r/Menopause

I used to be great at my job. I hit meno in December and it feels like I fell off a cliff. Nothing I do or say is right, I'm told I'm not approachable at work and I can't shake the guilt of effing up. I probably won't last another month here.

I finally started progesterone and the patch a few weeks ago. Not soon enough to help the job, though. 😔

Have you experienced this? Did you end up leaving before they could fire you, because I am close to that.

Have been in peri now for the past ?3 years and hrt means I no longer want to disappear into the woods by myself. About 10 months ago I added testosterone gel to try and restart my libido, which was in minus figures. Well this past month something has definitely changed and my desire is like that in my 20's, I figure it is the testosterone as nothing else has changed. Great, loving it, so is husband.

Now, the past 4 times we have engaged in play, when I climax I get the most excrutiating pain in the back of my head. I can feel it coming on as my orgasm gets close, then lightening bolt to head. 4 times. I am so pi€€ed off with this. Honestly, peri and hrt and all related to it is like whack-a-mole. I finally thought something good had come back.

Has anyone experienced this? Or more importantly has anyone managed to get rid of it?

Am on a BP monitor now and have MRI scheduled.

Thanks for any input.

Anyone have vulvar/labial sensitivity, or tenderness when using this. I use intrarosa without issues, but tried the cream again and my external skin aches to even touch my underwear.

Last summer my gyn ordered estrogen, FSH and LH testing. I am 53 and had a hysterectomy (kept my ovaries). I had been having night sweats and I wake up at 3:00 a.m. every night, on the dot, and lay there for hours. My estrogen was normal but FSH and LH were high. She offered me HRT. I didn't take her up on it because I could deal with the night sweats and not sleeping as I had heard taking HRT isn't good for you.

Fast forward 7 months, the night sweats have gone away, I have cold spells where I am absolutely freezing even if it's 80 degrees outside. Still wake up at 3:00 a.m. Here are my weird symptoms. Back in Feb I got what I thought was a sinus infection. Was told it was viral. 3 weeks later, still feeling awful, now thinking it's allergies so they gave me more allergy meds to take and an antibiotic just because it had been 3 weeks. Antibiotic did nothing. Allergy meds are doing nothing. I also have aches like I have the flu. Not horrible but just feel blah and my lungs/back/chest "aches".

After 3 MONTHS of this, I Went back to the doctor. Definite noticeable mucus in my throat and in my nose but my nose is not "stuffy" and the throat mucus has caused a horrible cough for weeks. He sent me to an allergist. She did all the allergy testing, I am allergic to NOTHING. No wonder the allergy meds didn't work. She sent me for a CT scan of my sinuses. The results are that I have a little inflammation in one sinus cavity. I am waiting for her to message me next steps. She thinks it could be non allergy sinusitis. While researching that I came across hormonal sinusitis. Basically saying out of whack hormones can cause flu like symptoms and sore sinuses that feel like a sinus infection.

Anyone else hear of this or have similar symptoms? I messaged my gyn and if I was in person I am sure she would have looked at me like I had two heads. She responded she was sorry I was feeling that way but it probably wasn't hormones and to come in for an appointment to discuss it further. I also asked my daughter who is an ER resident and she said she had never heard of it either. Anyone? Just me? I am just hoping that it's menopause and I can fix it and I'm not dying of something else!

Wheww. I’m 53 and a few months in to no period. It’s been off and on for a few years but something has shifted in a hard way the last few months.
My insomnia is awful; I have meds but no help.
My vagina atrophy is crappy. I have Premarin.
Craving carbs-
Hair is greasy.
Just feeling very off.
It feels like I’m 45 again and back in the perimenopause beginnings

It feels like I’ve been hijacked (again)

Curious others experience during the 12 month shift

I tried out magnesium glycinate a while back for the 3am random wake ups and I’ve noticed it gave me nightmares and actually made my sleep worse. I just wanted to see if anyone else had this experience too because it seems like everyone here has it as a holy grail supplement

Quick background, I’m 44 and was in perimenopause even before having a hysterectomy leaving my ovaries back in October. Started HRT about 6 weeks after my surgery as had a quick onset of symptoms. Doctor and I have been adjusting my dose ever since and have been having great difficulty in getting me feeling consistent due to my ovaries still producing some hormones. Normally I take 100mg of progesterone (helps with symptoms) and around 1.5 pumps of estrogen.

The big issue is that every 22 days (like clockwork) in what I’m guessing would be the time right before my cycle started (I used to have PPMD) I am having a huge problems with my HRT. During those few days certain symptoms become wildly extreme; my anxiety peaks to a level that is unmanageable, my emotions are out of control and the brain fog has me feeling unstable. It’s like my body and brain are glitchy for a few days. It’s unlike anything I have experienced before. My doctor suggested increasing my progesterone to 200 mg for a week around that time and it did help the symptoms a lot. However it throws my estrogen off where is seems my dose then is to low. so we increase the estrogen too which helped (including a boost of estrogen about 12 hours after) however the problem is switching the hormones causes a big problem in other symptoms for those days. The progesterone helps the anxiety but I sweat through my clothes several times a day for example. Or the anxiety is better but the increase in progesterone makes me so tired I have to sleep all day. We tried tapering up and down for that week (for example progesterone higher dose every two days instead of everyday leading up to it) but it hasn’t made the switch between the doses any easier. The estrogen especially feels difficult to manage when we raise the progesterone as it seems so low but raising it to match the progesterone brings an onset of new symptoms. I feel unstable switching doses but without it, that time when I would be low in my cycle is just two low and I can’t even function (I literally stay in bed for three days and just cry haha). I feel like I’m at my wits end here, anyone dealt with something similar? Thanks!

I wish I could go back 20 years and kick myself in the teeth for saying My mom's such a bitc.... she's completely different. This isn't the mom I know. Why is she crying? Why can't she deal with this like always? Why is it so cold in here? Holy hell. Instantaneous menopause is becoming a different person. Take everything you know about who you are, throw it away and become a different person. Good luck! You have no control over anything and if you don't have a solid support group, enjoy being divorced and alone. Menopause is so effing unfair. I hate the old me for being a doormat and don't like the new me in the moment. We're biologically screwed.

I had a total hysterectomy six weeks ago. This was planned and medically necessary. since starting estrogen patches most of my physical symptoms are mild. However My ADHD is off the rails. I’m forgetting basic things and the ADHD paralysis is the worst it has ever been. I don’t currently have a psychologist, but my therapist thinks progesterone might help. It has been shown to help ND patients mental health as well as promoting sleep which has also been a struggle. My Gyno will not prescribe progesterone because I don’t have a uterus.
Has anyone else dealt with this? Did anyone get progesterone? If so how? I am getting desperate.

Does anyone else feel like they're apathetic inside? Like, you just don't feel happy or sad, and if you do feel sad, then you can't cry.

I'm not sure if it's menopause or I've just reached my limit and no longer have the energy to care anymore (the last few years have just been disappointment after disappointment)

Ive been in a good place lately with my sleep and hot flashes, steady on 0.1mg patch. Pharmacy has been refilling me on Sandoz 2x weekly.

Well this last box was refilled with Mylan and and boom!! All my symptoms are back. Grrrrrr

Hi all,

Apparently this is part of perimenopause…

My mom had the worst feet I’ve ever seen and I thought if I took care of myself, it wouldn’t happen - but it has.

I go for medical pedicures, but the thick calluses will just show up overnight and it’s painful when it comes in.

I moisturize constantly, do Vaseline socks overnight (which is hard with the hot flashes) & yet nothing seems to help.

Should I see an actual podiatrist? Can they help with this?

I walk a lot living here in Europe and I wear appropriate footwear.

Thanks.

52 yrs old, my last period was in Jan 2026. I know I have to technically wait a yr to be in meno, but my doc measured my hormones a month ago and they were all at post menopausal levels. So I don’t think I’m going to have another period. Have been though the peri ups and downs with hormones and irregular periods for the last 3-4 yrs.

Recently: my brain fog is gone, mood is much more calm and stable (no more rages). I’ve been having a few hot flashes a day, mostly at night. But now I have no appetite. I have to force myself to eat, and am managing with oatmeal and nuts, pasta, cheese and crackers with apple, etc. I eat a few bites and have to force myself to finish the rest. Anyone else dealing with this? Sometimes it’s due to acid reflux.

I’m not depressed, actually feeling pretty good! Any suggestions of how to manage this? Anyone experience similar?

I'm 52 and not officially at my 12 month anniversary but feel that its very near.
I'm on E patches & Mirena for HRT for just over 3 years.
Over the past 6-8 months i've had asthma flare up out of pretty much nowhere and am symbicort for that, i've had flare ups of Seborrheic dermatitis in my scalp and now in my nose to mouth lines as well as eczema in my eyelid creases and have lost weight and an mri showed (nothing serious) inflammation in my small bowel (diarhea, loss of appetite & some weight loss were symptoms).
Has anyone had any success in tackling systemic inflammation in menopause?
I'm about to cut out alcohol and will try and cut out biscuits and sugar (the rest of my diet is very good apart from "naughty snacks") and i already weight train and do sufficient cardio.
Any tips gratefully received!

First I would l want to say thank you all for the support and kindness I received on my post yesterday regarding post menopause bleeding, your comments and replies gave me the confidence to go and see a doctor today.
I’m in rural CVC so I’m 3 weeks away for a pap and ultrasound but I’m going to advocate for myself and see if I can find a way to get these procedures done sooner because the thought of waiting weeks seems exhausting. Thank you all again for your words of encouragement and wish you well on our journey through menopause

i never had sinus problems in my life until menopause

I’ve had dry, inflamed sinuses for months now and a pressure feeling behind my nose and eyes when I wake up

have tried saline and Sudafed sprays and Dymista

doc wont give antibiotics unless there’s discharge (sorry)

has anyone else had this and found a solution?

