Reply #70: Ditto Wow!

[ccjlld]

I'm almost in the same boat as you. Been perimenopausal for about 2 years (I'm 43). My entire life the only time my periods were "normal" was when I was on the pill. When not on the pill, I would only have about 2 periods a year.

Once pre-menopause hit, my periods come like clockwork, only they are extremely heavy. I experience what they call flooding. They only last for about 9 days, but the volume is constant and I am losing blood faster than my body can replace it. Even though I take 3 iron supplements a day, in December my hemoglobin got so low, around 6, that I ended up in the hospital to get a transfusion.

I had an ultrasound and have no fibroids. I have a cyst on each ovary but they don't seem to be causing problems. I also had an emdometrial biopsy (tons of fun), which came back normal.

My doctor currently has me taking progestren to try to stop the bleeding. The hormones changed nothing the first month and I just finished the second month so I guess we'll see what happens.

One doctor suggested a hysterectomy, but I'm not ready for that yet. My regular doctor hasn't brought it up.

I did have really bad problems with mood swings and still have some problems with panic attacks. I also got really restless, I couldn't sit still. I'm taking Paxil, and although I worry about it, it seems to be working fairly well for me.

I initially thought that I had a couple of hot flashes but found out later after talking to my doctor that they were vasal vagals. This was after I fainted in the middle of our mall.

My doctor says that pre-menopause can last for as long as 10 years. At this rate, I'd just as soon get it over with!