Does anyone peri have this weird head feeling?

I'm 52, in menopause. I have all the regular symptoms as well. I had a major migraine last month that lasted for 3 days. Ever since then, I've been feeling off balance. Sometimes I'll have this strange feeling go across my eyes, like a lightheadedness. There's no pattern to it.

I know what you're going through, and I call it a pain in the -----!

Too funny, cheerful. I agree a pain in the ...! Some of these symptoms are frightening to me and I get in a panic. I am finally going to see a GYN on 9/4 and I can't wait. So far, my old male PMD would say, "this has nothing to do with peri". I just want to know if I am having something terribly wrong with my body/mind, or if I am normal!

I think I know exactly what you're talking about, and thank goodness I haven't experienced it for quite some time. When I have gone through periods of depression and anxiety, I felt like there was something "buzzing" in the center of my brain. I honestly wondered if it was misfiring and screwed up chemical messengers in my brain. I don't know, but I understand.
Mrs H

Thanks, Mrs H (I knew a Mrs H on a skin care board!) I feel better knowing I am not alone!

You're welcome javabean1. Like I said, I don't know exactly what causes it, but I know what you are talking about. Scared the crap out of me at one time. Now, I just try to take it all in stride. It's difficult at times. BTW, what is the skin care forum you referred to? My old skin is really starting to show some wear and tear, lol.
Mrs H

Hi, Mrs.H. Well, it used to be called "yes they're fake"!! If you just good YTF forum you should come up with it! Another good skin care forum is EDS forum (same thing just good EDS forum). Lots of good info out there, but also very confusing!

Hi javabean,
I had so many weird head feelings during perimenopause! It included feeling like I was going to fall over alot, to having my scalp contract whenever I leaned over or touched it. There's just no limit as to what can happen to us during perimenopause! Hang in there!

Yes, catherinet, that is it, like I am going to fall over! Thanks for sharing. I am trying to hang in there, some days are way better than others!

yes, me too! can it happen as young as 39? i've had more and more "symtoms" and along with feeling pregnant (pms from hell i've never had so rough"), i feel vacant, buzzy, falling-over feelings - almost like a blink in the neurons or something. very weird.

I get these same feelings, my peri is complicated by the fact I had a stroke 5 years ago. So I am 45 peri menopausal, stroke survivor with two teenagers in the house!EEKKSS going nutso here!

wow, joolsy42. That is a lot going on. You were so young to have a stroke. May I ask if they know why you had one at such a young age? That sounds horribly frightening. My mother who is 85 had one last year but unfortunately for her, she has never been the same since and has never recovered from it. She is still living, but she can't talk or walk.

OK! I've suffered panic/anxiety disorder since the late 80's. (I'm talking big time stuff - not your little few months episodes...) So I'm VERY MUCH AWARE of those feelings of feeling off balance, or feeling of 'unreality', etc., etc.

BUT, I've had this same 'different' feeling for a couple years now. (I, too, am peri-meno sufferrer!).

Anyway, it's been going like this: I go into kitchen and suddenly feel like I'm going to just fall down.
I've had the dizzies and the light-headedness. It's NOT that. It's just...I feel like I'm going to fall down! It's not even so much like 'off-balance' in a sense...I just feel like I'm going to fall down.

I don't get funny feelings in my head. No buzzing or anything. No migrains prior or during. I will be just fine then suddenly feel like I'm going to fall over.

This has been happening at random for about 2 years now. I don't know what it is, but I've tried to express this to the others in the house, and all I can say is "I just feel like I'[m going to fall down!"

It is COMPLETELY different from any anxiety/panic attack related. It is NOT like the low-blood-pressure-suddenly-stand-up thing. And it is not headache/migrain related.
It's not even your typical "off-balance" type FEELING, as I'm sure we've all had at one time or another.

I can't describe it. I GUESS it would be BEST described LIKE an 'off-balance' thing, as I DO feel like I'm going to just fall over. BUT, I don't feel 'off-balanced' (if that makes any sense - probably not).

I think it's menopausal (or peri...) related. OR, something lacking in diet or? I don't know, but it's weird.

cathie54 - EXACTLY! I can't figure it out and the GYN looked at me weird when I tried to explain this to her. She just kept asking did I mean "foggy". No, it is not a foggy that I am aware of, it is off balance like I hope I don't fall, but I never do. You are feeling the exact thing I am, but I don't have a clue as to what it is. This feeling in my head has not been there for maybe about 1 week now, but I know it will come back. The GYN did lab work and all hormones came back normal except progesterone was low. She told me to start on an OTC cream called Pro-Gest. I finally got that, but have not used it yet. Anyway, if you ever get this feeling figured out on what it is from or what, if anything, we are lacking in our diets, etc, PLEASE let me know!

Thanks for the link, workinpants. I am glad I brought this subject up. It seems a lot of women have this! What I hate about it most is that it does last for days. It goes away and I stop thinking about it, only to have it return and then I am sure I go into a type of panic attack about it. To me, it is a scary feeling. I am keeping a "cycle calendar" to try to track this to anything. I have not had this for probably about 1 week now. The GYN did start me on a progesterone cream, but I think it would be too soon for that to be working, as I have only used it for about 4 days!

hi java----yes,i agree it is scary---i always think the worst and the only thing i ever come up with is Brain Tumor!!---but i looked up the symptoms of that and although they do say dizziness,there are so many other terrible symptoms i assume for now it's to do with menopause----i really hate it though,cause even now as i type my head almost feels like its swaying!!!----i can't imagine progesterone cream working,but if it does ,i must get me some!!! there is a theory that the problem is related to fluctuating hormones---i am so glad i found this thread---i feel a little better hearing others discuss this,but it is still creepy!!

I think the worst, too, but I don't think brain tumor. I get scared of heart issues. I get really anxious when it happens and the my pulse races, which makes me more anxious and I worry about my heart! I agree, it is creepy! The progesterone cream is over the counter, it's called Pro-Gest by Emerita (or something similar to that). You rub on 1/4 tsp twice a day. It is supposed to be for perimenopausal symptoms. We will see if I continue not to have this off balance feeling or if it comes back! I'll keep you posted.

Yep, I have experienced the same thing. I will be sitting at work and all of a sudden I feel like a train just rushed through me. I think that if I weren't sitting down I would have fallen right over. Very weird.

Oh is it so good to find this site and you guys (I mean gals:) I am here to help myself, as you can see by my user name I am serene on the outside but feeling pretty "nutty" on the inside. I think they call it "the change."
That weird head feeling:
Does this sound familiar? I can be sitting in my office chair, or watching television or standing up and suddenly I grab onto whatever is near as my head feels as if it is moving sideways and of course the natural thing to think is I am falling. It is sooo scary. Medical professionals refer to it as "subjective vertigo." There is no spinning..just a quick sideways tilting sensation. The feeling is so frightening and my husband looks at me strangely when he sees me suddenly gripping the arms of a chair. Then there is the flutteing in the ears and feeling of thousands of hot needles in your head. At 47 I cannnot believe my life has been turned so upside down. I will write more later as I have no energy to attack all that I am going through. Sometimes I feel like there is no end to this torment. Hope my little bit of info. helped with the weird head sensation.

I have been having the dizzy/foggy feeling a lot lately, and also my sense of smell seems to be so off. Does anyone else have this happening to them? The other night I was folding laundry from the dryer and I kept smelling a pungent cheese smell! haha I was like, "what the heck!"..I had my husband and my sister both come to check it out..they said they only smelled dryer sheets.. These past few months are probably the worse with my peri-menopausal symptoms..I will be 50 in December.

I have had similar sensations periodically for about the past 6 years. I described it to my doctor as a sudden feeling of maybe being about to pass out, but not precipitated by any feeling of weekness, dizziness or nausea. It can happen at any time...watching t.v., in the middle of a conversation and so forth. I've never fainted in my life, but imagine maybe this sensation is what one might feel the instant before they lose consciousness.

My doctor says that I am not the only perimenopausal patient who has described such experiences to her. After ruling out brain, blood sugar or blood pressure problems, she just chalks these 'attacks' up as being a strange variation of hot flashes, meaning they don't involve sweating or a sensation of intense heat. We call them 'brain blips' or 'head flashes' and she asks me to keep track of how often they happen, and whether anything was different preceding an occurence. So far, I have only noticed one similar factor, and that is that I am more likely to have a 'head flash' on the day after a night that I didn't sleep well. The only possible upside to these scary episodes is that neither myself, nor one of my friends who also experiences 'head flashes' gets hot flashes as well. Personally though, I think I'd rather have the usual hot flashes, because I'd find them less scary since they are common and describable.

Wow, pickyshopper, your doc sounds great. I finally after years of searching found one that I really like. He doesn't think I am crazy, or having an anxiety attack, etc. as most other doctors have chalked this feeling up to. He is sending me for a whole bunch of lab to rule-out any type of inflammation that might be causing the feeling, and then said he would probably send me for a brain CT if the lab was all normal just to make sure we are not missing anything. He said that this feeling could possibly be caused by some water retention stuff going on with the body. Anyway, I wanted to update on this, because as it seems there are a whole lot of people who experience this feeling. I have had them for a few days this week, but they are not near as severe or long lasting. I really don't know if the progesterone cream is helping or not because last month when I posted this question, the weird feelings were so bad and I was really scared and a nervous wreck about them. Since starting the progesterone cream, like I said, the feeling is very mild and does not last long at all. I'll keep everyone posted if my doc finds out anything else.

This is awesome! I have had these beyond wierd feelings for some time now. I am surprised to find this on a garden site. Then again, all the websites dedicated to menopause describe such a typical plethora of symptoms they make you feel like you are straight out of the twilight zone. I have had that feeling like you are going to pass out or fall over for several years now. Usually when sitting in a chair and it is like I am about to fall over or pass out for no reason and I start gasping for air like I had forgot to breathe or something. I have dealt with horrible periods for like ten years, been on iron for anemia most of that time. Now the periods come twice a month are still heavy plus I get the funky hormone head before, during and after them. Funky hormone head is the one where you feel like you can hardly think, heavy, congested, eyes hurt, light sensitive, head aches or throbs, neck stiff, every wierd feeling there is all at once. I find the funky hormone head brings the terrible feelings of self doubt, fears, anxiety, worthlessness, doubts or panic about your faith, etc. Its just like getting sucked totally inward and feeling like a prisoner there. Self absorption times a thousand. Can't seem to be able to focus outward without huge effort and that is distressing in tiself. Its like your mind is looking everywhere to find out what exactly is WRONG and searches every aspect of YOU only to come up with something wrong with every part of you. That is distressing and exhausting. You want to focus outward and get back to feeling relaxed and having a normal life, to feel like the old you you were comfortable with...but you can't. Yep, hormone hell... I hate every second of it. I used to have a couple bad days a month around or during the period, now I feel like I am blessed to have a couple good days in any given month. I am only 47, been going through this for a couple years now but lately its taken this drastic turn for the worst. I now get the breast swelling AFTER my period! I've read those wise women and hormone workout books and they did me no real good. They were interesting but not useful. I eat a good diet but its not all raw and its not going to be. I am from a celiac family of swedes. I excercise but not the way they tell you to. I wish I would get hotflashes like normal women are supposed to according to the books. But I get cold flashes instead. I have episodes where I am so freezing cold right to the bone I can't warmup. I do layers of clothes, cover up in heavy blankets and just shake until it finally stops. A hot flash sounds nice compared to that. I do get nightsweats and they don't bother me, they are usually during periods. Its the funky hormone head that makes my entire world reel bringing awful terrors and anxiety, distress, unbelievably exaggerated emotions, etc. that I really hate. The physical symptoms are pleasant compared to the that wierd head.

Boy! I was searching for unreality and premenopause and got to this one. I get this weird feeling too. Especially when shopping or talking to someone in a crowded room. That feeling scares me and go into anxiety. It feels like a switch in your head down your spine and it feels like your head is swinging from front to back and you are going to block out, my face gets hot and stays hot for 1/2 an hour or so before I calm down. I panick and need to run I don't know where. It feels good to know I am not alone. I am 44 AND HAVE THIS FEELING FOR 3 YEARS. I want my life back, when I hit 40 my life started to go down hill. I don't want to go anywhere afraid of this strange feeling I don't want to exercise because that make me feel hot and I am afraid to get that feeling again. I went to the gym the other day and had this feeling on the tredmill and I have to leave I was not happy. My life is limited I want premeno done. Thanks for listening.

Yep, this all started for me at about 40 years old too. I can go maybe a month with nothing, and then this weird head stuff will come back. I also have been feeling like me ears are "full". I get the breast tenderness/swelling after my period also. I actually feel that the period brings relief to my head feelings. Anyone else feel that way? Lately, I have been having a very dull headache, right in the middle of my forehead or in my temples, and this has been happening for about 2-3 weeks. Starting to get concerned that maybe I do have something wrong with my brain.

Wow, it seems that so many of us are experiencing this, but has anybody found anything to get rid of it? Please don't tell me time!! I hate that answer.

I get that and the tingly sensation of "my foot fell asleep" only its on my head, and down over my face. I had it for about 6 months straight, (was beginning to think I'd had shingles)then it went away for 3 or 4 months, now it comes back sporadically. Anyone else get that one?

Ellie

I get those off balance episodes too. The other odd thing I get is , you know how in your car, when the alignment is off and the steering wheel is turned slightly off to the left or right, and you have to drive that way to stay going straight, well I feel sometimes that to walk or look straigth ahead, I have to turn or tilt my head slightly cause I feel off balance. Is that daft or what? Its like there is something that has shifted my centre of gravity for a few minutes. very wierd. I hope you guys understand what I am trying to say, its hard to explain exactly.

I have just survived 2 months of a frightening hell consisting of all the symptoms mentioned by you other good ladies i.e. buzzing in head, rushing noise in ears, tinnitus, contracting squeezing scalp, temples and forehead. Palpations, panic attacks, brain arriving 2 minutes after my body, a feeling of sea sickness. Now for the good news - it has finally lifted. I fought hard against it with yoga/body balance every day, meditation, bach flowers called Sweet Chestnut (for extreme sadness)Seven Seas Hormonal Balance(mag,B6,zinc)weekly back massage and loads of sleep. Doctor was a total waste of time and put it all down to a headcold!

I am so glad I found this site! Afer much searching on the net, I am pretty sure I am peri, and I'm only 37. I have all the symptoms. My period, which I have right now was a horrible experience this month.My cramps were so bad Monday I couldn't move, and now its Wed. and I'm hardly bleeding at all. They have slowed to about 3 days a month over the last yr. I had panic attacks, vertigo/brain fog(thats been going on for a while) which have been scaring me to death. I'm so glad I'm not the only one going through this. I will be seeing my doc soon, to rule anything else out, but it sure sounds like peri symptoms.

I've had the head feeling too. It lasted a good two months. Part of it was neck related and corrected by my chiropractor, but the residual "spacey" feelings lasted a good while but are finally gone. It's like your head is on a 15 second delay...VERY ANNOYING!!!!!

I FEEL MUCH BETTER NOW KNOWING OTHER WOMEN ARE GOING THRU THIS . MY GYN SAID THAT SHE NEVER HEARD OF A WOMEN HAVING NAUSEA ,DIZZINESS DURING THE CHANGE OF LIFE. I HAVE HAD NAUSEA ,DIZZINESS, THE SWEATS , AND THAT FOGGY FEELING. I CAN'T GO OUT WHEN IT IS REAL HOT I CAN NOT TOLARATE THE HEAT ANYMORE.
I WAS SENT TO GASTRO DOCTORS, ALLERGIST ENT THE COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON THE GASTRO DOCTOR DID CHECK MY HORMONE LEVELS AND FOUND MY ESTROGEN WAS LOW BUT NO ONE SAID ANY THING THAT ALL OF THIS COULD BE FROM CHANGE OF LIFE . THE DOCTORS WANTED TO SEND ME TO A SHRINK SINCE THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME AND HAVE ME PUT ON ANTI DEPRESSANT.I TOLD THEM NO WAY .
I WHET ON THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND MANY WOMEN HAVE GONE THRU THIS .NAUSEA , DIZZINESS AND MOOD SWINGS ARE PART OF THE SYMTOMS IT CAN EVEN AFFECT YOUR THYROID GLAND .

mojo, just wanted to say that quite a few "menopause experts" will tell you to go on anti-depressants, as it supposedly helps with these symptoms. I would not take the anti-depressants, either, but just wanted to mention that fact. I still get the "weird" head feeling, just not as often, but the heat of a FL summer is a definite factor in it for me!

Hi , I can add this one to my list... Thought I was NUTS.. it feels like your swimming..swaying when sitting. And the lights at Walmart and Schnucks make me sick as hell that same feeling. Even Hardees, I sit at the PC and i feel like I am gonna plop over.

Wow - finally I find others that are having the same horrible peri symptoms. I am 48 close to 49 and have never had any symptoms of peri - I thought I was going to have one of those easy times being my mother is asian and I had a healthy diet, weight and a high soy diet all of my life - but low and behold here it comes with a vengence just a couple of weeks ago!! - I started with heart palps, sweating, headaches, heavy bleeding and the most scary of all my head was feeling weird with a high electronic buzzing noise - a feeling of helplessness - felt like all my hairs on my head was standing up like an rush only a terrible feeling rush - I have been in this stupor for two weeks now and several blood tests and cat scans later I realize I am in peri - late peri - I can deal with everything but the weird head thing that feels like I am going out of my mind - the whosh feeling that comes over me - give me hot flashes - but take away the dislocated brain feeling - I am now behind in my job duties because of no concentration!! - how in the world are you ladies coping with this madness?? - Give me some advice - does the progesterone cream help with the comotose head symptoms??

Javabean,
I've had the same feelings too...I went to the doctor recently and he said I had fluid in my ear and asked if I felt like what you're decribing. I know it's probably related to perimenopause, but just to make sure you might want to have the doc take a look. We may all have the same type of symptoms, but I'm no doctor. Better to have an acutal professional take a look.

Youngin-24, have you been checked over by a doctor? You're way too young to be having the problems you are. If you don't like MDs, I'd suggest the Key to Health Clinic in McMinville. Dr. D. helped me through some rough years.

I don't come here very often, so you need to put my user name in the subject if you want to ask me anything. I hope you can get to the root of your problems. This is the prime of your life and you need to be having fun! I was very ill in my late 20s, so I can relate. Good luck!

I too had this weird feeling in my head. It was like I was high on drugs or something. Sometimes I felt like I was going to fall over too. At first I thought my thyroid medication was too high.
Anyways, I am 46 and have been having really heavy periods for about two years. I went to the doctor and told him how I was feeling, these head things, feeling like I couldn't breathe at the same time, having heart palpitations. He said I was having panic attacks. I have never had anything like this before, so I thought maybe he was right, but I still didn't think that I could be having panic attacks, just out of the blue. He suggested that lots of women, in perimenopause, get panic attacks, and that I could take an antidepressant (!) or try the birth control pill to regulate my hormones. Well, no way was I going on antidepressants. Never. If I felt legitimately depressed, I would. But only then. So, I tried the birth control pill instead.
Two weeks later, when I still felt weird, my doctor ordered blood tests, which, guess what...it showed that I was severely anemic!! No doubt due to my heavy periods.
Anyways, long story short, I got 5 iron injections (which I took because the oral iron was making me so nauseated, or so I thought), and I'm not anemic anymore! The head 'rushes' are gone!! Yes!! Check to see if you are anemic!! Please!! You can be anemic and the body can hide it for a long time. Those head rushes were from the anemia. It was 'lightheadedness' or near fainting! But it sure didn't feel like that. I was so happy to find out that it was the anemia and to have the weird feelings gone. Wow, huh?
Anyways, FYI, I had to stop the birth control pill because IT was causing the extreme nausea. I thought it was the iron. I am going to a gyn to look at ablation. Hopefully, it'll be the miracle they say it can be. I'll keep you all posted...

I've been experiencing the weird head thing too. I'm 54. I've been feeling so off-balance lately that it brought on chest pains and pain down my arm. I ended up in the ER. Had a stress test two weeks ago and everything checked out. Now I'm worried I have a brain tumor. No one that I know who have already gone through menopause has experienced this off-balance feeling. I've had it for a number of years but in the past month or so, it has gotten so bad that I have it most of the day, every day. I always feel like I could fall over when walking. Sometimes when I sit at my computer, I feel like I'm falling forward and put my hands down to stop myself from falling into my desk, but I never really move. It's so strange. Glad to see at least there are some other women out there who are experiencing or have experienced the same thing. It makes me feel a little better. Thanks!

Ok my story is a little different, i first had distorted vision in my right eye for about 7 mins, have had a headache for about 6 days now, feel foggy and tingly in my head. I have been told that i started peri-menopause at least 8 years ago, i am 49. I have had panic attacks for about 20 years, have been on anti depressants probably all of them, i cant take them they have the adverse reaction with me. I went on Wednesday for a CT scan, havent heard anything yet. My father has had 4 surgeries on his heart, my mother was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure, my husband of 30 years passed away last year from a massive heart attack.. someone please tell me , is this my head? my hormones? is it normal? Cant seems to get a straight answer please help!!!!!

I've had This weird out-of-balance feeling since sometime. It's just awful.Many times, I can't even walk properly and feel that I'm going to fall down or even fall apart. I'm 53 and was told based on the examination of my pulse that I'm hormonal.
Therefore, I finally went for a 10-day acupuncture and tui-na treatment, given a wonderful and caring TCM woman doctor. Now, I'm on my 5th day after treatment and have few more days to see (some) results.
Love and blessings to All of you!

I too have had that funny head, off balance, dizzy feeling every day since Jan. 09 (7 months & continuing). My symptoms are very similar to those described in the post by BEVMEMINE on Tue, May 19, 09. I'm 49 and my dizzy funny head feeling started just after the Christmas 08 holiday. I had a very stressful month in Dec., compounded with a major snow/ice storm that knocked our power out for 2 weeks before the holiday, so i blamed my funny head, dizzy feeling on stress. When, in January, that funny head feeling didn't go away, I went to see my PC who had just treated me for what I thought was a sinus infection a month prior but was actually the symptoms of the funny head feeling I was experiencing. So he ordered every kind of blood test, including hormonal, and a chest x-ray, which all came back normal, including the hormonal. He said that just because the blood work for the hormones came back within the normal range didn't mean I wasn't experiencing a hormonal imbalance, so he recommended I try an anti-depressant (Celexa) to try to balance my hormones. I am opposed to synthetic medications so I opted not to take it; so I went to see an ENT doctor who gave me a CT of my sinus (the kind of cat scan (64bit) that sees your whole brain) and he said I didn't have a sinus infection or an inner ear infection or any kind of ENT problem, so he recommended I go back to my PC; so I went to see my GYN who is a specialist in Boston in the field of endometriosis and fertility. I thought for sure he would be able to help me with my dizziness but to my dismay he said he had never had a patient whom he's treated or ever heard of having dizziness or a funny head feeling and he had never heard of women in peri-menopause experiencing such symtpoms, but he recommended anyways that I try a low estrogen birth control pill (Loestrin 21) to see if it would help. My GYN did say that it is sometimes difficult to diagnose a hormonal imbalance because when your blood is drawn, it has to be drawn at precisely the exact time the hormonal imbalance is occuring, which is sometimes impossible to determine. In any event, as opposed as I am to synthetic drugs, I tried the birth control pills and just finished my first pack. It doesn't seem to have helped me with the funny head, foggy, dizzy feeling, and my first period on the pill was very, very painful but the bleeding was not as heavy as my past periods off the pill. Also, during the past 7 months that I have been experiencing the funny head feeling, I have had panic attacks, ranging from very small head rushes to major, major melt downs, to the point where the head rush is so intense that I get heart palpatations which then make my adreniline rush even more and I get very scared so I start to shake and cry, which only makes the panic attack worse. I've noticed that I tend to get the panic attacks about a week before my period, which I've also noticed that the dizzy head feeling is also worse about a week before my period. I should also mention that I have a 5cm endometrioma in my left ovary which my GYN has been monitoring for the past 3 years. I've read that this type of cyst can cause the type of symptoms I've been having and I'd like to know if any other women out there who have had a chocolate cyst have experienced dizziness or a funny head feeling, etc. I am taking a good (GNC brand) multi-vitamin without iron for women 50+, and I take an extra C vitamin. I also just started taking an iron pill, hoping that perhaps I am a little anemic and that that is the cause of my dizzy problem. I plan on having the cyst out in September when I go back to my GYN for follow up, but I'm hoping the funny head dizzy feeling goes away before then. I am hoping for some feedback and help!!! from other readers of this site.

