Older women - I have a question

[bethben]

So, I'm getting close to 50.  My cycles have always been pretty uneventful.  This past time however - HORRIBLE!  When my period started, I felt like I had a bad flu.  Full body muscle aches and pains, headache, feeling cold, a little bit of nausea, and insomnia with medication to help me sleep not working.  Exactly like having a bad flu without the shaking from a fever thing.  The timing was exactly the time my period started.  I spent half the day just fine and half the day in bed.  I have had that flu feeling before so I knew it was hormonal rather than a true flu.  Usually the muscle aches would last about 8 hours or lessand be done.  This time, I was out laying in bed for two days and today, I feel like I'm barely recovering.  I do take extra iron during this part of my cycle to try to combat some of this.  Is this normal? What do I do to not make this happen again?  It doesn't happen every month and I do take a bio-identical progesterone.  I also have small uterine fibroids that really don't bug me and in a few years, that should resolve itself with menopause anyway.  I am seeing a functional medicine doctor who has pretty much told me she is not sure how to help some other things going on with me and is trying different supplements hoping something works.  

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

I am in my late 40s and get “period flu” every month. It’s ridiculous. It started around age 44 or 45. I never had it before. People think I’m being dramatic and “extra,” but I get SICK for at least 24 whole hours every month. I don’t know what can be done about it. I just try to be very gentle with myself. It just is for now. 

[Lawyer&Mom]

I’ve been getting the ovulation flu.  Any suggestions appreciated. 

[Guest]

I’ve always called this “hormone hangover,” because to me it feels like that - a really bad hangover from excessive alcohol. 

[Selkie]

I'm 50 and have never experienced this. It sounds awful!

[lmrich]

Me too! It is awful...and I fall for it everytime - think I am getting a nasty cold or the flu. Nope. I rest when I can, complain a lot, drink lots of water (and wine) but nothing has helped. I now try to stay ahead in my lesson plans and chores to accommodate for the three or four days where I feel like a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of the shoe. 

[bethben]

I am glad I’m not the only one.  On day two of feeling horrible, I was thinking maybe I was being dramatic and just needed to get moving again.  And then when I did, my stomach got into the mix and it just feels better to lay down. I’m trying to figure out what to eat now because my stomach is like a gassy swamp and I can’t eat saltines due to gluten intolerance.  That’s all that seems appropriate.  I just want to say if men had this every month, I bet there would have been a ton of research done on it already.  During these times, I tell DH that he should thank God he’s not a woman.  He does.

[RootAnn]

4 hours ago, bethben said:

 I just want to say if men had this every month, I bet there would have been a ton of research done on it already.

But only during the days when they could get out of bed....

[scoutingmom]

I had this from about age 13 until my first pregnancy (age 35!)  And yes, it was horrible.  Sick for 1 to 2 days every cycle (which was very erratic).

I remember in my mid 20's... I had just moved and didn't have all my utilities hooked up including phone.  My new apartment was across the street from my mother's work.  And hormone flu.  I walked to my mom's work to phone my work, and also call to get phone hooked up.  And, I apparently turned totally white....  My Mom walked me home.  And she said she had never realized just how sick I got with my cycle.  (And I was thinking that I was faking it or over-complain all these years?)

[kiwik]

I went through a phase in my teens like that.  In retrospect I think I was getting a minor UTI during my period which cleared itself up.

[Lady Florida.]

I'm post menopausal and never experienced anything like that. I thought going through peri-menopause and menopause was no picnic but reading some of the posts in this thread maybe I got off easy.

[Scarlett]

5 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

I'm post menopausal and never experienced anything like that. I thought going through peri-menopause and menopause was no picnic but reading some of the posts in this thread maybe I got off easy.

I was thinking the same thing.  My peri-menopause symptoms were very typical....anxiety, hot flashes, insomnia....and a few very heavy periods every few months.   Anxiety was the worst.....I felt like I could feel it creeping up from my chest into my hair and then my head would itch.  My mom had breast cancer so I had decided not to ever take hormones......but.....During the worst of it I gave in and let the doc prescribe lowest dose hormone...and then I eventually cut that in half.  But anyway, I never had flu like symptoms....not with my period when young or peri menopause later on.  

