I'm 35, suspected peri with young children and struggling to process it all

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I'm 35 and nearly 6 months postpartum with my second child, my eldest is 3.5. I have been having so many issues which I put down to sleep deprivation (baby), PMDD and a new coil 2 months ago which I had to delay having fitted as I had retained products of conception after the birth of my baby.

I had a UTI before my period in December, and then the same symptoms again before my period this month but no infection- both months since having the coil so I presumed it was my PCOS / PMDD flaring up as a response to that settling in, but the UTI symptoms didn't fit. After I went to the doctor this time and they found no infection, I had an ultrasound to check and nothing found except the known PCOS. Went back to the doctor as still having UTI symptoms and she said it could all be down to low estrogen, which could be down to being postpartum, but more like perimenopause since it's been 6 months since I had the baby and haven't had this the whole time.

I started Estradiol pessaries last night and feeling really emotional about the whole thing. Somehow, I managed to have 2 beautiful miracle babies, but otherwise, my body keeps failing me. I've always had bad periods, I have hypothyroidism, PCOS found when we struggled to start a family, failed rounds of ovulation induction, IVF where I had a missed miscarriage and had to have a D&C to remove it, chemical pregnancy, finally a successful transfer and pregnancy but ending in a failed induction over 2 days leading to emergency cesarean and a blood transfusion. Then after a rough few months emotionally and hormonally, we found that PMDD developed off the back of all the hormones I had been taking throughout all of that so I started sertraline. Managed a natural conception a few months later the same week we enquired with fertility clinics about starting IVF again, another cesarean and blood transfusion, ill with covid and chest infections during the time of surgery and newborn / recovery. Then the RPOC where I passed a huge mass at 7 weeks pp, it had been effectively rotting inside me making me ill. My husband had PND so whislt I mostly felt mentally OK, I developed a mild case of PND and PNA because of how things were at home. In October I decided I needed to take control of my body again and started Wegovy (something I was in discussion with the dr about before I got pregnant) but it made me very very ill, so I stopped that, then the UTI symptoms started and now all of these other peri symptoms.

Before all the gynaecological issues I also had back problems with 2 slipped discs, resulting in awful sciatica and then surgery in 2016. This came back a couple of years ago, thankfully avoiding surgery but 4 months off work and a lot of physiotherapy.

I feel like I can't catch a break and my body just keeps fighting me. I know that sounds dramatic as I thankfully don't have any serious illness or anything, but I'm struggling to process this perimenopause situation straight off the back of everything else and I'm only 35. I'm tired and sad and feel like I'm over the hill already.

Symptoms I am experiencing: UTI symptoms (pain when urinating, feeling like bladder is full but little output, sometimes a slight odour), night sweats but odd occasions of chills, skin itching to the point of bruising myself, abdominal pain like period cramps and ovulation pain all through cycle, bloating, bad gas, either constipated or loose bowels no inbetween, mind fog, achey joints, fatigue (very tired eyes, the baby sleeps well), back pain, probably more but you know, brain fog!

Sorry this ended in a long pity party for one, but anyone else here young and don't know how to feel about it all?

Posted Jan 27, 2026, 11:36 AM UTC

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