I turned 40 2 months ago and have been having this weird head feeling for quite a while. I just had my annual ob/gyn checkup last month and didn't even mention it because I didn't know I was having any peri symptoms. I just started getting the hot flashes and have been doing research on menopause. I'm so happy I found this site. I'm glad to know I'm not crazy or making it up. My husband is a doctor(unfortunately not an ob) and he tells me its probably just menopause, don't worry. He knows I'm the kind of person who always thinks there is something wrong w/ me. But I get this feeling alot anymore, several times a day. I'm an exercise fanatic and work out all the time. I really limit my calories, so I figured maybe I wasn't eating enough and working out too much. So I started eating more and then gained a few pounds. It's like a vicious cycle. I have 4 kids, ages 6,8,11,14 and I need to be on the go all the time. I don't like to sit around, I thrive on being out and about. But lately this head weirdness has taken over my life. I don't even like going to the grocery store or walmart because it seems like it happens there esp. when I'm just standing in line. Then I start thinking about it and feel like I'm going to pass out. Then the hot flashes come over me. Its exhausting to go through this. And I read on someone else's post that the lights in walmart bother them. I noticed the same thing. I guess I'm going into a panic state with this and that is a problem. I made an appt. today w/ my doctor, but its not till the end of next week. I can't wait to see what could be done about this. Something I hope. At least it makes me feel a little better knowing I'm not making it up and others are going through the same thing.

Hi caymangil38 P ease read the post for strange-head sensation you will see my story. I am very sorry this is happening to you. It started for me 6 years ago and it is at its i worst. You will read about my adventure through doctor land and exactly where it has gotten me thus far no where. I would like to share with you something positive but so far nothing. Stop n Shop gets my sensations going something fierce. Maybe I should cook less and order out more. LOL Hang in there i'm looking for a cure. lostnj

Hello mare555,
I know you posted the above comment on menopause over a year ago but am hoping that you still check this forum/get this mail.
Hopefully, menopause is a thing of the past for you now and I can use you 'wealth' of experince. Your comment on chest pains and ER visits are so like mine that I had to write you.
I am 44 yrs old and have been having an array of health issue for the past 2 yrs. The most scary so far are the off balance, chest pain, pain in my left arm and electric shock in my back and left side of face. I also have internal tremors and the worst feeling of dread that am sure I'll be dying soon.
I'm on my fifth month on Prempro which is estrogen/progesterone pill which has helped some of my symptons but presenyed new ones. Like, I am constantly bleeding, have a feeling on pain from 'pins & needles" all the time and the left chest/arm pain has not abated.
I went to a naturopath dr who recommented only a progesterone cream and that I d/c the estrogen but am reluctant to bring all the other symptoms back.
Is there anything you tried that has provided lasting relief? Do you have a physican that actually listens? I will travel to anywhere even outside the USA if need be. I leave in NY. Pleas you kind response will be greatly apprecaited.
God bless and keep well.

I just turned 41 and for the past eight months or so, I have had this surreal feeling, as if I am observing someone else's life. When I look at family members -- my husband, step-kids, parents, dogs -- they look "different" to me. In a way, I feel like I am hyper-alert. I went off the pill a year and a half ago after my husband got a vasectomy, and my periods have not been regular since. My doctor thinks I am in perimenopause because of the length of time between my periods. I went four months between my last two, and now it's been six or seven weeks since my last period. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I really feel like I am losing my mind. I would be even more scared about my brain, but I had an MRI of my brain last August due to a vision problem I've been having for the past year. Apparently, the MRI was normal. Please help!!! This feeling scares me.

Dear Julie,

Yes I know exactly what you are saying. I suffer from the same thing and about 20 other menopausal symptoms. I have posted under this topic and also "strange head sensations" so you can read my story. I know how scary it is. Went to tons of Docs they say its your nerves Well you think! Im nervous because of all these weird feelings I am experiencing. I feel so over-sensitized like you. I look at people, I open closets, folding laundry, it happens at all different times. I started going for bio-identical hormone pellets in October it has helped 75%. Although pellets are wearing off going next week again. I am 49 this started 7 years ago. I went 15 months no period then got it last March and then this past June. Worst time of my life. I live in NJ if you ever want to chat. I feel soooooo bad for you. You are not crazy your hormones are. Trust me.

Terri

Hi sweetheart im 45 and i was just telling my mom and a few girlfriends how im feeling the way i described it was exactly the way you did!thank god im not crazy :)i have also experianced slured words and my tounge gets a tigling feeling my heart starts pounding its like a stroke or something its freaking me out :( xoxox

ive had all this and im off balance to. I will be walking or standing and i totally sat oh im losing my balance . I almost fall over at times. I also hate the heart palpation sespecially when I lie down.I suffer waiting on relief to get my period because i get cramps but it never comes. I never know when i ll get it and then it lasts 2 weeks at times.Have sinus and headaches am tired,seem to grieve my fading youth every day and im so hot i go outside alot. HAVE ALOT OF HOT LONG FLASHES AFTER I EAT IT SEEMS LIKE ANYTHING EXCEPT BLAND FOODS. I have been hot all day and them i get chills so my sweatshirt is on and off all day
. I hate the hotness feels like its 100 in here.NIght is bad i wake up fanning myself...I went on fem gest and it helped me so i guess it did well with the wellbeing but i still feel weird like i dont know whos body this is every day its a new thing with this krap. It copuld become VERY DEPRESSING SO I DO ALOT OF WALKING AND SOME WEIGHTS. It helps buti know the person i was is different because i cant stand how i feel about this aging thing. The dr thinks your crazy but I sincerly know what your talking about and i crave chocolate. Feels like pms and the head gets foogy have senior moments at times.Get alot of weird dizzy feeling and i think about things in the past more like im reflecting over my life. Its all very strange and scary this menopause junk and its not all like these dr. say everyone is different.... Go get some femgest
It helped me alot has no chemicals in it....

hi all, I've posted a few times on here about the weird head feeling. Mines goes from dizzy and feeling "not right" to zapping feelings on my scull and everything inbetween. However, I'd like to know if anyone experiences strange headaches. They come on all off a sudden like a punch in the head and make me nauseous. I've been feeling good for the past three days and was out in my garden today for a couple of hours when out of nowhere this "headache" started. I find it frightening. It is hard to describe because it comes and goes and I can still function but I'm just waiting for the next pain. This probably isn't a very good explanation of this but if anyone recognises this I'd really appreciate hearing from them.

All, my mom located this blog for me, and I am glad she did. I have experienced many of the same symptoms you all have. I feel like I'm constantly trying to balance myself - it's never been a spinning sensation but rather a balance issue...like I am going to fall over to the left or being pulled to the right. It's a struggle to walk really. I am suffering major anxiety and panic attacks as a result. The first time I started having these feelings was back in 2002. I suffered with these issues until 2009. I was able to manage for those 7 years with a regimen of anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds. In 2009, it just went away. I took myself off of all the meds. I was THRILLED to have my life back. For the first time in years, I was able to go to the store, attend social events, go to work, exercise, etc. with NO FEAR!!! And then...2 weeks ago while out of town on business...BAM! IT'S BACK!!! I am terrified. It seems like it is worse than it ever was before or perhaps time has just dulled the memories of how bad it was. I'm back on the anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds...still struggling. Has anyone officially been diagnosed? Does anyone know how to make it stop? I feel like I am losing my mind. It's so frustrating. Thanks for listening and I welcome ANY suggestions!

i am so happy i have found this thread also. i just turned 49 and about 7 weeks ago i got this weird buzzing didn't know if it was slight dizziness or what. slight pressure feeling and mostly getting checked out by everyone and they all say how healthy i am and cant put a finger on any of it. i also get a headachy feeling. it is also hard for me to use my visual as in tv, texting, or working on computer as it is scrolling. i get like a wavy feeling if i have a little bit of stress or think of something stressful and to be quite honest i have felt like noone will ever have the answer and that i am doomed:) as to date noone has had the answer..just that i am depressed, stressed..and one doc even said i needed to get grounded..so i tried that..nothing..
finally i decided that perhaps it is hormonal and has to do with menopause. i have healthy periods still, but have sore nipples a lot right now..feelings of nauseas too sometimes also.
the list goes on right? ha ha..but i continue to do everything i have always done to be healthy..including walking briskly..i believe in natural health care, but have persued both options since where i live they have no natural doctors. i like you have tried to stop thinking the worst about what could be wrong with me..having anxiety and panic..and on and on. now after reading all of this i can rest assure that many people my age are experiencing the same types of things..i have been thinking its my ears, cause my ears have bothered me, i have also been thinking its like a dizziness, but cant quite explain it..i feel the weirdest as far as dizziness in bed and have to keep my head propped just right..so yes, it has tried my faith, and i feel tested by the fire and in the fire. i have lost my faith in God and regained it back time and time again..as Jesus is my Everything, but i have been tested that is for sure. it has costed so much money going to docters trying to figure it out, only with answers of nothing. i think this isnt the atypical night sweats etc, so they have no clue and don't even think of it. it is very hard to go thru and im going to try and find something that will help, because i definaly think it has something to do with being out of balance and if we had something that fulfilled that offbalance we would do better.
i will tell you what has been helping my weird head feeling and maintaining me, i take advil-1 (no i don't like too) i take my natural wobenzymes-4-5 and vitamin b12 under the tonque dissolving type from longevity plus, and i take magnesium..three a day. those are the things that keep me going and i do this regime 3 times a day..sometimes taking more advil..one night my head didnt really hurt just felt funny buzzy etc, and my husband said just take an advil and i did and it went away.
i feel like i can do my regular activities, but i do feel things invovling less stress is better, because than my head doesnt go weird on me..its almost like a wave what is happening in my head when i think a certain thought. if i do things to get away and to not dwell on what is happening..because it can be so scary than i feel better too.
Please my God guide me. thank you for listening..let's work together

I'm 49 almost 50 - my head issues started 16 months ago. I don't get dizzy or light-headed - mine is pain...pressure - it moves around from the top of my head to the sides to my jaw to my nose my teeth...my ears feel full....it comes and goes in degree of pain but I always feel something - my period stopped about 3 months before the feeling arrived. Been to neurologist, TMJ specialist, phsychologist, massage/chiro/acupuncture...everything....now I'm on HRT - tried bio-identical first - did nothing -now pharmaceutical stuff..it's been 3 weeks - still nothing .... guess it is nice knowing I'm not alone because it's the most alone feeling in the world :(

i suffer with the same, its like a sort of lightheadedness, and like im gna fall over, it happened whilst i was sitting on the loo of all places, n u start to panic, i hav,nt had period for over 7months, suffer with anxiety bad, n have started a job working from home as i can,t go out to work,threw the anxiety n panic symptoms. i did go to see my gp but she never really said anything, so no better for going. its such a strange feeling and to be honest im copeing with all the other problems, but this is quite scarey, be nice to get to know what it is, n find a cure,take care every 1 lets hope it stops for us all soon, im 50 this year, and been menapausal for the past 11 years, got to b comeing to a end soon, i do not take anything for my anxiety, as im not good with tablets, and also, the side effects are just as bad as the problems so was against them, ive got this far without anything so im trying to percevere, so lets hope things get better for all us suffer,s lol

I'm 51 and have had various peri symptoms over the last couple of years. I am currently waiting for an operation to remove a polyp from my uterus which has been causing heavy periods making me anaemic. I've always suffered from occasional migraines, but 3 weeks ago had one of the worst ones ever, the pain eventually went after 3 days, but since then I've been left with a weird feeling of pressure in my head and sinuses that I can't shift. Its almost constant and the number of hot flushes I am having has gone through the roof!

I am 53 and ALL this is what I've had for 5 years! I call it the dizzy-weirds because it's not true dizziness-- a weird feeling of surges of energy in my head, an off-balance feeling, an unsettling bouncing feeling, a reluctance to look up as if something may come down and knock me down, occasional intense anxiety when trying to concentrate, exaggerated startle reflex, rare/occasional true sudden vertigo, which is the scariest.

God I am so weary of it. Some days I fight through it, some days it's not so bad, some days I resign to it and just cry and cry. I have gone almost 11 months without a period. The only people I find with these crazy "symptoms" are here on the internet. It's not fair! Menopause is NOT a disease, but boy it feels like one! No HRT for me but was on BC. Doctor took me off at 50. Had a clean MRI and EEG, which aleved my brain tumor and epilepsy worries. (mostly)

I take fish oil, vitamin Bs, magnesium, calcium, flaxseed etc. etc. Oh yes Klonopin too. (for anxiety and twitching condition I have) Kinda works, but my blood vessels and hormones are working their own schedule, similar to when you go into labor and your BODY is running the show.

Man, NOBODY told me about "dizziness" and menopause! So, BAWAP. (Be As Well As Possible!)

All I can say is perimenopause and menopause does weird things to you. No symptoms sound strange to me. I have lightheadedness, nausea, not dizzy but when I close my eyes feel kind of "swaying" and the nausea nevers makes me have vomiting but makes me feel "off balance" or "off center". My OBGYN said the head feelings are caused by hormones fluctuations. Ive had nausea, lightheadedness, no night sweats but had flushing, throwing off and on of the covers, mood swings galore, anxiety, depression, fatigue, to mention a few. Im on Prempro now 3 months. Had a full fledged period last month, UGGH! Dont miss them at all! Although I have heard myself say I'd rather go back before menopause and have a period every month and feel better than I do now in meno, than have no period and go through menopause! Im not so sure that being on hormones is right for me, plus the docs got me on a sleep aid pill. I do get relief from mood swings, flushing, and the fatigue isnt bad. But the ringing ears is most difficult right now along with the nausea, lightheadedness. I also developed 4 allergies in menopause, great! I used to have a lot of itchy skin but it went away with hormones but then my skin became oilier because of estrogen and I developed seborrheic dermatitis...sheesh. So much to go through and so unfair. Fortunately, I have a very supportive husband and 2 other sisters in menopause who understand. I wish all of us better days. My primary doc she keeps saying "it will get better" regarding menopause. She's through the worst of it and understands. My OBGYN, well, he cant tell me what a hot flash feels like and he just throws everyone on hormones and goes on. He mostly performs surgeries anymore. He doesnt give menopause much thought I dont think. Wait til his wife goes through it, then she will (she's nearing that time) then he will be a wealth of information! LOL Keep your head up everyone!

Wow! At the age of 35 all hell broke loose in my hormones! I started having anxiety attacks with many symptoms that have been named above. I have been to the ER so much, they no me by name! Kept experiencing this symptoms before my period and couldn't understand why! I will tell the Dr what was going on, but soon as as I said I suffered from anxiety, they wanted to 302 me! I can't take the SSRI because I'm to sensitive to them, so I went natural and I got my hormones checked. I now take a multi-vitamin everyday, progesterone cream and fish oil everyday! It helps! I still feel tired somedays, but has been really helping with symptoms! I'm praying to return to work soon.I gety the head and sinus pressure thing, like a week before my cycle! Will be going to my gyn soon to get the rx strength progesterone cream after my 24hr urine test to check my hormone levels!

I am so glad to have found this web site. I have been experiencing much of the same symptoms that you are explaining here. I have been going through menopause for about 2 years now and like many women am having the common menopause symptoms hot flashes, insomnia, forgetfulness, etc. but recently I have had onset of headaches and a feeling in my head that I can only describe as "an odd feeling". To best describe it, I feel a lot of pressure in my head- between my eyes. I have difficulty at times concentrating and focusing. Then periodically, and very unpredictably I have these "spells" that I can best describe as "waves" of unsteadiness. It feels like that carnival ride you take where you are standing along a wall in a cylinder the wall spins and the bottom drops out from under your feet. These spells / waves of unsteadiness can last only seconds but have lasted as long as several minutes. The most severe spell I have had occurred just recently. I felt as though I was going to fall. Although I have had these "spells" sitting this particular "spell" occured while walking. Without warning, I became - for a lack of a better word -very dizzy/very unsteady. I was actually walking feeling as though I was leaning to one side. I felt like I had just gotton off the "Tea Cup" carnival ride Although I cannot describe the room as spinning I could not visually focus clearly and it was as though I was visualizing things cross eyed. I felt as though I was having a stroke. I could speak clearly and talk appropriately but was unable to walk a straight line and had to actually hold on to something for fear of falling. I have had extensive testing. All tests thankfully have been normal.

OMG! Hello ladies! I'm so happy to have found you! This weird dizzy head thing started on Labor Day. I rolled over on my back when I woke up and went into a horrible head spin. I spent the next month in a horrible, constant dizzy weird head thing. Went to Urgent Care, Gynecologist and they couldn't help me. Said I had a inner ear virus and it would eventually go away. I saw a Chinese Herbalist who diagnosed Menopause. My blood pressure was spiking all over the place now. My normal is 110 over 60, now with spikes to 140/93. My Gynecologist told me this was "normal" by the way! Are you kidding me!? The herbalist treated me with herbal tea for about 3 weeks. I found some relief, but I still have it. At least he was the only one that knew this was Menopause. He did some acupressure points for dizziness and that did seem to work as well. But again, here I am Oct. 17th and I still have this constant weird head thing 24/7. It doesn't matter if I'm sitting, standing, resting, sleeping, walking. The feeling is the same no matter what. I started taking Evening Primrose Oil, Vit. E and Vit. C. This combination works wonders for my hot flashes I must say. The dizzy head thing continues. I decided to start taking Melatonin as a relaxant at night since this thing is causing great anxiety and a panicky feeling. It does help me sleep. I started Black Cohosh today after doing some research. This is supposed to calm the central nervous system and I know some women swear by it. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this works. The only way for me to attempt to describe how this feels is it's like my brain is tight and shivering (not cold), but shivering and misfiring, like a light bulb getting ready to burn out. That's how it feels 24/7. God help us! Whoever knows how to end this madness and make you feel better, please write. I'm amazed and disgusted that the medical or any other community is still at a loss to diagnose this properly and mainly treat it. There are millions of women around the world who suffer every day with debilitating menopause. We still don't know how to fix it!!!??? Are you kidding me!? I'm crying out for anyone to take this under their wing and find a cure. Let me know how you're doing ladies. Keep posting. I guess we all need to stop running around doing brain scans and god knows what and wasting great amounts of money and time for nothing. We need to find a fix ourselves and it sure isn't with medical doctors who can't figure this out. God Bless and God please heal us! In Jesus Name! Amen

Hi there, i like all of you have this same thing happening to me.Im 49,work full time, have 2 teenage sons, a pain in the a$$ husband..HA Mine seems to have started about 2 months ago, with what i thought was a panic attack at a business function, my co-worker asked me if i was OK, becuase i didnt look well, all the color drained from my face, i got really dizzy, and could hardly focus, began sweating..i sat down and it passed in about 1.5 mins. I sat for a bit, then drove home, and ever since...ive been experiancing the same undescribeable symptoms. Certainly not as bad as the night it hit me like a ton of bricks, but the "weird head" feeling that comes and goes in different levels of severity. sometimes it feels like a little headachy thing, and my eyeballs get kinda funky feeling, i feel like im loosing my balance, i feel a weird sensation in my brain..kind alike a dull stinging...then it quickly fades away..sometimes not totally, and other times i feel perfectly fine. Its so worrysome...its really bothering me, and sometimes its downright frightning! I like most of you went to my MD she ordred a CAT scan and that was fine, she said it was "stress related". Ive had occurances of depression and have had Generalized Anxiety since my early twenties...i take .05mg's of Xanax everyday to keep my anxiety in check..my MD suggested taking an extra 1, and i did try it, but it did nothing regarding my "weird head" thing symptoms...i took a 4 hour nap though!! Im not thrilled that i have to rely on meds for anxiety..but ive taken prozac, paxil, wellbutrin and non delt with my aniexty as does xanax. Im not depressed, but my MD suggested the SSDI's for me again..im not convinced that depression is causeing these head things. I am however convinced, after reading everyones posts, that this is Peri-Meno. I wonder what is going on in my brain that is making me feel like this..I want to find out what is causing it, and how we can stop it.I saw ny GYN and she wants to do a uteran biospy because of my unusal periods...(i'll let you know the results). I asked her of this "weird head" thing could be a fluctuation of hormones,and she said its "not likley"...so as i sit hre typing it has come and gone about 12 times, its like a wave of light dizzyness,loss of balance, a little dull sting (thats the best way i can desribe it)that flares up and fades away. it comes and goes in different levels of severity. sometimes im ok, and then i get the "wave", it breaks my concentration, and its sometimes really scary. I hope we can figure this out. I wish a specialist (dont know what kind of specialist) could read this blog and help us here! wish you all well, Geri

I am the OP of this thread. I can't believe it has been 4 years since my post. Nothing ever really worked for my weird head feeling, other than time. It has eventually just faded away for the most part. I still get the feeling once in a great while, but most of the time I am without it. I wish all of you going through this the best. It is such a disconcerting thing to deal with, as well as frustrating and frightening. Just wanted to come back here and say that time does make it better. I think hormones just start balancing out again. Just my theory! Good luck to you all.

JavaBean1..thank you for the follow up.You give me hope that someday this will pass... Im wondering how all the other ladies are doing? I also wonder what commonalities do we all have? (other than the obvious Peri-Meno. So glad to hear your feeling better these days (wish i could say the same) Have a great day! Geri

Dear Ladies,

I have posted here and also posted my story Strange Head Sensations. I call them head rushes. Started 8 years ago. I had my first head rush, first panic attack, first missed period, first hot flash, nighsweat etc. all on the same day. So please Doctors yes its menopause related. I know exactly how you all feel it is so scary and unnerving.I have been to so many doctors , had more brain scans than I can count, tried lexapro horrible side effects did not help head rushes. Also take a low dose of xanax 2x a day does not help the rushes just takes the edge off. This truly has been the worst time of my life. I never feel normal and forgot what normal is. Fatigue overwhelms me, weird sensations, anxiety and panic attacks. Several years ago I went on HRT did not help. I was on Estrogen patch for 2 years. My body would not absorb estrogen. Then tried premarin and I was allergic to it. Last October I started with Hormone pellets has helped 50% but still struggling. Can't seem to balance me. Also on inderal for palpitations but now my blood pressure 90/60 too low but can't go off meds because my pulse races so much. I live at Doctors offices and can't can't answers or help. Trust me ladies I have been looking for a cure for 8 long years. I am sick of Doctors wanting to put us on anti-depressants that is not the answer. As you can tell I'm besides myself and wish I could help out with encouraging news. I feel this is such a lonely time in a womans life even though we have wonderful families, husbands, children and friends. I feel your pain and frustration and am crying at this very minute One thing I am certain of this is very real. It is not in your head and you are not crazy. Don't forget that. I pray for all of us that we can find the strength to go on even when it seems we can't.

xoxoxo

terri

I am 52, not a clue exactly where I am in my Menopause cycle, but defiantly on my way to the "End". I have had Tinnitus for many years. Never stops. Recently, I have added a strange sensation to that. When I move my head or my eyes, even slightly, I hear a strange sound and feel a dizzy like sensation. I have tried to describe it, but come up with nothing clear to anyone. Recently, (the last 2 weeks or so) I now have a numbness that lasts for a fleeting moment. It is located on my left side of my face and into my mouth. I have noticed a slight difficulty with some words, and my typing has changed. I can easily type drow instead of word and not give it a thought. I saw a Neurologist yesterday and she has ordered MRI, MRA and MRV for me to rule out any abnormalities. of course, we get to add to this that I fell last December and hit my head pretty hard. I had 5 staples put in it, and it was right on the lower back side of my head... Dr is saying it could be Post Concussive Syndrome. Only problem I have with that is the injury was 10 months ago. A bit late to be having these symptoms now.
Finding this site has helped me to feel like I am not alone anymore. Thank you all for letting me share my story.

