menopause?

[chantal nicole]

So I've had some sudden changes to my period over the last 3 months and am starting to wonder if I'm starting menopause at 33. my mom even still has her period.

Signs:
- tissue problems around vulva, perenium and anus for years

-continence nurse 2yrs ago said my crotch looks like I'm lacking estrogen. I tried estrogen cream and it aggravated my muscle condition and nearly landed me in a psychiatric ward- family history of not tolerating small amounts of estrogen

-night sweats for on and off most of this year- not often but when it happens, i wake completely drenched and the sheets take a good part of the day to fully dry while still on the bed

-insomnia- for the last 6 months or so, and in particular in the last 3, I've had trouble with sleep. I get to sleep without a problem but i can't stay asleep. I wake up around 2-4am and i am up for the day. I feel like crashing around noon but most days i keep myself up till bed time.

-the period itself- 3 periods ago i noticed it was unusually light and easy to get through. This period, I'm on just entering day 3 and i think it's over. I normally would require double protection for 3 entire days but this time around, no double protection. I normally would have to wake up 1-2 times during the first 2 nights to change protection but this time didn't have to once. I normally require by the clock tylenol for 3 days but this time i just needed it for 12hrs. It has changed so much in 3 months that i am starting to wonder if i will still have it at all in another 3 months.

I know that women can go through changes in their 30s that don't mean menopause but putting it all together, I'm starting to wonder if i am starting to go through it.

Worst of all, i don't think I'll ever be able to take estrogen so if i go through it, i think that's it. I haven't even had time to start considering what i should do to prevent issues later in life from early menopause. I don't know what it can cause problems with or anything besides osteoporosis.

I wonder if there is anything else that can cause what i am groing through. Where are all the girly hormones produced- any other gland except ovaries involved in that that i should get checked out?

I am talkign to my nurse practitionner about it but i also want ot know from other poeple in their 30s or even older if they're going through similar things, if their period got much lighter but still continued...

[ICNDonna]

Sounds like it's time for a visit to your gyn.

Donna

[SharonA]

I agree, it is time for you to talk with your gyn.

I began going through the change at 39. It took about 4 years before I completely stopped having a period. It would skip a month or two, last longer, be light or heavy until it finally stopped. My last period lasted one full month and never happened again. I did the change without taking hormones but I did not have a rough time of it. My symptoms were pretty easy to deal with most of the time. I did have some hot flashes but did not have night sweats. I remember losing my cool a few times. My son knew how to push my buttons so he got the worst of it.

[jen48446]

I agree, talk to your ob/gyn & insist on getting all your hormone levels checked. I also recommend reading Screaming to be Heard by Elizabeth Vliet. I refer to it as my "hormone bible" :smile tee:cat::angel:

[Bessie]

I don't know if this would help or not, but have you had your thyroid checked? I have an underactive thyroid which can cause some of the problems you are having......sleep issues, sweating at night, dry skin, etc. Everything just kind of slows down.....kind of like a car running on empty :hi:

[dg2901]

While women's cycles start changing during the 30's, its not common to go into full blown menapause. Thats not to say it doesnt happen though.
I started noticing a change in my menses in my late 20's and brought it to the attention of my GYN. This is when he educated me about how hormone levels start fluctuating and how menses could start acting abnormally. I unfortunately ended up having a hysterectomy in '03 that caused premature ovarian failure. Other than vaginal Estrace a couple times per week, I just manage the symptoms the best I can. Fortunately symptoms are few and far between now.

As a woman, I'm sure you're aware that any changes in your menses that last longer than 2-3 cycles should be brought to the attention of your GYN. There are so many things that can cause changes that only a thorough medical exam and blood tests will reveal.
And like someone else mentioned, your symptoms could very well be due to an underactive thyroid so be sure to ask for your levels to be checked.

Best wishes...
Diana

[glassd18]

In my early thirties I started to have hot flashes etc..., and by 36 I no longer had a menstruation. I ignored the signs because I really didn't think it was possible to go into menopause that early, but low and behold I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure (early menopause). I use a hormone patch to ease the side effects, but it is difficult with IC because many of the hormones out there can irritate our bladders. You definitely need to see your gyno to have your hormones checked. This is the only way to know for sure what is going on, and as someone mentioned here before it is a good idea to have the thyroid checked at the same time. They checked mine too to make sure that wasn't the problem. Good luck to you!!!!

[A-Thompson]

I would see your gyno.
I also have had weird periods...I missed mine for six months once and they tested me..I have hypothyriod, and not in menopause. I just hopefully got my period today..sort of on tp this morning....anyway I havent seen it since feb...except some bleeding after my surgery. I didnt consider it my period since it was after a rupture of my uterus was sewed up, and wasnt like a period...I see my gyn on weds..I am hoping to get pregnant soon so I am glad I am getting it again... Iam only 38(tomorrow) so I hope the doc before was right that I am not memopausel. But I didnt know my thyriod effected my period...thanks for that..I really should look into that more... Thanks for the info. Good luck.