'The Change' - how to tell if it is starting??

[Deleted User]

I too started having odd things happen to my body and my mum had her menopause early. I went to the doctors and they said im too young but i insisted on having a blood test, the results were in conclusive. When i had my breast check up (had a cyst removal operation) i asked my surgeon whos dealt with me for 2years and he said the blood tests are inconclusive and your hormonal rate can change hourly. He said i was possibly peri menopausal ie, still having irregular periods and menopausal symptoms. Being menopausal is the complete stop of your periods and there are a few years of symptoms before that. He suggested and made a recommendation to another doctor to put me on HRT but at the moment im coping with the symptoms. Although i get very tired (im 44 and work fulltime), hot flushes, mood swings and my waist is disappearing and my body shape is changing, headaches and foggyness?forgetfullness and where it used to take me half an hour to get ready to go out im now taking over an hour sometimes because my mind cant concentrate on one thing and i end up doing chores/pottering and not concentrating on getting ready. As i said i am trying to not go on the HRT, but if it does get worse (as ive had 2periods in one month) then none and i never know whether i am going to have one or not) i will try it. I had a hot flush an hour ago in the high street, i had to take my jacket off and whilst everyone is walking around in jumpers and jackets ive got a light summer top on (i suppose it saves on the heating bills) lol. Oh and i ache all over, some days its a stuggle getting up for work and i have to sit on the bed before i get up. I ache when i bend over, walk and sit down washing my hair in the morining bending over the shower is a killer.

blue_monkey_2

Thanks for the posts, I guess I need to know what to look out for. Maybe it is coming then. I am definately 'spreading out' and my jeans definately no longer fit and I got on the scales expecting to see that it had gone up and I've not put on any weight and was the same as I was before (eh??). I thought the scales were broken so kept on trying again. I've cut down on what I am eating though and back on WW as I've a wedding in a few weeks time and determined not to look too big for that, LOL.

I've been getting headaches, skin looks awful (I put this down to coming off the pill) libido has gone up, also finding it hard to concentrate on stuff and have to write everything down. Worse than before. I've been extra tired too, I only used to get 5-6 hours sleep a night and was fine but now I have 7 hours and still feel crap. Oh and my boobs are really sore at certain times of the month andnthey have definately grown (this does usually happen when I gain weight but I've not put any on - very confusing).

I feel kind of excited, that phase of my life being over and moving onto something else. HRT I am not bothered about either way, if I need it I shall take it, if not then I will not I shall try and get through it.

peachyprice

Money_maker wrote: »

So's childbirth but not many of us turn down the painkillers!

True, but thats only for the event, not years, and not powerful hormones, so hardly a comparison.;)

An alternative to HRT that some doctors are now recommending to relieve symptoms is the Mirena coil, which although still releases hormones they are miniscule amounts compared to HRT

BitterAndTwisted

I've been through the menopause and have come out the other side. I did get a bit fed up of the periods stopping and starting: just when I thought the last one was way behind me another one turned up.

I was pretty lucky I think as I didn't have any physical symptoms at all but I was really, really ruddy tetchy for while, was on an incredibly short fuse so I didn't deal with the stress at work particularly well. Oops

Now it's all over and I don't have to worry about buying any sanpro gubbins regularly the only down-side is the rather magnificent mustache and beard I have to keep at bay. Oh, and the libido's fled the country but I'm not in a relationship and all the fuss and mess of intercourse seems like altogether too much trouble now: I really don't think I could be bothered and in a way it makes me feel quite liberated.