I'm SO glad I found this forum.....I have the weird head feeling, it's very scary, I have been to the doc's about it, blood pressure etc etc all fine but these symptoms are difficult to cope with. I don't sleep much because of my "power-surges" and find the dizziness is worse after a restless night, we all still have to get up and get on with our days though!

Ok, I just had MRI, MRA and MRV. Guess what?? All normal. but then, I think all here knew they would be. Now I need to find a new GYN. Mine quit to move to the Insurance side of things. So, bottom line is, I need a new GYN in Salt Lake, Utah. I have told a few of my friends that I will just have to learn to deal with it.
I will keep reading and hopefully someone will find a real help.

Omgosh, I can't believe I've read so many stories that are similar to mine. I've struggled with this strange head sensation for the last 10 years. I'm 51 now. Mine can feel like I'm going to tip over and fall, to a jolt, as if someone has just pushed me, to pressure, as if my head were a balloon full of water, and the pressure is building. It's caused such anxiety because I think something is going to happen, but nothing ever does. Right now as I write this, my head is swirling, whirling. I'm rarely ever dizzy, but I'm off quite a bit. I just found a new doctor, so I'll post again if he figures any of this out. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you. Don't know why any of us have to suffer from this.

Oh my God! 10 years? I am 41 and in April started having palpitations and the full, light head thing. It has been pretty much constant and I'm about to go crazy. The anxiety, every time it hits, is the worst. I have had cat scans, echo, MRI, numerous EKG's, and more blood work than I can count. I did the bio-progesterone cream and it just made me worse. It seemed to mess with my blood sugar. IDK. I am hypothyroid too and have been on synthroid for over 30 years and so naturally, because of the palps and a low tsh, the endo lowered my dose, even though my actual t3 hormone is low. Idiots. I am going to a holistic dr who specializes in meno and thyroid next week. Hopefully she will help me pull myself out of this meno H*LL. If any miracles happen, I will post. God bless!

javabean, if you happen to check in again, I have a question for you. I responded to your original post 4 years ago and just happened to check this forum today and saw that you recently checked in again also. I'm 56 now, still haven't even skipped a period, but I'm obviously menopausal because of my age.

The only perimenopausal symptom I have ever had is the inability to stay asleep at night. I have still never had a single hot flash, but continue to experience the "I'm about to pass out" weird head feeling (without actually fainting.) I mentioned that my doctor felt maybe the head thing I get is my version of a hot flash.

So I was just wondering, (since your weird head feelings have mostly resolved), did you get hot flashes as well? And did your symptoms clear up while you were still having regular menstrual cycles?

It amazes me so many doctors don't seem to know what they are talking about! I started with this tingling/itching/burning at the base of my neck two years ago (I am 54 years old). Over the next few months it crawled up the back of my head and over my face then through my body. Most of the time now it stays at my head although down my arms at night. A year ago I started feeling the dizziness, equilibrium off feeling with fullness and burning in my ears. Home ear remedies make everything burn more. Something else makes my ear burn more and my neck feels like it's also burning and swelling. I've been to four doctors. No one says anything. The last doctor said "You are a very sensitive individual". I have no idea what that means. I'm thinking maybe I should just stop giving money to all these doctors and assume it's peri-menopause????

Is it a feeling like your brain is in motion but the rest of you isn't? I get that. The girls are shrinking, which stinks because there wasn't that much there to begin with. Night sweats, hot flashes, super dry skin... UGH! My forgetfulness is from ADD, my lack of focus is worse though.

AngelD

Wow you sound like me. Never thought in all my life this is what life would be like going through menopause. It as been horrible same symptoms as you for 8 years now. I hope you continue to get better and find peace within. Thank you for sharing your story and for the link.

Terri

So happy to have found all these posts on this subject, felt it was just me going crazy. As many have said this weird head thing is so odd, comes and goes, sometimes alittle, sometimes more intense. Not giddy or dizzy, sort of "off balance" and like I'm not quite with-it, things don't feel real, so hard to describe. I try and focus on an object that's not too far away to get "balance" back, although not really off-balance. Kinda makes me feel bit panicky like I will keel over (but never happened yet). Am post meno....I think. First remember this "funny head" after birth of first child, it came and went...then went completely when pregnant for second time. Eventually came back post baby and has come and gone ever since. Sometimes it goes for months and months, then, there it is again. Thought it was back because of meno, which seems logical. But,it scares me as I just think "I'm going to keel over" Really gets me down and it's so hard to try and forget it,but then when it goes I feel great, like a weight has been lifted. I forget all about it, thinking it's bit psychological, but NOPE, back it comes out of the blue, no warning and starts making me feel "strange" again. So glad to find many others have had the same thing. It surely must be hormone related. I have it today and feel lousy.......tomorrow ??? who knows xx

I found this site just by doing a search for menopause/weird symptoms. I, too feel like I am going crazy. I was convinced last week that I had a brain tumor, and the week before that, a serious heart problem. No one understands what I'm talking about! So glad to find you ladies going thru the same thing, but wish we were not suffering like this! The best way I can describe my "dizziness" is like when you are parked next to a car and they start moving, but you are not, but it feels like you are moving...... that's how I feel EVERY day. It's not vertigo, no spinning, just a weird uneasy unbalanced feeling. I can't work, and I even had a chance to go back to my teacher aide job, and had to turn it down. It makes me so sad, mad, depressed, angry, disappointed, frustrated, etc. etc. to have my life be on hold because of these awful feelings. I have told five different doctors about it since December 2010, and all I get is "you need a low dose antidepressant" or "I've never heard of those symptoms being related to menopause." I also have heart palpitations, a fluttering feeling where sometimes I almost pass out. Had all the heart tests, they think I'm crazy. My family is planning a trip out west to several National Parks this spring, and I am petrified because if I feel like this, I'll have to stay home!!! I read some of you have had these feelings for years and years? There has to be a reason and a solution. . . . and a way we can feel normal again. I am trying to eat very healthy, take vitamins and supplements as recommended by my dr. and Dr. Oz (I watch his show and find it very informative most days), exercise (except it's hard when I feel like I'm going to fall or melt into the floor) get enough sleep, keep the stress level at a minimum, and reading about other women's experiences. I'm 54 and it's been exactly one year since my last period. My gyn doesn't believe in hormone testing, so where do we turn???? Sometimes I say if we were celebrities in Hollywood, we'd have access to all the fancy doctors and holistic healing centers/bioidentical everything, but even with health insurance, you can't keep going to all these different doctors or go to different cities to try specialists. Keep posting, maybe we will finally figure this all out!!!!

Wow, I too am so glad I found this forum. I am 50 years old and had been struggling with GERD symptoms for the last 8 months. Now I'm having this weird head feeling too. I was in a meeting the other day and had to get up and walk out because once the symptom started, I started to panic, which made everything worse, heart palpitations, vision was funny, mild headache and although not exactly dizzy, not quite on balance either. I thought maybe my blood pressure or sugar was to blame but now I see I'm not alone with these feelings. I am also trying to eat healthier, starting to excercise more and taking calcium chews with D3 as I recently found out I am vitamin D deficient too. Please keep posting as I guess "misery loves company" but again good to know I'm not alone.

Hi to all female menopausal suffers,

I'm so sorry to read yet more woman suffering from these horrible headrushes, sensations, or pressure, I get them all in June it will be 9 years. Have not had a period for 18 months.

I started with bioidentical hormone pellets 15 months ago, has improved my life 50% but not enough to get a real job or function like normal woman.
Somedays I get so sad and depressed and of course scared but other days I make it through knowing it's not going to kill me since it has been happening soooooo long. Along with panic, anxiety, heart palps, etc.

You are not alone! Always remember that. It can be scary but say to yourself, this feeling will rise and fall and go away. Today happens to be a bad day for me.

I do hope one day to post a cure and share it with everyone. Believe me I have sat across the desk from way to many doctors all kinds who look at me like I'm crazy. Maybe one day when one of their loved ones will suffer from this they will believe it.

Please hang in there. Sending out a group gentle hug.

xoxo

Terri

I like your description Redbaron about sitting in a parked car and the car beside you begins to move, for a second you feel slightly weird, that's as good a description that I've read. These scary hormone/adrenilin rushes are just so odd and they do make me feel panicky, and as a previous poster said, almost could make me stop doing things, but I force myself sometimes saying "it's fine, the feeling will go away - nothing is wrong" etc. Some days it works, others not so much. Had a "rush" of something earlier just before I got out of bed.......so maddingly starts the day on the wrong foot because the thoughts are already now in my head and I will probably have to fight them all day. Wonder if hypnotherapy would help......just a thought !! Keep posting, it makes me feel better to know that I'm not alone. xx

Hello to everyone!
I have just spent the last hour readinfg all theses posts and to say I am relieved is an understatement! I have had all these weird things happening as well I really thought I was going around the bend and to explain it to the other half well lets not go there, he has no idea what I am going thru. What I can not believe is in this modern day and age of medicine that nothing has been found to help any of us! I go to a natropath as she is the only place I get any help. I have a question does this ever stop? Trying to cope everyday with this wears me down as it totally interferes with nornal living, but I dont give into it! I remeind myself thats its hormones/menopause and try to push thru it and not let it take hold of my life, its like fighting a battle every day and I am a warrior! There must be light at the end of the tunnel? I hope so.
Love and peace to you all xx

I totally agree Awaywiththefairies, the times that it goes on for 3,4,5 days + it is a battle.Then it goes away and I'm feeling like a different person who could conquer the world. WHY does this happen WHAT causes it and as I'm now post meno willit disappear anytime soon? Just despair at times.

I'm experiencing the exact same symptoms as a lot of you lady's are.The funny thing is I'm only 23.This feeling is bothering me so much I cry about it every night I wish I could die sometimes because it causes me such torment.I was never like this so I know that It must have something to do with my hormones.I'm experiencing a lot of heavy periods that are irregular every month,and I'm constantly telling my husband I'm pregnant because of my breast swelling abnormally all of the time.I'm experiencing extreme flashes of hot and cold ,and I feel that trapped feeling like you cant quite get out of your head like you feel hazy in a way and its very scary to feel that all the time.Ex:I almost ran off the road because of this feeling).My last period came so early that I thought I was having a miscarriage.I'm so confused by these symptoms and I feel so hopeless and to make it even worse I don't have insurance.I feel so lost can someone please tell me what they think is going and what I should in this situation.I know that what we are all experiencing has to be hormonal related!

hello all, I first posted on this forum 3 years ago (cant believe the time has passed so quickly). I had my 52nd birthday yesterday and I'm fairly sure its been about 11 years since all this hormonal and menopause stuff started. Magnolia44, like you I have these odd feelings of the weird head stuff that can last a few days,but when it goes I feel fantastic.Strangley, none of my female friends have this head stuff. I sometimes think a lot of women don't admit to it. Some of the weirder symptoms are receeding but I still get overwhelming tiredness and headaches completely out of the blue. Yesterday, it was exactly 2 years since my last period, so I had hoped all this nonsense would be over. I'm resigned to the fact that this is my life now and I just have to get on with it and do my best to ignore whats happening to me. I seldom mention it to my husband now. The only thing that really gets to me now is my lack of libido. I've tried all sorts of natural foods, vitamins, lubricants for dryness, moisturisers for itching. I would love to have a sex life like I used to. I feel so bad for my husband as he's only 43 and should have a decent sex life. Luckily, he's very understanding. I could go on but I won't. Its just nice to come here and let off steam now and again. Knowing that I'm not alone with all this has also stopped me from going nuts! I will continue to come to this forum and hopefully one day I'll be posting to say its all gone and I'm normal again but until then, everyone take care and be well.

So glad I found this forum...I am 51 soon to be 52 and have not had a period since October. I was very regular prior to October. Starting in early December I just felt off. Could not explain it. Felt like my head was too heavy for my neck at certain times. I do not feel dizzy but just weird. Sometimes there would be pressure around my eyes and sinuses. No pain though. At times I get this weird feeling like a rush that goes through me. I had a full blown anxiety attack the first time it happened because it scared me. Some days are fine and then some days like today are annoying. Going to see the doctor tomorrow to at least get some blood work done to rule out anything else. I feel better knowing I am not alone or going crazy.

Hello again, wow amazing how many of us suffer these strange feelings. I met a friend in town for coffee and shopping last friday.....the day was ruined as in the first shop we visited I suddenly and unexpectedly began to feel "weird" nothing specific, just "weird" I couldn't concentrate on anything only myself and how I was feeling. Try as I might it just wouldn't go away. The trip was cut short as i just wanted to get back home (in case, as I feared, I may collaspe) no PAIN, not DIZZY but totally unreasonably "spaced out and detached feeling" It did hang around for the rest of the day but ebbed and flowed up and down. It makes me so miserable, it completely ruined the day, it makes me feel tired because I'm constantly fighting IT to some degree. I do despair but try to stay positive. Today, so far, it hasn't happened, but unfortunately it's in my thoughts so 'may' appear later, but not always.....just so odd. I sympathise with anyone going through this. I'm 61, it's been 'around' on and offer for years and a connection with hormones seems the only thing that makes any sense. The days that 'it' doesn't 'visit' I feel absolutely great, like a different person with bundles of energy, confidence and totally focused on enoying life !!!

Hello,
I found this forum from searching about perimenopause lol and this is a gardening forum , still I am glad I did because I now feel normal knowing all you ladies feel the same as i do , I have felt like this on and off for a few years, feeling like i am walking like a crab at times , my head feeling strange like it is weak on my shoulders not dizzy but just not feeling right , it comes and goes and like others i can be going about my everyday duties happy and i mean extremely happy, then suddenly i feel like i want to end it all, this perimenopause is a pain in the butt and when it is finished i will be a happy bunny once again, i have been skipping my periods since i was 36 and sometimes i have felt like a wet lettuce no energy , having to lie down my legs often feel like they have no energy and they ache so much at times its like i have been on a ten mile run or something . Anyway the longest so far is 10 months without a period , this time its nearly 9 months , they say when you complete a full 12 months your through ,but i don't necessesarily believe this as i have known other women to start again after about 15 months , this is so unfair and i like you ladies want my life back . Roll on post menopause .
It's great to know I am normal , thanks for this thread it has helped so much :)

hi all,
Just wanted to quickly say to Kaya47, my last period was january 2010 and guess what.....I still have the weird head feelings, no energy some days other days fine, hot flashes, joint pains, itchy skin, mood swings, etc,etc,etc. Being post menopausal doesn't mean it goes away I'm sorry to say. Maybe I'm just unlucky, who knows. This forum helps me so much when I'm feeling particularly lousy. I think I would have gone mad had I not found it. Hope I haven't depressed you.lol. Stay as well as you can.

hun49 - Hi its ok glad to know this information , but it can't last forever and I have noticed that the symptoms have become less severe as time passes even the leg pain is less , but its still there.
I hope yours ease too :)
ps you didn't depress me there are people worse off than me in this world who suffer sickness and I have health and menopause is just another stage in a womans life.

Hi everyone,
I just found this site this evening and am glad to know that I'm not alone. I am so sorry to hear that many of you have had this "heavy head' feeling for a very long time. I started having it about three weeks ago after having my first panic attack that landed me in the ER thinking I was having a reaction to the pain medicine I was taking. About seven weeks ago, I had a partial hysterectomy (done abdominally with ovaries left intact) and had a lot of pain during recovery. It was very stressful and we also had to put one of our dogs to sleep three weeks ago. It was only a few days after that that I had the panic attack and since then, have felt on edge and have had a heavy feeling in my head like I could fall over, just like everyone is describing here. A friend of mine informed me that often anxiety is the first symptom of menopause (or ovaries not working well after hysterectomy) and that I should have by hormone levels checked. Last week I had a blood test done and sure enough, she was right, it showed that my Estrogen and FSH were in the menopause range, even though last fall, my hormone levels were normal. So, I'm really beginning to see how these more unusual symptoms can be hormone related. My doctor put me on an estrogen patch last week. I'm waiting to see if my feeling "on edge" and the heavy head feeling diminishes. Has anyone in this forum had success with HRT taking away these symptoms? I am also planning on getting my iron levels checked. One of the blogs awhile ago mentioned that anemia can be a cause of the heavy head thing and that iron injections cured it. Anyone else find iron deficiency to be the underlying cause? Thanks and my heart goes out to all you women going through this. I really am surprised (and a bit disheartened) that no one (except the lady mentioning the iron) has gotten help.

Hi Everyone:

So since my first "episode" in January, I am noticing that anxiety seems to be on the upswing too. Is that something that others find too, especially once the whole panic thing starts. I don't want to turn to medication if anyone has had success with alternative treatments, I would love to hear. Thanks in advance for any replies.

Hello All, there certainly doesn't seem to be "one size fits all with this" we vary so much. I take a VERY low dose of estrogen every 3rd day (to keep flushes at bay - it works) but although I quite like alittle estrogen in my system it doesn't seem to help with the 'heads'......having same that, if I get a bad day on the day I've had the estrogen I think "its the estrogen" but seems to be more coincidental. Other days I take the estrogen and feel fine. I do take an "over 50's" multi vit, but this doesn't have iron it in! All a bit trial and error really. Having had this on and off for YEARS I do often wonder if it will every completely go away for more than just a short period of time (which is has done in the past). When we see just how complicated our bodies are, chemical balance, hormone balance - just the tip of the iceberg - is it any wonder things go a bit haywire sometimes, especially if we try to "self medicate" to put them right, which maybe does more harm than good, and sometimes the docs don't get it right either, we are often a guinea-pig for them as they are not quite sure the best way to 'deal' with our strange symptoms. I'm always optimistic though...!! xx

Hi Gals, im still having the weird head thing, although, its not as severe as last year. I told my MD about it, and she said that it was a panic attack..i disagree...(ive had them) but the 1 thing i noticed was that it's worse right after my period stops...anyone else noticing that? let me know..Wish you all well !

oh and ladies i have researched this stuff for awhile and found taht VAnderbilt has been researching these "head rush feleings, buzzing " for sometime...www.mc.vanderbilt.edu..there are several articles you might find interesting...from the buzzing to the faintingfeelings etc...one article is "head rush' disorder genetic link discovered,..another one is investigators seek cause of persistent "head rush"...it made me feel soemwhat sane! ....and i printed them out and am going to bring them to my doc.

Wow, Thought I was insane! I am 49 almost 50 and went through my change at least 4 years ago. Have had the off balance, trouble walking straight, feeling like you might fall over feelings for quite some time now. Almost feels like your head and ears are always stuffed full of something. twice now I have been put on antibiotics and does not help. Praying it stops everyday it seems like a struggle when it is at it's worst. I also suffer from very severe back pain up through my neck. I went through spinal injections which helped my back some but seemed to make the head thing worse. My doctor has told me that the arteries in the back of your neck can get restricted causing lower circulation making you feel this way, still not convinced of that cause it can happen when I am standing, sitting, or even flat on my back in bed. It is so aggravating people do not understand. I have just decided to take each day as it comes and try to work through it, some days though with my back I just have to stay in bed most the day, when I get up hold the walls. Thinking the back and neck issues feel worse when I have this feeling as it makes me tighten up cause I do not want to fall. I do pray there will be an end to this feeling for all of us, until then I wish you all the best and keep pushing through until things get better.

I'm so relieved, like many others it seems, to have found this forum.

I'm 47 and have been probably having dizzy head symptoms appearing gradually for the last 5 years or so. I have always kept very fit doing yoga etc and going to the gym, but started to notice I disliked being in overheated places, like offices and trains etc. I would also notice first thing in the morning a strange throbbing/thickheaded feeling especially when I looked to the left.

I was at a yoga class in November and doing a pose which pushes the head right back, and I had a severe dizzy episode where my eyes were flicking side to side every time I tried to get up, and I felt I momentarily passed out. I had to go to hospital in an ambulance as I couldn't get up, it was terrifying. After that I couldn't lie flat for a couple of weeks, but very slowly over a few months the severe dizziness went. Now I have slowly gone back to yoga because I love it, but without doing any neck poses at all.

Nothing was discovered at the hospital - they x-rayed me but when found nothing abnormal, I was sent home.

I had previously had an x-ray as I have worked many years at a computer and was starting to get neck pains - going up into my skull. The result of the x-ray was mild to moderate arthritic changes where the facets of the vertebrae had been worn down. I also have a small 'buffalo hump' (not a dowager's hump) at the top of the back/start of the neck, which a scan was unable to say what this was (fat/bone?)

I don't know how widespread these things are - I know osteo-arthritis is very common and is just called 'wear and tear', but I tend to connect the arthritis and the 'hump' with the thick-headed feeling I have a lot of the time, as it seems these things are combining to restrict the circulation in and out of my head. But doctors never seem to know how to resolve things - ie. is my hump from bad posture, I have no idea, I just have to work it out for myself and try different things, and I refuse to take medication ie painkillers etc, because they just mask the pain so you can carry on doing whatever it is that caused you to get the problem in the first place, so it will quietly behind the painkillers get worse and worse...

I can be free of the dizzy feelings for weeks, and then it can just re-appear out of nowhere, I can't seem to stand heat very well, and just like many of the other people who have posted, as soon as I feel a bit odd, I tend to hold my breath, or lose my breathing rhythm.

Two things I have found that are extremely helpful, if I can commit to doing them are:

1. Meditation - calms me down and helps me 're-set' my breathing rhythm if you like
2. A few exercises to move the head and neck :

a) Chin to chest slowly breathing out for 5, head up to look at ceiling - breathing in for 5, (can hold for 5 seconds while holding breath). (x 5)
b) Head to one side , ie tilting top of head to one side (while looking straight ahead) while breathing in slowly, back to centre breathing out (can count to 5). Head to other side repeat (x5)
c) Look over shoulders slowly, breathing in for 5, can hold for 5 while holding breath, return slowly for 5.

These exercises really seem to help ease up the circulation to my head. The only thing is as soon as you feel better, you stop doing them, and gradually they re-appear and you start the exercises again!!

Anyway hope this helps some people - although I disagree that the symptoms are caused by anxiety which is what doctors always say - I think it's the other way around - the symptoms cause the anxiety and cause one to stop breathing properly out of fear - what people need is reassurance and to understand that what is happening to them is common, (i.e. you do not have a brain tumour), - in this way, the dizziness is not compounded by anxiety and erratic breathing - most of us breathe too shallowly most of the time anyway.

No doctor ever told me dizzines and thick-headedness is common in peri-menopause - why not?

Thanks for this up-lifting forum xxx

I am 53 and in perimenopause. My last period was 5 mo. ago. For over 9 months I have had continual head buzzing. I thought it was my ears. I have had my ear wax removed, been to an ENT, and an Audiologist and have confirmed my ears are fine. I am having night sweats several times a night. I also have terrible motion sickness. I had a general physical and blood work is good. I just purchased a progesterone cream made of yams, used for two days and head buzzing is worse. Maybe I used too much. When I take B12 head buzzing is worse. Other tips from watching Dr. Oz: l-theanine (an amino acid for mood enhancement), herbs (black cohosh, etc.), fish oil, vit. E, D, C, soy products. I eat pretty healthy and exercise. I feel good otherwise.
The head buzzing, ringing is the worst part. I was scared it was something worse, but now after reading other postings, I now don't feel alone. Thanks

I have these weird head feelings too. I am 55 and just recently last two years or so started having irregular and heavy periods. My gyn was a bit concerned. Anyways,.. I have not had my period now for 2 months and counting. I have recently been getting this feeling in the back of my head. For me, I feel as if the floor is rising up to meet me. Lovely! I call it "elevator head". I make jokes about everything or I would not survive. At work, we try to find ways to cope and all use a lot of humor and I find humor is helpful as is working out at the gym. I think that if I was not on Paxil it would be much worse as my hormones have always been a problem. I am very sensitive and used to have panic attacks during my PMS time. I work in a hospital and standing still is torture, like if I meet somebody in the hallway I know. If I stand still and speak with someone I feel as if the floor is coming up to meet me as I said and also have an awful feeling in the back of my head. It is very stressful at work too which does not help and I could go to bed earlier. Sleep is very important. I am trying to cope but it is not a lot of fun! It is good to hear that I am not alone. Any suggestions/ideas would be helpful. I will not take hormones as my mom had a very bad cancer which may have originated in her uterus (never knew the primary site). The great actress Bette Davis said that "aging is not for sissies" - boy she was right!

