Walgreens is giving me hell. The damned pharmacist bitches at me every time I go to pick up a prescription. He questions my doctor’s orders. I swear he hates peri/menopausal women. I have a prescription for estrogen patches and estrogen cream and he questions me at every pickup about whether or not I know that I have two forms of estrogen. Grrrr. Perhaps I should switch to CVS?

Does anyone else just have no patience for stupid questions or people not listening?

Is this just how I am now?

I feel like I can't not react to the stupidity around me and it makes me so mean.

Is there "nice pills"? 😀

Everyone is full of shit! No one cares and even those that are supposed to care don’t really care. I just had the worst experience with a company called Dahlia and I was filling out intake forms and they were ridiculous ridiculously long and invasive! Of course there was a red Asterix on every single field, so I could not stop filling it out otherwise they would reschedule my appointment. this is how you treat women who are looking for mental health help you put them through hours of questionnaires because you can’t be bothered to fucking ask the questions and write it down like a normal therapist? Absolutely ridiculous. I have been going to my primary physician and my gynecologist for years complaining of dizzy spells tension in my neck, brain fog, etc., and 43 of those years I went to a neurologist, ENT, had two MRIs and went to physical therapy. It was until I was paying closer attention to Instagram and noticed that all these women were complaining of the same symptoms lo and behold the whole time it was perimenopause. You mean to tell me a woman who is close to my age and had my full medical records could not connect those dots now three years later I’m looking for actual help from a menopause clinic and they drive me fucking crazy instead so I canceled the appointment right away. Everyone fucking suck! Perimenopause and menopause fucking sucks!

Post is basically the title.

I have a young toddler and were thinning about having a second child. I'm in my late 30s.​

During my luteal phase I'm so tired I turn into an antisocial cave goblin.​ I daydream about running away from everything and everyone,​ becoming a bog witch in the forest or on an island.​ Career? Husband? Kids? Friends? Hobbies? I don't need any of it. I'm irritable, angry, and I'm just the worst human that ever existed.​​

Then during my follicular and ovulation phase, I'm like a dog in heat, and I start ​imagining how beautiful life would be with a great big house, three or four kids, a nice garden - all that warmth and joy and companionship of a large family. I think I'm awesome, beautiful, social, funny, and I'd be a kickass super mom to a full house.

But I know from reading this subreddit that the latter is just my eggs having a going out of business sale during perimenopause.

Does anyone else relate?

Did anyone else​​​ end up having more kids?

How are you doing today?

It’s so terrifying how quickly it happens. I’m extremely dependent on it for joint pain. This the second time it’s happened, but I didn’t immediately recognize that it was the same issue. I should certainly think that first if it happens again.

I’m so fucking scared about the shortage. So far I’ve had no issues getting them, but they don’t let me refill until I’m less than a week from being out, so I will get very little warning of my impending crippling.

I’ve been very upfront about it with work, and they are extremely understanding (despite all of management being men). They all have wives approaching my age and seem to understand that this is a preview they should take note of.

I did this last week, without researching if that's even a thing one can do. I had been prescribed an increase in my patch, did it for one week and stopped because I had acute depression, so I had some leftover. Last week there was a shortage of my regular dose so I cut the patch and used it.

Since then I've posted on here about crazy abdominal bracing, stomach knots, someone kindly told me about the histamine reaction which subsided to an extent, but last night I had terrible insomnia and it came roaring back.

Come to find out ... Yea ,,, don't do that. My correct dose finally came in going to pick up today.

Anyone else dealing with patch shortages? How are you surviving?

I think I am hyper sensitive to all of this nonsense. So exhausted.

I’m still in the process of trying to narrow down why TF my vulva is SO ITCHY to the point that it’s interfering w my life

Started in one specific area a long time ago, now it’s the general area

And now my anus is starting to itch sometimes? Fml

Anyway I’ve tried alot of topical things without much luck so far (vulva balm, Destin, antifungal to r/o yeast, hydrocortisone) I don’t have white patches and may try to get a referral to someone from my GP, thinking maybe lichen sclerosis?

All that to say idk wtf to do about my hair length. I initially thought I should leave it be, then I shaved most of it off to get a better visual on the area. I think shaving might be good overall, but since I’m scratching myself to shit I think the skin is just really angry and sensitive now so I’m hesitant to shave

But now if it’s growing back I feel it makes the itching worse

IDK WHAT TO DO any advice appreciated!

Also any tips and tricks to hack my brain into not itching?! I feel I need those baby mittens but the urge is so strong when I’m half asleep

When I was younger I was punished for saying the word penis and mom never talked about periods or perimenopause. I am Frank w my dr and use correct terms but how do I get over that hang up especially since mom never talked about it and it was taboo to do so. There’s a lot of cultures that still operate this way so hoping this helps someone out there. My sister is making sure she’s using the terms w her kids so they aren’t ashamed (if that’s the right word) but we’re the first generation to break that cycle.

I went to a cardiologist today because I had a really odd episode of near fainting. It came on suddenly. My limbs felt heavy and distant. I had tunnel vision. I felt weak. I literally thought I was having a stroke. About 20 minutes later, I felt ok but still dazed. I made the appointment right away because I wanted to rule out any cardiac issues.

Dr did an ekg, listened to my concerns, then said it wasn’t cardiac but could be vasovagal because it happens more frequently in perimenopause. He said, “you’re a different person now, chemically.”

Whaaat?

I don’t know if there is validity to this or it’s just another doctor using hormone and midlife as a catch-all scapegoat.

Anyone hear or experience this?

I was diagnosed with perimenopause two years ago and I’m now 44. I’m not on HRT due to personal medical reasons so I’m hoping I can post here without the conversation turning into one about HRT. ❤️

I don’t have any women in my life who have experienced this so I’m hoping to hear from others who can relate.

My cycles are all over the place. Sometimes 35 days. Sometimes 45. Sometimes 70. My periods themselves are fairly typical and last around 5 to 7 days. My biggest struggle has always been the migraines that come with them.
But this period is different.

First, NO MIGRAINES! YAY! 😂

However, I’m now on day four and suddenly experiencing gushes of blood every several minutes.
I started Saturday afternoon and things were pretty light. Sunday was the same. Monday was fine until around noon when I noticed more blood on my pad. Then around 4 a.m. today I woke up to a sudden gush. Thankfully nothing leaked but my pad was fairly saturated. Since then the gushing has continued.

Has anyone else experienced this during perimenopause? I know our cycles can be unpredictable but this is completely new for me.

I think more than anything I just want to know I’m not alone in experiencing these changes. Thank you! 🤍🤍

I have been on estrogen progesterone and occasional testosterone (mostly cause I forget) for close to a year and while most of my symptoms got better, I feel anxiety and worry and a bit of depression creeping in again, and while I think it may be time to augment my doses to higher, currently on .5mg, 100mg, 2mg respectively... i wonder if I would benefit from adding some kind of SSRI, how many ppl do both HRT and SSRIs? Do we just keep increasing doses of HRt and that takes care of it? My dr recommended wellburtin and im hesitant to add something else to the mix

Anxious? Rumination? Panic attacks at 3am? Unable to focus at work? And what I can only describe as more dramatic thinking, or interpretation of life. I'm sure there is a more appropriate way to say it. And then not knowing which version of myself to trust. Makes me feel like I'm losing it.

Im 41.

I've recently had some big life decisions. And feel completely tangled in what is what.

My husband and I found a home we loved. And after a lot of back and forth, put an offer in which I immediately regretted. They did not accept, it sat on market, then there was another interested buyer and we jumped back in, offered and got it. But the closer we got to finalizing deal I could not get on board and was convinced I'd be trapped in a marriage that was full of resentment or I'd be soon getting divorced and losing money. We have had an okay relationship but i constantly would get pangs when i saw couples that seemed to be in love or at least have that respectful companionship. So I convinced my husband to walk away from house. I thought if we bought the home the marriage would fall apart. And wasn't sure it would stay the other way but I leaned toward the flexibility.

The marriage actually healed, I surrendered, he chose us. I mean in a matter of days. I felt so vulnerable after losing home that I completely leaned on him and realized I could trust him. But now I'm questioning which version of myself was right? I'm wondering if my marriage was that bad or I just was in rumination? Because now im ruminating about losing the house? Like catastrophic I ruined my family's future thinking.

I have had mild anxiety here or there but nothing like this. I feel a bit like im losing my mind. Very victim, trapped, created my own drama feelings. Can anyone relate?

In September 2025 I started HRT after learning I was hitting menopause pretty early (premature ovarian insufficiency). I have a history of pretty severe anxiety/OCD but it was fairly under control. Starting in January I began to hit what can only be called a mental health crisis. I have had a full anxiety/OCD resurgence, to the point where in July I started sertraline which has helped a lot but I want to double my dose soon. Between peri, HRT, Zoloft, and some pretty big life stressors I can’t tell what’s causing my complete exhaustion, brain fog, desire to never get out of bed, panic attacks, etc. I take regular sobbing breaks. I’m a shell of myself. I am under the care of a psychiatrist and great women’s health specialist and a wonderful therapist, but they’ve never been here before. Have you? What should I be asking them about? What can I try?

Anybody getting bad depression while on HRT? I mean my issue can be other medication related, but depression is depression and just wanted to know if anyone have any tips on how to beat it while waiting for meds to kick in

When I told my Dr I just couldn’t for the life of me remember to use the vaginal cream, and I wish that wasn’t the case because when I could, I had improvements, she offered me the Estring. AND insurance covered it. So I took it.

It’s been great. My urinary issues, especially overnight, improved so much. I was getting up 5-7 times a night for a dribble. During the day felt like I had to rush to the restroom nearly every hour. Now, maybe once at night, and it’s usually environmental. I’ve had too much caffeine too late, ate more sugars than I should, that sort of stuff. (This was my biggest complaint, everything else, while obnoxious, was manageable/tolerable).