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

fantasia322 wrote: »

This might sound like a weird one to most people but I just had to ask because I feel so abnormal (deprived maybe).
I'm very menepausal I admit it. Have had hormone levels checked at the doc's so its definite. So why do I feel so GOOD.
Where are my mood swings?
Where are my hot flushes (flashes)?
Where are the dreaded night sweats?
Where is the inevitable vaginal dryness?
Where is the lack of libido? (Its actually through the roof atm)
My periods just stopped (oh bliss) about 18 months ago, and I think I've had like 2 in this entire time.
I came out of the doc's armed with leaflets telling me what to expect and how it might affect me etc, And 'nothing', absolutely nothing......!!!!!!!
Don't get me wrong, I am most definitely NOT complaining.
But I seem to be the exact opposite of how its supposed to be.
I feel better than I ever have in my entire life. Wrinkles don't bother me.
I'm pretty happy with nearly every aspect of my life. My confidence is at an all time high.
My friends are all asking if I'm taking hormone replacement treatment (I can't because of the breast cancer risk in my family). I'm actually just high on life.
My doctor says 'Its unusual, but it can happen'
Thats fine but I don't know anybody else who's gone through it, or is going through in unscathed.
Anybody else relate to this, I'm surely not unique, (just in my own circle). ?
Help. I'm starting to think I'm an oddity.
Anyone gone through it with relative ease :T:T:T

I envy you :T

Someone once told me that allot of it depends on how you approach it as to how bad it is, don't know if it's true. I can't wait

Meadows

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I've been through the menopause and have come out the other side. I did get a bit fed up of the periods stopping and starting: just when I thought the last one was way behind me another one turned up.

Oh it's not just me then, I first started having mild flushes about 8 years ago, then over the last few years they have got worse & worse. I get so hot and feel sick sometimes, and the bed would be soaked.
The periods got very heavy and then stopped in Sept 2007, came back for a visit in May & June 2008. Then I was okay until early March of this year and then had another visit.
Every time the periods come back so do the flushes, with a vengeance (not that they ever go away but sometimes fade to ‘I can live with them’, lately the flushes were almost not there except for a bit of cover throwing off at night.
Then hello August my special friend returned for a week bringing with it the hot flushes again.
Maybe there is light at the end of a long tunnel, just hope I'm not one of the women that never stops having the flushes.

fantasia322

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK wrote: »

I envy you :T

Someone once told me that allot of it depends on how you approach it as to how bad it is, don't know if it's true. I can't wait

People are right, I think an up-beat positive attitude helps. I just feel so totally free now. Mind you there are loads of old wives tales.
I remember my mum telling me that my gran used to say that you shouldnt wash your hair or take a bath when you had a period. Yuk, couldnt imagine anything worse. No explanation as to why you should'nt, just that you should'nt. It beggars belief where some of this old stuff comes from or what its based on

tandraig

you can go to your gp and ask for blood test to see if you are menopausal - I had a thermal ablation (dont ask!) about 8 years ago and am 55 - i get night sweats something rotten - often have to go sleep in other room as its cooler! also i get totally senior moments! cant remember why i went in kitchen (duh - to do supper!) if your periods have changed then I would ask gp if you going through menopause and take it from there. personaly - i wouldnt take hrt - was offered to me after thermal ablation. its a natural process and unless i was in pain - which i am NOT - wouldnt take medication. but its totally up to you, whatever you are comfortable with.

debidoodle

I have not had a period for a few years and in the beginning my flushes were quite severe, I did not sleep well at night, sometimes I would wake up soaking wet and really hot. I also used to wake up 3/4 times a night to use the toilet thankfully that seems to have passed. Hubby also said that I was very restless and it was a battle at times to claim some of the duvet cover, other times it was thrown off as I was sweating and hot. I have also been very short tempered and extremely tired, at work this work while taking the minutes for the meeting I fell asleep; I am very lucky as I do have a very understanding female boss. I do feel quite liberated that the time of the month is now no more.

McKneff

Post menopausal women are prone to Osteoporisis. (brittle bone disease)
You should be taking some sort of supplement to prevent this.
Medication is readilly available at health food shops and supermarkets.
Failing that google it and it recommends that you eat lots of certain foods.
Cheese, skimmed milk has more vitamins etc in it than full or half fat milk;


I wish someone had told me this earlier in my life, i have bad osteoporosis
although have not broken any bones yet.

The one thing i will say is that i sailed through the menopause and when my osteoporosis was diagnosed doctor said we'll give you hormone patches for your bones. I started then with all the symptons of a menopause yu have all described. Stood it for three months and stopped the patches. I was fine and back to my bouncy self within a month.

And yes, a state of mind doesnt cure it but it certainly helps.