Weaning imitating perimenopause?

October 18, 2016 12:42 AM

We weaned Peanut #2 at the end of September. It's been 5 years of either being pregnant or breastfeeding. My boobs are back to pre-preggo size, but I'm suspecting my hormones are not.

I'm 40. My post-partum ammenoria ended last January and I haven't had PMS zits like that since I was a teenager. Things calmed down around May and then my cycle started being a bit screwy in August, again with zits to a lesser extent.

I already have an appointment scheduled with my gyno at the beginning of next month, but last night I kept waking up alternately sweating or shivering, sans fever or illness. Perimenopause is very much at the forefront of my mind because of my age and the recent cycle shenanigans, but maybe it's post-weaning hormone wackiness? What questions do I need to ask my gyno so we can differentiate between perimenopause/hormones settling down post-babies?

posted by romakimmy to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

There's no chance it's mastitis? To determine peri menopause, your gyno will probably do blood tests to check hormone levels initially. If they don't offer, I would ask for them.
posted by Jubey at 1:11 AM on October 18, 2016

Have you had your thyroid levels checked?
posted by CrazyLemonade at 4:57 AM on October 18, 2016

If you can go in to your appointment with a record of the dates of your periods and any other extra hormonal weirdness, that will help. My doctor looked for patterns and changes in those patterns. Sounds like you already know this, but just throwing it out there.

The medical group my doctor works with even encourages patients to submit info like that ahead of time via an online patient portal, so the doctor can review it before the appointment.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 5:24 AM on October 18, 2016

Response by poster: Yeah, not mastitis. I've had that twice; the sweats/shivering was more of an internal temperature thing. Textbook hot/cold flash, really.

Last thyroid check was fine, but thyroid problems are A Thing in my family, so I'll ask to get that checked again.

Anything else I should be aware of or ask for?
posted by romakimmy at 5:33 AM on October 18, 2016

I weaned my youngest at age 36 but the post-weaning cycle craziness started as soon as I wasn't his primary source of calories, if you're looking for anecdata. It's been a year and my cycle and night sweats and extraordinary PMS are just now back to what they were at 25. I am afraid my hair will never recover.
posted by annathea at 5:45 AM on October 18, 2016 [2 favorites]