I understand. I feel terrible too. Very irritable, mostly on days after nights that I could not sleep. I feel like I'm being tortured.

Hi Brinw,

I had enormous pain. I think I noted somewhere here before that I had no idea what was going on. I thought I was simply "like that". But it was only peri. It went on for years, and I had no idea. I was just buffeted all over the place. What a wreck of a life. You might go to a really good gyn and get some hrt. More at first (a year) and then tapering off.

While this is going on, educate yourself on inner peace, not to mention on how to help your mind and actual brain become peaceful and balanced; also learn about caring for your adrenals. Your adrenals will be providing estrogen later if you can keep them healthy.

I know of what I speak. I blew my poor adrenals out from being nuts with peri. But I'm OK now.

I got help from: yoga, exercise, meditation; eating well, not boozing; reading up at a site called sensiblehealth and using some of their products, also using a product called Adrenal Strength (it's herbal, no animal adrenals in it). All this while taking/tapering off estrogen (I have no uterus). I'm using the tiniest bit of estrogen now: 0.3mg. That's it.

Brin,

I hear you loud and clear girl! I have never been an angry person. I'm really mild mannered, very laid back but all of a sudden I feel like I am angry all the time. I agree with an above poster that what goes on inside manifests outside. A really great site I discovered years ago is www.onespirit.com. It's a spiritual book club (but I just rent from the library) and has a wonderful selection of health and mind/body/soul books.

I just don't understand why no one TOLD us about what to expect during this time. I spent years thinking I was nuts when really it was just everyone else who was. (k, i'm kidding but you know what I mean. :) )

Robyn

A straight jacket, a quiet room, and a morphine drip sounds pretty good about now, doesn't it? It's not a snapper-outer, is it? I think I may be ending the perimenopause stage and entering the menopause thing. But I'm not sure what's worse. Looney or wack-job...hmm. I'm taking Paxil and have for awhile, but they might as well be Gummy Bears cuz they aint doing a whole lot of shit. But I will grin and bare it while my teeth get ground into my jawbone from gritting and grinding them.ha?!

Its mean and nasty alright and yes it makes you angry and yes it feels like a punishment. My friends never suffered. Just a smooth transition. That made me feel angry when my life was crumbling around me. Maybe your mother coped differently. Its a very difficult thing to have to deal with and everyone is different in the ways they cope. You will find something to help you through it and when you have a 'handle' on the symptoms you will see life a whole new light. I suffered for too long and then went onto HRT. I have had 100 % improvement in everything. Out of the list of 35 menopause symptoms,I had 26. All gone. Take care.

hi Brinw,
You are not alone. I seem to bounce from angry to crying jags. I have been to countless doctors, only to find out that it's peri-mental pause. Most of the doctors I found fluff it off, like you need to toughen up and deal. Finally I found someone who understands how awful this is. You are not weak, this is and awful thing to go thru. Personally, I made the decision a long time age, to go on hormone replacement. I am awaiting my last appointment to get started. Hang in there, and remember that you are not alone!!

It sucks big time. I went to a place that I thought would give me more options than my gyno. I keep having periods that last two weeks and then come back a week later. They started me on DHEA drops and progesterone drops. It didn't really help and then two months later I got a UTI which was strange and kept having this burning feeling even after the infection was gone. Then I got PMS symptoms all the time. She switched me to pregnenalone and the progesterone and still my periods were long. I finally after 6 months gave up and went back to my gyno. She is putting me on Seasonique so that I don't get a period very often. I am all for that, but hoping I don't get side effects from the pill. I just started it. Somewhere out there is the answer.

I am in peri. I think alot of it has to do with whats going on in your life. My mom died 15 months ago, my brother turned insane, my sis and neice are moving to Florida and I want to go but cant afford to til I get a permanent job here. I have so much crap goin on all the time I dont know what end is up. I am on medication for depression - have no idea whether it hwlps or not. I have mood swings, cry, sweat, irregular periods. I have moved four times in three years. Lost one of my cats 2 years ago. Had to put my mom in a nursing home. I have alot of reasons to be out of my mind......

I've been in peri for two years and I don't take anything for it. I do take an antidepressant, I guess it helps cause when I don't take it I get mean and bitchy, like I am not that way all the time lately anyway. My doc said that just ride it out and it will be ok but I am tired of the hot flashes and night sweats endless nights of no sleep and then I am supoossed to be a happy cheerful person not at all this sux to say the least.

Oh yes, I was a total nut case; drove my bf crazy..he dumped me.