Menopause Matters

elisebutt65

Well, I've been doing research and ALL the symptoms I've been suffering have also been linked go the Mirena :0

I may get it yanked and see if I go back to normal. Would be nice if this was induced externally, with a few more years to wait for the real thing

juliapenguin

Thanks to wmf for pointing me in this direction - I'm really suffering with physical and mental health problems which have coincided with the sudden stopping of my periods, and the GP has confirmed that my blood results suggest I'm menopausal...

I'm feeling very alone in this - most of my friends are younger, and the few who have been through the menopause sailed through it with no problems at all. It's DEFINITELY having an impact on us financially - I just can't earn as much as my health doesn't allow it.

I'm off out now but so happy to have found you and I'll be back!

joyfull

juliapenguin wrote: »

Thanks to wmf for pointing me in this direction - I'm really suffering with physical and mental health problems which have coincided with the sudden stopping of my periods, and the GP has confirmed that my blood results suggest I'm menopausal...

I'm feeling very alone in this - most of my friends are younger, and the few who have been through the menopause sailed through it with no problems at all. It's DEFINITELY having an impact on us financially - I just can't earn as much as my health doesn't allow it.

I'm off out now but so happy to have found you and I'll be back!

Hi Julia and big welcome,

Try not to feel alone there are many of us here to just be with you when things feel overwhelming.Strange thing is that many menopausal symptoms are way more uncomfortable and distressing than some chronic illnesses which the medical profession take very seriously indeed. Yet, we're supposed to carry on working through it all year on year. I live on a shoestring as I'm physically weak anyway and the m'pause has hit me hard. So yes, it can have big financial implications for some.

I've been doing a some relaxation (called progressive relaxation) & it has helped enormously with just not getting caught up with anxiety 'stories' in my head.

Lovely evening sun pouring through my window. Back to autumn this week though. Brrrrr......

Rowan9

So pleased to see you in here JuliaP. Your words of welcome and wise words re meno are lovely joyfull. You're right, 'it' doesn't get the recognition needed.
elise- hope you make whatever decision is the right one for you with the Mirena.
The sun is shining here - love autumn but I know that the colder weather gets to a lot of us with joint aches, arthritis etc.
Wheat bag is microwaving as I type - it really helps my shoulder. Gammon in roasting and one of those veggie roasts that you make up with water is waiting to go in too. I'm into cooking that will last a few days at the mo as I can't be faffed.
Julia - I'm nearly at the stage of enrolling with a tutoring agency or 2 - will keep you posted on how I find the whole process.
W

Mrs_P_Pincher

This is a strange question on a meno thread, but I can’t get my GP to get to grips with it. I always get asked ‘When did your periods stop?’ but I don’t think they’re ever prepared for the answer I give.

I am 56 in a couple of months. Last summer I missed one period, this summer I missed two. Otherwise I am regular as clockwork, every 28 days.

I got my FSH tested in 2009 and it was 14, but I haven’t been able to find out whether that is a peri menopausal range or what.

I have no meno symptoms whatsoever and am guessing that this is pretty unusual.

Forty years ago my Mum had a hysterectomy at 50 because her gynaecologist said that she would never go through menopause naturally. She had the op so of course we don’t know, but I’m beginning to wonder if there is anything in this.

When I had my first period, Richard Nixon was president and the Beatles were still together, so I’m really bored with it now.

Any suggestions anyone?

Mrs P P

joyfull

Hi Mrs P - Goodness, cannot help you with your unusual long cycle query, but welcome to the meno thread. Sounds very unusual, and as you say 'going on a bit....'

Armchair23

Mrs_P_Pincher wrote: »

This is a strange question on a meno thread, but I can’t get my GP to get to grips with it. I always get asked ‘When did your periods stop?’ but I don’t think they’re ever prepared for the answer I give.

I am 56 in a couple of months. Last summer I missed one period, this summer I missed two. Otherwise I am regular as clockwork, every 28 days.


I have no meno symptoms whatsoever and am guessing that this is pretty unusual.


Mrs P P

I can understand you are fed up with periods but the age range that women go through meno is given as between 40-60, so although you're getting towards the top end of that range I don't think it's abnormal in any way.

NickyBat

hi Mrs P, hope the following helps

FSH Blood Level Measurement
This is the key test to determine whether or not you are in menopause. A sample of your blood is taken to measure the levels of FSH -- follicle stimulating hormone -- in your blood. Because your FSH levels rise when your ovaries stop producing enough estrogen, high FSH levels can signal that your body is entering menopause.

• Normal FSH day 3 value is 3-20 mlU/ml
• FSH levels above 10 to 12 mlu/ml indicate that your ovaries are starting to fail. In other words, this means that you are in perimenopause -- the beginning stages of menopause when you notice physical symptoms, but before you have stopped having a period for a year, or have "diminished ovarian reserve"
• Higher FSH levels -- levels about 30 to 40 or above -- are usually taken to signal menopause or ovarian failure. You may even be getting periods with your FSH levels this high, but it still is a sign that your body isn't producing enough estrogen to maintain regular ovarian function.
• Keep in mind that you may end up with FSH levels that are well in the post-menopausal range, but still be getting a period. This is one of the things that differentiates premature menopause or premature ovarian failure from "regular" menopause (i.e. menopause that occurs to older women after a full year without a period). Yet again, this hammers home the unfortunate fact that you may indeed be in premature menopause even if you're having periods. Once your FSH levels have reached a certain height for a period of time, it's highly unlikely that they'll drop back to premenopausal levels. In my case, even after my FSH was tested at over 150, I had apparently normal periods for eight months. Then when I was retested -- hoping that somehow my body had snapped back to normal, I learned that my FSH level had dropped. . . . but only to 126. Since my FSH levels had been well above 35 for over a year, I finally accepted that my ovaries had failed.
• As mentioned above, because hormone levels can and do fluctuate, remember that the FSH is far from foolproof. Some women can test with a high FSH, then revert to normal levels the next month...and so on. Again, it's generally wise to get tested more than once.

elisebutt65

I must ring up and get my blood test results - had them done aaaages ago and keep putting it off:o

It's Sunday night and I already feel like I could sleep for a week - haven't even started yet - :eek::eek:

Doesn't help that I started a new job and I'm now doing a full 42 hours a week and bringing up a stroppy nearly teen(11) and my uber stroppy 16 yr old(DS1) on my own - the weekends seem to be more exhausting than the weekdays!

Just had what I like to call a Tarantino period (TMI?) Totally gross - still on going though - off and on:(:(

It's the worst possible time with induction going on at college all week and my new tutorial responsibilities - I just have so much to do and I keep forgetting half of it! Notes scattered everywhere:rotfl::rotfl:

Managed to get DS1 onto a college course though as he didn't get the grades for A Levels, so it's BTEC city for him - just hope he realises how hard it was to get him on the course - major strings pulled!!!!!

I allowed myself an extra 2 hours in bed this morning and still had to have a 2 hour nap this evening!Then had to sit down and do some lesson planning for the week ahead - still have a major Scheme of Work to do but we don't start teaching until next week so I can't be !!!!!d!!!:)
Been totally stroppy with everyone and I'm getting looks like I've got 2 heads:rotfl:I'll just tell them I going through puberty again;)

NickyBat

Ah yes the elusive sleep...........it takes me all my time to get through a whole day. if i am home i try and have a little power nap.....but that has been known to last 2 hours!