I have had some success using a progesterone spray. I just keep forgetting to use it!! I was at the library today and I just kept getting that feeling like I was going to keel over--and I was sitting down! The reason I got the spray a couple of years ago was because I was having megaperiods, just the most god-awful heavy periods that would last weeks. The progesterone spray was a miracle for that--it stops a period in about a day. Hope this helps someone. :o)))

Hi Ladies, I had a hysterectomy when I was 30 and am now 48 years young (lol). A couple of years ago I started to get the evening/night sweats, which were annoying but bearable but last April, whilst out riding on my motorbike (I am a motorbike instructor)I luckily came to a stop then suddenly keeled over without any warning. Obviously I still had to ride the bike home and realized very quickly that there was something not right with my head. Every time I slowed down or stopped my head felt like it was still moving, from that moment onwards I got these feelings everyday, walking the dogs meant I kept tripping over as I kept walking into them, just couldn't walk in a straight line, felt like someone had given me a gently nudge and knocked me off balance.
Went to the doctors and he referred me to the hospital for the normal hearing tests and everything else to do with the ears, also had a MRI scan and that was clear, then sent me to a hospital that specialised in balance and they couldn't find the problem either. I'm sorry to say I too have tried every pill going but nothing seems to work, but I have asked my doctor to have a look at this web site to hear what other women are saying, as I too, thought I was the only one with this problem and had already asked him if it could be any thing to do with the menopause but was told no.
On the plus side, I went out on my bike this weekend for the first time since last year (been working in the office since this all happened, still got the feeling when I started to slow down or stop, but didn't let it beat me.
I will post again if I get any joy on how to get rid of this
weird head feeling and will also keep checking to see if anyone here has any joy, sounds like we're in it for the long haul.
Good luck to you all.

OMG I am so happy that I am not going crazy. I have felt like this for such a long time. My head feels wierd. I feel my ears are full I get so lightheaded and dizzy at times and every doctor I go to saids I am fine. How?????? I am 46 and I know I am going through something I have never felt so bad in my life. I want to feel better I want to feel like myself again and I am so sad that I don't. I must be going through menapause I know it. I sweat at night I feel my head is soooo wierd like I am here but not here. My periods are so bad, and I have breast pain now too. I am so happy I found a place where other women are feeling these issues too. Not that I am happy you guys are but at least I am not nuts. So happy for you guys I feel so much better knowing I am not the only one.

Glad to find this support group, now I know I'm not going crazy and definitely not alone. I am 51 years old and have been experiencing anxiety for at least 10 years. I too have been having weird head sensations! Tried magnesium rich foods and it seems to be pushing something through my head, with a weird taste in my mouth, I get drainage then it starts my burning feeling into my chest, down my arms into my stomach!! My weird head thing is like so many others have described, lightheaded, a little tingly and sometimes fullness and especially around my right ear! Dr. put me back on acid reducers, after taking them 10+ years on and off! I also take Zanax, Celexa and just started estrogen! I am now trying to stay away from magnesium, seems like it makes it worse:/ Anyone have any suggestions, I would sure love some!!

i am soooo glad i found this forum. i'm 52 & i thought i was going crazy. not dizzy, not quite lightheaded, but like i was going to fall over, even when sitting, & my thighs feel weird when this happens...not really weak or tingling, just different. (also, if i'm really focussed on something else, i don't seem to notice it as much.) my husband thinks i'm nuts as i make sure i can walk a straight line (forwards & backwards), close my eyes & touch my nose, etc. i actually will bend over then stand up real quick to see if i can make it happen, but it can't. so i've been blaming lack of sleep on my weird feeling....lack of sleep, not from insomnia or hot flashes (which are horrible) but from watching too much of the food channel (i'm always hungry). i'm so glad to see other women have this problem.

hi everyone...
i am 52 and have been experiencing a weird head for nearly two years now....
its very random and feels like pressure in the head ..sometimes like its all behind the eyes, others like a pressure..when it comes on it sucks my energy and at first i had to stop working...
i began a health regime in may this yr 2012 and i have had two bouts of it since then..each time lasts a few days....
i now have smoothies every day..and it has
1 tble sp golden linseeds
1 dsp sunflower seeds
1 tblesp pumpkin seeds
12 almonds
few walnuts.... soak all the above over night in a cup of water
in morning blend till smooth ..add to this fresh pineapple, 1 apple half a banana blueberries grapes any fruit and a large handfull of spinach...
more water and yoghurt if u like.
i felt loads better after 3 days..more energy less aches and pains, gone off meat and coffee... this recent weird head attack may be cos id not had the smoothies so regular... so im back on it every day now..
LINSEEDS REDUCE/ BODYTEMPERATURE they are a natural plant eostrogen... so stop hot flashes xxxxx

Hi, I'm 50 and also pleased that I've read all this. My gp wanted to send me to see a psychiatrist!! It's ridiculous that no dr's seem to know about this and yet there are so many people posting about it. I'm at the end of my tether, none of my friends have had this and I really don't think anyone believes me. I feel like I'm not here most of the time and can't concentrate on anything. It's making it difficult to socialise and I find myself covering up for my lack of memory. I was going to go and see my gynae but after reading this, I'm not sure there's much point. Maybe changing HRT? If anyone finds anything to help, please post a reply!!

my friend used my recipie above and now dont need the hrt..read my post xxx

I'm so glad I found you ladies. I've been having strange feelings in my head etc. lightheadness, fog and dizziness while sitting. I'm 46 years old and this occurs after my period. At first I thought I was having a stroke, then I thought it was coming from low blood pressure, then I thought I was suffering for Alzheimer's even though I wasn't forgetting much. I was just driving myself crazy. I went to a doctor and had blood test done but everything was normal. I started taking Dong Qua everyday and the symptoms seem to go away, but as soon as I stop they come back. The Dong Qua is suppose to balance your hormones and it seems to work. Good luck to you all.

HELLO ALL I TOO HAVE THIS FEELING OF PASSING OUT HEAD FLUSHES LIKE FOR 5 YEARS NOW IAM 55 YEARS OLD AND NOW THEY ARE WORSE. I FEEL LIMITED TO GO PLACES FEAR THAT I WILL FALL OVER MY BALANCE MY FOCUS MY SIDE OF NECK GETS TENSE LIKE A FULL FEELING REALLY STRANGE.. IT IS SO SCARY AT TIMES. I ALSO HAVE THIS BOBBING HEAD THING IT BOBBS SIDE TO SIDE AND IT GETS WORSE WHEN I AM MORE NERVOUS DR SAYS IT S ANIEXTY AND DO I WANT MEDICINE AND SAID NO. SOMETIMES ITS WORSE . MY RELIEF IS A GLASS OF WINE AND I FEEL RELAXED BUT CAN' T DRINK IN DAYTIME SO DOES ANYONE HAVE THIS BOBBING LET ME KNOW.. GOD HELP US ALL PEACE

Hi Everyone, I too have what I call "feeling off". Mine however is complicated by the fact that I have Meniere's Disease which is when you retain fluid in your inner ear and it effects your balance and hearing. At times, it causes what is called the "whooshing effect" and based on some of these comments, I wouldn't be surprised if some of you have Meniere's Disease. If hormones don't explain this feeling, I would suggest seeing and ENT to be diagnosed.

I'm so happy to have found this thread. I remember turning 40 and thinking - 40 and fabulous, it has been anything but fabulous. For the past two years I've experienced lightheadedness, palpitations, put on BP meds, anxiety, jittery feeling, nervousness, low libido, hands will tingle if I sit a certain way. My periods are coming further apart, now at 36 - 38 days. I get very irritable, and angry when I have my period. I snap at everyone for no reason, I have an extreme fatigue right before my period and could eat non stop without feeling full. At first I didn't notice a connection, but lately I've been noticing some of my symptoms correlate to my period. I've gone to my obgyn and discussed it with her, she seemed doubtful that it was perimenopause, but said I could be starting to have a hormonal imbalance. Ran blood tests, all normal, she said they may not show anything, and they didn't. Went to my regular doctor today, he reviewed the blood work and based on what he thought I was saying, he was quite adament that I was depressed. I told him I honestly didn't think that was right, really thinking it's peri. He told me I had classic symptoms of depression, which I quickly responded, they were also classic symptoms of peri - he handed me samples of an antidepressant and suggested I take them. I threw them out when I got home, if I was seriously depressed I would possibly think about taking them but I'm not depressed at all. It seems that prescribing antidepressants seem to be the cure all for these docs. I specifically said I was not looking to be drugged up, just trying to make sense of what's been going on for the past two years. I'm not sure why the doc's totally do not think I could be in peri, my mom actually started menopause at around 44, 45 and was finished at 48 yrs old. So it seems likely I could be in peri since I'll be 43 this year. Frustrating that doctors don't even think about it - they're acting like I'm too young to be experiencing this. Makes me realize I'm not going crazy when I read others having the same issues. Just keep thinking it will pass one day and I'll start feeling normal again.

Hi just found this site, and fill so relieved that i,m not going through this on my own beginning to think something really bad was happening to me been like this for months and doc says its just the menopause? like to see them go through what we have to. now i no this, but is there anything that can help to stop these horrible feeling has anyone tryed anything or have any ideas of what can help. :-( :-( :-(

Wow, Ok I am happy to see I am not going crazy either, LOL...So sorry for the rest of you that is going on through this. I have very similar or same symptoms that most described, weird fuzzy feeling in my head like I am about to have a seizure any moment. It comes and goes. When it happens, I am suddenly aware of it and have to sit down, pale and panicky. I have anxiety issues too (who wouldn't) since I started having hormonal issues (and heavy bleeding) at 43. The bleeding got finally under control with birth control but I experience a lot of weird symptoms that even progress or change as I age. The other day I had a horrible burning/squeezing feeling in my left arm, I thought I was about to have a heart attack! Fought it off (including resisting to take Ativan and calm myself the easy way). Last week I kepr getting headaches and one migraine even. My doctor put me on antibiotics, suspecting sinus infection..felt a little better first two days but now I started feeling this like I am about to have a seizure or something. Indescribible feeling that makes me panic too. I already take multivitamins with iron (got anemic from all that bleeding), acid-reflux meds, BC pill, now this antibiotic, and Ativan as needed. I am trying a vast of things atm and I will post the progress (if any, so very discouraging:() But we have to keep pushing forward right? Love and hugs to all.

I feel so relieved that I am not alone here. It is such a scary feeling these symptoms we are all facing. I am 40 yrs old and have been feeling weird for the last 3 or 4 months. I was told by my Gyn/Ob that it was too early for Perimenopause. But I have been reading a lot on the internet that it can start in your mid 30s..What I get is this weird, detached feeling, this strange sensation in my head and eyes, someone mentioned like a brain freeze is the best I can explain it. Its so hard to put express these feelings as its so unexplainable, its just an uncomfortable feeling in my brain, head, forehead, eyes , I get dizzy, spaced out, I have been wondering if its anxiety or my sinuses. at times I do think I am going to faint. I have worried about heart problems, am I anemic, do I have diabetes? Blood tests come out ok..It has me worried so much just like all of you, that I want to get a Brain Scan just to make sure I don't have something wrong. .I never thought it could be Perimenopause but after reading everyone's symptoms, and we all have such similar ones, that may be what we are experiencing. And this goes on for another 10 years?? I don't think I can take it..

Aw, SherryAnne, hang in there! I hear you and I feel for your troubles. I am happy to report I am feeling a little better, did a lot of research and did some things, melatonin and Valerian for sleep (didn't notice any relaxation to be honest), however I went back to something I used when I was at my worst couple years ago and...it worked somehow! Evening Primrose oil in capsules, 500 mg. I would take one the moment I am up, and then up to 3 a day (can take up to 6 per day). I don't know how, but it cleared my head and calmed me down considerably! I also became more aware what causes me to panic...heat, any kind of physical pain or feeling unwell (how stupid it's not even funny) and dreading sleeping time (hard to fall asleep). So I devised more strategies to cut these situations before they begin. :) I garden in early morning only when it's not 100 degrees yet. :P Oh and eat regularly! Small meals but like 6-7 times a day. That helped too, I think our sugars jump after our hormones and cause us to feel dizzy etc. As we are into all these raging hormones, all we can do is keep our bodies in state of balance as much as possible, not too much of anything, good or bad. I still get moments of quick panic flashes but they go away as quickly as they come. Distracting yourself works well, even if it is just going to kitchen to get a drink. And hey, I started going to gym again. :) I couldn't even reach the basketball net but hey...it's a start. :) I hope you start feeling better!

my dear friend who is just starting the menopause carousel called in complete panic. I did my absolute best to reassure here that these episodes do not mean she's crazy or dying, Oh, how I wished I've had somebody to talk about these feelings/sensations. I suffered thru most of them pretty much alone. When I started reading sites where other women described similar stuff, I started calming down. I was not alone!

But I keep thinking--what did our mothers do when they experienced this stage of life? there were no online sites, it was not lady-like to talk about it, or you were relegated to the looney bin. How horrible it must have been.

One of the things that helped me was to get a middle aged female doctor. When I spoke to her of my experiences, she did seem to undertand. Perhaps she was going thru similar???I realize that these professionals are disappearing thru retirement, but do try to find one. Avoid the Doc that calls you special, or suggests the "walk it off" therapy. Run as fast as you can from them.

I have noticed that the more I learned to RELAX about it (after getting a thorough ckup to rule out all the horrible illnesses conjured in my troubled head) I made progress. So....now that my dear friend is entering this dark stage, I am committed to reassuring her and stressing the need to relax and control worrying. I know, I know, its hard to do but little steps, baby, little steps.

For example, I completely stopped watching medical shows on Tv. They could be talking about penile inadequacies, and SOMEHOW, I could relate to those symptons, LOL, Quite crazy, huh? Stopped watching, and it helped towards reducing stress level.

Also, I used to be a horror film junkie. Just loved them. But in the last 10 years they kept me on edge. No, it's not that I was sure that the Snake on a Plane was lurking in my gardens, ready to attack me. It was just that it made me jumpy, defensive, impatient. I quit the horror movies, and I became better equipped to deal with the real aggravations of life. Seems like such a stupid, trivial thing, but it helped. In tiny steps, I keep feeling empowered to separate what I call manufactured worry from legitimate worry. And it is an ongoing effort.

Best wishes to all of you, I know first-hand these sensations/experiences are not a barrel of monkeys.

I too have been having these feelings! I am 46 and they just started a few weeks ago. I also get this nausea feeling. I tend to get them when I am in a store. It is freakng me out because I am afraid it is an anxiety attack . Of course my general doctor can't find anything wrong. I am going to my GYN this week, so I hope he helps!

While searching on the web, I found this forum. Wonder how the people who posted earlier are doing? I too have the sensitivity to lights..esp, white lights, feel carsick when I am not in a car, flashes, am 52. Close to menopause..neurologist said they are migraines and tried to put me on meds...although I do not get headaches, just the head nausea, sensitivity to lights, noise. Sorry everyone is feeling this but glad to see that I am not alone. Any updates?

Hi Michelea, I am happy to report progress to feeling better than I did in many years prior. I am not exactly sure what tipped the scale but I was persistant in several things: I kept taking multivitamin supplement for menopause ( I am 47 and not officially there yet but hey I was too unwell to wait for my doctors to figure it out), Probiotic capsules, Activia Immunity, L-glutamate capsules (just 2 a day, especially when feeling very weak). Ocassional Echinacea for immunity and lots of fresh fruit and water. I kind of listened to my body, if I felt hungry I would eat but small meals (somehow that really helped). I am still going to gym and swim when I feel up to it but the main thing is, I am not pushing myself too much. Something seems to have worked because my anxiety level is down, my issues and symptoms (described earlier) have diminished. I still get a twinge of nervousness sometimes and upset stomach even but comparing to previous issues, what an improvement! My blood work came up almost completely normal with minor anemia. I still get dizzy sometimes but not as bad as before. I couldn't be happier :). I just hope it lasts :D

Hi, I am new to this forum. I am perimenopausal at 50. I have that same feeling. Its like, for me, a sense of diconnectedness, like im here but not here. I am not currently taking any hormones, but i am thinking about starting Bio Identicals for almost nonexistant progesterone. Anyone ever take that? BioIdenticals?
Thank you for your post. I really do believe sometimes that i belong in the loony bin! LOL

Hello,

I just happened to bump into this page and I cant believe that so many of you are experiencing what Im feeling.

I've been having this weird head for 2 months.
Initially , the 1st week was foggy brain and occasional spin in the head,, like I could be doing somethg, and suddenly I get a spin in my head (I dun see outside spinning),, for abt 2 secs and it would always make me very nervous.
it happened abt 3 times the 1st week.

2nd week, foggy brain gone, I could concentrate better, think better, reason better,, but a new symptom came,, HEAVY HEAD!!!

Sometimes the heaviness is at the back of my head, either on the right. left or on top of head,, some times heaviness could spread to my face, bridge of nose, and felt my entire head numb,, and at the same time, the OFF feelings that accompanies it is HORRIBLE, I would feel like falling over, and think im gonna pass out/faint anytime, but I don't,, just a horrible feeling. The feeling is like as if the heavy head pulls me to one direction, and when I walk, I feel like im tilting one side, though I look normal to others.
and many times bcos of tat, I feel a panic attack coming.
It has reached a stage where I even wake up anxious.
Though I must say anxiety comes after this,, not the other way round.

during the 2-4 weeks I beared with it and when it din disappear, I went to see the 1st GP, who write it off as stress/anxiety.
5 th week,, I went to see another GP,, who saw my inner nose red, my ears had fluid, and bcos I said I had v scant mucus, which was a little green, she said I hd a sinus infection,, was on antibiotics for 2 courses,, within 2 weeks.

was given other meds like decongestant, dizzy pills etc,, though I felt better, but I was still not good.

eventually , I stopped the meds, cos taking it or not makes no difference.
I was having loose stools since this condition started 2 months back.

Just yesterday, went to see TCM (traditional Chinese meds) instead.
The physician told me, I have a dampness condition,n digestives, intestines not very good.
Heavy head is related to a dampness nature in the body.
Like what someone here said abt water retention.

She gave me 1 weeks herbs and said I should feel much better after my period this week.

So we'll see, n will keep you posted!

Im 43.

I found my "head pressure" is related to gluten. I gave up gluten awhile ago and after two months fully gluten free it completely cleared, along with all menstrual woes - endo, heavy periods, painful ovulation. I had gluten (accidently and very little) two weeks ago and had that sensation for 3-4 days after. I just sent this link to my friend today. I'll post it as it is an interesting read.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://womensbesthealth.com/dr.-becks-published-articles/gluten--a-serious-problem-for-your-health-and-hormones.html

Hi, just thought i would add my experience here, i am not sure if i have posted on this thread before but just wanted to say that i too get this sensation, i am 49 now and have not had a period 2.5 years, i still occasionally get the strange head sensation where i feel like i am walking like a crab lol, feel like i am toppling to side , my GP said this is all part of peri and post menopause its just not one of the common mentioned symptoms, i do believe that exercising daily even if it is a walk is good to keep this feeling less, anyway i hope all you ladies are feeling better and i am praying the feeling is less as the years go by , God Bless xx

Just wanted to add that my new doctor isn't keen on the fact this symptom is to do with menopause .I know it is though

This post was edited by Kaya47 on Sun, Jan 25, 15 at 18:37

I've just had this feeling today. Felt like I was falling over to the left but I wasn't moving. My husband was right next to me. But I'm only 18. Any helpful comments please?

Please see your doctor.

dessydoom18, it could be a case of a simple vertigo so I would not worry about it unless it happenbs again on a daily basis or more often. Our hormones also play a game on us every now and then, especially after 40's. I am happy to report the majority of my previous symptoms has eased up and are kept under control. It still happens from time to time but it's not nearly as debilitating as it was. I am trying to lose more weight, eat healthy, lots of veggies, fruit and fiber, plus I am listening much more to my body now and I don't overexert myself if I start feeling weird. Still on BCP, probiotics, fish oil and daily multivitamin. I really hope this helps! :)

I am 52 and I haven't have my period in 19 months and reading all this messages , I felt better since I thought I was the only one feeling all this symptoms.
Menopause is Horrific!
Dizzy spells, hot flashes, sweating the bed ,confusion, headaches ( never had before) ear pains, forehead pain, sorry , I jus had a severe dizzy spell followed by a hot flash........ Anyway this is all the time everyday.15 times a day?
Also my head feels weird, a feeling of passing out or that I am going to die ( it lasts seconds) ,can't sleep at night, my blood pressure is 140-80, sometimes 120-90 ,it moves up and a bit down.
I am so tired of this and I wish menopause symptoms will diminish soon.
Girls you are not alone.
Any tips?

I am 52 and I haven't have my period in 19 months and reading all this messages , I felt better since I thought I was the only one feeling all this symptoms.
Menopause is Horrific!
Dizzy spells, hot flashes, sweating the bed ,confusion, headaches ( never had before) ear pains, forehead pain, sorry , I jus had a severe dizzy spell followed by a hot flash........ Anyway this is all the time everyday.15 times a day?
Also my head feels weird, a feeling of passing out or that I am going to die ( it lasts seconds) ,can't sleep at night, my blood pressure is 140-80, sometimes 120-90 ,it moves up and a bit down.
I am so tired of this and I wish menopause symptoms will diminish soon.
Girls you are not alone.
Any tips?

Im 36 and Im going thru the same thing but more..What is it? I've seened many DR's and nuerologist but they dont know..

Yeah eder, it sure sounds like you're getting there. I am getting better slowly but surely, I've lost 30 Lb, got stronger and can do hard chores now! My periods are steady and controlled by BCP, but iron is always low. I guess that was my price to pay, it could have been worse! I still get dizzy spells and out-of-focus vision from time to time, I just know something is off and I pick up my healthy regime (plenty of water, veggies, fruit and milk), multivitamin with iron and probiotic first thing in the morning and voila, I'm back into shape. You wouldn't believe how true it is when they say the health of your gut affects everything else. Once I fixed my tummy issues, everything else seem to have clicked in.
Angel, it could be a lot of things as you can tell from all the posts. :) You are too young for menopause but it's possible you're under some heavy stress, and that can totally mess up your hormonal balance. If you are, it's time to stop stressing, if you can't change it, move on. :) It's so not worth it. I hope you feel better!

I am 53 and in perimenopause. I had my first experience with this AWFUL thing about 2 months ago and again, a milder attack yesterday. The first time I took myself to the ER - despite having a $10,000 deductible on my health insurance - because of how serious it felt. They took my blood pressure when I arrived (140/90 - usually it's 90/60) but for the next five hours could not attend to me bc of another "emergency". I thought I was having a stroke or something really significant, but they just had me sit there. The feeling in the head and in my body subsided gradually, so by the time I saw the doc and had bloodwork done, I was almost back to normal. Bloodwork/electrolytes were textbook-perfect. I was taking Wellbutrin (300 mg) at that time, and a doctor friend of mine suggested this "transient neuro-sensory disorder" could be related to the meds plus stress plus menopause plus alcohol (I did have a few drinks night before). Have stopped the Wellbutrin as of a month ago, just to be sure, but it hit again yesterday. I own a business and both times it's happened while seeing clients. Very very debilitating. Someone posted "... feels is it's like my brain is tight and shivering (not cold), but shivering and misfiring, like a light bulb getting ready to burn out" -- this is a really close description to what I feel. Definitely a spatial disorientation - like the right side of my head is extended upward and outward, with this pressure feeling against the inside of my right eye area. Sweaty palms/feet, dilated pupils, a bit of cognitive impairment (had trouble spelling a word) and some difficulty typing. Balance does feel off in a way overall but hard to describe. No pain but horrible sensation that my brain is going to explode if I move my head too much. I think I'm going to resume daily vitamins with iron (I haven't eaten any meat in many years, but my iron is usually fine when I go give blood), and try some other supplements; maybe go for a nutritional consult. I am so grateful to have found this forum but on the other hand it is evident that this is hard/impossible to diagnosis and I will NOT spend money on a zillion tests...just hope that it is not going to happen often or last long...for those who experience this chronically, I offer my heartfelt hopes for relief and recovery. Any other resources online that talk about this or offer some good ideas? Please let me know.

