I hate to grumble, but I am SO miserable. For the last year I have struggled with very heavy periods (even though there have been fewer of them), and all the traditional trimmings of migraine, back-ache, cramps, clots, floods and so on. I was barely coping with all this, pre PMR, and now I don't think I can stand the whole thing combined into one jolly experience! And I never know what I am going to get. My previous period was 50 days ago and was my first on pred. It was heavy, but easy, no pain at all and no extra symptoms. Wow, I thought, here's at least ONE good thing about pred, maybe it makes for pain-free periods! But this time round I got a nasty reality check when I have had one of the worst ever. Was on 10mg the first time, and on 9 this time.
I have had an ultrasound last year to check for nasties, which was normal, and my doctor tells me this is all "normal" hormonal stuff for my age. Is anyone else suffering with this sort of thing? I will be 52 next month and I can't believe I'm still having these problems. On top of PMR, pred and all the rest, I feel overwhelmed, exhausted, sick and wondering where my life has gone. I am finding the pain so tiring and the constant cleaning up and bathing, really upsetting. Maybe I won't have another one for two or thee months, here's hoping. On the other hand, the long cycle ones can be worse, it's almost as if it builds up to be a mega-one! Sorry about the groans. I should go to the menopause message boards, but the people there don't have PMR and are not predheads!!
Well, what do the know if they're not predheads? I can't relate to the menopause (which should really have been named womenopause), Never did figure out what the pause was about. It's more like a dead stop or something. Just wanted to offer some cyber support to a wild and crazy woman. Love, and try to have a nice day.Chico,
Been there, done that, but mine started in my mid-40's. And I hated it when the dr. told me, too, that it was "normal" for me. I was having periods anywhere from 15 -60 days apart, and all the other symptoms that you mention. Then when I was close to 50 I had two periods that lasted 3 weeks and would have kept going if they hadn't put me on birth control pills - a months worth to be taken in just a few days. I was so glad for menopause. Now I just have to put up with hot flashes that have been going on for almost 8 years.
Thanks, and sorry again about the complaints, I just lost it, after one too many sessions in the shower (3rd in one day), I just had ENOUGH!
Chico, Have you read any of Christine Northrups books? She is a women's
specialist in my ton who is very famous in the US for books and talks that
revolutionized the understanding of menopause. You may want to google
her books.
phylhttp://www.drnorthrup.com/bookstore/northrup_products.php?
product_id=202
try thisThanks Phyl, I will order the book. I suppose I am lucky, other women have probably more and worse symptoms, but the bleeding thing is particularly bad, when one already has fatigue and borderline anaemia. The lady doc I saw today was OK, but not a lot of help, in that she could only suggest drug treatment. We didn't really go into PMR, but in response to my remark to her about age and PMR, she said that it is common in people my age! How come all the rheumys don't seem to know this?! haha.
Hi everyone! I'm popping in from the RA board as I research my currently unknown condition and noticed this thread.
I had the Novasure endometrial ablation done this past May, and I'd recommend it in a heartbeat. For about 15 years, I've had my life dictated by dysmenorrhea--had to miss trick-or-treating with my son some years, field days for his school, vacations planned around it, etc. This may be too much info, but I'd go through a Super Plus tampon in 40 minutes, so I couldn't really leave the house without there being a bathroom that I could stop into. Cramps so bad I used to practically pass out... ugh.
Anyway, in the procedure, the lining of the uterus is burned or frozen off (this sounds bad, but it's really not, as you don't feel a thing b/c you are out cold). I went under to general anesthesia for about 30 minutes while my GYN checked to make sure that there weren't any fibroids. The Novasure procedure was then all of 90 seconds. Recovery was literally a nap in the afternoon of the procedure where I had a few cramps, but nothing even close to a period cramp.
Supposedly 15% of women get no period after it (me so far--no period since end of May!), but even if you still get it, something like 90% see at least a massive improvement.
It's not birth control, but you have to be finished having children, as on the slim chance that you were to get pregnant, the baby would not be able to survive in the uterus without the lining. Therefore, you need to use BC, have your tubes tied, or vasectomy in addition to this if you are still of child-bearing age.
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask! Good luck to you! :)
Hi Chico,
I'm almost 55 and my last period was a little over a year ago and started in the ER. I was having the same problems you are having. My body sometimes wanted to have a period but couldn't. I was experiencing the un dx's PMR and was not on any medication. Sometimes the periods were heavy and sometimes light and the same with the pain. The last time I had so much pain I went to the ER. They gave me some intravaneous pain meds (not sure what) and the pain continued. They finally decided to give me some morphine and I felt like I wet my pants, blood gushed everywhere. I was experiencing the full PMR symptoms along with the absominal pain and felt like going out in a field and digging my own grave before the morphine.
I still have the hot flashes and the pred has made them a lot worse. I don't know what it would have been like if I had been on pred at the time. I probably would have been dripping wet with sweat but it would have been nice to have the aching pain relief.
Sorry this is a gross story...
Kathy
Thanks for your post Christina, I have heard of ablation, I will mention it to the doc next time round - sounds more appealing than the provera and other drug treatments they have been offering.