Menopause corner?

[JaneFW]

I put a question mark because I didn't know whether I would get many takers on such a subject matter! I'm 44, and was pre-menopause about 2 years ago. A couple of months ago, I took the test again, and I had the right markers for menopause, so I'm fully there now. That's young, huh, but my sister was only 39 when hers began.

Lately, I have not had good sleep due to getting very hot, kicking on covers, then very cold, pulling them back over. I suppose this is the least of it, hey?

So, just wondering whether other women have gotten here yet and have anything to share - funny stories, things that have worked (I'm not really interested in taking HRT or any OTC remedies right now) etc. Just looking for some fellowship really with women who know what I am talking about!! Thanks

 

[MN John]

If you ladies aren't so comfortable with this here, I'm sure there are tns of threads on this in the women's forum. Don't make no never mind to me tho of y'all want to have it here too.

 

[JaneFW]

If you ladies aren't so comfortable with this here, I'm sure there are tns of threads on this in the women's forum. Don't make no never mind to me tho of y'all want to have it here too.

Not being argumentative, but why wouldn't women be comfortable with it here? I know I can't be alone as the only women over 40 to be going through this. Does it offend you? If so, say so, and I will have a moderator move it.

Thanks!

 

[MN John]

Not being argumentative, but why wouldn't women be comfortable with it here?

This is what made me think that might be the case:

I put a question mark because I didn't know whether I would get many takers on such a subject matter!

 

[JaneFW]

This is what made me think that might be the case:

I only posted an hour ago! That's fine, I'll ask a mod to move it. Don't want to offend!

 

[MN John]

Does it offend you? If so, say so, and I will have a moderator move it.

Thanks!

No, on the contrary, I'm interested in case I ever need to know stuff about it.

But in case you don't get many takers, I wanted anyone interested to know that they can probably find a lot of existing threads on the topic if they want to.

 

[Heart of a Seeker]

I put a question mark because I didn't know whether I would get many takers on such a subject matter! I'm 44, and was pre-menopause about 2 years ago. A couple of months ago, I took the test again, and I had the right markers for menopause, so I'm fully there now. That's young, huh, but my sister was only 39 when hers began.

Lately, I have not had good sleep due to getting very hot, kicking on covers, then very cold, pulling them back over. I suppose this is the least of it, hey?

So, just wondering whether other women have gotten here yet and have anything to share - funny stories, things that have worked (I'm not really interested in taking HRT or any OTC remedies right now) etc. Just looking for some fellowship really with women who know what I am talking about!! Thanks

Ok, I am a nut case. I cry and cry (this is from a non-cryer), feel like running away, have the occasional hotflash, am tired all the time - but other than that, things are great...! ha ha...!!! Honestly, like I said in another thread, I feel better than I used to. What does THAT tell you?

 

[Heart of a Seeker]

And I was 39 when I started perimenopause, but I've only really started feeling the effects of it within the past couple of years.

 

[JaneFW]

Hmm, it's amazing the wide disparity in ages, Seeking. My sister was 39, I noticed changes about 2 years ago, and I was confirmed as being "medically in the menopause" this year. I'll write more about "medical menopause" in another post.

BTW, I pm'd a mod to move this thread to the women's forum, so if it disappears, you know why and where to!

What you said about crying. At first I thought 'not me', and I don't, like, break down sobbing - but my eyes fill up out of the blue!! Honestly, someone tells me that someone is pregnant, or they had a baby, or I see a baby, or someone tells me something nice .. BOOM! .. tear city. I feel really embarassed when that happens. I'll say that it's allergies but I don't know whether anyone actually believes me!

 

[JaneFW]

I saw a GYN this year, the first time I've really had a GYN in quite a lot of years. Previously, my family practice dr. did the smear and the bloods. So, they were worried this time because my periods are really weird: 6 months off, 6 months on. The GYN wanted to do tests, and fortunately the early stage tests showed no evidence of ovarian cancer, so they didn't have to go any further. She told me that my blood results had come back that, yes, I was definitely "in the zone" and therefore "medically" in menopause, but that because I still got periods, I wasn't "fully" in menopause - you're not 100% menopausal until you have gone 12 months without a period. You can't even have a 2 day bleed, or you have to go back to the beginning and start over with counting those 12 months!

Great, huh?

I bet if guys had menopause, they would have found a better way of figure it all out by now.

 

[Heart of a Seeker]

I saw a GYN this year, the first time I've really had a GYN in quite a lot of years. Previously, my family practice dr. did the smear and the bloods. So, they were worried this time because my periods are really weird: 6 months off, 6 months on. The GYN wanted to do tests, and fortunately the early stage tests showed no evidence of ovarian cancer, so they didn't have to go any further. She told me that my blood results had come back that, yes, I was definitely "in the zone" and therefore "medically" in menopause, but that because I still got periods, I wasn't "fully" in menopause - you're not 100% menopausal until you have gone 12 months without a period. You can't even have a 2 day bleed, or you have to go back to the beginning and start over with counting those 12 months!

Great, huh?

I bet if guys had menopause, they would have found a better way of figure it all out by now.

Well, I haven't had a period for TWO years!! Can you see me doing the DANCE OF JOY??? Yes, lots of things to consider - but in the end, it will be worth going through all of this when we're finally done, right? Right? RIGHT?? tee hee

 

[NorwayUnn]

Hey girls! What made you suspect you were approaching the menopause? A bit embarassed to ask, as I don't know much about it. For years I have felt easily warm and sweat, like my body thermometer is out of control at times. But can that alone indicate that I am approaching the menopause? I have no other symptoms than being warm. My period is still regular, as always. It would be normal at my age to be in the menopause, but I guess it can vary from person to person.

 

[faithmom]

I've been getting night sweats on and off for the past year or so, I'm more tired now and then, but I am just so dang happy about one thing. I have always had a 21 to 24 day cycle and a period that lasted a full 7 days! (good news, I seldom had much cramping). NOW, YAY! I have begun to have a couple of 28 day cycles here and there and a period that lasts about 5 days. You bet I'll take the fatigue and hot flashes! It's great to not be in period mode a third of the time! (note, I am having more cramping though, but a couple of aspirin now and then pretty much covers it.)

I think it varies a lot from person to person. Any good strategies on the fatigue? I didn't do caffeine hardly at all until this past year. But I could seriously sleep 9 hours a day now.

 

[Heart of a Seeker]

I've been getting night sweats on and off for the past year or so, I'm more tired now and then, but I am just so dang happy about one thing. I have always had a 21 to 24 day cycle and a period that lasted a full 7 days! (good news, I seldom had much cramping). NOW, YAY! I have begun to have a couple of 28 day cycles here and there and a period that lasts about 5 days. You bet I'll take the fatigue and hot flashes! It's great to not be in period mode a third of the time! (note, I am having more cramping though, but a couple of aspirin now and then pretty much covers it.)

I think it varies a lot from person to person. Any good strategies on the fatigue? I didn't do caffeine hardly at all until this past year. But I could seriously sleep 9 hours a day now.

You know that they say that they're finding that women SHOULD sleep at least 8 hours a night anyway - BUT what women actually DO that???

 

[GritsnGrace]

Laurentia, I don't have a problem with this thread being here. It is, after all, the right age group for it. I haven't had a cycle in almost a year, and the old body thermometor has been off kilter for ages!!

 

[Heart of a Seeker]

Ok, I thought of something else I wanted to add when I was laying in bed last night.

I had a tubal ligation after my last child (Um, like 26 years ago). I had horrible periods and pain that was unbelievable, but I've also read that having that surgery will make menopause come sooner. I don't know if that's true, but I've talked to other women who have heard the same thing. I think that's why I started so early. My mom was still in the middle of menopause when she was in her fifties - my sisters, too.

 

[JaneFW]

I think that symptoms, like the ages of onset, can vary enormously. For me, it was the hot flashes, the forgetfulness, and the odd periods that signalled the start of a new phase of my life! I noticed that I was more emotional, and unpredictably so, when I had not been like that before.

I would say to always check it out with your doctor! A quick blood test provides either a yes or a no. Sometimes, you can be close but no cigar, but after a couple of years being almost there, the last blood test was a 100% yes.

Yeah, I'm pretty happy to do without periods too. That's one really, really good thing about menopause, lol. Just be aware that if you had something like I had, the 6 month off, 6 month on thing, that you should tell your GYN. It's complicated, because my medical knowledge is dire and I don't remember this kind of thing well, but it's something along the lines that the hormones that cause this kind of thing can also cause ovarian cancer, and that's why they did an ultrasound (including internal, ugh) to make sure that everything was okay. They stopped short of doing a biopsy because the u/sound was okay - so that was a huge blessing.

I don't know anything about tubal ligations, sorry. Perhaps google it and see if there is any info?

The body thermometer - that's so funny and accurate - yes, mine is totally off kilter. I had my only biological child late in life at age 37. How I feel now reminds me of late stages of that pregnancy when I was so darned hot 80% of the time! I can feel it start now, and it kind of creeps over my face, which is a yucky feeling. Night times are worst because I have covers on/covers off/covers on/covers off .. but I have a friend who has to get up in the night to shower, she gets such bad night sweats, so at least I don't get that.

Fun and games! Make sure y'all keep up your calcium intake, okay! Don't know about any of you but I we have osteoporosis in our family, so I have to really watch out for that!!

 

[faithmom]

I have a friend who has to get up in the night to shower, she gets such bad night sweats, so at least I don't get that.

Lorentia,

Suggestion for your friend who is showering (what a way to miss sleep!!!!!), I go through rounds like that too. They come and go. When I get them, I keep a stack of my cotton T-shirts by the bed and just sleep in boxers with a T. Whenever I have soaked one T...I can just slip it off and replace it with a fresh one, then return to sleep. It also helps stave off the chills you get after from being wet. I even sweat on the back of my neck and into my hair. For that, keep a towel or two by the bed to put over the pillow.

Just ideas, they may not work for your friend, but they work for me.

 

[Heart of a Seeker]

Lorentia,

Suggestion for your friend who is showering (what a way to miss sleep!!!!!), I go through rounds like that too. They come and go. When I get them, I keep a stack of my cotton t-shirts by the bed and just sleep in boxers with a T. Whenever I have soaked on T...I can just slip it off and replace it with a fresh one, then return to sleep. It also helps stave off the chills you get after from being wet. I even sweat on the back of my neck and into my hair. For that, keep a towel or two by the bed to put over the pillow.

Just ideas, they may not work for your friend, but they work for me.

Good idea!

 

[Captivated]

Sorry, Laurentia, I should have checked in this forum before starting up a new thread in the Women's Discussion forum on the same subject! Not trying to be competitive, just an oversight on my part!