What Causes Hot Flashes, Lightheadedness, Itchy Skin, Bloating, Imbalance And Ringing In Ears?

Posted on Tue, 28 Oct 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 28 Oct 2014 Answered on

Thu, 20 Nov 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : i am42 yrs old and have been having many perimenopause symptoms and my doctor says im to young and wont even do any tests she says its just anxiety and wants to put me back on antidepressant. ive heard of people my age and younger that are going thru it. i have hot flashes, which i just break out in a sweat out of nowhere and get iritable and lightheaded, i wake up and my shirt is wet from sweat, sensative to bright lights, periods are two days shorter, cry for no reason, trouble getting to sleep, no sex drive, itchy skin,, bloating, gas,, feel off balance, tingling at times, ringing in ears. i know i have anxiety, mostly social anxiety but i think its more than that. how can i know for sure? also i keep getting wax build up in my ear can that cause me to feel off balance?

Answered by Dr. Aarti Abraham (48 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
HORMONAL TESTS WILL TELL YOU FOR SURE.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
THe symptoms DO sound like those of perimenopause, and yet they closely overlap with those of anxiety / depression too.
Women at 42 do experience perimenopause quite commonly.
ANd yes, you are right to want to know for sure, because the treatment strategies are different.
Fortunately, there is a very reliable and objective way to know for sure if you are nearing menopause.
Please consult a Gynecologist and go for hormonal tests - FSH, LH and Serum Estradiol.
The results would clearly show whether menopause is nearby or not.
All the best
Please feel free to discuss further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar