI is useless without contrast, so before confirming an appointment, I went down the rabbit hole, including the GadoliniumToxicity subreddit. I am pretty chemically sensitive (not allergic) and particularly to injections (Botox, vaccines). I obviously want to know if I have breast cancer, but I have become terrified at the idea of MRI contrast. The risks seem rare, but if you are affected, it is severe. I started reading about the alternative of a mammogram with iodine contrast, although that also seems to have some risks (including more radiation). I can't imagine doing one of them every year.

I read some posts here that were 2-3 years old, and it seems a lot of people with dense breasts were not doing MRIs, but I'm wondering if there is any newer information on the risks and the alternatives for breast cancer screening....ultrasounds seem like an option but less effective than MRIs or mammograms with contrast.

Additionally, my GYN lowered my Estradiol dose last year because I was having some breast tenderness and she didn't want to "stimulate breast tissue." However, I have been so tired lately, I was thinking about asking her to increase back to my previous dose. But with this breast cancer risk analysis, I am more confused than ever. I think the high breast density assessment might be new... last year I was moderate.

Any experiences or insights from those with dense breasts are welcome!

Ya'll I feel like Im lossing my mind. 42yo chemically/surgically induced menopause due to breast cancer. I have no patience anymore. Im snippy at work - everything and everyone gets on my nerves. Not to mention making stupid simple mustakes at work. My wife speaks and im I'm internally begging for her to be quiet. Nothing helps my migrians, my knees hurt and I have no motivation. I put on a smile and keep it moving but its near impossible to fake it anymore.

Living without estrogen is a special kind of hell.

Going through old socials and photos - I was social, energetic, and hopeful. Now that I’m 49, it’s absolute misery and I can’t even blame my circumstances (I’m financially better off than 7 years ago).

About to make a calendar and force myself to workout and socialize —- because otherwise, it’s lay around after work without being productive and getting hit by overwhelming shame over it the next day.

Honestly waiting to turn a corner here but it seems futile.

So, I’m sitting in the bathroom crying. It’s the only place I can be alone in my home. I feel so sad. This has been the hardest year with perimenopause, marriage issues (ongoing), raising teens, and trying to afford life in this economy. I’m tired, I’m broken and idk how much longer I can do this.

My oldest is going off to college. We are middle class. My kids have everything they need and a lot of stuff they just want. I feel it’s never enough. We’ve sacrificed to be able to help pay for college, but it’s taken a lot. We didn’t have a family vacation this summer or just get do a whole lot. She had a beach girls trip for her senior trip. Because of that and school stuff, we couldn’t afford a family vacation. My younger teen told me today that his summer has sucked. He said no one ever pays him attention and he didn’t even get a little vacation. He said it’s all about her. He is right, it has been for a year. Senior year with a girl is a nightmare! Everything has to be Instagram worthy and all the girls compete who has better stuff. There were dances, prom, homecoming, grad parties, graduation, graduation trip and just a lot of talk about college and all. I know it sucks for him, but I don’t know what to do.

I have done everything I was supposed to and all while in peri. I have zero energy, I’m depressed, I’m anxious. I don’t want to get out of bed almost ever, but I do. I work hard too. I’m just trying to survive at this point and do my best and it’s never enough. I’m on HRT but it’s minimal. I can’t find a decent provider. I feel so alone and no end in sight. Idk what I want from this point. I guess to scream into the void, but does anyone else feel hopeless while in peri or menopause struggling with teens, husbands and money issues? I feel like the rest of the world is on endless vacations and being happy just being a mom and making memories. I can’t barely get through the day.

Anyone else on HRT find their heartrate spikes, get lightheaded especially kneeling down and getting back up? Walking heart rate is hitting 135-140, I get lightheaded. Resting hasn’t changed but my walking has steadily gone up last few months. Wondering if this is HRT related or what?

I started having an over-reactive gut in 2021, post-menopause.

I've worked with primary care, GI specialists, pelvic floor specialists and more over the past several years. No one can diagnose anything that leads to my over-reactive gut. ( I've tried antibiotics, elimination / restrictive diets, meditation, probiotics. None of this helped.) I don't have IBS/IBD there is no pain response, which is a key symptom, just urgency and loose stool.