Hi Ladies, I posted back in 2011 and I'm sorry to say nothing has changed except for the last month each time I lay down, be it in bed or in the bath, my head starts spinning like I'm in a washing machine. Just come back from the doctors and he says it sounds like an inner ear infection and gave me some pills (Prochlorperazine), probably won't work but I will give it a go and get back to you if it helps at all. He also said that as you get older some people develope vertigo, oh well, it can't get much worse surely.
P.S I keep mentioning this site to every medical person I see and speak to but none of them seem interested.
I keep checking this site to see if by some miracle someone has found the magic cure but it looks like we are all still in the dark.
Good Luck Ladies.

I have been having this weird head swimming feeling off and on for years as well. Recently, it seems to be more frequent, I'm about 3-4 years post menopausal. It really doesn't seem to have a pattern or a trigger. I can be standing talking to someone, or sitting, and I suddenly get this wave go through my head and I am prepared to try to catch myself from falling. It does seem like it could be a pre-fainting feel but I've never done that. I don't seem to black out or fall but everything seems to swim around a few seconds then it subsides. It freaks me out a little. I am afraid of strokes. My mother had these issues but she had high cholesterol and high blood pressure and I have neither. I've mentioned it in the past to my doc but nothing serious ever came up. All blood work was okay. It still doesn't keep me from being scared of it. I plan on mentioning it to her again and see if this could be menopause related. I guess misery loves company because I feel a little better knowing that this seems to be somewhat common. Not that I wish this on anyone.
Thanks for sharing everyone!
Louise

I am 49 years old and still have regular periods (but major hot flashes). About 14 months ago I had a strange episode while standing in front of my boss's desk at work. I had a brief but intense feeling of falling, followed by anxiety. The next day I woke up with a tingling feeling in my hands and mid-day had a more intense episode of falling and not being able to lift my head off my desk. I went to the emergency room and they released me and treated me for vertigo. After many tests with the ENT specialist and nothing conclusive, he presrcibed a daily low-dose of Klonopin. I still take .25 mg once a day with an occassional second .25 mg dose as needed. This has been a god-send to me. I feel like Klonopin saved my lift. My family doctor also tried to prescribe antidepressents, but I'm not depressed and they only made me extremely tired. I did try to wean off Klonopin a few months ago and after 4 days I was flat on my back again with the woo woo head feeling. It is still there every day when I wake up, but I feel like I can get through the day with Klonopin.

Hi ladies, sorry to hear of your troubles, it will get better though. One thing I am sure of, it's never the same. We all have periods of more or less severe symptoms, and I still believe they are firmly rooted into our hormone changes. The most important thing is not to panic; half of those symptoms are anxiety induced, if needed, hop on the benzodiazepines or valium, whichever your Doc prescribes. I had to change the way of life to start experiencing some improvement, and I have to say, it is way better than it was. Sure, I still have some dizziness, weird "swimming" feeling, and occasional anxiety. Some of us are just very sensitive to changes and we notice it immediately. Good lifestyle, plenty of fruits and veggies, water and vitamins+ iron, and it should get better. It might take some time so don't get discouraged! Just remember there is a lot of us with the same issues. Hugs.

Hi, its been a while since i posted here, i am now post menopause for 4 years still have these head issues . Been to the doctors had thyroid test came back clear blood pressure a little high nothing to worry about , no low blood pressure no sugar ,this is good to know :)

But i still freak out at the imbalance and what i call buzzy head , had this on and off for over a month i will be in the kitchen cooking and when i turn to go to the other side of the kitchen my head feels dizzy but not spinning its more on the top of my head which i describe as buzzy . I hate it and still panic . I hope this goes away soon as i have a life to live . Hope you girls are all well God Bless

Is anyone's brainfog and headsymptoms getting worse-i can hardly converse at all due to there being nothing in my head and can't find the words?

Here is a link that might be useful: worsening symptoms

Hey Jan, you might be having different issue, I recommend you see your PCP ASAP! I hope you feel better soon. Hang in there!

Wow, I am so glad to have found this board. I am hoping some of you are still active on this board because I really need advice. As soon as I plugged in "foggy head", this board popped up and I've been reading through it (as best I can) for the past hour. I am 43 and I truly feel that either I'm going crazy, or I am entering menopause. My mother was early, as was her mother so its not entirely impossible. I have that heavy head, foggy/buzzy feeling off and on for a while now. Today is especially bad. I get utterly exhausted to the point where my eyes feel heavy and full. I have not been feeling myself for about 2 yrs now, but now its worse than ever. Ironically, I also suffer from anxiety and that's also gotten worse and worse. Some of the replies I have read have fit me to a "T" and I am grateful not to feel so alone. I also have a tight/pressure feeling in my neck and to follow-up with yet another doctor, I'm going to see an endocrinologist this Friday as I have a strong family history of thyroid cancer, nodules and goiters. My recent thyroid sonogram did show it was enlarged and perhaps this is the reason for my neck issue. The head feeling has got to go away because I am finding it more and more difficult to function on a daily basis. Before I continue, I will wait for anyone's response and thank you all for sharing your stories because it is helpful to know this could be a normal thing.

I hope someone can relate to my symptoms, I am okay while sitting but if i am in the kitchen or supermarket looking at things in the isles you know when you move your head from side to side or up to look at things on shelves ?, well my head gets dizzy on top but i don't get spinning at all it is a dizzy feeling i don't lose my balance at all i just know it feels strange and scary. I went through menopause four years ago (meaning 4 years without periods) i started peri aged 36 i am now 50 . I have been to the doctors and had blood test to check my thyroid , had blood pressure checked sitting standing , been checked for vertigo , followed the pen while keeping head still doctor looked into my eyes and all was fine . But still i am getting this dizziness on top of my head when doing ccertain things as described above. I wonder if it could be stress related as i suffer from anxiety and stress very severley . Please has anyone experienced what i am experiencing i want to feel normal and to not feel alone in this not that i wish it on any one

Hi Kaya, it is very possible that is stress related, since I had (have) similar experience. Some of us develop very weird symptoms that cannot be medically explained except we become supersensitive to certain triggers. In some, it's food, others develop sensitivity to smells, changes in weather or even bowel movement. Anything that can affect our Vagus nerve (that controls like everything) produces all kinds of bodily responses. I hope you are keeping your anxiety and panic under control, if not, see a PCP to prescribe you something for emergency, and keep it in your pocket wherever you go. If anxiety strikes, just think of it as something that will not kill you or harm you, it will pass, and last resort you have the pills. It will help you feel safer. And don't worry, you will be fine. :) Sure, you will need to learn to cope with those symptoms, but they won't last forever. There will be periods when you do, but since you had your check up and they said everything is fine, you can relax now and try to enjoy things you like. Get busy for the Holidays but without stressing! Just take things easy and enjoy life. Wish you all the best!

Hello to everyone thats posted here - this is my first time posting but I have read the entire thread after googling weird head !!
I am post meno by 2 years and have been having episodes of spaciness , floaty , dizzy heads for a number of years but not as bad as it is now . Feels as though I'm looking at the world through someone else's eyes , but at the same time I know that they are mine !! Yep a pretty crazy feeling and also very scary .
We all sound so similar in our experiences that its kind of comforting in the best possible way , because I know we`d all rather not feel like this . I wake up in the morning and often cant connect with reality and get anxious about this - every day is a struggle . Weird head stuff - pains that move around , tightness , adrenaline rushes , sinus pain & congestion, ear fullness , eyes often look very tired and irritated, tight chest - so much I can`t even remember now !.
I do however have Pernicious anaemia (b12D), ME & Fibromyalgia - and all these symptoms have become very much worse since going through the menopause .
Quite a few of you , well lots actually have symptoms of a b12 deficiency - confusion , dizziness , brain fog , spacey feelings , pins and needles , coldness , memory problems , hot etc flashes, exhaustion, etc . However these symptoms are also menopausal symptoms too , I was diagnosed with PA 18 months ago after really feeling like I was dying - seriously !! I'm in the UK , my level was 96 - that's severely deficient although my GP still didn't want to know ! I now self inject every day because I have absorption issues , and need it that often to stay stable , again GP doesn't understand much at all about PA . Why I'm saying this is that its worth getting B12 levels checked , it wont hurt and b12 jabs or supplements may help some of your symptoms , its also good for low mood and depression . If you are at the lower end of the scale , its worth considering b12 supplements for sure as B12 levels are inclined to drop with hormonal changes . Also include folic acid , potassium and a good b complex to maximise the efficiency of the b12 .
I also have neck and nerve damage from a recent car accident - I think someone else mentioned the vagus nerve ?? Well this can also cause many of the jittery anxious , spacey feelings experienced if its damaged , as well as problems with co-ordination and feeling like you are going to faint or fall . I also get the pressure feelings in the back of my head -sometimes its from doing something strenuous like cleaning , other times it just happens and I get headachey , cold and exhausted .
I haven't really suffered badly with hot flushes at all , had a few but nothing I couldn't cope with . At the moment I would welcome them because when they come I actually feel a surge of well-being and a feeling of clarity and clear thinking again . I have an energy surge and can get things done . Other times I get cold flashes and I absolutely hate these ... I feel really bad with them and cant warm up , cant think or function at all and I honestly feel like I'm going mad !! I'm also coeliac and have a gluten free diet , so I know its not that - everything points to part menopausal , part other auto immune issues - its so confusing and I cant separate them sometimes - they are just intensified !
Another thing Id like to mention is that its worth looking into adrenal fatigue and getting your cortisol levels checked - adrenal function can also be affected badly by the menopause and may account for the adrenaline rushes / head rushes if there's impaired function in this area . I suppose I'm lucky , living in the UK my GP can request this to be checked quite easily ! My cortisol is lower than it should be , so I supplement with herbal remedies supplied by my herbalist - a typical symptom of this is a salt craving amongst others !! Again worth thinking about and very common if you have a b12 deficiency also . Thyroid has already been mentioned , again common for it to go haywire during menopause and fluctuate between hyper and hypo-thyroid - mother nature certainly didn't make this easy for us did she !!
I continue to struggle day to day with this feeling of unreality or de-realisation , I hate it so much as it affects mostly everything I do . I try not to give the feeling the time of day whenever I can as it feeds on our fear of the feeling and ultimately causes anxiety - its a vicious circle for sure and its not easy to ignore I agree so I try and distract & ground myself whenever I feel it coming - a little mantra helps ... maybe a reassurance that this will pass and living one day at a time will help as it does me . Thanks for reading my lengthy ramblings - hoping some of this helps others just as reading this thread has helped me not feel so alone . Good luck with feeling good again soon !!

Hi everyone Happy new year to you all xx
Just thought i would update on the fuzzy head issues, Well it still happens i went to the doctor Tuesday, she is lovely and really helped me feel better although she still insists this isn't anything to do with menopause, but i disagree with her. I'm nearly in my 5th year post menopause and 51 in September so i have come a long way since aged 36 when it all started :(

Had blood pressure taken again lying then standing both perfect ,tested my eyes ears .

She also did tests to rule out brain tumor because lets face it when something is happening in the head it does make you think all sorts of things, but all okay my balance is fine , so she just thinks its stress and anxiety and boy have i had my share of stress and anxiety.

Anyway she prescribed an anti depressant but i am too scared to take them as i have a phobia to medications after suffering severe side effects back in 1997 .

What to do then ? carry on regardless and pray it goes on its own .

On the plus side i had a lump just appear on my left index finger beginning of December, this morning it was there but when i looked at 6 this evening it has completely gone , well i do believe in the power of prayer i know faith isn't for everyone, but i am trusting Jesus to heal me completely , thank you all who have replied you have been a rock to me and you are all so very kind , we need each other in times like this and just knowing we aren't some kind of nut job helps lol

xxxx Kaya

I am 7 years post and I have had this weird head feeling for most of these years. It came on with a medication reaction and blood pressure surge. I costed fine for many years and then this past summer anxiety took hold of me and won't let go. I'm in therapy now and it sort of helps. I really don't want to take medication. I want to heal on my own.
The weird head feeling is what I call being wobbly. I feel off, I look through my eyes and it's not the same as it always was. I worry too much. I think too much. I wish I could just live life like I once did.

@tela, i know what you mean i don't like medication and i just got prescribed some for my doctor but haven't taken it as the side effects cause anxiety and panic, i have enough of that thank you very much. I want to get better by myself i think medication does work but who wants those side effects.

i believe anxiety is the most terrifing illiusion there is i use to be one of the best atheletes in the tri state area but anxiety ruined my career cause i let it you can beat it its scary and i still have symptoms but they fade you have to beat it it caan and will ruin you if you let it i won't its very scary but you can conquer it you won't die from it if it was gonna kill you it would've by now its mind over matter pure willpower can you beat the scariest illusion its your choice you can let it rule your life or stand up and tell it no this is my life you won't control it.

of course its under control now i am engaged to be married my life is back on track you can do the same have faith in yourself and you can overcome anything

Hi again ladies,I thought I would come back and give you all my latest info.

I was referred to The National Hospital for Neurology and the lady I saw did loads of tests and they have now said the real bad feeling of being inside a washing machine is caused by my apparent underlining ear problem. She did a manoeuvre called the Eply Manoeuvre and those severe bouts of spinning have now stopped.

She has said that these bouts were bought on by an underlining problem which can be caused by things such as a bad cold of flu episode or like in my case, when I was knocked off my motorbike and although I didn't think it hit that hard, it was enough just to give me a headache for a couple of days and is probably the cause of my unbalance.

I am being given exercises to retrain by brain as far as the balance goes and I have found on Google a piece on Labyrinthitis which after reading was amazed to find that all of my symptoms seem to relate to this, even as far as the sweats and apparently my head feelings and the trouble I am having with my memory and concentration as my brain is focusing solely on trying to keep me balanced it basically can't cope with anything else.

I'm going back in July to see doctor and will post after this to let you know if this has helped.

Speak soon.

I am 44 and have been having these weird head feelings for 9 months. I'm so happy to have found this site. I have been to ENT for hearing and vertigo tests everything came back fine. I had a carotid artery test which came back fine. I had a mri 1 year before all this started everything was fine except for a herniated disk that was pressing on a nerve. Chiropractor helped that out. But the weird feeling in head scares me and when it happens I feel it bothers my breathing and I get anxious. My legs feel weak when I get up sometimes. I never thought so many women could be feeling this way. I thought I was going crazy. Every Dr. I've talked to say it sounds like anxiety

Doctors do say that, about anxiety, I think, so that they can get you to take antidepressants, which is not the way to help. There is some statistic that I read that said that something like 70% of women in menopause or perimenopause are on them because their doctors talked them into it. No wonder so many complain of weight gain. That is one of the many adverse side effects of antidepressants. That's probably why the weight gain. I just talk calmly to myself when anything like this happens. It works.

I am 46 years old gonna be 47 in march my head doesn't feel right at times my eyes bother me as well, I don't feel like myself I cry. I too stay away from family gatherings and things I used to do because of how I feel so glad I found this site helps to know I am not crazy and others experience this as well ! Just want to feel right again

Hello my name is Melissa and I had a hysterectomy 3 yrs ago I am 43 now. I have been diagnosed as being in full blown menopause. I have had a whole bunch of symptoms already night sweats, hot flashes, foggy memory, depression, and very moody. I had a spell 4 days ago where I was sitting and all of a sudden my feet legs and arms and hands started feeling tingly and kinda numb as this is happening like extreme hottness in the back of my neck. Then the feeling of dizziness and vision wise things were wobbly I seriously thought i was going to faint since that day i have had these spells 3 or 4 times a day. I went the ER and they done blood work and a CT scan of my head and it was all normal. This is very scary and I dont know what to do it is affecting my daily life because i am afraid to go somewhere alone because afraid of passing out and afraid to drive and take my kids to appts or anything. I have noticed when I start having one if i get ice pack or cold air on me it helps it to stop. Any suggestions I cant go on like this for the next 10 years or so please help me!!!!

Soooo sorry to hear all this you are going through and the worst part is most doctors still don't have a clue they just think your crazy or just want to prescribe antidepressants as if the side effects of those are any better! I know how horrble and terrifying these feeling can be we know ,we know our bodies just want you to know I prayed for you and hope you somehow get some relief or answers . There is alot you can do as far as changing you diet and herbal supplements thats what I am doing I know they say stay away from alcohol caffeine and sugars now that may seem to be alot but I have been doing it for two weeks now and also drink green tea's and black tea I loved my tea with lots of sugar never saw myself being able to drink it without sugar but I do .I use honey oranges lemons and it is actually good these are just some of the the things. Google it hope this helps in someway :)

Thank you Hazesgal for your response and also for the prayers. I will try to do the things you have tried im willing to try anything. I also read that Black cohosh is good to help with menopause I got me some of that and going to try it as well. I will also say a prayer for you these things we are going through are awful I am used to being the strong one of the family and able to handle my 3 kids problems and everything and all of sudden im the sick one of the family I hate being this way!

You are so welcome melissapate I know exactly what you mean I too was the backbone the one who held it together and yes it feels like your world is falling apart and no one really understands the emotional battle the feelings fears and it can be soo depressing at times but I do pray alot and God has answered me keeps me .and I too hate being this way its so much harder because we know how strong and confident we were and now it's like what happen? Also yes black cohosh they say is really good it doesn't work over night like we wish but they say keep taking it it should help also melatonin is a good herbel remedy to help sleep if you have nights that its harder to sleep . Well I am here if you need to talk hope your days get better God Bless

I have noticed my eyes bothering me along with this weird head feeling. Like I don't focus like I used to. I had to get glasses a couple years ago and it's definitely true what the say about eyesight changing after 40 but I think the head feeling along with the eyes scares me so much it's like a vicious cycle. I wake up with it and it happens so much during the day and I usually go to bed with it. Does anyone have this head feeling all day like this.

ngdlost

I started looking at this sight because of my funny head. I see a lot of ladies have different problems. I am 66. I have told my Dr. about my head feeling like my brain has come out of a sleep and it's in that tingly stage. I does not happen that often but one day at home I was extremely anxious, felt that funny head and I passed out. I do get them periodically, but normally it passes within a min. and I don't pass out. No headaches and once it passes I'm fine. This was about 2 years ago. I have also been off balance and he gave me nose spray for sinus, which I have to take every day. It has helped my balance some what. Does anyone else have anything like this? I'm desperately looking for answers.

Hi Daphne and Dianegray70 Just want you ladies to know you are not alone, as I too found out when I came across this sight I too get crazy feelings in my head have a hard time concentrating sometimes even my comprehension of things I understood so cleary are like foggy to me I have feelings like I am gonna lose it itchy scalp a lot lately poor eyesight shaky nervous fearful at times like something bad is gonna happen it doesn't but it feels.like that , I cry and cry didn't know I had sooo many tears I feel so.out of place and sorts s ok me days just want yo feel like myself again so hopeful because when I do feel like myself I am always thinking when will I feel like that again ughh so its always usually on my mind . So hopefully things start to get better for us all ..

Thats feel out of sorts some days and just want to feel like myself .

I did not finish my story as I did not know if I should, but perhaps I better. You see I told my Dr. about this before. I don't know how old you ladies are but sometimes Dr.'s feel that when a person is older, that they are just looking for something to complain about to get attention. I, for one, have to be very sick before I will call the Dr. When I told him about my head it was not assumed to be important to him. I know that my memory is not as it was when I was younger and I'm slower than I used to be. I get tired faster etc. etc. but when I went to see him on Fri. he had to take notice. You see on Wed., while driving home, from a little shopping, I felt this fuzziness in my head coming on. I had seconds to react as I was driving. I only had time to cry out God's name. The next thing I knew I was on the other side of a 4 lane road, about to run into a rental truck in the parking lot of a rental car place. I was going very slow, when I came too and thought I'd had a bad dream. Well, it was a bad dream alright. I had enough presents of mind to put my foot on the break to stop the my Dodge Journey. Oh yes, and after all that my air bags did not deploy. I had hit the median, took out a pole, and hit another car and ended up on the other side of the road. I am a Born again Christian. The lady in the other car walked away from this, as did I. He (God) saved us both, from what could have been a very very bad accident. Because I passed out, I went to hospital where they put me through tests. They found nothing. I still have to get more tests done, but now I cannot drive until this is resolved, which I understand. I am extremely annoyed with my Dr. because he did not look into this sooner. The other lady, as well as myself have no car to drive. I feel so bad for her. I kept asking if she was fine, but sometimes, something like this does not hit you until later. At this time I am unsure of my future. When my hubby, of 42 years passed away, my car became my lifeline, my independence. Thank you for reading this post. I just felt that sometimes we need to make our Dr's take notice. I guess I didn't complain enough.

I

Wow Dainegray70 sooo sorry for your loss of your husband and now your car but praise be to God you came out safe and the other lady as well I too am a born again Christian I too cry out to God he answers me and I praise him for that its just this emotional roller coaster inside of me I struggle with tremendously and I sure do know what you mean about doctors taking things we say lightly .....been looking and praying for a support group to help in these areas! I so agree with you when your older they do believe thats all you are doing and its sad. and they also tend to believe when your younger your just imagining these things or that you are too young for perimenopause! But not true ! Well will pray God's will for you and much grace! For us both Amen

Oh and I will be 47 in March !:)

I am so happy to have found this site !!! I really was starting to think I am crazy ! It is Nice to know I am not alone. My story started one month ago - January 2nd, 2016. I was driving home, feeling fine when all of a sudden my vision went crazy - it was Quick - and I yelled out to God for help. I was able to stop my car and nothing bad happened - Thank You Lord. I drove the rest of the way home and told my husband, " maybe I just had a stroke ". I googled it and no, I didn't have any signs of a stroke. The pressure in my head after that though was unbelievable. It wasn't a headache, just weird and pulsing. I have gone to the doctor a few times since. At first she thought maybe it is a sinus infection ( even though the only symptoms I had were face and head pressure. So, she gave me antibiotics. Didn't help me. Then I had a CT scan and then MRI. I just returned home from an ENT appointment , he told me everything is fine. I had a period in November , then again January 19th. I thought , maybe that's what this is about. Then I got another period 2 weeks later. Idk what is going on. I haven't had the " head rush " thing happen since that day driving. I am Scared it is going to happen again. I wish there was some kind of warning. I still have this pressure in my head and I really wish someone would give me an answer or it would just go away. Maybe I should make an appointment with my gyn.

I just turned 49 in January

You would think in this day and age the Dr. could give us some answers. I did get my lic. back, 2 months later. They have no idea why I passed out. I have not had a period since I was 23 so that did not factor into the problem. I've had no problems since I had the accident, but am more careful about making sure I drink more. Maybe the Dr. was right and I was dehydrated. I am so glad you made it home alright rusticint, I would not want anyone to go through what I went through. I do take panic attacks. They are terrible. My throat feels like it is closing in on me and I can hardly breath. A friend told me to take in deep breaths and let it out slowly. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. Thank you Hazesgal for your kind thoughts and prayers. I will also continue to pray. I will pray for all the ladies on this sight.

Thank You dianegray70. I have only driven a few times since the incident - I am very scared it is going to happen again.

I don't have a choice as I am alone but I thought about the same thing but we can't live in fear. God is our refuge and we have to have faith in Him. I could have been killed in that accident but when I called on God, just before I passed out, I had a peace come over me. Jesus died for all our fears as well as all our sins. Maybe start by taking just short little trips around the block until you get comfortable driving. I got my license back in Woodstock and bought my van in London, then had to drive to Kingston where I live. I was visiting a friend in Woodstock. Pray about it and listen for the Lord to answer you----He will

Thank you , I have been talking to God a lot more since the incident.

I am 44 years old and it began when I was 41 I had sudden hearing loss in my left ear and lost my sensoneural hearing and then all of the strange things started happening. I get that "funky" head feeling and get dizzy and my sinuses feel like they are always clogged and they always think it's allergy related. I get weakness in my legs and tingly and I get a lot of neck and shoulder pain and stiffness and recently this funny thing with my bottom lip it's like it freezes in place for a second and usually on the left side. Does anyone else get this? I go to the doctor and they say it's anxiety which some of it is because the symptoms are so scary sometimes I feel like I will have a stroke or heart attack but my blood pressure is completely normal. I will not take pharmaceutical drugs I take a ton of supplements. I do pray everyday for a cure for cancer and illness and I feel that perimenopause is an illness that they ignore. My mother had no symptoms but my Grandmother went through hell with it. I have about 2 good days in a month. I have had many visits to the ER with CT, MRI, bloodwork done and they didn't see anything and also tested for Lymes. Please tell me if you get these symptoms too.

Hi mattpatthomas, I am sorry you are going through this and for So long !! uugghh. I have also had ct scan , mri, bloodwork, etc. My sinuses also feel clogged and sometimes it feels like my face is going to blow ! But, they say my sinuses are fine. I don't know. The worse thing for me is this head thing. I don't understand what is going on and why nobody has an answer for it. I was FINE until last month when I was driving home and lost my vision for a few seconds and only saw squiggly lines - I thought I had a stroke or something. But, ever since that day my head has not been right and it is very scary. I have an appointment with the nuerologist next month. I doubt he will have an answer. I believe it is all related to menopause. I have been taking Flonase Everyday and Tylenol ( it is the only thing that makes me feel better ). I stopped taking the Tylenol for 3 days because I thought this can Not be good for me BUT the head feelings came back so I have started the Tylenol again this morning . :(

Hi mattpatthomas, I am so sorry to hear about what you are going through, as well. Sometimes the answers to problems are not easy to find, even for the Dr's. I have sinus really bad, but there is nothing that can be done. I will pray for you. Our bodies are so complex, you know that God made us in His image and He knows all about each of us. Don't give up praying. I do believe that a lot of things happen because of anxiety. I do know that at times I feel like I'm having a heart attack. The throat closing in, is the worst feeling in the world. Keep in touch----God is real and He does answer prayer, but only in His time, not ours.

Thanks so much dianegray70 when I found this blog I was so glad to see I am not alone and that so many other women share the same feelings. I will pray for you as well.

I went through this at 38. My main problem was my panic attacks along with all these other symptoms. If you can control your panic when these symptoms appear you will be better off. No drug will do this as much as your own mind. Your mind can do wacky things and I've learned this as I am now 50 . I get myself up and stay active as much as possible. I actually get mad at my self when I start to let these feelings take control. I say "You are not controlling my life" and I won't let anything do that right now. Life is too short and as long as I know it's not my heart...as I have been on heart monitors, ER, ambulance rides and you name it. Now that I'm 50 I say no more. Work with your mind and body. Eat right and lots of water and always get enough sleep....this triggers mine if I don't sleep good. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! Takes time but mind control and get mad..LOL

Thank you oldstate, but panic attacks have woke me up in the night. I am a bad sleeper at times. I do know that the last one I had, was when I was overtired. The longer it lasted, the madder I got at myself for laying there and not being able to help the person I had gone to to help. She called her son and he told me to try and slow down my breathing. Deep breaths in and slowly breath out. This helped and my heart finally settled down. That was one that I didn't think would ever stop. Thanks for your input. I think ever piece of info we get, will maybe help one of us.

I have had all these symptoms and I also now get a shock in my head and feel a seizure type feeling. I feel like I have to close my eyes I have had so many that I really thought I was going to faint. I also have problems getting food down for about eleven months. From what you all are saying most of it is menopause I'm sure also the digestive problems with pain getting food down I thought it was. Part of it and also ear pressure anyone having this as well. But in 2012 I had a full hysterectomy and a large cyst removed. But sometimes I really just can't take all the head pressure what helps relieve that any Advice. Please I'm So tired of it I'm scared to do anything anymore

Hi,Just writing, hoping this brings you some sort of comfort ,it is really hard not to panic! when you feel something that to you is not normal, or you just never experienced before. it has been happening to me since March 2013, scared out of my wits not knowing what was happening to me, severe dizziness seem to be what started it off, after that I could not concentrate or comprehend alot of times! things that were so clear to me all my life were no longer clear to me, I felt as if I wasn't gonna be here!! cried alot, stopped associating with family friends it was horrifying ! since then I have had and still do get some crazy physical feelings as well as emotional ,I try to just stay calm pray and know it will pass ,rather than panic which only makes it worse, But I praise God for his faithfulness and answering me when I cried out to him . I am 47 years old and life to me has changed but I strive to be thankful and look on the brighter side that this too shall pass . Hope you feel better and that all those crazy feelings go away .

Thank you old state everything you said is so true I strive for this daily with the same attitude just some days are harder than others but Istill keep going Thank God and thanks to forums like this and ladies sharing and opening up about all of this has helped and continues to so thank you to you all prayers for you all !!!

Dear Dont have one, I am 44 and get that shock thing to, I think it's nerves, I have the ear full feeling a lot too and take sudafed and it seems to help. I had sudden hearing loss in 2011 in my left ear and I never did regain the sensoneural part back but I think this causes a lot of my ear full feeling along with a lot of sinus pressure. I get anxiety really bad and don't have the confidence I once did. Sometimes I have a hard time swallowing too. Lot's of prayers for all of you ladies that are going through this. It's really nice to have a board that we can chat on together.

Yes it is nice to have a sounding board, so to speak. Mattpatthomas, just what is the "shock thing" your speaking about. I also have very bad sinus. I take Tylenol daytime and night time. The night time can be sometimes hard to find, so when I find it I get a couple of bottles. I'm just not sure were any of you live. I'm in Canada and we can get over the counter drugs that are not available in the states. We can also get extra strength pills. For my arthritis I take extra-strength Advil. I try not to take to many, as any of these meds are hard on your body. Thanks everyone for being open. It lets us know that our symptoms are "not all in our heads" Love and prayers

For me dianegray70 I call it a shocking feeling is because it feels to me like a zap or shock of electricity is what it reminds me of. Mattpatthomas thanks i am so happy to have found this site. I have prayed to God screamed at God begged him I really have felt like I'm going to die or some days wish that I would. It is so dibilitatingthe head pressure. Mostly and off balance feeling I seriously have been to the. Erin and Des so many times cried so many times. I have felt so alone cause my whole family and husband here me but are like they understand but don't. I am very strong and try to pretend it's not happening most days But I have this feeling everyday and when I walk or move my head and eyes to much I feel the tension or pressure build so much more and even swallowing. I don't understand how all this can be menopause symptoms and not seriousness. When it feels like I have vice grips on my head or so much pressure built in my ears I'm clearing like if you were traveling in the pass every time I walk. I have been told I have sinus infections. Vertigo and had ft scans Ent des keep giving me antibiotics because I always have Nadal congestion too. I have had every symptom you all have mentioned and I really am so thankful and shocked to see how many go through this I have felt So alone and angry cause I knew I wasn't crazy but everyone has made me fell I am and question my sanity. Thank you all for sharing. I have seriously gotten to where I just want to stay laying down cause it's the only time I don't feel so many symptoms. I hope some how we can all figure out how to get rid of these problems. You will never know how your stories helped me everyone I read them all. It gives me more hope so taking b12 will really help with these symptoms???

I know God here's me now to stumble across this site when I have been to the point of giving up.

If I can make a comment, I hope you don't mind, mainly because I do not know your Christian background. First of all, I can sympathize with you. Instead of screaming at God, raise your hands and just praise Him. He is a God of mercy. I am Pentecostal, I grew up Salvation Army and had to change my way of thinking. I know that He can heal. He has healed me 3x. I was getting ready to go to the Jimmy Swaggart Campmeeting in Baton Rouge, but I had pain, so bad in my back that it took me 2 weeks just to get my bags packed. The pain meds I was on only made my sleep but really did nothing to stop the pain. On Sunday, as we were leaving on Monday, I stayed home from Church to try and pack up the last things I needed to take with me. My cousin was going with me, but she would not drive, as we had to fly into New Orleans. I was the driver. I was in the bathroom on my knees getting things out of the cupboard and the pain was so bad I was totally on the floor. I am alone as my husband passed away. I prayed and asked God to heal my back. I trusted Him and His Word. He healed me on the bathroom floor. I don't know why He waited till the day before I left, but I do know that He can and will heal people. Please don't give up. God is with you. He hears your cry's. I am not am expert by any means, but I do know He hears and knows all things. A lot of what you have talked about I have went through my self. With me it was not menopause. I heard of a man that had bad migraines for years and suffered terribly, One day God healed him. He has not had one since. Please don't give up on God or yourself. I am keeping you in prayer. He will know who I'm praying for.

Diangray 70 Thank you I am a Christian I have been baptized as a member of the Baptist church I believe in Christ and god fully. I know he can heal all people I have prayed so much and talk to him a lot. I just get so scared sometimes with the symptoms I have had and going to Drs. For help to know one being able to hep me. I guess sometimes I just feel like I vantage no more and I know he does not give us more than we can take but I'm at my wits end and I do praise him and I thank him for all he does I even apologized for being angry at him for it seems that going threw this for so long. I just want to feel normal again and be able to feel I can work and move without all the head problems It has put me to where I can't hardly do anything with out having my head and ears fill up with so much pressure it feels like my head might pop like a balloon almost. I think I could live with. All the problems I have just the head thing is so bad. I live God though and I know someday I will be better if it is what he wants for me. The last week has just really been the worst for me it's gotten much worse. I would like to thank you for your prayers and hope to be healed someday soon. Prayers to you and God bless.

Love not live

Ya I got it. This past week my sinus and my arthritis have been just terrible. When the temp, goes up I feel terrible. I am going to take my tylenol sinus pm and go to bed. Sinus can really throw your head and your face off. I had a blocked sinus 5 years ago now. We were in Florida. It completely ruined my vacation. My face was in total pain. I finally ended up at the hospital and thats when I found out it was sinus. I now do not travel anywhere without my med's.

I forgot about the nose drops that I got from the Dr. when I was having those funny heads and off balance. It's called Mylan-Beclo AQ spray 200DS 50MCG Beclomethasone Dipropionate spray-- 2 drops in each nostril daily. Ask your Dr. about it maybe it will help. I now only take it periodically.

Hello again dianegray70, did the nose spray help you ?

Yes it did, I am not off balance anymore. These drops do not run down your throat like some do. I only use them now when I'm really stuffed up. I live in a basement apt. and I want to move because I think that is causing a lot of my problems. I hope this helps you. Still praying for you.

Thank you dianegray70

No problem. I hope it helps you.

To rusticint- squiggly lines and then headache following is a classic symptom of migraine headache with aura.

I don't know if anyone has tried it but I was reading on how chiro practor can help? What do you think? @ diannegray 70 I will talk to my Dr about the spray thanks.

@rusticint you were saying Tylenol helps for your head problems do you have headaches or the dizzy ytense head pressure and neck tightness as well. I'm just wondering if it would help for me if i starred taking it?

I am not prone to headaches at all. Sinus pressure headaches yes.

my daughter has very bad headaches but she gets meds from her Dr.

Exactly the same here, an unreal feeling which washes over me, then gone in about 5 seconds. NOT nice!

Hi Marykaz, not headaches - awful head pressure , I don't really know how to describe it. it is head pressure, back/base of head neck, top of head, face. When I started taking the Tylenol it helped.

I take Tylenol day time, early in the day, if I need it. I take night time just before I go to bed. I find it really helps. I do use the nose drops, but if my sinus is really bad I take the pills. I am not one for taking a lot of meds, so I try and use them sparingly. Hope this is some help.

@RUSTINCT that's what I have to not pain. It's so weird and every Dr I explain it too looks at me like I am crazy or like its not happening.That's why I member tried Tylenol or pain meds cause it's not pain it's that weird in my head neck and face too.

Marykaz, me too ! That's why I decided to try taking some Tylenol in the morning and also doing the Flonase nasal spray - I believe it has been helping me- I'm not at all like I was before. The pressure and weirdness in my head is ok now. I stopped taking the Tylenol for 3 days, because I thought maybe I shouldn't be taking it, etc BUT then my head problems started to come back. So, since this is working for me I will continue with it and the Flonase twice daily.

I have been googling all sorts trying to find anything that describes symptoms like mine & this is the closest I've found & pretty much mirrors me. I've been suffering for about 4 years now (I'm 43), woozy head, feeling off balance, feeling almost as if something is pulling in my head & draining all moisture making my head feel weird, really hard to describe & like many others on here, nobody seems to understand what I experience. I too get terrible neck & shoulder stiffness & pain & also the base of my skull but up over to the top of my head too, feels almost like the blood is really hot in my head. I've been to GP a few times & had ECGs & various blood tests but no cause is ever found so nothing comes of it. I too worry that something terrible is wrong, like heart or stroke or tumour etc, so this has been really reassuring to read.

I'd be really interested to try the Tylenol that people mention, to see if it helps, is it something a GP would need to prescribe?

i actually feel relieved having found this & all your experiences which pretty much mirror mine.

Hi hodgiholmes. The Tylenol is found at any Walmart or drugstore. If you are in the US, I'm not sure if you can get. When I go states side I always take my med's with me. It's Tylenol Sinus daytime, and nighttime. Two different bottles. I have also learned that the pain in my neck and shoulders is worry and stress related. I have been trying to leave my worries and stress with the Lord. Sometimes it is hard to do, but I'm getting better. I use what is called "Stopain cold" It is a roll on. It contains 8% Menthol. It is smelly when you first put it on, but it goes away. It does take away the pain . So far I have only found it in Shoppers Drug mart. I have arthritis and It works great on my knees. I also have tendinitis in my ankle. Anything like that with a high % of menthol is fine. So I have these things that I take whenever I have problems. The nose drops that I mentioned in one of the articles above has to come from a Dr. I hope this helps you out a bit. Let me know how you make out.

Hello ladies I'm 41 and just started going through menopause well that's what my mom told me it was she is 65 and went through it all ready and I'm having all the symptoms you all are taking about but I'm having my hands jerk and can't hold anything abd having hot flashes they start at my feet and move up my body it feels like my feet are on fire and they my legs start and they my whole body starts and then I start sweating really bad I feel like I'm on fire from the inside out and I've been getting a migraine with this and this will last a couple of days. I'm tired everyone telling me you just have to suffer through this and my doctor looking at my like I'm crazy I've been reading what you all have been saying I'm so glad I'm not the only one thanks ladies

I too am having pain/pressure type feeling over left eye, in left top of head, down back of head, into my neck. Sometimes, the feeling is behind my ear and in my left upper jaw area, as well. Having MRI on Monday, but am so afraid something terrible is wrong. Having pins and needles in different areas of body, and burning sensations too. Have had digestive issues, had gallbladder removed recently, and have Gerd and nausea, lost about 30 pounds since January. Been to hospital 3 times, cardiologist, had ekgs, chest X-rays, cardiac ctas, ultrasound of abdomen, and many blood tests, all showing normal, except low white platelets and elevated liver function. Not having much confidence in doctors right now. Would love a diagnosis, but GP just wants to give me ADs, which I don't want. Very scary time!

Hello Ladies,

I have nevered done this before but found this conversation at a really low point in time because of the way I feel and I am discouraged and scared like the rest of you. I am so sorry the rest of you are suffering too.

I am a workhorse and like many of you the fulcrum of the family who keeps things functioning but have lost so many days to migraines and feeling terrible both in mind and body (eyes, skin issues, leaky bladder, fatigue, swallowing, digestive, fungus, brain fog, word loss, spelling errors, no working/short-term memory, anxiety, adhd brain fog, what else?). I feel like I am turning into an oger!

Then there are all the negative emotions that go with it...

Frustrated with docs who say it is "age," stress, etc.

Hormones control all of our body functions...I just wish it wasn't so all-encompassing. We were never meant to live this long!! I feel like my life is slipping away and I have not even done anything meaningful for God's Kingdom. I am 46 and went back to school...I have one chance to make it into a two-yr college program and know that I have to fully trust God on this journey but also wonder if I can physically/mentally even do it. I don't have time to list all the reasoning for the stuff below but will gladly touch base later (hoping I can figure out how to get back!).

Here are a few things to check out:

Elimination diets: MSG (and the 30+ ingredients that may have MSG in it but don't have to be listed). Chemical sweeteners=neurotoxin!

MSG pain tends to start in back of neck and tingle as it stretches out getting progressively more painful like a vice grip that is radiating hot pain.

Be careful with Tylenol (Acetiminiphin). Sorry, don't think I spelled that correctly. Anti-inflammatory like aspirin, Ibuprofen safer.

Magnesium, Riboflavin for migraines-not totally sold on this idea...still investigating this.

Folic Acid: 50% of people can't break it down; need Methylfolate! Still investigating this.

Inflamation and Nervous System!!

That's it for now. You will all be in my prayers!!

-LisaM

Hello Ladies. This is to Valerie. I think your mom's right. My daughter is the same age as you and her Dr. told her it was menopause.

Debbie, some of your problem could be sinus. I have a partial denture and when my sinus is really bad I have to take them out because my whole jaw aches. The rest of your problems I have no idea, but will keep you in prayer.

Lisa, I will keep you also in prayer. you may also be going through some menopause. I was speaking to my daughter today and she was in the middle of telling me about something and she stopped and said, "What was I talking about". It totally left her. She's 45 years old.

Believe me, it's not fun getting older. When they speak of the 'golden years' for some maybe, but for most--no way. I have learned to pray about everything and totally trust in God. He knows the beginning from the end and everything in between.

Thank you Dianegray70. Yes, perimenopause for sure. I guess it doesn't count as menopause until one is finally finished...

I feel like this is God's way of reminding us who is in charge and part of Eve's curse on womanhood. When I am miserable, I try to use that to pray for others who are suffering and may not even have access to Excedrin Migraine, etc. let alone access to healthcare, and then I feel grateful to live where I live but sad and helpless in regard to humanity, its an endless cycle.

I would be curious how old everyone was when their troubles started and whether or not they have been on birth control pills, if so for how long and wheter or not you are still on them. Also in my previous post I forgot to mention that sugar is bad for inflammation...body aches, pain, headaches??

Hi Lisa. I was married at 18. I tried birth control pills but could not take them. Now remember that was back in 1967 and they were probably different. They totally changed the way I felt and acted. I have this thing about meds. If they change the way I feel in a good way, I will not take them. Right now I take 3 prescription drugs. Premarin, Celexa, which I want to get off of, and Mirapex, for restless legs. We had 2 children and by the age of 23 I had a total hysterectomy. At 28 the Dr. put me on Premarin and am still on them. I did take hot flashes but nothing else that I can remember. When they got my Permarin regulated, the hot flashes stopped. My daughter on the other hand, is having a terrible time. She was on birth control for years. 3 or4 years ago she had pulmonary something, sorry can't think of the word. She's now on blood thinners, which she will be on for the rest of her life. By the grace of God we did not lose her, but it was close. They think that it was from the birth control pills but would not confirm this. She has always suffered from migraines. Now she has a foggy brain at times, can't remember things, tired. Perhaps I should put her onto this site and let her explain better. I do know that a lot of what you have talked about she suffers from.

One thing that I will tell you is that ask the Lord to heal you. He has healed me 3x at home. He is with us always, in everything and through everything. I had very bad pain on my left side, going down my back into my leg. It would put me on the floor. I was to go away and I was the driver. I asked the Lord to heal my pain and I got up off the floor with no pain at all and have not had any pain there since. Praise the Lord! I will continue to pray for you. Please keep in touch. Diane

Thank you Diane for all the info and prayers. I have been reading a book about healing with God's power...it talks about viewing things from a perspective of completeness, wholeness in how God designed us (not from a disease perspective). I will ask God and not just whimper and whine.

You all will be in my prayers as well.

The answer you seek is in the Cross, in the Bible. Your Faith should not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the Power of God. 1 Corinthians 2 verse 5

Sorry Lisa, it was late when I responded last night. You know that I do not know why the Lord does heal or why He does not. All I do know is that He is never late, never early, but He is always on time. We just have to have our Faith in place all the time. 24 hours a day, not just on Sunday. I will keep praying for you. Keep on asking, do not give up. Diane

Diane, thanks for your prayers and words of wisdom, especially at this scary time! The MRI of my brain did show some thickening of my sinus cavity, but I haven't seen an ENT doctor yet, and don't know if anything can be done about it. I am seeing a neurologist and she is having me have an MRI of my neck now. She was very patient and understanding, spending over an hour with me, something very rare these days! She also wants me to have special blood work drawn, which I'll probably do tomorrow. Out of all the doctors I have seen so far, she has been the only one who seems concerned, and she is a NEUROLOGIST. I have Gerd and had my gallbladder out, so I have health issues, as well as menopausal issues. Very hard to navigate all of this!

Just keep trusting in God. Sometimes I find that God is testing us. He wants us to draw closer to Him. To trust in Him no matter what we go through. Thank Him that He has lead you to someone who is interested in your problems. Sinus is a terrible thing. It seems that it an cause us so much discomfort. Just be careful if they want to operate. My aunt had several operations on sinus and it just caused her more pain. Now they may have a different way to do something about it, I don't know. Seek God for an answer. He will answer you. I will keep praying for you. God Bless you, Diane

Thank you Diane! And I will keep you in prayer also.

Lady's, I have been feeling the same thing with my head but cannot explain it other then estrogen dominance. I have been on Progesterone cream and I also started DIM which is suppose to replace the bad estrogens with the good ones. For any of you who are new to progesterone cream, when you first take it it might feel like it is not working but do not give up in some cases it might take three month to work. I have been watching a lady on YouTube her name is Barbara Hoffman you can look her up she is very helpful. Best of luck to you all hope you feel better soon. Petra

I started taking more magnesium. It's like a wave of goofiness that passes over your head.

Hi Kathryn, I have taken magnesium, and had no problem with it. Did you look up the side effects of this drug on the computer? Sometimes this will give you some info that may help. Diane

Hi there! I am glad I stumbled upon this thread because I think at times I am going crazy even though in my heart I know it's perimenopause. Hodgiholmes, you described EXACTLY how I have been feeling for the last month or so!!! Mine started with anxiety out of nowhere last October with 2 months on Paxil, got off and then the anxiety came back 2 months ago after a string of events and went back on Paxil for a month but started getting weird headaches with pressure right behind my eyes and again, got off Paxil because I thought it was causing the headaches. Two and a half weeks later headaches are gone but I have that off balance feeling and like so many of these comments, I too, thought is was my sinuses because of mild dizziness. It is difficult for someone who has never been sick or had complications (I'll be 44 tomorrow!) to have weird such sensations and not think something is is is terribly wrong with you and then the anxiety follows. Meditation has really helped me with my anxiety...and I am so glad to find other women that are struggling to connect to when the Drs (and I have been several times in the last year) come back with "nothing is wrong that we see." It helps to talk these things out with people that understand!

Love to all!

Hi there. Im only 29 and am having all the feelings you all are. The weird feeling in my head like spacey, floaty and like vertigo. Feel like i am going to pass out. My legs can turn to jelly. I get chest pains and feel like i have to force myself to breath. I had a episode about 14 days ago when i was driving, where like a white/cream sheet camr down in front of my eyes and my eyes couldn't focus. Its really scary and worring. Ive been to the doctors and they sent me to a nerogist who said its a new type of migraine. And the chest pains and other feelings are anxiety. He is going to put me on beater blockers as they are ment to help with both. I cant seem to undertake normal tasks though the day. I have a 11 month old son who needs lots of attention. Which makes everything alot harder. I dont think my partner believes. Which makes it harder. I constantly keep feeling like i am zoneing out. I was sat watching telly and i completely zoned out only lasted a second. But i dont remember seeing anything and i manged to snap out of it. Im so glad i am not the only one thats going though this. I wouldn't want anyone to go though this its horrible. Im not sure what else i can do ti shift this feeling. Anyone have any ideas.

I have anxiety also and I believe that really makes us feel this way. It's hard to accept that's what it is. How can our thoughts and worries do so much to our bodies. Just know others know how you feel and it will get better.

You are right it is hard to get your head round that this can be anxiety. As im nor sure what i am anxious about to cause theses feelings. I am hoping these beater blockers will work

I have all these symptoms too. The fullness in my head and ears, memory problems, panic and anxiety, unstable, shaky or more like tremors and this horrible ringing in my ears that will not go away. It came on all of the sudden and just won't go away. I've seen 9 specialists in the last month and there seems to be nothing really wrong. It's good to know I'm not alone, as I feel I am going crazy. My big question: does this all go away after menopause or are we 'stuck' in this new way of life? I've always been outgoing, fun, productive, organized....now I live in fear, I don't get much accomplished at home or work. I can tell that my children are concerned/scared and my husband too, but I can't seem to get back to me.

