Menopause Matters

Rowan9

Hello all
Met upwith myfriend from childhood days today. We meet every couple of months, both arriving by train from opposite ends (not quite) of the country and then have lunch, a couple of glasses of wine and a good chat. Ah I feel sooo much better for it. We haven't met since about Sept for different reasons and I have really missed it. Anyone do something which gives them great pleasure and a feeling of ah yes, someone understands? We discussed the lighter sleeping patterns of the last year or so and how to deal with middle of the night sleeplessness. no real answers except that it doesn't help to lie and obsess about it.
Just about to have tea - v spicy arabiatta, therefore v cheap tomato and chilli based sauce and pasta. DH bought some nice wine but i think I've probably had enough today.
Hope all well in meno land.
W

nappentass

Hiya all :wave:

wmf - thanks for that - I must organise a meet up with my friend - we've both moved (further away from each other) so will make the effort to sort something out, not just think about it.

having mini-sweats again so going back on vitamins & nettle infusions, (nickybat - check out susun weed's new menopausal years the wise woman way, been a lifeline for me earlier last year) not had any since we moved before new year.. will report back if it helps

hope everyone is coping well and as one of my clients (similar stage) said yesterday - "everyday we get 2 minutes more daylight, that's 14 minutes a week" :rotfl: - that cheered me up working on a beautiful day like yesterday - just over 6 weeks to BST :j - can you tell I get winter blues too...:D

Hugs to all

NickyBat

nappentass,
thanks for that, have a few really bad nights lately with the sweats.....and not much better days, but hey ho been on hrt for 8 days now so hoping it will start having some effect soon.

mishkanorman

Hi all,

Ive just found this thread and could do with some personal experience advice before I go to the docs, Im very young to be even considering menopause as a reason behind my symptoms so at this stage want to save some embarrassment.

If any of you could see if my symptoms sound familiar i would appreciate it, these all started around 6 months ago.
Im going through bouts of night sweats and insomnia and most nights being just really uncomfortably hot. I get a red rash up my neck and face when I have a first bit of alcohol, it fades after hour hour or so. I blush visably, not just when im embarrassed. I get really hormonal, mood swings, pmt, raging grumps etc. I get severe cramps mid-cycle, severe boob pain just before my period. Im still getting regular periods, they are however more painful and shorter than before.

I realise that no-one can give me a definate, i just dont want to waste the doctors time or be dismissed straight off the bat. Im most concerned by the hormone grumps Im getting, I cant describe it other than feeling 'flooded' by it, I really feel a black cloud descend over me, it never used to be that way.

thank you in advance !

mishka

Bronnie

Hi mischka,

Certainly your symptoms sound familiar on this thread, although they could equally have other causes. As you say, it's your GP who will advise you best and I certainly don't think you should even contemplate the fact that you are wasting his/her time...you certainly are not.

Is yours a group practice where you can see any doctor? I ask that because many practices have GP's who specialise in different areas and in my practice there is a young (compared to me!) female GP with specialist training and expertise in Menopause and she is positively brimming with enthusiam for the subject. Could you find out if there's someone with a particular specialism. My practice have the GP's areas of special interest listed in the Practice Handbook. If it turns out not to be Meno, it won't really matter and if it is Meno, you could be with the best person!

It's quite funny really, because I think I am a bit of a slow starter re Menopause, despite my age nothing much is happening for me and whenever I go to the docs, for whatever reason, she always brings up the "M" subject, like she's dying to get her teeth into some issues and I think I am a bit of a disppointment :rotfl:

Also, I would say write down everything you want to say, so you get it all out, we're all guilty of getting in the docs chair and forgetting half the important bits, I'm sure!

Good luck anyway.

PS Love your sig!

nappentass

IMHO i think 'too young' is a bit misleading - I recall times going back to late 20's early 30's asking if I was suffering meno symptoms
I've had occasional 'blips' of a few months which have passed - I suspect my body has had occasional 'wobbles' until it righted itself again - Bodies are amazing :j
I'm also noticing similar wobbles talked about by clients and ladies I know so perhaps it's more common than we realise.
If you're in anyway worried do go see a GP
hth

PudseyDB

Hello ladies.

Reading through some of the posts, I'm wondering - is it possible to be meno and have no side effects? (apart from the lack of periods that is!)

I was diagnosed as being peri-meno a month before my 38th birthday, and 3 months after my son died at birth. Several blood tests have confirmed this, and ruled out any thryoid problems. However, I have none of the supposed side effects - apart from very rare periods (2 or 3 a year). Five years on, I'm 42 now - I've never had a hot flush or sweats etc - in fact if anything, I tend to be always cool and its dp who complains its too warm!

I sometimes wonder about the risk of oesop....(cant spell it) too as I thought women with early menopause were more at risk, but no one's ever mentioned it to me.

Rowan9

Hi Pudsey - I don't know I'm afraid.Maybe you could try the site/forum mentioned in the first post?I'm so sorry about your son. That must have been so hard.
All seems a bit quiet in here. What are you up to folks?
I spent last week gadding about on days out as DH had the week off. Good fun.
Today I have started a period!! Last one was in December and the one before that, August. Anyway,I'm glad because the b00bs had started doing their premenstrual thing again and I was taking paracetomal before bed! Hopefully they'll settle a bit again.
On the food front, I've been eating more vegetarian stuff although still having my mackerel etc. Had mussels last week yum yum. My goodness they were rather fab (Cafe Royal in Edinburgh in case anyone comes this way - eat in the bar, the restaurant is more pricy).
I've been feeling much more lively and positive with the lighter days and the snowdrops all in flower now.
Sleep remains an area for improvement but am continuing with my plan to get up earlier and not succumb to slumber later in the day. Can't say I am getting more/ better sleep yet but I am optimistic!
Can anyone think of the title of a book about tackling the meno in a green way? I've had a quick read through the first few pages in this thread, on the meno website and also in Ama$on. Can't find what I'm looking for.
Went to the health shop today and they had lovely large free range eggs, 6 for 99p. Good price, so very MSE, and from a named farm. I was impressed. Also got a big bag of muesli which a guy weighed out for me, friendly chap, and it was half price. Some organic yog on offer and I got one of those dried soya mince throw it together and cook it packs (roast chicken flavour ). I was really pleased at the offers they had and also felt it was good to support the shop. However, it would have been easy to spend a lot and I'm all for getting the big bags of rice at my local Asian shop, as well as spices there.
Don't I sound all healthy-eating freak? Well, I was on my own for tea tonight and have already snaffled it - a tin of mackerel, half a pack of batchelors savoury rice (ah but i did cook extra carrot and loads of broc in it) and half a tin of mixed bean salad. Not good salt content there!!
Ok folks, off to have another search for that book.
Hope all well
W

Bronnie

PudseyDB wrote: »

Hello ladies.

Reading through some of the posts, I'm wondering - is it possible to be meno and have no side effects? (apart from the lack of periods that is!)

I was diagnosed as being peri-meno a month before my 38th birthday, and 3 months after my son died at birth. Several blood tests have confirmed this, and ruled out any thryoid problems. However, I have none of the supposed side effects - apart from very rare periods (2 or 3 a year). Five years on, I'm 42 now - I've never had a hot flush or sweats etc - in fact if anything, I tend to be always cool and its dp who complains its too warm!

I sometimes wonder about the risk of oesop....(cant spell it) too as I thought women with early menopause were more at risk, but no one's ever mentioned it to me.

Hi everyone!

Pudsey

Yes i think it's entirely possible to be meno and free of symptoms, which is precisely why I sometimes feel a fraud on this thread, despite being 53! I know I am very fortunate and have always had a very straightforward time gynae-speaking all my life. I am still having periods (8 last year ranging from the heaviest ever, to hardly worth mentioning.) This year so far I've had a normal period in Jan and Feb :cool:.

I had the merest hint of a warm glow for a few weeks last summer, barely perceptible, but I'm pretty sure that's what it was. Also, I'm fighting the weight that comes on round my middle, apart from that , symptoms-wise ....zilch! I feel exactly the same as I always have done! lucky I know, and how long will it last, who know??

Osteoporosis wise, I had a peripheral Dexa scan a few years ago after I slipped at work a couple of times in a couple of years and broke bones, being of a certain age! Everything was fine there's some info on NHS Direct here

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Osteoporosis/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx

HTH

bron
x

joyfull

Hiya Menos,

wmf - I wonder if these type of books are the 'green'type you're looking for. It's an interesting site with loads of alternative stuff on women's health. http://www.herbalmedicinehealing.com/store/default.asp

hello to newbies and old friends. Always nice to catch up with all your news. I'm struggling a bit, well, tired of endless flushing, back pain and rubbish sleep and... and.... This ageing lark is no fun. I am however practicing a way of just resting my mind deep inside myself where all this physical stuff is not noticed so much and not running off into all the 'thought stories' about it all. It's really keeping me steadier and more balanced mentally and emotionally.

LOVING the first signs of spring. Even seen some daffies out. On sunny days I try to sit in the sun's rays just to soak up the light and warmth.

Hugs to all those suffering and big smiles to those who are coasting through . XXX