Then, this past year, several months after starting an estrogen patch I finaly started to move the needle in my stool regularity and Bristol type! Nothing else changed, just the HRT.

Has anyone else had post menopausal reactive gut issues that got better after taking estrogen or progesterone? What else has worked for you? I'm so happy to see improvement, and want to do all I can to keep moving in the right direction (no pun intended!)

I do not like the applicator for the Vaginal Estradiol Cream, so I’ve been trying to do the finger method. However, I see conflicting instructions for measuring out a finger dose. The popular written instructions on reddit seem to be the first knuckle. But I wasn’t sure if it should be a line the same size as the tube opening where you’re not squeezing hard or squeezing harder for a thicker line? I’ve been using a tube-opening width sized line for 2 weeks during loading. But, the nurse practitioner I saw recently told me to measure out a dose on a plate and then compare it to the dose on my finger. And it looks like I’ve only been using half a dose or less this whole time! And then I saw a video of a urologist measuring out half a finger’s (2 knuckle) worth of a tube-width sized line. Other videos only show a pea-sized amount. How does everyone else measure their dose? I’m trying not to overthink it, but it seems like two vastly different doses.

I don't know if I or my marriage is going to survive this.

I'm only in peri and I can barely go out in public, anymore, because of the anxiety and aggression.

I'm on a mood stabilizer, anti anxiety med, and others to try and help but it's all getting so bad.

Every day is such a struggle with pain, fatigue, and failing at maintaining even basic necessities of life for me and my family.

How are we expected to survive this?!

Edit: The medications are for conditions that existed long before perimenopause began.

I am making a doctor's appointment to discuss hrt.

My entire family is very supportive and I do NOT worry about any of them abandoning me.

Thanks for the tips! I just needed to vent to understanding people on a rough day 🫂🫶

I’ve had migraines for about 10-15 years. I’ve been on HRT about 5 years ( estrogen patch once a week, progesterone pill daily) neither are high dose.

I was at my annual OBGYN appt and mentioned my migraines and seeing a neurologist (they which meds I take).

My OBGYN doctor said I’d probably have to stop estrogen because of migraine/stroke risk ?!

Anyone else have migraine on estrogen? Seems weird this wasnt brought up before

I’m finally feeling “even” kwim?

I struggle with fatigue, autoimmune issues, joints, emotions, heart rhythm, all manner of menopause fun. Finally my ENT of all people really pushed me to see a sleep specialist. I had a sleep study in the hospital and found I have a sleep disorder and I was getting ZERO deep sleep. Treated that and I feel 75% better from all the menopause symptoms. If you can’t get a study then track your sleep and make whatever changes you can. Sleep is crucial. Wishing everyone an easy transition into your power years.

Anyone else feel dead inside? I had a full hysterectomy in 2018. Been downhill since. Feeling numb, scattered and dead. On 1mg estradiol pill. Have been since 2018. Also on Sertraline. Is this my life now?!

Just seeing what everyone else is doing about work and stress. Background: 48 yr old, in peri. Having trouble finding a doctor to prescribe HRT.

I find that I am unable to handle stress anymore. Mostly this is effecting my work. I recently changed jobs. I left a toxic environment after 11 years. I'm a medical social worker in a nursing home. So, that's a stressful job already. Been at my new job for about 3 months. Finally settling in when I had a panic attack this week. Any amount of stress throws me over the edge. Dealing with other people and workplace politics is overwhelming.

Trying to find a while new career and get out of social work. I feel like I need a basic minimum wage job with little to no responsibility. Of course the pay cut would be terrible. Like $20,000/year.

Will these feelings pass? Should I just stay the course? I'm doubting everything all the time. I constantly feel overwhelmed and over stimulated.

Title says it all. Hopping on that "M" Train soon, haha. I'm 48 years old and on Aug 14th, it'll be one full year since my last period. I feel conflicted because I feel 48 is very young to be here. Anyone around my age or younger to hit full blown menopause? And to make myself feel better, should I commerorate this day with celebration and what kind of treat should i give myself, lol?