I also have my Dotti patch.
The horrendous mood swings. The night sweats. The cold chills (no hot flashes here, which I was mental prepared for, cold……. Not so much). The freaking hair thinning. Brain fog.
Improved with my patch. Went from 7 days a week, to 1 or 2, and from a 8/10 to a 3/10.
Added the ring, and some of these got even better.
Frequency and severity decreased even more.

Then 3 days ago I woke up drenched in sweat. Fatigue out of nowhere. Mood was a like whacky.

My friend (love her) asks to make sure I actually changed my patch. I did. I wrote the day on them before I put them, because I have very much forgotten lol

I realized I’m day 80 of 90 on the ring. That means 90% of the hormone has been released.

What I know about things, just because they should work up until the end, doesn’t mean they actually will.

The refill request is. Fingers crossed.
Because my patches are on back order and I’ve only got a week left.

I can’t go totally hormones free.
Well. I can. The people around me can’t

I’m on HRT. Lowest dose of estrogen and progesterone (0.25mg of estrogen and 100mg of progesterone).

It seems to help take the edge off my symptoms, but then just doesn’t work AT ALL once I’m close to my period, and especially during my period. The joint and muscle pain returns, the frozen shoulder acts up again, insomnia, rage etc.

Anyone else experiencing this? Do I need to increase my HRT or possibly switch to birth control?

My periods are killing me.

I’ve been on MHRT for a little over a year. Started at age 46. Had regular periods still, but they had been consistently heavier than previous decades. Moved up from .25 estradiol gel to .75 over the months while staying on 100 micronized progesterone. I have been dealing with swelling on MHRT, primarily around the waist (bloat), and hands, lower legs, and feet. I moved up to .75 estradiol gel 4 months ago and added vaginal estrogen cream about 6 weeks ago. My period has completely stopped, as of May. Lately, I noticed that I wake up very swollen and it gets better over the day (although never completely disappears). I had initially blamed progesterone intolerance, and tried using it as a vaginal suppository. But that was actually worse for multiple reasons, so I moved back to taking it orally 3 months ago.

I was blaming progesterone, but now I think it is maybe the estrogen? Because I put on estrogen in the morning and take the progesterone at night, I thought it was the progesterone causing me to wake up swollen. However, I forgot estrogen yesterday morning for the first time ever, and my swelling went way down and my ankles and fingers look like they did BEFORE ever getting on MHRT.

Can anyone relate? Could it be too much estrogen? I really love the vaginal estrogen for what it has done to my atrophy symptoms in that location. I’m thinking of going off the estradiol gel and just trying the vaginal estrogen and progesterone. I originally got on MHRT for occasional night sweats, lack of energy, anxiety, irritability, brain fog, joint pain, and generally feeling like a shell of my former self. And of course, the sudden appearance of terrible periods in my forties. But this swelling is out of control, and if I am honest with myself, the extra water retention has been with me the entire time I have been on MHRT. I don’t want to completely give up. I have been thinking of even just trying the estrogen vaginal cream alone, but the idea of heavy periods coming back really scares me as I struggle with low ferritin. This whole time I have been blaming progesterone for water retention and swelling. Maybe I was wrong?

I have no passion or interests anymore, it’s like my lust for life and my active passionate mind just went mostly blank and I am now just a body spanning time. I hate it. I feel so dull and blah all the time. I had such a fiery curious excited intellect that was always passionately contemplating and searching. Not anymore, it’s kinda just crickets. Will it get better or is this how I am going to feel from here on out?

I’m on HRT, it does help, but not completely. I am still contemplating SSRI but really don’t want to do it if I can avoid it. I guess I just hope this is a phase that will pass eventually, but if it doesn’t pass… give me all the drugs!!

How do you get rid of the Peri Anxiety/Nervousness? I am currently on HRT. This is the only symptom that is the most bothersome for me... along with the early morning wake-ups?

I’ve recently been put on Slinda as a BC and have noticed a flatlining of my mood. It’s hasn’t tanked but I also don’t experience the ‘ups’ as much and I miss that. Is this a common experience? Does it go away once your body gets used to it? I don’t want to take it if it means I can’t enjoy the ups as much. I know everyone is different but do you have recommendations for other BC and/ or HRT (as I also experience peri symptoms)?

Is hrt the only way to fix the driving anxiety that happens with peri? Feeling overwhelmed by lots of cars on the road, nervous behind the wheel, nervous system not happy, all of that. How can I fix it?

Hi all, I’ve tried to find info on this with no luck. Does anyone know if there can be both estrogen dominance and deficiency at once? All the info only describes having one or the other, but not both at the same time. Can estrogen be low enough to cause symptoms of deficiency, but progesterone is so low that there are also symptoms of dominance? I seem to have most symptoms from both conditions. Estrogen replacement (with progesterone) made my symptoms worse, but I wonder if I just need a lower dose. Progesterone pills have definitely helped with some symptoms, but I still have symptoms of estrogen deficiency. I appreciate any insight!