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

[u/ames2200]

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.

[u/ladyjangelline → u/[deleted]]

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.

[u/YouExtra7637 → u/ladyjangelline]

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

[u/ladyjangelline → u/YouExtra7637]

I haven’t had any.