OS menopause memories?

moneyistooshorttomention

I'm inclined to agree with you dandycandy re info.

Prior to the menopause my knowledge of it could have about been written on a postcard. It boiled down to:

- the last period is on average at 52 years old
- menopause takes up to 2 years (yeh right:rotfl::rotfl:)
- there might be the occasional hot flush or night sweat (but no big deal)
- periods will gradually become less and less frequent - until they stop altogether.
- you can take HRT if you like and will stop taking it at about the time you have your last period. No side-effects natch. No postponement of menopause syptoms and they probably happen anyway later on natch.

Thats that.

I felt a bit cynical as to just why anyone would actually want to take HRT - as the info. just stated about there might be the occasional hot flush or night sweat and so I thought "Why would anyone take a drug for as little as that?" <puzzled smilie>

So there was something that didnt quite ring true about how little bother the menopause apparently would be - as otherwise HRT would, presumably, not be around.

I guess it's like a lot of other specifically "female" issues and there is very little info. out there. In recent years I've been reading some of the accounts of pregnancy/childbirth/afterwards even! (where I just assumed everything went totally "back to normal" for everyone) and there was absolutely zilch realistic information out there about that - until women started comparing notes over the Internet in recent years.

Bet there's quite a bit out there about prostate cancer though for instance....:cool:

moneyistooshorttomention

Lainey

You've got me wondering about the feet.

I'm used to just getting out of bed/off the sofa/etc and putting feet on floor and start walking without thinking twice about it. For last couple of years or so I often find that, on first putting my feet on floor, that they don't feel quite "right" and I hear the bones clicking back into place in them. I am/will still carry on with my "just start walking as per normal" attitude and it might take a few strides before they are back to normal. They can sometimes give me a bit of discomfort whilst I'm actually out walking around too and I'm there walking along thinking "Discomfort in right toes go. Discomfort GO right now" whilst carrying on walking and hoping that sort of incident isnt going to go happen much longer.

Wonder if that's a menopause thing? I have been wondering whether my Vit D supplement I've just bought will put my feet back to normal.

I've got a book en route now from Amazon about joints and things - as I'm trying to track down the cause of this in order to get rid of it. Hadnt occurred to me it might be a menopause thing...

LaineyT

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Lainey

You've got me wondering about the feet.

I'm used to just getting out of bed/off the sofa/etc and putting feet on floor and start walking without thinking twice about it. For last couple of years or so I often find that, on first putting my feet on floor, that they don't feel quite "right" and I hear the bones clicking back into place in them. I am/will still carry on with my "just start walking as per normal" attitude and it might take a few strides before they are back to normal. They can sometimes give me a bit of discomfort whilst I'm actually out walking around too and I'm there walking along thinking "Discomfort in right toes go. Discomfort GO right now" whilst carrying on walking and hoping that sort of incident isnt going to go happen much longer.

Wonder if that's a menopause thing? I have been wondering whether my Vit D supplement I've just bought will put my feet back to normal.

I've got a book en route now from Amazon about joints and things - as I'm trying to track down the cause of this in order to get rid of it. Hadnt occurred to me it might be a menopause thing...

Yes, exactly that, it's definetly worse first thing in the morning, feels like my heels are tight and need stretching out IYKWIM, also happens when I get off the sofa if have been sitting a while? I just assumed that it was an ageing thing until locked into the fact that timing was in line with menopause? It's just such a huge change for a woman's body that who knows how it affects. Can't help thinking that if it was men that went through it there would be more dedicated research into symptoms etc.... or is that just me being cynical :cool:

moneyistooshorttomention

Well - if you're cynical - then make that two of us that are then...as so am I...:cool:

There does still seem to be this thing that we don't "matter" quite so much I feel....

Well I'm sorry - but I do read that blog by "A girl called Jack" sometimes and I do sympathise with her/his/their/ummmm? attitude of "Why do they all seem to want to know what sex my body is? What is that to do with ME/the person?"

beecher2

dandy-candy wrote: »

Interesting about the vitamin D. Now it's school holidays, the kids are sleeping in until late afternoon and not leaving the house before 3pm - I expect them to have rubber bones by September

I've been waking up feeling sick a lot this week and Google tells me that this can be caused by sleep apnea. DH has told me many times over the last couple of years that I hold my breath during my sleep. I was just looking that up and it said it can be due to being overweight (which I am) but also hormone changes during menopause! Yet another menopause symptom I had never heard of.
I really think more should be done to inform us about the change!

