I'm peri-menopausal. Don't ask me anything.

[Fridays Child]

But be sure and stop by my GD thread, where I'm serving up a fresh new outrage to all customers.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=202783

[gully]

1. I'm premenopausal...we need an avatar for menopause ;)

[REP]

2. I Wanna Be Menopausal

Nature wouldn't do it fast enough, so I had an endometrial ablation.

[noiretextatique]

3. me too

but i'll settle for peri-menopausal...for now.

[Missy Vixen]

31. I love your thread title

I can just picture the Ramones bouncing around, singing, "I wanna be menopausal"...

Julie

"hurry hurry hurry
before I go insane
No more freaky tampons
No more mood swings
Oh OH oh oh oh ohhhhhhhhhhhh
Ba ba ba ba, ba ba ba ba ba
I wanna be menopausal..."

[noiretextatique]

38. there should be a song

:thumbsup: i like yours :7

[latebloomer]

4. Me too!

I'm no rush to go into menopause, however!

Are you having a lot of symptoms? I don't notice much, except my cycles are closer together and last a bit longer.

[Le Taz Hot]

5. I'm there!

I now have 30-something people on ignore -- half of whom are there just 'cause they looked at me funny. :eyes: My husband says he longs for the good ole' days of PMS.

[StaggerLee]

6. whew! I thought your post read

"I have 30-somethings on ignore"

That would be my age group- And I would have been truly bummed.

[soleft]

7. I hate night sweats - they suck

[Raven]

8. I went through it when I was 40.

I am 57 now. It took about 5 years from start to finish and while there were some difficult times, overall it was not as bad as we are often led to believe. I had the hot flashes and the night sweats but they were not usually severe and when they were, I just rode them out. I did not take any drugs, thank God. They were pushing the hormone replacement stuff then by my Doc said that if I could stand the symtoms, not to take anything. I think there may be some helpful natural remedies now.

The most prominent thing that I noticed (and the best thing about the whole process) was that I completely lost the PMS and the mood swings and the bloating and discomfort. That alone was worth going through it!

I think that while there is alot of hype about this making many women dread it, if you accept the fact that it is a natural process that will eventually end and, to a certain extent, nature's reward for all those years of bleeding and PMS and worring about getting pregnant, you can get through it. Having said that, I must say that I might have felt differently about it if I had been childless or had wanted more children. I also think that the process can be difficult if there are other difficult things going on in your life or if you don't have an understanding mate.

One final thing: this is a natural process and while some doors are shut as a result of it, others are opened. I think you enter a new, freer, stage in life. For many women, it coincides with being older, wiser, more confident. But I think if you are afraid of the aging process, it will be very difficult

[Fridays Child]

9. Re: For many women, it coincides with being older, wiser, more confident.

So far, that's the best part. I no longer feed the part of my psyche that used to suffer fools gladly.

[Raven]

10. So true!

Nice, isn't it! :-)

[tnlefty]

13. a couple of questions, please

I remember seeing some TV show which recommended talking to older women, i.e. mother, aunts, etc., to discuss perimemopause and when I thought about it ALL of these folks in my life had done the hysterectomy/ hormone replacement thing.

I've read that this process can last for approx. 10 yrs. for some women and my reaction was - ain't no way in hell I'm doin' this for a decade!

I never had PMS or rough periods really and when things started to change I thought it was from having to be treated with some really nasty meds. for 2 yrs. and losing weight. The meds. did cause cessation of menstruation, but I think I'm "there" now.

How long do these cycle changes last????

Is irregular sleep part of this or is that more directly related to Smirk's policies keepin' me up at night?

[Raven]

21. The process can take a long time but

it's usually the early stage that is the most difficult.

Night sweats can disrupt sleep. Keeping a window open, using a fan, wearing light clothing and using lightweight blankets can help. Exercise also helped me alot.

You have some unusual symtoms like the weight loss. You should probably see your doc just to make sure nothing else is going on. There is a blood test to determine if you are in menopause...I had it because I was so young and my doctor wanted to be sure.

Oh, also, don't tune into the Smirk before bedtime!

[tnlefty]

24. the weight loss was a result of the meds. that I was treated with for a 2

yr. period. When a person vomits repeatedly everyday for 2 yrs. it makes sustaining one's weight difficult. Sorry if that wasn't clear. I had a blood test done a couple of years ago and the gyn didn't note much of a change in hormone levels and told me to take a soy and calcium loaded multi-vitamin.

Thanks for the info. I have a 13yr. old son and sometimes it seems that we're just having a big ol' hormone fluctuating rodeo around here!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

42. I thought I was peri-menopausal

I developed heavy periods in my mid-30s and now at 39, I have nausea and sweats with them too. It's almost like morning sickness! I had my hormone levels checked and I'm fine and fertile. I feel so crappy once a month I think I would welcome menopause. Seriously.

[DemOverseas]

11. This

will pass! Chill!

[Raven]

12. Chilling is easier said than done!

:-)

[LynneSin]

14. How about a group hug then?

[havocmom]

25. Ok, but while we hug, can you check my hair?

Feels like it has burst into flames!

Global warming? Or is it just the huge Baby Boom population of females having hot flashes?

[GOPBasher]

15. Why can't I ask you anything?

LOL

[Lindsey]

16. I may be and I need advice!

I'm 45 and have been having horrible bloating for 1 1/2 years. I've had a lot of tests done to rule out cancer and other diseases. I've been to acupuncture, I've modified my diet, I've seemly tried everything. The bloating is so bad that I have to wear pants with elastic because I bloat to where I look like I'm 6-7 month pregnant. Has anyone had this problem due to perimenopause and if so, what did you do (anything I can take, eat, etc.). Thanks!

[Raven]

22. I did not have bloating during menopause,

I actually stopped bloating. But two years I started bloating again and it turned out that I had a large ovarian tumor. Be sure you get everything checked out. Also, there is a blood test (or urine test) that can confirm that you are in menopause.

[noiretextatique]

26. try dikon tea

and an anti-inflammatory diet, i.e., mostly fruits and vegetables.

[Mandate My Ass]

17. Soy, flaxseed and red clover

I'm already starting to incorporate much more of these into my diet. I've heard that Japanese women don't have a term for "hot flashes" in their language because few experience them due to their high soy protein consumption.

HRT ain't for me.

[DemExpat]

27. HRT ain't for me, either.

I take Black Cohosh which really does the trick for me and my sisters.
If I forget to take it for a few days I feel little warm flashes....back to the herbal capsules and they are gone.
:kick:
I also take vitamins/minerals, flaxseed, and some soy foods.

DemEx

[Missy Vixen]

18. You go, girl

>But be sure and stop by my GD thread, where I'm serving up a fresh new outrage to all customers.<

And here I thought I was just damn cranky.

I have had a couple of those hot flash things. I don't care for them. In the meantime, the insomnia sucks.

One benefit: I don't spend ONE MINUTE anymore with people who work my last nerve. I'm old enough now to truly enjoy a quiet evening with DH or with a dear friend. I've also learned that there are acquaintances, friends, and very, very few true friends.

I'm looking forward to emerging from menopause as an even stronger person.

Julie

[Raven]

23. And you will!

For sure.

[MissMillie]

19. Me too

And it's a good thing there are strict gun laws in my state.

(kidding, of course--at least I think I am)

[Lindsey]

20. Monice_L

Do those things help bloating? I'm getting ready to join a support group it's so bad!

[Mandate My Ass]

29. I still bloat

but only during my periods. It's common for women to put weight on in their waistline during and after menopause. What you're describing doesn't sound like typical weight gain though. I'd definitely check with my OB/GYN and if (s)he is no help I'd go to a support group and see what other women are saying. Somebody is bound to know how to help or know someone who knows someone etc.

On edit: Dandelion greens and dandelion tea are very good natural diuretics because they're full of potassium and won't deplete you of potassium the way pills do. It works for me anyway.

[davsand]

28. For me it is the panic attacks...

I'm 43, and in the last year or so I can have that feeling of panic at the drop of a hat. It isn't paralytic yet, but man is this strange. A couple of weeks ago on here there was a thraed about PeriMenopause and someone posted a web addy for a site devoted to the subject of menopause. I went to the site and actually had a short period of panic at reading about this subject!! I had to close the window and walk around for a bit...

They come on at odd times--I have no way to predict what minor anxiety will trigger it. Has anybody else dealt with this? I've been reasonably stable mentally for most of my adult life and this feels so strange to me to be dealing with it.

At first I chalked it up to the fact that my life stresses, but I'm seriously thinking this is related to the whole hormonal thing. I really do NOT want to go the route of psych drugs, but I gotta say this is too strange for words.

What experience have you all had with this stuff?

Laura

[DemExpat]

32. I've dealt with panic attacks all my adult life

but now that I'm into menopause, and after years of finding ways to deal with this without meds, I'm relatively FREE of them now.....talk about a feeling of re-birth!

Read a couple of books on the subject, although I'll warn you that when I first did this it would bring on an attack........

Learning to BREATHE through the anxiety is the best trick in the book IMO.....and also tricking the adrenalin rush (rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, etc.) by challenging it to come.
This might sound crazy, but when I learned to challenge and taunt the anxiety, it lost its power somehow. Anxiety not based on a real event is really just a trick of the mind and body, and learning to switch off the thoughts/ sensations/ whatever - that trigger it - by relaxation, breathing techniques, mental imagery etc. is IMO the only way to root it out.
(Years and years of therapy were valuable, but did not help me, and years of pshycho-farmica dependency were simply lost years of my life...:-()

Good luck with this, I know how awful it can be.

In the meantime, some calming herbs like a mixture of valerian, passionflower, hop, etc. really takes the edge off for me.

DemEx

[havocmom]

30. maybe thread title should be

"Hot women of DU!"

[ScreamingMeemie]

33. I have Black Kohosh for anyone who needs it...

:hi:

[DemExpat]

34. My brain feels like a sieve.......

and with this I'm trying to get my belated University degree!

Argh!

:think: :crazy: :think:

Anyone else have this 'cotton-ball brain' sensation, and do you have any tips for dealing with it?

:-)
Much appreciated.

DemEx

[ScreamingMeemie]

35. I take naps when that happens to me. It happens a lot when I am

sketching houses. Then I just get up go lie down for 20 and try it again.

[DemExpat]

36. Yeah, I try to nap when this overcomes me......

btw....do you sketch houses for house portraits?

DemEx

[ScreamingMeemie]

37. No I do home appraisals, and have to sketch floorplans with

measurements...blech, boring.

[DemExpat]

39. ooohhhhh.....I see.....

That is less inspirational than portrait sketching, allright....but I can think of worse ways to earn money!

DemEx

[ScreamingMeemie]

40. True, I try to keep in mind how lucky I am. I get to work at home. The

only problem is it's on the computer and sometimes I stay up way too late switching back and forth from DU to work. Shame on me!

[Missy Vixen]

45. I have the double whammy

>Anyone else have this 'cotton-ball brain' sensation, and do you have any tips for dealing with it?<

Okay, here's mine: Get enough sleep. (Yeah, yeah, sometimes it's tough to do.) Drink lots of water. Write stuff down instead of counting on remembering it. Take my thyroid meds.

Brain fog is really common with both perimenopause and hypothyroidism. If you're also feeling sluggish, unexplained weight gain, very dry skin, hair breakage, depression, etcetera, I'd ask the doc for a TSH blood test. (It measures the amount of thyroid hormone in the system.) There's a lot of talk now about subclinical hypothyroidism, so even if the doc swears you're fine, I'd get a second opinion.

Julie

[Skittles]

41. I want to be like my mum

no gray hair until age 55 and no menopause symptoms whatsoever. PLEASE!!!

[TEXASYANKEE]

43. It's the pits.

My peri-menopause symptoms (I'm 43) started 10 months ago. The doc ordered tests that ruled out any tumors or such, thank goodness. I finally found relief from the back aches, broken sleep, moodiness, fatigue, and lack of concentration -- a multi-vitamin specifically for women in peri-menopause, plus extra calcium, plus one soy tablet, plus a herb pill (St Johns Wort, Black Cohash, etc), and one soy bar (Genisoy) a day. I feel like my old self again.

There is a great website out there (Power-Surge). Check it out.

[geniph]

44. Add me to the perimenopausal and pissed off contingent

I'm 43, and for the last year or so, my cycle has been shortening and shortening until it feels like I'm having brief periods every couple of f***ing weeks. It sucks. It serves me right, I suppose - I've always been smug about how mild my periods were and how little hormonal swings I had. Well, no more. The periods are still pretty mild, but they're showing up whenever the f*** they feel like it, and I'm pissed off all the time.

What joy - perimenopause can last 10 years before true menopause begins. My oldest sister is 13 years older than I, and she just finished menopause. I haven't had hot flashes yet, and hopefully won't, but this cycle business has me considering hysterectomy! I went on birth control pills for awhile to regulate my cycle, but what a pain in the ass, considering that I've had a tubal and my husband's had a vasectomy!

I wish I could talk a GYN into letting me take full-month birth control pills. I have absolutely no physiological reason to need to have periods any more. But the damn doctors are so conservative about things like that.

I used to take black cohosh when my periods were late (warning: pregnant women should NOT take black cohosh unless they wish not to be!), but haven't taken it in years. I guess I'll try that and the soy, see if that regulates things any.