Wow to find this site is a good thing for me too. I am 49 and have been going through peri-menopause for about 5 years now. I am a very active walker that is, until last Sunday when I found myself on top of a hill with my dogs, feeling like my head was going to run off somewhere else, called a taxi back! Since then, i've felt light headed, um-balanced, woozy, feel like i'm near to falling over, butterflies in my stomach as a result of this. I experienced this 5 years ago but not to the extent of now. I have literally taken two ibuprofen and it went straight away, I felt 'normal'. Yes, you think all sorts but hormones can upset a very big part of your daily life and routine. As a result of this, I can't go walking, hopefully it will pass. I feel htere should be a blog about the true experiences of women in peri-menopause, unless there already is?

I sometimes have to wonder if we, as women, think, worry, overwork ourselves and do not take time for "US" to just rest and relax. Stop and think of what we do threw-out the day. We never stop thinking even when we go to bed. It seems that we do not know how to rest and relax. I think that these symptoms we have are do to some of these things. I really don't know, but I still am off balance, get fuzzy heads, take panic attacks and just down right feel lousy. We live in a time that is rush, rush, rush. To much to do and not enough time to do it all in. Our Dr.'s don't know and sometimes I think they don't care. Your in and out of the office before we know it and don't have enough time to talk to them. Any medications they give, do not help and sometimes make things worse. I do not work anymore, as I'm retired, but seems I'm busier than I was when I did work. I don't know what the answer is, but I'm sure glad that I have God to lean on, as that He is the only one I have to rely on. He keeps me going day by day.

I see what you are saying Diane but it is only us who can make that change. I try meditation and it works for me. Looking into going to a herbalist next week. I am very lucky, we live in quiet countryside and semi - retired, working from home.

I highly recommend the herbalist. I went to a bioidentical hormone doctor and am doing much better. He did a lot of tests - blood work and urine. My thyroid was off, my sex hormones were off and my neurotransmitters were way low. My guess is all due to perimenopause (I am 49 as well). I am taking a lot of supplements and doing B12 injections He assures me it is just to get me through and that I won't need to be on this forever. I also agree that it would be great to have a better support group.And I agree that we do worry too much, but I have always been that way. I am sure that takes a toll on our bodies and minds. I am practicing more relaxation through prayer, music and binaural beats (can find on youtube or through app store. Originally I started doing this for the tinnitus but found that it helped with my anxiety). Good luck to all!! I sure hope that once menopause hits this will all be better!!

Thank you for your comments. A support group is more often then not, very helpful.

I thought I was the only one it's nice to know I'm not. So should I call my doctor I've told her about this before she said it's my anxiety but it makes me worry.

I agree so thankful for this site I went to the doctors today started thyroid medication prayerfully will start to feel better changing my diet praying alot and meditating on God's word .hope all you ladies start to feel better ,this is so horrible at times ! Goodnight God Bless

Hi Ladies , Just wondering if anyone of you feel like you can't sit still and relax in your own body ,and then thoughts that are just weird ,scary and at times I just don't feel like myself at all, and that is enough to make you panic its all crazy . I just wanted to suggest to you all as well if any of you have a facebook you could look up a perimenopause blog by Magnolia she has truely been a blessing in this area of our lives . as well as this site so thankful for you all and your honesty and help and support God Bless . Prayers

Hazesgal,

Yes! Off and on for about a year and a half...I'm 44 and it just seemed to start one day. I think I have been better because I start recognize the feelings for what they are even if they are uncomfortable. I have been practicing meditation to help with the anxiety and it has helped. I will definitely look up that facebook page you suggested. The more we talk about it, the more we recognize we are not alone! Thanks for suggestion!

I 'liked' her page and will check it out. Hazesgal, I had that too. It's scary. I'm not 100% what caused it but I think that it was my thyroid. Make sure that you have a doctor that tests your free t3's and your free t4's....not just your tsh. My fT4's were normal but my fT3's were super low which can cause panic, anxiety, nervousness, dizzy, shaky, etc. There are so many medical reasons that can cause these - low thyroid, unbalanced neurotransmitters, perimenopause......and on and on. Worth getting everything checked out! Once I got on the right supplements I felt pretty normal (anxiety and panic attacks gone, brain fog gone, exhaustion gone....still not sleeping all that great though). Surely as long as menopause has been around someone has some answers!! UGH!!! :) Good luck to all of you!! Just remember, this too shall pass!!

Ampa2108, What supplements are you taking? I started religiously taking chasteberry, B complex, fish oil, calcium/vitamin d/magnesium combo, and probiotic and seems to help. I still get that brain fog and slight dizziness feeling at times. But not as bad it seems...

Oh thank you both so much!!!!! I really appreciatte all your words of encouragement and support it really makes you think you are all alone in this and your nuts thank you again and prayers for you all

Ampa2108, I was just diagnosed with Hypothyroid, I went from completely normal 2 years ago to a 43 for my TSH I was blown away so they put me on Levothyroxine 50 mcg. I am in my middle 40's and have been taking a ton of supplements to get rid of the Perimenopause symptoms because I had all the symptoms described above. No doctor will help with supplements all they want to do it throw medicine at you. I would like to know the exact supplements you take and the dosages and brands, do you take iodine? Thanks so much. This post is the best thing I have found and I can't believe how many women have the same issues you don't feel so alone.

Good morning ladies!

I went to a bio identical hormone doctor. He ran a lot of tests. He told me he wanted to simplify my life and to not just try a bunch of supplements, just take what my body needed. I was deficient in Vit D3 (which you need to take with K2 for better absorption), my thyroid tsh is basically non existent (0.01) and my ft3's were very low. Ft3's are now normal, still working on my tsh. I did B12 injections for a few weeks and am taking a supplement called Adapten All to support adrenals (my cortisol levels were very high), DHEA for thyroid support 5mg, a multi vitamin pack made by Orthomolecular (most of my supplements come from this company). My testosterone levels were also non existent so he gave me a plant based cream that I tried but had a reaction to it. Another thing that I think helped tremendously was he checked my neurotransmitters (urine test) and as expected all my levels were low. He put me on a supplement called Cerevive. But you can boost your serotonin levels by listening to binaural beats (Google it) with headphones. Very relaxing! I do it before bed and puts me right to sleep. All this is not forever, just to get you through!

I will definitely google the binaural beats! Sounds interesting! Thanks for sharing! :)

Oh thank you so much Patty Thomas ,I too just have been diagnosed with underacive thyroid started a Levothyroxine 25 mg and when I go back they will up it to 60 mg I go back in 3 weeks for more blood work and then the following week for a dr visit I just feel horrible at times nervousness shaky hard to concentrate or even just to relax is challenging at times when I feel like me again I think about how I felt and wait for it to happen again its crazy I know ,its this nutty cycle ,I too am so thankful for.this site as well as all the ladies who just are down right honest and helpful it has been a blessing in my life , I also have the script for the blood work really can't make it all out but it does have tsh cpt4 code and antithyroglobulin so not sure what all that is hoping and praying the medication helps I too need to know what supplements to start taking I really don't think a dr will help in that area ,not sure though .thank you so much God Bless .

Are you on 25 micrograms or actual milligrams? what was your reading? I don't want to increase anymore than what I'm on because of the breast cancer link to Levothyroxine, I'm already at high risk. They are so quick to give medication without finding the root cause because of all the kick backs they get from drug companies, I really don't think they have our best interest at heart. Think about all the money that is spend on cancer awareness and they are not 1 step closer to a cure. We need more doctors that really care about the patient and wants to listen to them. Does anyone take Iodine on this thread?

It is 25 mcg so I quess that is micrograms ,and they didn't tell me the number will have to ask at my next visit .I was not aware of any breast cancer concern due to this medication ,but I know my mother has been on the same medication for years and by the grace of God gets a mamogram every year and its fine and she takes 75 not sure micro or milligram .and I so agree with you to find that one dr who really listens and is concerned would be awesome priceless . Hopeful for cancer cures everyone one day Amen . Thank you so much . I do believe my thyroid is aresult of my perimenopause and of course poor dieting and what not .

Thanks so much, I agree, I keep praying for a cure, I know it's out there but will it ever come to light. Glad to hear your Mom has been doing well, did she or you have any hair loss because of Levo? God bless you. I think mine is due to Perimenopause too.

No my moms hair seems to be fine, but yes I brush my hair and lose alot and all day long just on my shirt I can just literally pull a strand from my hair at times, that I tnink is just hanging there and it just comes right out ughh. So yes I beleive it is definitely due to perimenopause hard to beleive so many symptoms are from this but thanks to so many woman who share we know and thanks to blogs like this and others . Amen

Does anyone take iodine?

what does it do

Patty, I just started as I have been reading how important it is for balance. I'm interested to see if it makes a difference!

I don't take iodine not sure what exavtly that is ?

Hello mimusolf, How much iodine are you taking and are you hypothyroid? Did you get any advice from a doctor? I've asked my doctor to switch me to Nature Throid and guess what, no call back. I took a letter to the office yesterday morning telling them I was not going to take a synthetic hormone (Levothyroxine) and they didn't even call me back. Time to search for a new doctor. I pray I will be able to find a caring doctor. My thyroid level is 43, was completely normal 2 years ago, I told the secretary it was very important the doctor see my letter and she acted like it was no big deal, Yeah they really care. I didn't take my Levothyroxine yesterday, I have only been on it for a week so I took at 12.5 mg. Terry Naturally Tri-Iodine and other vitamins and drank an Oolong tea and had a ton of energy and felt great.

Just a word of advice, my Dr. did end up prescribing Armour and did an Iodine Serum Test and the high end is 92 mine was over 500 so be very careful about starting yourself on Iodine like me, I had been taking over 60 mg. for over 2 years and had no symptoms of Iodine toxicity but obviously now being hypothyroid the Iodine is to blame so now will be on meds until we can get the thyroid numbers back in balance she took me off all Iodine supplements. You can over do it!

Hey, Patty Thomas! Sorry, I am just seeing your posts. (I am still perplexed how this conversation thread ended up on Houzz site which is home decor....??? ) ANYWAY....

I do not take any prescribed amount of Iodine. My goal is to try to balance my hormones as naturally as I can because I believe for every RX prescribed there are side affects that go with them. I have read a ton about the diet and things that have an adverse affect to your hormones particularly when you are around perimenopause years.....from gluten to caffeine, etc, etc...as far as iodine I am drinking Himalayan salt water in the morning with lemon and consuming small amounts of seaweed when I can. The dried seaweed is not very good by itself and I love sushi but obviously eating tons of sushi is not the answer. Haha! So I am working on better ways to incorporate it into recipes. My advice is to always try the natural route first!

My first perimenopause symptom occurred at 1am May 28, 2015. I woke up and felt extremely hot, like I was on fire. I stood up and thought I was going to pass out and throw up. Then I started having heart palpitations. I thought I was having a heart attack . My kids called an ambulance because my heart palpitations lasted 45 minutes. I was checked out at the ER with all of the tests like EKG, Blood etc. The hospital said nothing was wrong with me and sent me home. I decided to look online and found out all of these were symptoms of menopause. I had a blood test and the doctor confirmed perimenopause. So I had to take control over my symptoms or I knew it would control me. First when I have an attack (they come on suddenly and usually at 1am) I get extremely hot and I have to remain calm and place cold water or ice or a cold wash cloth on the back of my neck. The heart palpitations soon begin and I have to calm myself (I just think this is a hot flash and nothing else) I can stop the heart palpitations in a few seconds. Recently I have been getting symptoms during the day. I first feel weird in my head, like foggy, dizzy and almost like I am going to pass out. I have had to kneel down so I don't fall over or really pass out. If I immediately get cold water on the back of my neck I will be ok after about 1 minute. I have also woke up feeling like I have lost my breathe and cant move my arms and legs (very weird). I cannot take anxiety meds because I have bad side effects. So I decided I will take control because it is mind over matter if you can keep yourself calm. It is only menopause, which sucks but this is what we have to get through. Don't give up. I have had insomnia and mood swings as well. I stay active, exercise and eat very healthy. Recently a lemon drop martini brought on a really bad hot flash and I almost passed out from one drink (I felt immediately dizzy, foggy, nauseated) . I do not drink now. I don't smoke and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. I'll just keep on going and fighting this mind over matter because I want ti live life and not let this control me.

Perfectly said. I do much of the same and also did bioidentical therapy. My thyroid was off too. I now feel great! My energy is completely restored, sleeping better, anxiety and panic attacks are gone. Bring on life! Time to get back to it!!

So glad I found this thread; I have this weird feeling too; I describe to my dr as a drunk feeling. Mine has been pretty constant for weeks now. I'm low on all sex hormones as well as low Total T3. I will be starting bio identical T/3/4 and progesterone cream this week. Praying for some relief. It seems my symptoms just starting pulling up during the summer and I've tried everything. Supplements/diet and no real relief.

I'm just glad to see I'm not the only one; I'm only 38 and went from gym rat happy healthy to a hot mess! Literally.

Has anyone else experienced allergies or sinuses since diagnosed with low hormone levels?

I'm 45 and am almost 2 weeks early on my cycle. Has this happened to anyone? I've had perimenopause symptoms for a while now but I have always had normal cyles.

Yes, I have experienced allergies/sinuses when having Hypothyroid and for a little while my thyroid was normal but I think the hypo is back. It's a roller coaster for me. I don't take anything for my thyroid. What kind of Dr. did you go to get the bio identical t/3/4 and progesterone creme from? I have a pre-cancerous condition and am afraid to take anything containing hormones. I take a lot of supplements and changed from fish oil to krill oil and I don't think that agreed with me. I think it will be a miserable time until after menopause.

Hi, my name is Gina and I'm 53. Wow, everything that has been described I've experienced and I have been so afraid that something was wrong with my head. I would have nevered imagined that so many women are experiencing the very same symptoms. Just reading the comments have open my inner eye so much. I want to send out a thank you to everyone for sharing your journey.

Hi my name is Marilyn, I am 59 and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism more then 15 years ago. Started taking Synthroid 25 mcg everything went well for many years. About 4 years ago I started having some very weird symptoms, almost every sypmtom listed in this thread just not all at the same time. As the symptoms grew I started doing some online research finally landed on thyroid issues, I spoke to my family doctor (who was new to me) as my previous GP retired. I asked her to do a complete thyroid panel and she refused as my six month single thyroid test was normal. I then asked to be referred to an Endocrinologist, again she refused.

During this time I was becoming sicker and sicker, decided to find an Endocrinologist myself. I found a great one who ran a complete thyroid panel to include Adrenal Gland, she also ordered a thyroid ultrasound. After receiving all results I had to have two needle biopsies because two large nodules were found from the ultrasound attached to each side of my thyroid.

Thank God the nodules were not cancerous. However, my thyroid had quit working completely, over the course of 18 months my medication was increased until my thyroid was at optimum working order taking 88mcg.

My Endo said it was very important to raise the medication very slowly or it could have thrown my body into a thyroid storm, which can be deadly.

It has taken over a year but I am finally starting to feel like myself again.

I would urge that you should not treat yourself if you believe your thyroid is the problem. This is a very complicated medical issue especially if you have Hashimoto's as it is an Autoimmune thyroid issue. Please do not start taking iodine on your own.

The thyroid is the organ that regulates every part of your body and must be treated by a specialist.

If your thyroid is not treated properly it can and will eventually lead to organ failure and death. Not taking thyroid medication properly can also lead to organ damage.

I am not trying to scare anyone but an autoimmune disease, (especially the thyroid or adrenal glands) is nothing to play around with. I know this from personal experience.

I wish I had known all of this much sooner as I could have saved myself and my family so much pain.

Hope this helps even 1 person!

Thanks for sharing your story and glad you are better. It is very important to find the right doctor and you do have to be your own advocate since you know your body and know when something isn't right. I find that coconut oil has been a big help with the thyroid, I drink a tablespoon a day in my coffee. Did you have any hair loss taking Synthroid?

I don't remember if I answered your question, but I have had that feeling. It's like a split second of waviness. I googled and came upon possible reasons and one being a lack of magnesium. Since taking 2 magnesium a day, I don't have that feeling anymore. :D

what milligram of magnesium do you take and what brand?

I first commented December 5, 2016. I wanted to update anyone desperate or just curious for answers. My perimenopause got much worse for me December 24, 2016. I collapsed in a restuarant and I went to the hospital. Heart palps of 160 that wouldn't stop. Nausea, hot flashes that were constant and an overall feeling of being ill. I was also exhibiting symptoms of hypo and hyperthyroidism. The doctors said I couldnt have both and said nothing was wrong with me. I had a nurse tell me to go to Cleveland Clinic. Thank God I did. I am on 25mcg of levothyroxine and had subacute thyroid toxicosis where you can go high and low. I was severely ill for several months. Head sensations (throbbing, pulsating, buzzing, pins and needles) that caused dizziness, also weak muscles, painful joints. always feeling like I had the flu. Burning tongue, weird skin rashes. all the skin inside my cheeks peeled off. Severe head fog, depression, anxiety, irritability, allergic to sun (polymporphic light syndrom), rashes and severe IBS-D. I couldn't function at work. I did get on 2mg estrogen everyday. and 100mg progestin 10days a month. I also had to work slowly (5mg to start then added 2 to 3 mg every week up to 25mg of extended release effexor. I had to take meclizine (dramimine non drowsy for nausea and melatonin to sleep) I really wanted to die at one point but have 3 kids and had to fight for them. The improvement was so slow but when I compare how I felt 2, 3 or 4 months ago I am much better. Not perfect. I still have weird head sensations. My bowels have calmed but bring me anxiety when I have a bowel movement with slight nausea. I do take pepto when its bad or immodium. I totally changed my diet. i gave up alcohol, gluten, fried foods, most sugars. I take a multivitamin and an extra B6, B12 and magnesium pill. I exercise. Yoga, bike, hiking, walking. I try and keep busy. I cry a lot for this to end and it helps relieve the stress. Basically I have an autoimmune disorder (I used to have severe allergies and raynauds, which have subsided now since the immune system is attacking other things) and women who have this have much worse peri symptoms. The HRT makes it hard to figure out when you have a real period or just a shed. But I believe I skipped two periods so far. I try not to feel sorry for myself but its hard when I do not know anyone else personally who has gone through this. I hope anyone who is suffering can stay strong. Like I said things have really improved from feeling %10 to 80-95% on most days, so dont give up!

I am so sorry to hear your story. I too have ups and downs and about 1 good week a month. I too get flu like symptoms and anxiety. Take care.

Yes, I get that off kilter thing as well. When this stuff kicked me hard was in late 2011 through 2012. I would be at a restaurant with my family and suddenly everyone/thing was at a distance and seemed like I was in a tunnel. Right then, I would get violently nauseous as well. I am battling nausea right now, as I type this. Yuk! I took two Dramamine caps and they have helped somewhat. I also just went through cold flashes where I was freezing and now, I am burning hot! I turn 47 this September if I can make it. So, yes, I know what you're going through and good luck to you too.

I forgot the experience I had in April of 2011. I was walking with my husband and we were at a local fair at night. Suddenly, it is like everything just got distant. People walking next to me talking seemed miles away from me and I thought I was going to fall on the sidewalk! My husband grabbed me and we went home and I was still feeling out of it and loopy. That was the first time I had that experience, but the hot flashes and night sweats started when I was in my 30s.

chamonix0522

For autoimmune issues please look at this website: lowdosenaltrexone.org. Or Google LDN. There is so much information about this little known drug out there. There are many clinical trials with huge success by reputable parties (such as Standford, Dr. Mercola, and many others). This drug boosts the bodies own immune system to fight off a number of diseases (Thyroid, Crohns, Fibromayalgia, certain cancers, MS, ..... the list goes on). Doctors do not no about this drug because it is so inexpensive there are no drug companies making it or going around promoting it. A prescription is required but will need to be made by a reputable compounding pharmacist. I was put on it for Fibromyalgia. On a pain scale of 1 -10 I was a 10. Within 5 days of being on a very low dose (1.5mg. They give MS patients up to 200mg) I went from a 10 to a 4, then a 4 to a 2, and now I am at a zero in a little over a month. The pharmacist told me I would soon go completely off of my thyroid medications (I am on 2, levothyroxine and armour) because the LDN would cure my thyroid. He said this has been a GOD SEND to so many of his patients with different illnesses. I never though that I would promote any prescription drugs but this one seems to have only possitive side effects. Look into it, you'll be so glad that you did!! I feel great!! I posted on here about a year ago with so many issues with my menopause, they are all gone. GOOD LUCK TO ALL YOU BEAUTIFUL WOMEN ON HERE....there is hope!!!

Well, here I am in the same wavy boat! You guys are all describing me and my biggest concern lately was the "am I about to have a seizure" part of this all. Yes, I was seeing migraine spots ( I have silent migraines, but that means I have about 100 other symptoms but not the big headache).

I came across an article the other day by a woman who swears menopause symptoms are actually high histamine levels brought on by hormonal changes during menopause.

I found this very interesting since I have something's called Histamine Intolerance. And yes, the symptoms are all uncannily the same:

The surges, the dizziness, the panic, the itchiness, the high blood pressure, the flushing, the low blood pressure (weakness), the mood swings, the feeling like you're going crazy, the sinus pressure, the tight neck, the sore muscles, the blurry vision, the profound memory loss, the hair loss, stumped healing (bruises, etc), the migraines, the floaters, I could go on as there is much more.

More and more doctors are realizing the connection of high histamine and other diseases as well: Fibromyalgia (!). I discovered this on my own putting 2+2 together, then did web search and found my discovery was discovered a few years back... why are doctors not addressing this then?? Also, high histamine in Alzheimer's patients. Even schizophrenia patients tend to have high histamine.

My suggestion: stay away from high histamine foods for a while and see what happens (avocados, cheese, tomatoes, chocolate, tuna, etc etc) and take Benadryl and / or Zyrtec off and on. I take the tiniest amount and it helps me tremendously a lot of times as far as the "I'm going crazy" part is concerned.

i would be fascinated to see what we can discover here! Doctors? Pffft.. a joke. Sorry to say.

Love to you all.

Also, you can have a plethora of symptoms (not limited to being severely off balance, ringing ears, anxiety) from tight SCM muscles that run from your side of neck over to the front of your chest and to your back. Mine are *insanely* locked up and recently my PT is concentrating on this set of muscles.

ALSO, another reason people have vertigo and are mistreated for Menieres and similar off balance issues is due to the Atlas bone (C1) being out of place. If you were in a car accident or ever fell or anything that could shift that bone, it being out of place creates havoc on your system. The C1 is attached to your spinal cord thusly nerves that are attached affect your brain, emotions and everything else.

I have learned SO MUCH through my tireless research. Recently, I actually told a famous 80's band member I know who "had Menieres Disease" throughout her career (needing to sit on stage at times during shows from the spinning) and I told her about the Atlas bone.. she immediately made an appointment because she was so desperate for help, and IT WORKED on the FIRST VISIT: "Ringing ears stoped, stopped spinning, better mood, no longer feel like a steel bar in my neck".

Oh, and another observation (I'm on a roll). I find that I tolerate heat FAR better than when I was younger, even though it's 80° in my apartment right now I'm totally fine. Then all of a sudden I'll have a so-called hot flash, but why was I OK the whole time in a horribly hot room? I have a theory. High histamine lowers your blood pressure. Lower blood pressure means a lower body temperature. This goes back to my above post that menopause might be due to high histamine. So in reality, my theory is, your body is off balance for the most part but then kicks in normally during that hot flash. It's the only thing that explains my situation of tolerating an 80° room. When I was younger I would go insane if it was hotter than 74°. And it's humid as hell here now, too. I also catch myself "holding on" so to speak. The second I let go is when I have a hot flash. Let's say I'm talking to someone and I'm sort of holding on and I'm fine, but if they say something to make me blush all bets are off and I totally sweat because I let go. Does that make any sense to anybody else? I catch myself that I'm constantly in this fight or flight holding mode that's what I'm trying to say. And as soon as I let go, boom, hot flash

That holding on thing is interesting. You are basically able to control when you have a hot flash. I wish I could do that. But mine happen whenever they want to happen and I also get cold flashes. It is like the ole thermostat is broken and my body doesn't know if it wants to be hot or cold or both at the same time. In this humid heat, I would not mind the cold flashes, but nope it doesn't want to work with me. Although the flashes have slowed down for now. These things started in my 30s and I will be 47 in September. I don't get them a lot now, but when a hot flash hits me, it feels like I am going to burst into flames spontaneous human combustion style.