Do you wake up choking and unable to catch a breathe? I had that a few times last year, it was quite scary. If so, I can add this to my list, I swear I've had just about every symptom but never seem to have them at the same time.

If anyone finds they have digestive problems, I can thoroughly recommend probiotics from Holland and Barrett. I've got the 20 billion ones and it has transformed my stomach. I was off sick for a month as the pain was so bad so I am so pleased to have got this under control. Not sure if it is hormones, or just because of taking 3 lots of antibiotics (after going 20 years without having any - raging) and then iron tablets.

Right now, my only symptoms are a burning ear and tingling fingers and toes on the right hand side. Anything that doesn't involved pain is fine by me so long may it continue like this.

beecher2

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Wonder if that's a menopause thing? I have been wondering whether my Vit D supplement I've just bought will put my feet back to normal.

I

Worth giving it a go, my neck and shoulder pains probably took about 3 months to improve after taking vitamin D, though it could've been down to other factors I suppose. Not sure if magnesium made a difference.


Still suspect I could be taking all these supplements and they are making no difference whatsover, but who knows.

lessonlearned

I saw a nutritionist several months ago. IBS! GERD! And fibromyalgia. I am now post menopausal. She prescribed a change of diet and several supplements. I have followed her guidelines and my life has been transformed.

Since then I try to stick to a Paleo type diet, avoiding night shades as much as possible and load with up with masses of fresh veg, salads and just a little fruit. No grain at all, just a few nuts and seeds.

Following her advice I now take probiotics. I now swear by them.

I find magnesium oil works well. I add it to my bath about three times a week, I sleep like a log afterwards. You canalso massage it daily into affected muscles and joints. I have bought some you can drink - not tried it yet.

Money....I have had issues with feet too. I was advised to alternate shoe types, not to wear flats all the time - just as bad as heels apparently and never to wear flip flops or ballet pump type shoes. No support for the arches. I was also told to keep my feet warm so in winter I wear thermal socks and have warm linings in shoes and boots. Also try stretching the hamstrings. If they are tight they can lead to foot pain.

Btw Holland and Barrett have their penny sale on at the moment. I shall be stocking up ......

Currently in the garden soaking up some vitamin D.

moneyistooshorttomention

That's the trouble sometimes beecher - you don't want to feel you're wasting your money/going to unnecessary hassle - but you have to try just-in-case that's what the problem is....

Will bear that in mind that it took you 3 months to get through those pains then. I suspect the 3 month timing is probably round about "bang on the mark" for "if it's going to make a difference - then it will" about a lot of things.

edit; yep....and I've been having acid reflux/heartburn (ie Gerd then...) for a while now. Definitely now wondering if things I think of as "illness" are actually post-menopausal stuff iyswim - rather than "illness" per se. Have just received 3 fermentation jars through and have got plans on making fermented food from the garden - got my cabbage for sauerkraut growing as we speak.

beecher2

lessonlearned wrote: »

I saw a nutritionist several months ago. IBS! GERD! And fibromyalgia. I am now post menopausal. She prescribed a change of diet and several supplements. I have followed her guidelines and my life has been transformed.

I'm quite tempted to do that - do you just find one privately? What sort of tests did she do, or was it more a case of telling her what you eat and what conditions you have?

I wish my doctor had told me about probiotics rather than giving me co-codamol for my stomach pain. Still waiting for an ultrasound 8 weeks later so just as well it it has cleared.

beecher2

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

edit; yep....and I've been having acid reflux/heartburn (ie Gerd then...) for a while now. Definitely now wondering if things I think of as "illness" are actually post-menopausal stuff iyswim - rather than "illness" per se. Have just received 3 fermentation jars through and have got plans on making fermented food from the garden - got my cabbage for sauerkraut growing as we speak.

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-ultra-maximum-acidophilus-capsules-60031614

probiotics I used - I know a lot of people have used Symprove but it is sooo expensive.