OS menopause memories?

GreyQueen

I'm going through the menopause right now and haven't yet had a hot flush, although I did have some short-temperedness last year, and a few night terrors. Have had nothing untoward since changing to a low carb high veg high nuts and seeds diet 5 months ago.

It isn't a given that the menopause is a slew of unpleasant symptoms. We're all unique and will have different menopauses. Some women barely notice it's happening. I sure as heck don't stockpile sanpro these days.

I'm very much looking forward to being able to plan a holiday without fretting about where I am in my cycle.

monnagran

GQ. It's amazing how quickly you get used to not having to consult the calendar before a holiday or any big event. It's wonderful.

It's also amazing how quickly you forget that you ever had to do it in the first place.

I wonder if the way the menopause affects a body depends what else is going on at the time.
I was going through a particularly nasty and vindictive divorce, dealing with a very troubled and confrontational adolescent son, and fighting to keep my school going despite the manipulative efforts of the committee that managed the building I rented to get me closed down so that they could sell the building. The menopause was the least of my worries, I had no time, energy or inclination to pay it any attention and so it passed almost unnoticed.

I really wouldn't want to go through that time again, the menopause may or may not have been awful but it just disappeared into the general chaos that was my life at the time.

x

moneyistooshorttomention

Thinking back and I dont think I ever planned anything around periods. The thought literally didnt occur to me and, if it had, would have swiftly been followed by the thought "Would a man plan his life around his body? I ain't going to either then...."

In the event - my periods for quite some years were so long/heavy/erratic that I would have been "caught out" by them anyway and the plans would often not have worked out. I never knew when they would turn up - and it was often at the most inconvenient times. I had no need to check out they turned up on the day just-in-case - so I forgot about them until the next time I thought "Damn - here it is again".

I must say that there are two things in life that I looked forward to the end of and thought I would sit there literally every day being thankful they were no longer part of my life - that was periods and having to do a job to get my income. If I do ever remember those two things I think "Thank goodness that's over with....:)" - but it's surprising how quickly I forgot about both those things once they were over:rotfl:

candygirl

I had a hysterectomy, n removal of ovaries at 37, so went straight into a surgical menopause, n have been on HRT ever since.If I forget to take it, I get really weepy n ratty:(

CathA

My mum, who would have been 83 this year, was offered some form of HRT but didn't take it . (Mind you this was years ago ) She used to tell me about the night sweats, the throwing off of the sheets and blankets, the waking up with sweat running down her front etc. In the day she used to wear layers and take them off as and when. Her night sweats in particular went on for at least 10 years if I remember, if not longer.
I've tried natural remedies, diet, all sorts and eventually had HRT for a few years as the night sweats were driving me insane. I would be awake for hours trying not to move so as not to set off another bout of sweating. I'm up to about 10 years or so so far and the night sweats are getting better but if I'm anything like my mum in expecting to have them for a while yet. I've not used HRT for years tho, they were a help over the time when things were really bad.

Happy_One

Having a little smile as I had my last period at 52 and now at nearly 68 still have night sweats now and again, just don't worry about them Have spoken to friends who say they have the same problem. Never had HRT, didn't want to take any risks, worked full time till I was just passed 60 and was told by the Doctors I worked with that women who worked or filled their life with lots of things had far fewer symptoms as no time to worry about it

candygirl

Happy_One wrote: »

Having a little smile as I had my last period at 52 and now at nearly 68 still have night sweats now and again, just don't worry about them Have spoken to friends who say they have the same problem. Never had HRT, didn't want to take any risks, worked full time till I was just passed 60 and was told by the Doctors I worked with that women who worked or filled their life with lots of things had far fewer symptoms as no time to worry about it

My life couldn't have been fuller, and no distraction techniques could make up for the sudden plunge in hormones , due to removal of womb and ovaries :rotfl:

suki1964

Funnily enough it's me with the night sweats and yet it's hubby that's soaking the bed

He's really hot bloodied and he will insist on cuddling, after completely wrapping himself up in a duvet. I can cope if there's a sheet tucked in between us. He hates it as he feels like I'm pushing him away, where as I'm just trying to get a comfortable nights sleep

dandy-candy

CathA wrote: »

I'm up to about 10 years or so so far and the night sweats are getting better but if I'm anything like my mum in expecting to have them for a while yet.

I hadn't realised until I read people's here's comments that it is quite normal for it to go on over a considerable period of time. I'm actually astounded menopause isn't discussed more, I'm certain we never covered it in depth at school. Also there seems to be a barrage of ads and articles about period products and pms, but I never see any mention of menopause!

moneyistooshorttomention

I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking "just where WAS that information about how prolonged it can be?".

In my experience it's not the sort of thing women talk about amongst themselves that much. "That" agegroup of women will probably throw in a casual remark in conversation to each other about either being on HRT or not being on HRT for it. I think probably most women I know don't use it. I only came across two that went in for prolonged use of it (ie until their 60s or 70s). One I knew in the past and one I know now and they both seemed to feel it helped them keep their looks - :lipsrseal.

Maybe the lack of information is down to my own generation (ie Baby Boomers) are probably the first ones that would openly talk about it (as we openly talk about pretty much everything else:rotfl:)- but we feel we can't do so because we are having to minimise the fact of feeling ill that way in order to function fully as a "person" in what is still, to a large extent, a man's world.

Hence the main reason for the way I didn't even work out when periods were due and plan around them - as I simply refused to let anything that was down to being a woman affect my life for the worse iyswim.

But I do think women are entitled to know how lengthy it may be and that it may possibly have an effect on them personally (ie their emotions being different to what they would be of themselves iyswim). Thankfully I wasnt one of the ones that had their emotions affected by it - but I do believe some of the women who say theirs were affected.