I've been casually researching perimenopause, and the more I read, the angrier I am that no one thought to check for this sooner. I've given Dr. K a lot of credit, but I walked into her office already knowing that I wanted hormone panels. Who knows if she would have made these decisions on her own. Maybe she would have, but I didn't give her the opportunity to brush me off. She seems genuinely concerned and willing to help me figure this out. I just wonder how long it would have taken. Perhaps not long since I'm no longer in my 20s.
And the more I think about that fact, the angrier I get. No one takes women's health seriously, especially if the concerns are coming from a younger woman--not even the people who are paid to help women manage their reproductive health. It's infuriating. You walk in with weird, scary periods, and the answer is just "Oh, well, try this birth control. This one will definitely be the one that solves your problems." Uuuuhhhh...How 'bout we just figure out what is causing this, yeah? I'm bleeding for 17 days in a row, not bleeding for 14, and then doing it all over again. It's scary. I don't want a hormonal bandaid. I want answers so I can form a long-term plan.
Doctors, if a woman walks in to your office with fears regarding her reproductive health, please listen to her. Don't just offer her a magic pill and brush her aside. Nurses, when a woman calls for her OBGYN and has been bleeding for a prolonged period of time, don't run interference. Please grant her access to speak with her doctor. You may never have experienced this, but for someone who has, it is terrifying. Just a conversation with her lady doctor can help allay any fears she may have about what is going on.
Alas, I digress. The original point of this post was to discuss some of the things I've discovered in my research.
The first thing I've discovered is that there is very little information on perimenopause on the interwebz.
Dr. Oz contributor, Marcy Holmes, describes "premenopausal rage", which I am definitely experiencing. I have mood swings that sometimes frighten me. I find myself reacting to a situation in a completely irrational manner, but in the back of my mind, I'm saying, "Libs, this is crazy. You're being crazy," but I'll be damned if I can stop it. It's like I'm not even in control.
To help combat this, several sources (and Dr. K) suggest eliminating alcohol, caffeine, and sugar from your diet. I'm already working on phasing out processed sugar, but since I run a gaming channel that reviews various alcohols while playing video games, I may have to pick and choose my battles...
Another suggestion for improving your mood was to take a B vitamin complex and taking a vitamin D supplement. Woo. Just what I want. More pills.
I've also seen an article (that I cannot seem to locate now) that says I need to increase my protein intake by consuming more legumes instead of red meat. I honestly may have dreamed it. It's a weird time. It doesmakes sense, though. Legumes are an excellent source of B vitamins.
Oh. And exercise. Let's not forget that. That's everyone's answer to depression and hormone imbalance. Don't get me wrong. I love fitness. I am a certified health professional. However, as things are, I don't even have the energy for 5 minutes on the Cybex machine. I'm just worn out. I'm hoping that the iron supplements I've been directed to take will start working their magic and I will be able to get back to the gym.
In the meantime, I will continue to research ways to manage the symptoms. November is a long way off...
Conquering Perimenopause
4 Ways To Manage Perimenopause Through Diet
Perimenopause (Web MD)
Perimenopause (Mayo Clinic)
Is it Perimenopause?
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