Update: (long winded, sorry!)

While I am very new to all of this, I experimented this week with something and here's what I found:

Anxiety is a HUGE factor. I can assume having peri-menopause etc already frazzles the nerves and brain wiring, so anxiety and stressful thoughts are "the final stress" to short circuit the brain into feeling this weird head thing. And this is why I think this..

My pain from all my ailments (arthritis in spine, daily nausea/vomiting, asthma/vomiting up the clear asthmatic mucus, etc etc) hit a new plateau of concern of internal damage and chronic painful internal inflammation from the insane coughing and retching every few minutes, every day, so with exhaustive research, I bit the bullet and finally got a Medical MJ card. I have been smoking a mouse size every day to start out and get the feel, and I only had the head thing at work once in 3 days when I let myself "over power" the high with an attack of stress/anxiety. Otherwise, previously, I was having that feeling all morning long just getting ready for work, and the second I opened the door to leave for work was the big wave to continue on for the rest of the day. But not these past 3 days.

Absolutely no coincidence, and yes, I believe part of it is probably placebo in the way that I am letting the relaxation and calming effect of it keep me balanced and slowed down (I'm always at 1,000 RPM). If I took enough of it I probably wouldn't be able to overpower it with anxiety, but I have to function at work. I have a sativa strain so I get it to relax my body nicely but it stimulates my mind and I am more aware than without it.

I am (undiagnosed) very A.D.D. and this has *returned* my memory instantly (!!!) because I'm not short circuiting my brain in this hyper-fast fashion all day long. As soon as I couldn't remember a word (which was all .. day... long and concerning as all hell!) I would freak out even more if I had dementia or something which made my memory even worse. These past 3 days when I am speaking and looking for words, the words and thoughts are THERE again. I am realizing HOW A.D.D. I have been all my adult life, how stressed I have been with every thought, every movement, every action; a perfectionist with anxiety, I can now be one with a reasonable reaction of clear headedness instead of a frazzled one. This is all a very interesting experiment for me so far. All I know is, for *now* I am off that boat of spinning, heavy headed nausea and for all I know it could come back tomorrow or a month from now. I will keep updating as I get results.

Oh, and my hot flashes started getting more and more often, and they have minimized these past few days as well. Again, if coincidence, time will tell :)

If it helps, go for it. But yes, anxiety is a big part of it and it makes everything worse. Looking forward to your updates. :-D

I am the same age and get the same thing so weird

I'm back.

So, I've only had the head thing a handful of times this past month. Nothing externally has changed to affect this.. It has stayed hot/humid as heck, life is even more stressful in that I have to move unexpectedly, so I'm in a tizzy packing, etc.

My *daily* migraines have stopped since day 1, until the weather was so bad this week that my whole family, and people we came across, were all complaining of migraines.

My hot flashes went 100% away!? They went away right away and didn't come back (yet). Go figure. For scientific purposes (lol) I've been 3 months without a period barring 3 days of light spotting once this month. Just in case anyone questioned if I'm in peri-whatever. And the stick pee test I took said HELL YES on both of them.

Lets see what happens in the next month........

I'm 51 and must be entering menopoause because the lack of sleep and anxiety have taken over. I've always been a light sleeper but never experienced anxiety of this nature before. But they are two sides of the same coin for me. The lack of sleep led to an episode of sleep paralysis (Imagine waking up to find you can't move a muscle. It's dark, but you're sure you feel a presence in the room, hovering near your bed — or perhaps sitting on your chest, crushing the breath out of you.) right out of Tales from the Crypt and now, after several sleep doctor visits, expensive acupuncture and somatic therapy I am still convinced my house is haunted. All this because of raging hormones!!?? I used to be so rational!

I still can't sleep well without drugs or at least homeopathic remedies, get bouts of anxiety all related to the sleep paralysis episode and get two periods a month.

Yea, this is swell. Menopause really is a curse.

I can only suggest the following:
- MMJ (VERY small doses only, and vape only). Small doses and more often. It's called Micro Dosing. I was doing it and had no idea there was a term for it. Mostly people doing MMJ for medical do this. Trust me that the effects even from a tiny amount can be incredibly effective and felt.

- Antihistamines before bed. A bit of Benadryl or Zyrtec. I'm still thinking there is a connection between menopause and high histamine as someone on the internet discovered and wrote about. You have NO idea what all comes with high histamine. Unfortunately, I do. Everything from sleep apnea from low blood oxygen levels, massive anxiety, and nightmares. Check out this chart to see what it all entails. You may be surprised.

High Histamine Chart (the purple one)

(Oh, this is "SunshineInMyHair".. don't know why it signed me into a diff account)..

Thank you I will check out the Histamine link.

I wouldn't be surprised to find a link. As humans we have extended our lives way beyond what nature intended; by the time we are 50, heck 40, we shold be dead. Seriously. Evolution will take millenia to catch up to longer lifespans and give us poor females a break!

So glad to read up on all this - anyone else feel like your skin is more sensitive and feel a weird sense like your skin isn't thick enough? I don't know how to explain it - but have had a lot of weird symptoms and just starting bio identical s, sigh aging....

Thin skin is VERY common for menopause. Try Biotin pills! They should also help with thinning hair and brittle nails.

Sunshine or CC are you on facebook..i feel like i made a link of someone mihht be feeling yhings i am experiencing and maybe im not sinking into dementia or alzheimer. My head is driving me crazy. Yur discussions make me feel maybe like in not crazy. My email is maddiejj@yahoo.com if you could talk to me. With the way my mind is im afraid if i close this window i might not find my way back to it. Ty

Testing... let's see if you get an e-mail alert when this is posted like it should.

Breathe slowly and deeply, Maddie. Migraines are a huge part of my meno. SILENT migraines. That means no head pain, but my brain feels like alzheimers and like I'm going crazy. Drink water. Meditate if you can. Breathe.

im relieved to have found this thread. My life has been on hold 2 years with these symptoms. Im housebound but generally not bed bound. My worst symptom is a 'weird head thing' the best way i can describe it is its an unpleasant 'excitory' feeling in my head/brain mostly at the back of my head, like being tickled beyond what you enjoy, its like a kind of adrenal surge in the head except it lasts about an hour and i have to lay on the floor feeling like I'm dying, and the pressure/excitement in my head will explode, i feel like it will send me insane. It passes eventually leaving me feeling limp and sick. Generally, it just feels like a pressure at the back of my skull, heavy and unpleasant. I have a feeling its estrogen surging, and i have found a supplement called DIM seems to help alleviate the time of acute suffering, but its bad. Really bad, like when its happening i feel like i want to die to make it stop. The last episode was yesterday at the end of my period, but my period tends to now go straight into ovulation, so it may be the estrogen building. i dont know what it is, but its awful.

It *might* be high histamine and you are getting adrenaline surges to purge the histamine. When my histamine is high I feel almost insane: moody, depressed, "off", off balance, heavy headed, manic, hyper, exhausted, etc. If you can exercise, do so... adrenaline purges histamine. You can also consider cutting out some really high histamine foods like wine, cheese, avocado, tuna, chocolate, etc.

thankyou CC, my allergies are off the charts at the moment im sure its all related that estrogen/hitsamine connection. I'll cut back on the dark chocolate and also i had a lot of berries yesterday bad for my COMT issues. Im gluten free dairy free, sugar free and yesterday i had cake, so maybe that exacerbated it. I have to keep my diet very bland.

Also, may I suggest seeing a chiropractor to see if your neck is out of joint? Also, it wouldn't hurt to try this:

That little "wing" muscle that is between your neck and shoulders can get VERY tight. When it does, it can cause nerves to be pinched which in turn affects the brain. I'm talking huge emotions, exhaustion, dizziness/off balance, wanting to cry, feeling like you are going crazy (lots of similarities to the high histamine). Grab that muscle between your fingers and give it a good pinch/massage up and down it. As much as you can take within reason. You might feel a pain shoot up to the side of your head and on up to your eye.. it's all connected. If THIS is the reason for your misery, you will feel relief within a minute once you let go. It never ceases to amaze the heck out of me when this works. Especially the emotional connection.. seems so nutty, doesn't it??

Omg I felt like I was going crazy or something was very wrong with me. Daily functioning is very hard. I have the weird head sensation too. Like a pressure or something..like zaps..feeling unsteady but not being unsteady...no pain just weird feeling. Among my emotions...anxiety, crying all the time. Can't eat...i get a nervous stomach...

I’m so sorry Susan....just know you will be ok. It sounds so similar to everyone’s symptoms...the weird head feeling and feeling exactly as you said, “off balance but not..” I have it, too, and I have been looking into histamine intolerance (as a result of our hormones slowly decreasing) as I read that 80% of middle aged women have it and can cause VERY similar symptoms. Hang in there. Breathe deeply! It will get better!

Wow!!! Here I am in the same boat as all you beautiful women. Has anyone had a diagnosis? Please tell there is hope. I have been experiencing these symptoms since August 2017 hoping for healing ❤️

Just throwing this out there...
I work with the public, and so I talk to people. I have never heard the word "vertigo" as much as I have in the last 2 years. Women.. men... older... young. I'm starting to think the environment is changing/to blame, or maybe there is some sort of shift happening in our universe. yeah, I sound like a hippy. But seriously!

Whats with the vertigo in peri?? I have never really experienced much lightheadedness in my life but the last few months I have. It was so bad while driving home from work the other day thought I was going to have to pull off the road. Luckily I was close to home and in heavy slow moving traffic. I just dont understand the evoliutionary necessity of this nonsense. Who do human females have to put up with so much crap from declining hormones but males don't go through anything even close???

Because God is obviously a man ;)

Oh my gosh! I have never felt off balance or slightly dizzy at all until last year. (Will be 46 in a few months)I just had it today! I have it around the same time almost everyday in the early evening. And it is worse when the weather changes all the time :(

Hello Ladies, I’ve been suffering this head feeling for a few Weekes now and useless to tell they scare the hell out of me. I’ve had every test known to man and nothing was found. After researching and reading everything I could I do thing these weird head feelings are brain zaps. It is indeed listed in most homepages on Perimenopause and even if it is not the most common symptom of this wonderful stage of life, many women experience it. It is a mix of hormones and anxiety. Many people with anxiety disorder experience it. I ask many doctors and they all told me it is very frequent among women in Perimenopause or patients with anxiety disorder. I know about doctors who label everything they don’t know as anxiety. But I experience when I’m dont care about it and do yoga and relaxation techniques, it does go away.

I am glad to find out I was not the only one who felt like this and still does some times. I got some brain fog moments every now and then and felt kinda empty. I would do stuff and work as usual but had a funny feeling that I am not concentrating probably or not into the work and lightheaded all the time even though I would finish whatever I was doing like before. I had some mood issues as well because of menopause. I do yoga and breathing for concentration and started taking ashwagandha and shatavari herbs combination for menopause and mood. It is helping me to sleep well which improve my alertness in presence and has reduced my anxiety.

5HTP 25 mg helps clear my head when I have the stuffy head feeling. Also a good book is The Mood Cure by Julia Ross is a fantastic book on natural remedies that do help. I am 49 and this just started for me with the heavy head and foggy thinking but progesterone and the 5HTP and vitamins do help ease the feelings.

For me, it seems to be a mix of silent migraines as well as atmospheric pressure, and lack of vitamins and minerals which keep my neck muscles in a permanent state of stiffness and spasming. I finally got my results for my hair analysis (blood tests at Kaiser show I am "Great! Keep up the good work!" even as of a month ago) but no, I *know* I am lacking something.

Sure enough, tests show very messed up levels of almost everything. I started taking magnesium/calcium/hydrating products to raise my sodium and potassium, as well as other mineral supplements, and I have to say my stamina has improved in a few short weeks. And mind you, we are having a 100*+ heatwave here in CA. I was able to walk aggressively in the heat for almost 3 hours, then came home and still chopped down a huge shrub. The only days lately where I have the heavy headed woozies ("on a boat") is when we have atmospheric pressure and, although my sinuses are very clear, the upper part of my sinus is plugged (when I go to pop my ears, air gets stuck way up in my sinus and makes a squeaky whine as it slowly comes back out, make sense?). It's happening right now, and sure enough, my Migraine X app alerted me last night that there would be a big atmospheric change today. Every morning I've been putting my head over steam with Vicks (BE CAREFUL AS IT CAN EASILY SPLATTER AND VICKS ADVISES TO NOT DO THIS).

A reminder to look into SCM and Scalene muscle trigger points by your collarbone and side of your neck. HUGE HUGE triggers for this heavy head thing. I can go from blurry vision, being totally off balance, and being emotionally losing it to feeling almost perfectly normal in a moment if I pressure point these areas and it releases. A lot of this is also from typing on computers, cell phones, etc. It's the head down, arms out position. Triggers the muscles. My job as a server has me with my arms out and head down, so my muscles are wrecked.

Don't give up! I TRULY feel better after taking supplements. Let's see how today goes. It's a BAD atmospheric pressure day and I'm already feeling like my head is swollen.

P.S. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. But don't just drink water. You need to make sure you are actually processing your hydration with enough sodium/potassium, etc. Pink salty added to your water helps. Research it :)

Ok. Interesting things happening past week. Taking 5+ different things and not sure which one is the one helping, maybe it's all together, but I will hone in and report back when I have more definitive answers with which one made me feel like my old self again, even if for a day yesterday!! It felt miraculous!!! I highly suspect it was the molybdenum & zinc, but I need more detective work. BTW, the detox of these 2 on my system is horrendous.. look up Copper Detox...

And yes, the MJ/CBD still helps! Still taking tiny doses.

I will tell you that it involves Magnesium, Calcium, Molybdenum, Zinc, Malic Acid (sour candies with Malic Acid!), Black Radish Root, and a multi-liquid vitamin called Buiced (been taking this daily for a while so it's not my ah-ha moment I had yesterday, but I do believe it's helping with energy overall).

I've had about 5 separate days where I had all the symptoms of a migraine approaching, but the migraine never fully developed. That's an absolute first for me! The heavy head thing we are all discussing has greatly improved, and we are dealing with 90* temps with HIGH humidity every single day.

In a nutshell, I very much believe this has to do with tight SCM and Scalene muscles, and muscles in general, which are loosened with the above vitamins and minerals. Malic Acid gets rid of Aluminum, and the Molybdenum & Zinc get rid of Copper (look up symptoms of high Copper!).

To be continued...

I also have this and it is driving me crazy! I also take BP meds and the last time i had this a few years back they switched my meds and it went away. It is back again so i am stumped but would really like an answer?

I have been reading this entire forum and feel the head symptoms SPOT ON. The only thing is that I'm 27 years old and have not had any kids yet. Currently waiting thyroid lab test results from my Doctor, but everything else has checked out fine according to them. I was even going to a functional medicine Chiropracter who gave me specific adjustments that helped and they would go awhile for awhile, then come back.

Did anyone ever find more detailed answers from their doctors or did they all say it was because of perimenopause? I ask cause I know I am no where near that and am so tired I just want answers :(

I am 46 and started suffering with this funny weird head feeling back in the summer. It was so bad couldnt find the right words when speaking and suffered with my short term memory, which was noticed by my friend. Felt really scared and anxious. Went to the doctor in tears, but unfortunately got little advice. My friend suggested taking a vitamin b complex. As soon as i took it felt the heaviness lift straight away and i could think clearly again. Take this half way through my cycle until my period has finished and seems to work for me. Rub lavender oil on my wrists, inhale take deep breaths to ease anxiety. Hope this helps some of you too. Shame there are so many other symptoms we have to deal with too.

I hate the funny head feeling, can't explain it but it's awful. Ruins your life.

Always important to share anything our of the ordinary with your doctor. Perimenopause can be confusing as so many things are listed as possible symptoms. I had some hot flashes and I was waking up in the mornings feeling a bit nauseous - chalked it up to perimenopause based on my readings. Then one day I got a shock to my face - really it felt like an electrical shock - followed by more shocks that were triggered by the slightest movement in the air. Long story short it turned out I had a brain tumor aka meningioma. This is not to scare anyone, but do pay attention to your body signals.

Also look into Copper overload. Get a hair analysis test for $80 online. Be proactive to figure out what is going on. I'm taking Molybdenum and Zinc for only 1 week and the fog is lifting (dramatically) and the foundation of my energy is coming back. Stress kills Zinc. Low Zinc lets Copper overload. You'll also never get rid of Candida if you have high Copper. I'm learning so much lately again.

I am feeling better and better. When I hit a detox day I feel HORRIBLE and itchy and dizzy and weepy, but the next day I'm good again. Part of "feeling horrible" is getting downright Dyslexic, forgetting words and names to a terrifying degree, feeling like I am in true Alzheimer's fog. It. Is. Terrifying. It is also classic Copper overload symptoms.

I am gaining my foundation again. I'll have a typical moment where I usually get stressed and then get dizzy and stiff and off balance and feel like "I'm on a ship", but today when i waited for it, it didn't happen. My strength held like the old days. No doubt in my mind that vitamins and minerals are a HUGE factor, as is MACROdosing medical MJ. I can't stress the MACRO enough. Let me reiterate: 1/2 of a pencil eraser is more than enough for me and works wonders. Takes away the neck and shoulder tension that pulls on your head that makes you off balance and emotional.

I'm back on taking the BUICED vitamin drink again and within days my strength got even better. I just wish there was zero Copper in it, but most multi's have it in there. Calcium Carbonate is imperative, as are Epsom Salt foot baths. I keep repeating myself in posts because I'm wanting you guys to at least try to see if it helps you as much as it has me.

Now I'm adding BORON into my diet via foods (raisins, prunes, Almonds) due to Boron helping things like calcium etc function properly. it's all such a delicate system, and most of us abuse it through bad diet, depleted soils and foods, and that good old vitamin and mineral killer STRESSSSSSSSSSSS.

Hello.....yes yes I know exactly what your talking about seems like it puts you n a whole different universe for a couple of secs/ mins u never know when it’s coming then realize o u again lol ... thyroid symptoms are different but yet the same if u know what I mean I do meds for it and blood wrk shows that it’s on a good level ... it’s just weird to me sometimes. Hmmmm tell me what u think!!

Lately, these feelings have returned to me. Just making me feel woozy and my ears did a weird thing. The sounds around me became amplified suddenly while in a restaurant and it made me feel very weird.

I know these threads are old but they have been a lifesaver for me. I have had all this and much more since 38-39 yrs old and I am now almost 45. The only symptom that has virtually disappeared are the palpitations but I still get racing heart episodes with an anxiety feeling out of the blue which seems to happen most often around 4-6am followed by intense heat and often sweating. The latest thing which I havent read about is I can hear a clicking in my right I walk briskly. its not pain or anything else just a sound clicking sound or there is a loose bone knocking around in there. Dont know if its coming from my neck, jaw or ear. If I move my head a certain way I can often make it stop. Does anyone have this?

I experienced the same thing. It lasted for about 8 months.

Also try this.. just humor me.. find a pole like from a light broom. Put it on your shoulders then let it fall so it's resting at the top of your back so that you can hold the pole with either your hands or your wrists or forearms. This will probably hurt from pulling tense and frozen muscles, so be careful and gentle and do this for maybe 5-10 seconds at first. Don't underestimate this. Just try it. Everyone has a broom or some sort of long handle/pole somewhere.

I've been wearing a shoulder harness I bought off Amazon for $25 for 4 days straight now and found huge relief in my neck and shoulders that was making me so dizzy and woozy like on a ship and made me feel great anxiety being so off balance. It worked wonders. My Chiropractor did the shoulder/pole thing and that helped tremendously and immediately for me. Just did it now again at home because my anxiety and tension was growing rapidly and it worked immediately.

Let me know what you feel afterwards!

I could cry reading these. Finally found other women with the same crap I'm going through. It seems when I'm under stress it hits more. I can't shop in malls, stores. As I get that off balance head feeling. Keep thinking I'm going to stroke out. Then panicky sets in. Then I have to go sit in my car. Ugh. This feels like a realy bad joke

I've been thinking... better than using the pole for what I described above, it's MUCH better to just lock your fingers together and put behind your head.. then pull your elbows back, while pushing your chest out. You should feel quite a tightness across your shoulders and parts of your back. If you do this exercise, it WILL loosen up, and I promise you you will feel some relief all around, but also in your shoulders/neck/anxiety levels.

@ CC-Just rubbing the back of your neck and giving it a good squeeze helps.

Yes, I agree. A good, deep pinch in the "wing" of the neck/shoulder area. What I describe above works far more muscles though, and is also physical therapy to make it stay looser. Re-trains muscles to do that they are supposed to. That exercise works neck/shoulders/back/arms. In 1 week I can't believe the progress in my looser muscles that have been a solid rock for 2 decades.

And you guys, I echo the sentiment strongly that Vitamin B Complex, and other vitamins and MINERALS, are imperative. If you are stressing this badly, I can almost guarantee you your Zinc and Magnesium levels are low. That in itself will make your muscles stiffen and spasm and not supple, and will also make your nervous system short circuit. Make sure you take at least a little Calcium a well as at least 5,000IU of Vit D3 +K so it all gets absorbed and utilized properly. A great all around thing to take is this stuff called Buiced I get off Amazon. People hate the red one and I hate the green citrus one, go figure. Plug your nose and take it if you need to, lol.

Right now, because I believe I have issues with Salicylates AND high Copper levels, I have been added the following and things have improved dramatically for me in the past couple of months (even my weird eczema bumps are shrinking after 25 years and my skin has completely changed texture back to when I was young):

Molybdenum, Zinc, and I just added Potassium Chloride and Activated Charcoal to help more with the Salicylates and detoxing of my organs. This mix alone makes me feel that "tired"/heavier/content feeling again within an hour. I have been so wired that my insomnia has been insane; I was feeling 100% wide awake until 2-3am and then had to do alcohol shots and MJ to even feel remotely tired, and then it was a restless sleep. Just awful.

TL;DR - Take your minerals as well as your vitamins!! Imperative!!

Technique to at least loosen up a muscle that affects balance, mood, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzw-1Sl_y-A

I'm going to be 46 in September,I'm also experiencing the head pressure,rush type head feelings. Happening more and more.doesnt last long but gives me anxiety because it's a scary feeling.seems to happen more often at work after I sit for a few minutes.

i started having these same issues in January this year. have had hypothyroidism for a few years but with levo always felt fine . symptoms lasted about 6 weeks and everything stopped one day in February and felt like myself again. Until June when they started back up and still going strong now. I’m 47 and my gyno tested and confirmed with blood test I’m peri. i have an iud so havent had a period in 4 years. Some days i have a huge headache and then others I have the Foggy head feeling that is so bad to describe. gyno would not talk about hrt without me seeing a neurologist which he says Im not having migraines and okd hrt. Odd thing is one day when my ear started to hurt took an Allegrad and it took away the head fog within an hour. Unfortunately that didn’t last. I did for about a month but still had headache. Now the Allegra isnt helping with anything. I’m waiting to see an ent because I feel like my sinuses are so full been an antibiotic for a few days and dI want seem to help either. I’m sure the ent will not have anything to say. Ive had a nurse practitioner mention AD which I’m not really for but will as a last ditch effort. Husband doesn’t really get it and that makes me feel more alone which just makes me cry more. going to ent and if nothing there going to try hrt and AD. scared to death of something serious to but nerologist didnt see any need for ct scans or mri.

i also get these weird eye/head feeling on occasion when watching fast moving things or really shaky scenes when the camera is moving. I’m not dizzy and can’t explain how I feel other than I have to shut my eyes to focus. So scary!! I think if I could just come to grips it’s peri symptoms I’d be able to deal. Oh been very stressed at work for about two years but that is lessening as I finally have help. Was hoping with help and less stress I’d be better but no such luck. Thanks for listening. brings me some comfort that others deal with the same symptoms