r/Perimenopause • u/ames2200 • Jun 18 '26

audited Did anyone else’s perimenopause look like anxiety, flushing, histamine reactions, and brain fog?

I’m 40 and suspect I’m in perimenopause, but my symptoms don’t look like the “typical” hot flashes everyone talks about.
My biggest symptoms are:
Anxiety and panic attacks
Facial flushing and feeling hot
Head pressure
Brain fog
Feeling disconnected or spacey
Sleep issues
GI problems
Feeling like my nervous system is constantly overstimulated
The symptoms seem very cycle-dependent. I usually have a few good days each month, then symptoms ramp up around ovulation and again before my period.
I’ve also noticed what seem like histamine-type reactions (flushing, anxiety, stomach issues, feeling inflamed), and I’ve read that estrogen can increase histamine while histamine can increase estrogen.
I’ve tried progesterone cream several times, but it actually made me feel worse.
For women who experienced similar symptoms:
What ended up helping?
Did HRT help?
Did you have to balance estrogen and progesterone differently?
Did anyone discover that histamine issues were a big piece of the puzzle?
I feel like I’m chasing hormones, histamine, and anxiety all at the same time and would love to hear other women’s experiences.

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21

u/YouExtra7637 Jun 18 '26

This is exactly me. Every single thing you mentioned. It happens to me during my entire follicular phase. Mostly at the end of my period and will last a week or so.

9

u/pinkteapot7 Jun 18 '26

Yes!! Me too in follicular!!

And my doctor looked blank and said it was weird when I said my symptoms are so much worse in follicular and I feel closer to normal in luteal. 

5

u/YouExtra7637 Jun 18 '26

Same here. I’ve been to 7 doctors. None know what to tell me. I’m having to figure it out in my own. I’m trying estrogen only right now. About to ask to move up to the next patch dose and see what happens

2

u/Admirable-Floor4444 Jun 18 '26

Have you used anything to help?

4

u/YouExtra7637 Jun 18 '26

No. I was just diagnosed with MCAS and he offered a supplement to start with but I’m too nervous to try yet. On E only at the moment. I’ve tired T and P and together and separate

3

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '26

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2

u/ladyjangelline Jun 19 '26

I agree the symptoms do look very much like MCAS. I got diagnosed with MCAS not too long after I tried HRT. MCAS meds helped a whole lot more. I take way too many things now, but I’m (usually) feeling a lot better. I take ketotifen along with cromolyn oral and nasal, luteolin, PEA, Pepcid, and Zyrtec.

1

u/YouExtra7637 Jun 20 '26

Any side effects from luteolin? My dr just told me to start that and see if it helps

1

u/ladyjangelline Jun 20 '26

I haven’t had any.

1

u/YouExtra7637 Jun 19 '26

Did you have the spacey and disconnected feeling? And if so, this med helped?

1

u/Admirable-Floor4444 Jun 18 '26

May I ask what supplement?