Is this the norm?

[Frustr8ed]

I've been chasing symptoms for over 2 years now.  I've been told several times that this is 'just normal menopause' but it certaintly doesn't feel normal.

54 yrs old - last period Aug 05.
Heavy cramping in the left ovary and tube area, 2-3 weeks per month
lower back pain (sacrum area)
the feeling that I'm going to menustrate at any time
Upper abdominal pain, feels better lying down, sitting is painful
abdominal bloating (upper and lower)
weight gain, inablility to lose weight - I haven't been this big since pregnancy, it's interesting to notice that with all this extra weight (25 lbs) that my bra size has not changed at all
early satiety - feel extemely full after eating even small meals
lower left abdomen pain (especially after eating) and left ovary pain is always accompanied by a hot flash
night sweats for well over 7 years
hot flashes for the past 3 years, worse over the past year
vaginal burning - sex is out of the question! the burning pain makes me gasp and scream
Sleep deprivation - 2 hours of uninterrupted sleep is a good night
change in bowel habits/texture
not sure about urinary frequency - how do you define that? every 2 hours during the night, every 20 minutes during the day if I'm hydrated, every hour if I'm dehydrated
bloated fingers and feet - rings no longer fit, shoes are too tight but a bigger size falls off
colonoscopy normal
endoscopy normal
thyroid normal, no lupus, arthritis or lyme
Gastro says it's a tilted pelvis, gyne says 'normal', primary says slow digestion

Is this really normal?

[Frustr8ed]

Thank you! I appreciate your input and your time!

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

It sounds like you are having some really challenging symptoms. One thing to consider if you haven't had it done is an ultrasound to look at your ovaries to be sure there isn't a cyst or tumor causing your problems. For the vaginal burning, you can try an over the counter medication called Replens. It helps put moisture back into the vaginal. Use it daily for a week then twice a week after that. For the bladder problems, see a urogynecologist. They deal with frequency issues and may be able to offer a range of treatments from biofeedback to medications to using a pessary ( a small support that is placed into the vagina to help elevate the bladder) to surgery.
For sleep, low dose estrogen can be a consideration. Also, there are several medications for sleep on the market such as Lunesta that might be helpful for you.
For the hot flashes, exercising daily, drinking lots of water, stress reduction, and avoiding hot spicy foods are all helpful. You can discuss a low dose of estrogen with your doctor if it is a reasonable choice for you, or consider alternatives such as soy, black cohosh or flax seed, or other prescription medications used to treat hot flashes. Whether your symptoms are normal or not, it seems that they need attention and if treated, might make a big difference in your life.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD