8 Years of Menopause Symptoms

[blogslut]

Am I a freak?

My hot flashes started in 2000. I am still having hot flashes 8 years later. I am still having regular menstrual cycles. I am 47, going on 48.

Is this common?

[Skittles]

1. I am 51 and have never had a hot flash

I certainly hope your experience is not common

[blogslut]

4. My sister tells me my Mother's meno was awful

I was in another city during that time, so I was not witness to it. Mom passed away 13 years ago, so I can't ask her. Sis is 52 and her symptoms are similar to mine, although I'm fairly sure her hot flashes cranked up after mine. She's had four children and then a tuba-ligation - I have not. I had just one child and no uterine surgery.

The women in my family are ridiculously fecund. My Grandmother birthed her last child (the last of 8) at age 50. Maybe my uterus is just sad, because I only had the one child.

Regardless, I just want to know, Am I a freak?

[Skittles]

6. aw now come on bs, you certainly are not a freak

there's a wide range of symptoms and you unfortunately seem to got the high end.

[blogslut]

8. Hey, that's what I want to hear

A little perspective from other gals.

I just wanted to know if other women have had this sort of long-term stuff. It's all good. :hi:

[Skittles]

9. one of my coworkers is in her late 30's and hot flashing away

I thought that was weird but reading up on it, perhaps not so much :hi:

[blogslut]

10. All good

Thank you. :)

[snappyturtle]

2. No, you're not a freak. Hate to tell you, I had them for ten years.

Now, they're totally gone....poof! When they quit, they quit.

[blogslut]

7. So, like the flow just stops too?

Is that what I should look for? Or is it a change in the color of the blood? Mine's been really dark lately.

[CountAllVotes]

19. you should get checked out

I had this same symptom - dark bleeding for a week after the cycle. I didn't know it meant anything. I was miserable btw.

It turned out I had a huge fibroid tumor and the dark blood was it draining!

Needless to say I had to have surgery (total hysterectomy) and talk about menopause - it is called "sudden menopause" after this surgery! Of course the doctor didn't bother to tell me what I was in for. :eyes:

It was not pleasant. Said surgery was at the end of 2003 and just now I am beginning to feel semi-normal.

So please, get checked!

CountAllVotes

[Raejeanowl]

3. Yes, It's Common

I'm going to PM you and I hope you don't mind.

[blogslut]

5. Please do

Thanks :hi:

[fasttense]

11. I've had hot flashes for six years.

I'm 51 and still have my monthly flow. I think the duration and side affects of menopause vary so much that there really isn't anything like a normal process.

[nightrain]

12. have you visited a healthcare practitioner? There are

wonderful nurse practitioners who can assess you and make recommendations. Some do saliva testing of hormone levels--perhaps you're out of balance. There are bioidentical hormones available that can lessen/strongly mediate symptoms. Herbs/exercise might also be helpful.

[Warpy]

13. No, you're in perimenopause

Menopause is what happens when the menses stop completely. Some women stop all at once, others become less frequent until they stop completely.

Hormone replacement therapy can alleviate the symptoms of perimenopause and early menopause, but they carry risks of their own and a woman needs to decide about them with her doctor and according to her family health history.

My mother still got hot flashes at 94, but they came infrequently.

As of now, you're right on schedule. 50 is the average age for menopause.

[MuseRider]

14. I started hot flashing

at around 35 years old. I am just now 10 months since my last period (keep your fingers crossed) and I am 54 years old. I hot flashed a lot then it calmed down a bit then it picked up and right now I am having very hot hot flashes. When these babies come I drench myself. I am not really interested in changing things, what happens happens naturally.

I have a 74 year old friend who still gets them. I guess some of us are just lucky like that :). Hope you do get over them, they are really not fun.

[fed-up]

15. keep track of your diet in relation to hot flashes-certain foods trigger mine

I am almost 50
had three years of periods every two weeks-also had cervical polyp which may have been cause of extra bleeding

then got hot flashes just over a year ago right about the time of my very last period! hurrah, hurrah
and did I mention some very severe mood swings which may have either been hormone or bipolar related (but mostly triggered by very high stress due to my housing situation)

hot flashes only seem to come if I eat processed food, when I stick to my healthy brown rice, veggies etc no hot flashes

there is a lot of info online about diet and menopause-but everybody is unique so keeping a diary will be the best method of finding what triggers your hot flashes

[BuddhaGirl]

16. I am 46 and perimenopausal

I have been using progesterone cream (you can get it in a health food store) and vitex. This has helped greatly with the symptoms.

I refuse to take HRT - the natural route seems to be working for me.

[Tumbulu]

17. They will all go away once W is gone

I just hear his outrageously idiotic voice on the radio (no TV as the sight of him makes me explode) and wham- a hot flash.

It's not menopause its traumatic W inflammatory syndrome. And I bet a bunch of men experience it as well.

[blogslut]

18. Thank you, everyone

I feel much better knowing that this long-term perimenopause is common. I didn't know and thought maybe my case was unusual. So very glad to know that it isn't.

As for the flashes, I've sort of grown accustomed to them. Okay, not accustomed, so much as accepted them as part of my daily life. I won't do HRT. I have tried phytoestrogen creams as well as upped my calcium. I've also found that taking antihistamines helps. Of course, nothing beats a big old fan right in my face.

Thanks again, ladies. :hi:

[nightrain]

20. see a health practitioner for an assessment and then some options

[blogslut]

21. I'll have to see about that

No insurance and a writer's income. :)

[nightrain]

22. I hear ya, And nurse practitioners are very cost-effective. It's wise to get assessed