Hey everyone I am 51 currently In Menopause i have Climara Pro but I bleed like I’m on my period at first it was only on the right side I wear the patch on my buttocks then it started on the Left idk what to do I’m afraid if I tell my Doctor or GYN she will take me off HRT and I don’t want to go without my bleeding is heavier now but no blood clots I think I have been On HRT for about 6 mos or longer I really don’t know what to do I’m on the highest and only dosage of Climara I can be on because I still have my Uterus Please help me I’m so tired of Bleeding

I’m 28 years old, I was diagnosed with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency at 26 following a car accident where I broke my spine, pelvis and sacrum - my body stopped creating hormones, eggs were damaged and I can’t have children easily, etc to where I now need HRT to protect bone density.

My problem, I don’t tolerate progesterone at all. It’s been a year and a half of trial and error with different timings (cyclical vs continual), different dosages (100mg - 200mg), and I still feel absolutely awful. Normally just deal with the insane bloating that adds 10 pounds, but this most recent cycle has landed me in the worst depressive episode I’ve experienced and it’s all tracking with progesterone.

My other problem however, from a result of the car accident, I have hypertonic pelvic floor syndrome (my pelvic muscles don’t relax - excruciating painful and exhausting), so vaginal progesterone goes out the window.

I’m nervous about the efficiency of progesterone cream, and so exhausted that I don’t want to try other progestins. The IUD also makes no sense to me as my body clearly does not like any form of progesterone (I did trial the vaginal).

I’ve been looking into Duavee and am interested, but feel like my doctor isn’t going to advocate because my body is actually producing no progesterone.

My overall dilemma: I am not producing progesterone naturally, but I’m also severely intolerant. I don’t want to be on it at all, but understand its purpose. I don’t know what to do.

I feel like giving up, it’s been years of suffering and I’m just exhausted.

I am in a low dose patch and had some post-meno bleeding. Had a sonogram and slightly thickened endometrial lining but doesn’t look concerning. Doing a hyesteroscopy next week just to be safe.

To address the bleeding, my OBGYN bumped me from 100mg to 200mg. Tried it one night and it was bad. I was up all night and was super dizzy. Put in a message via my patient portal and the NP called me back.

First question she asked was do you have ADHD. I told her I do and she explained that women with ADHD often don’t tolerate progesterone well. So I am back to 100mg and am going to take it earlier to help improve my sleep.

Luckily the .0375 patch is helping my symptoms fine. I hope I never need to up my estrogen because I won’t be able to tolerate the required increase in progesterone.

Just an FYI about HRT for the ADHD ladies who might not know about potential progesterone intolerance. I have only read that progesterone makes you sleepy so take it before bed and that’s not the case for me.

Hello!

I'm new - and this is my first reddit post so be gentle 🤣😭

I'm 53, had a hysterectomy due to adenomyosis in 2021 - and have recently been prescribed and have received Estradiol patches.

Now that I have them in my hand, I've been afraid to start them. I have a serious lifelong fear of blood clots and stroke in general, unrelated to the HRT. Also, pretty terrified of dementia and did not realize there was an increased risk with the HRT until I read the package insert.

My mom had been living with us due to cognitive decline/early dementia and just passed in February. Menopause brain had me fearing that I too had been losing cognitive function. I realize now what I had going on was some depression and the meno brain - But the previous fear has made me extra cautious if that makes sense. I'm also the caretaker for our oldest adult child because she has a rare, fatal neurodegenerative disease and we believe may be starting down the early dementia road.So to be honest, I'm pretty terrified of this type of issue anyway - and as a caretaker, can't really afford to fluff around with my health as the primary person caring for others.

I want some relief from these symptoms; particularly

Brain fog, loss of libido, serious joint pain/inflammation and hot flashes. I'm married to a younger man, and no longer feeling like myself - I'm too young to feel as old as I do physically with some spine and arthritis issues. I don't expect those things to be cured with HRT , but was hoping for the menopause related joint pain and inflammation to be relieved a bit. And these 🤬 hot flashes. I was counting on the HRT to help me get back closer to where I was, and now that I'm afraid to start taking it, I'm feeling pretty self-defeated.

I want to take it, but I'm scared.

Anyone have any wisdom? Similar experience? Opinions?

Thanks for reading

ETA : GIVEN THE RESPONSES, I PROBABLY MISREAD THE INSERT AND AM SUPER RELIEVED IF SO. I SLAPPED THE PATCH ON - AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU - FEEL FREE TO CONTINUE TO COMMENT - ITS NICE TO FEEL LESS ALONE ❤️