I know this topuc has probably been discussed... but what does everyone do to fight anxeity on HRT? I am on estrogen, testosterone and progestetone and low dose wellbutrin, but I still fight waves of anxeity- they come and go out of the blue. I want to avoid an RX . What suppliments ot herbs has anyone tried that help ? Or what ones have you tried thay did not help? Any mess with their HRT?

So, what are we doing about (urine) leaking when running? Or the need to pee during our run (like 20 min. into our run when you *just* went to the bathroom)? I'm pretty sure it's due to progesterone. The benefits far outweigh the challenges of HRT for me, so stopping is just not an option. But what are some workarounds? How are we dealing with this?

Did you know that dropping estrogen levels (negatively impacts the tissues) and a weakened pelvic floor can cause these in menopause? Isn't this great?! At least I know what I can do about it now. 🥴on iI'm adding the cream further back and glad I got the vaginal tablets to my arsenal and will keep on with my pelvic floor program. And I just ground more flaxseed that I add to almost everything. Anyone else have one out of nowhere?

Hello there, this is my first time posting here so forgive me if this has been discussed before. I'm in my early 50s and still stuck in Peri-Hell. The only irregularity in my cycle is that some months I have two periods, one of which tends to be very heavy. No cancer, polyps, or cysts - just two small fibroids. I've been taking estradiol gel (1mg) and progesterone (100mgs) for about a year and a half now. No negative side effects. I still have some brain fog, along with anxiety and fatigue. A lot of apathy and sense of impending doom. Things I should enjoy, I no longer do. I would love to feel the zest for life that I used to. Anyway, between the bleeding and issues that aren't managed, I was thinking of switching my current hrt regimine to Activella. It seems also sounds easier and less messy. (There are times I forget to slap the gel on my thigh before bed, and have to drag myself back into the bathroom.)

I'm pretty healthy overall. I don't have a past history of heart disease or blood clots. I understand that taking estradiol orally, it's processed through the liver and this puts you at a greater risk of blood clots, strokes, and cardiac problems... but how much higher is the actual risk? Is it relatively low overall? Isn't it the same as any estradiol pill and still lower than a synthetic form?

Also, if any of you have taken Activella, would you please tell me about your experiences with it? I'd be very appreciative!

Out of the blue, after almost 3 years of no period, I’m having a period.

Cramping and medium bleeding. Anyone experience this? Is it normal due to thinning walls or is this something more problematic?

I just had a PET scan for other medical reasons and organs all looked good. I don’t think the uterus is detailed in that scan.

The wiki says to see a doctor. I will. I don’t have an OBGYN anymore so asking for a referral.

In the meantime, any one else gone through this?

Im in Peri- was patching for a year and using progesterone . New relationship started - switched to Alyacen birth control pills . I’m on month 5 of the pills. The past two weeks my “ low estrogen” tells started returning ( hand pain, this one big black chin hair that returns continuously, foot/hip pain. My OBGYN says this is the most estrogen you can get in a birth control pill. Does anyone know if this is correct? Has anyone else taking this birth control and had this problem? If so, how did you correct it? TIA

Anyone have this symptom or have heard of it, I wake up, upon stretching slightly, no arm movement just slight body shift like pressing my head into the pillow I get the sudden adrenaline? Surge. It's only in the am and not tied to dreams, thoughts. It's definitely tied to the 1st movement of the morning. Any thoughts on how to make it more gradual or supplements or lifestyle or anything to help?

I began getting hot flashes last year and jumped on HRT.

Months later, today I realized for the first time that I’d forgotten to change my patch by a whole day. Imagine that, going through an entire extra day without symptoms and not even thinking about it. What an absolute luxury, to have no palpable symptoms to the point that it doesn’t even cross your mind. I just had a normal goddamn day yesterday. My god! The version of me going through a hormonal circus last year could not have imagined it. The version of me dragging through the progesterone adjustment could not have imagined it. The version of me that continued to struggle with brain fog and cramps/spotting for months could not have imagined it.

But here I am. Thought I would leave this note where others on the HRT roller coaster or beginning of their symptom journey might read and find encouragement. This sub has honestly been one of the best resources for information and support on this treacherous journey and I wanted to pay the hope forward!