perimenopause

[Jenny Wren]

I wrote to you at an earlier time.  Since then I have had bloodwork done to rule out, Lupus, RA, Lyme, Multiple Myeloma, Thyroid disease, HIV, my sed rate is normal, lipid profile, normal, SPEP/IPEP, normal, brain, lumbar, and c-spine, normal.  My gynecologist just sent me last week for blood work to measure my hormone levels, I had this done on the third day of my cycle, don't know results yet.  My symptoms are: Migraines (which I never had a headache before this all started 5 years ago), heart palpitations, awakened at night with what feels to be an internal trembling inside, periods change monthly, anywhere between 22-30 days apart, sometimes heavy lasting just a day, sometimes lighter, lasting just 3 days.  I never have a period longer than 2-3 days.  My hair seems to be dry, and I have weird feelings on my skin, like bugs crawling, sometimes it feels hot and burning.  The worst is the bug crawling feeling on my scalp.  My neuro put me on Metanx.  She told me that she was going to make these weird feelings go away.  She told me that it will take a few weeks and you will notice a difference.  Well I was 1 day into my monthly cycle when I started these pills Dec 22, by Dec 30, there was a big difference, the feelings had gotten better by 80%, and I had lots of energy.  Well the 4-5 days before my period started this month it all came back with a vengance, now that my period is over it is gradually getting better. Do you think that this is all hormonal?  It seems so strange that I was feeling so much better, then BAM, my period started and everything went haywire. Thank U!

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

A. There are many things that can cause the same symptoms. Metanx is a special form of vitamins folic acid and B12. It is often used in people who have diabetes or heart disease but does have other uses. It may be helpful to know your estradiol, progesterone and testosterone levels. Sometimes those levels become abnormal or the range of normal in one or the other changes which makes the ratio of the hormones change (too much of one and not enough of another).

Depending on your hormone values and any risk factors you might have, your doctor might want to try you on a few months of hormone therapy to see if it makes your symptoms better. Taking the hormones can keep the levels constant and prevent the fluctuations that cause symptoms. So, to answer your question, these symptoms could be due to abnormal hormone levels. A course of treatment should answer that question for you.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD

[borninquisitive]

You might like to peruse this site: http://www.power-surge.com/educate/34symptoms.htm

Best.

[Jenny Wren]

Thank you, been there already.  I find that site very useful and informative.  Thanks!!!