[bethben]

35 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

I was thinking the same thing.  My peri-menopause symptoms were very typical....anxiety, hot flashes, insomnia....and a few very heavy periods every few months.   Anxiety was the worst.....

I don’t get the hot flashes but I’m also on bio-identical progesterone. I get anxiety/panic attacks at night and the heavy periods every other month”ish”.  The worst for me aside from the period flu is that I have a 21 day cycle usually so I am constantly in hormonal chaos it seems.  

[OH_Homeschooler]

In my early 40s my PMS became unbearable. It was bad before, but I actually felt suicidal (even knowing it was PMS or PMDD). I was getting a migraine every month, on a Tuesday. I felt like the world was plotting against me. Everything looked and felt darker. I was exhausted, and sweaty, and I had to hide away from my family so I wouldn't scream at them. And I sometimes had URI symptoms and felt like I was getting a cold. 

So when I sought help I wanted to see someone as soon as possible, so I saw a nurse practitioner, instead of my regular doctor. She suggested the pill, so I told her the pill tended to make me just have PMS all the time. But she put me on Lo Loestrin, which has a super low dose of hormones. I guess my migraines were caused from dropping estrogen levels. So now I have steady hormones and I actually take the pills continuously. I don't get a period or have to deal with mood swings. My blood pressure actually improved! My weight remained stable. 

If I can I will stay on this until menopause (although I don't know how I'd know I was in menopause). It's been a literal life saver. 

[aggie96]

I didn’t know there was a “name” for it! Yes, the last few years have been hell, and I’m 45. I also have extreme anxiety now, which is steadily getting worse since I turned 40. I hate all of it. I might have to find and doctor to talk about OH_Homeschooler’s approach.

 

because it has become untenable. 😞

[bethben]

I feel like my emotional life is pretty OK through the month.  I know when I'm getting a little snippy and know I have to control how I react.  The heavy heavy periods randomly are annoying.  I feel like I'm 15 again with having regular accidents.  If I keep having the period flu monthly, I may wind up taking something else.  Like a pp mentioned, I was an emotional wreck on the pill.  Monthly, I was sobbing in a fetal position for a few days - they also gave me horrible gut imbalance to the point that I would be laying on the couch in pain after eating so I'm pretty hesitant.  Every few months is OK, but every 21 days would be horrible.  I need to see my gyno anyway.  

[ktgrok]

I don't get quite those symptoms but definitely not the "just cramps" symptoms they tell you about. 

I get diarrhea every time. My mom does too. 

I also get body aches, but only my lower body. Anything below the waist hurts, but the worst is my knees  and ankles. 

And that first day I'm so very very very tired I can barely survive. And yet, that has zero correlation with the amount of blood it seems. It's just hormones. 

I also get the aches with ovulation. blech

[ktgrok]

You know, when I was young I'd hear about societies where they sent the mensturating women to go live by themselves during that time of the month, in a separate hut, and I thought that was terrible. Now I'm like wait..i could just go hang out with other women and bitch about PMS and not have to cook or clean for a few days? Sign me up.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

If you need GF crackers, Schar makes very good saltines. They're very close to the familiar, just a little thicker. Glutino has a Ritz type option, and Kroger has a few GF varieties that are more affordable. Everyone needs crackers sometimes!. @bethben

[bethben]

8 minutes ago, Lang Syne Boardie said:

If you need GF crackers, Schar makes very good saltines. They're very close to the familiar, just a little thicker. Glutino has a Ritz type option, and Kroger has a few GF varieties that are more affordable. Everyone needs crackers sometimes!. @bethben

I’ll have to try those.  I used to have a very good almond cracker but I also have issues with almonds.  The rice crackers are just too heavy/crunchy sometimes.

[Scarlett]

12 hours ago, OH_Homeschooler said:

In my early 40s my PMS became unbearable. It was bad before, but I actually felt suicidal (even knowing it was PMS or PMDD). I was getting a migraine every month, on a Tuesday. I felt like the world was plotting against me. Everything looked and felt darker. I was exhausted, and sweaty, and I had to hide away from my family so I wouldn't scream at them. And I sometimes had URI symptoms and felt like I was getting a cold. 

So when I sought help I wanted to see someone as soon as possible, so I saw a nurse practitioner, instead of my regular doctor. She suggested the pill, so I told her the pill tended to make me just have PMS all the time. But she put me on Lo Loestrin, which has a super low dose of hormones. I guess my migraines were caused from dropping estrogen levels. So now I have steady hormones and I actually take the pills continuously. I don't get a period or have to deal with mood swings. My blood pressure actually improved! My weight remained stable. 

If I can I will stay on this until menopause (although I don't know how I'd know I was in menopause). It's been a literal life saver. 

That is how I was with the hormones....they were such a lifesaver I no longer cared about the breast cancer risk factor.  I gladly traded a known quality of life for a risk.  

[Mabelen]

9 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

You know, when I was young I'd hear about societies where they sent the mensturating women to go live by themselves during that time of the month, in a separate hut, and I thought that was terrible. Now I'm like wait..i could just go hang out with other women and bitch about PMS and not have to cook or clean for a few days? Sign me up.

I know that you are being funny, but the sad truth is there are still places like this in rural India and Nepal,  and it is absolutely terrible.  

[Lady Florida.]

On 8/27/2019 at 9:47 AM, Scarlett said:

I was thinking the same thing.  My peri-menopause symptoms were very typical....anxiety, hot flashes, insomnia....and a few very heavy periods every few months.   Anxiety was the worst.....I felt like I could feel it creeping up from my chest into my hair and then my head would itch. 

 

On 8/27/2019 at 10:26 AM, bethben said:

I don’t get the hot flashes but I’m also on bio-identical progesterone. I get anxiety/panic attacks at night and the heavy periods every other month”ish”.  The worst for me aside from the period flu is that I have a 21 day cycle usually so I am constantly in hormonal chaos it seems.  

I didn't connect my anxiety and panic attacks to menopause until after I was past it all. I never had them before and haven't had any since, so I'm sure now it was menopause related. Night time panic attacks were the worst. I'd wake up from a sound sleep absolutely sure I was dying. 

[Bensmom2]

On 8/27/2019 at 8:47 AM, Scarlett said:

I was thinking the same thing.  My peri-menopause symptoms were very typical....anxiety, hot flashes, insomnia....and a few very heavy periods every few months.   Anxiety was the worst.....I felt like I could feel it creeping up from my chest into my hair and then my head would itch.  My mom had breast cancer so I had decided not to ever take hormones......but.....During the worst of it I gave in and let the doc prescribe lowest dose hormone...and then I eventually cut that in half.  But anyway, I never had flu like symptoms....not with my period when young or peri menopause later on.  

Wait a second!  Anxiety???!!!!  I never knew this was a perimenopause symptom. I have never been one to experience particular feelings of anxiety. In fact I am usually super laid back. I have been definitely not feeling myself in this area for about a year. I have had some other symptoms that I recognized at just being stage of life (hot flashes, insomnia, changes in my cycle) but was clueless that my anxiety could just be change of life related. I thought I was going slightly crazy 😜. Of course if you ask my ds 16, he will confirm mom is wacky, but this is different than my norm for sure. I feel so relieved lol!

[sassenach]

On 8/27/2019 at 12:08 PM, Ktgrok said:

I don't get quite those symptoms but definitely not the "just cramps" symptoms they tell you about. 

I get diarrhea every time. My mom does too. 

I also get body aches, but only my lower body. Anything below the waist hurts, but the worst is my knees  and ankles. 

And that first day I'm so very very very tired I can barely survive. And yet, that has zero correlation with the amount of blood it seems. It's just hormones. 

I also get the aches with ovulation. blech

Same. 

[Scarlett]

19 hours ago, Bensmom2 said:

Wait a second!  Anxiety???!!!!  I never knew this was a perimenopause symptom. I have never been one to experience particular feelings of anxiety. In fact I am usually super laid back. I have been definitely not feeling myself in this area for about a year. I have had some other symptoms that I recognized at just being stage of life (hot flashes, insomnia, changes in my cycle) but was clueless that my anxiety could just be change of life related. I thought I was going slightly crazy 😜. Of course if you ask my ds 16, he will confirm mom is wacky, but this is different than my norm for sure. I feel so relieved lol!

For sure!  Anxiety is the worst.