Female stuff---ARRRRGH!

[GoingNorth]

Okay. I'm pushing fifty real hard. Have had all the sx of menopause, and had my last cycle at the end of August.

I really thought I was done with all the fuss.

Guess what just showed up? Yep...my "little friend"! I am hoping this is just spotting, but the dandy case of cramps and fibro flareing don't seem to indicate that.

Ugh...I need to go lay down with a hot water bottle on my belly...

 

[klmno]

Yep- it happens and I remember posting a similar post a few months ago. I think Witz abd a few others said this is not uncommon. I think mine have finally stopped but I guess you never know. I will say that it never got easier, and might have even been harder on me from an energy, pain, and sleep standpoint.

 

[gcvmom]

Oh bummer! I'm sorry you're feeling lousy

 

[GoingNorth]

Yeah...this is already feeling like one of those "bottle of ibuprofen" periods. Cramps, joint pain (my knees and back hurt like hell when it's that time of the month), and I'm flowing like crazy.

I called my mom for her memories of menopause, and she said that she had the same sort of thing happen a few times as well before she finally "quit" for good. and, like what is said here, she felt worse during those final periods than she had before.

She did advise me to see the doctor if it turns into continual spotting or the flow is unusually heavy for me, as that can be a sx of other female problems.

Kvetch. Kvetch. Kvetch (and blech for good measure)

 

[klmno]

Well the good news is that it eventually does stop, as you know. I think mine is over because I'm finally starting to feel normal again instead of a moody basketcase. I'm sure some of that had to do with difficult child issues, but I think some of it was MP, too. If difficult child had to leave home for a year for any reason, he should be glad it was this past year. LOL!

 

[GoingNorth]

Yeah...I guess I figured out why I was so darned cranky the last week or so. I even told myself that it was weird to feel that way since I'd stopped and it couldn't be PMS, LoL

Today was good day for cranky anyway. In addition to feeling very "out of sorts", I spent most of the AM in the dentist's chair getting a few of my badly damaged lower teeth drilled out and restored (will be nice once all the work is done. Right now it just looks weird because half my lower teeth are one color and the unfixed ones are another color.

Survived that and then went off to the lab to get my Depakote and liver levels drawn. I got what must have been a trainee tech because she had to dig around like crazy to get a good draw, even though I told her exactly what veins were still usable.

Normally I'm pretty good at this sort of thing, but today it nearly sent me over the edge this time.

I'm in a helluva mood, LoL

 

[klmno]

If this is the first one you've had since August, my guess is that you won't have more than 1 or 2 more, at the most. Maybe this will be the last one.

 

[GoingNorth]

Maybe if I jump up and down some it'd shake the remaining eggs loose?

Actually, my knees and back hurt to much to do any jumping around, LoL

Man, I'm feeling even more hormonal than usual, I guess. At least I don't have to worry about getting pregnant.

If I do, look for a new star rising in the East.

 

[Marguerite]

Maybe if I jump up and down some it'd shake the remaining eggs loose?

I wish! Unfortunately, it's not tat simple. The "last hurrah" is not necessarily associated with ovulation, it's just the hormonal ups and downs triggering it.

In my case, I had to go onto HRT to make it stop, I was getting periods so often, for so long and so heavy, that I was rapidly getting anaemic. My haemoglobin was dropping by 10 g/litre each cycle, and the cycles were coming sometimes every couple of weeks and lasting ten days. That was ten days of several packs a day (of everything).

HRT - stopped it like a tap turning off. I took the first pill, and it stopped within hours.

I went off HRT about 18 months later when it was noticed tat my BiPolar (BP) was going up and a doctor suggested I begin to take BiPolar (BP) medications. I said, "How about I stop HRT instead?"
I did it cautiously, there was a little breakthrough mild flow, then nothing. That's it - all the menopause symptoms have bypassed me pretty much, although I've noticed what possibly could be "tropical moments" lately. Or it could just be a hot summer! But I'll take that over heavy, crampy periods any day!

Marg

 

[GoingNorth]

Well, the "tropical moments" hadn't quit yet. And you know it's a BAD hotflash when you walk out on the steps in your pajamas...and it's 5degrees F outside.

I'm sure I'll live. I don't want to try HRT at this point. Its not commonly used anymore in the states from what I understand, and I'd rather not deal with that and weaning off of it.

At this point; I am just going to bear with "it" and hope it quits soon.

I don't think I ovulated this time either, since I normally get "middlepain" when I ovulate I can feel it happen, and nothing happened this time.

I agree that it is most likely just hormonal weirdness. Looking back, I can see where I was unusually moody for the past few weeks (I mean, REALLY moody. I'm bipolar so you can imagine PMS on top of that, ugh!)

I should get my medication levels back in the next couple of days so should know if those are OK. I hope they are as I HATE messing with dosages on my mood stabilizer.

 

[Marguerite]

I agree about the HRT. I went on it because the alternative was a hysterectomy. I can't take iron, so the only treatment for the anaemia (if I didn't do something fast) was a blood transfusion. I was about two months away from a transfusion and about the same time away from hysterectomy.

I'm very glad to have avoided both. And extremely glad to have turned off the tap.

If you can get away with not needing HRT, that is great. If this is a one-off for you, then I doubt HRT will be recommended.

Marg

 

[GoingNorth]

They don't seem to recommend it anymore for menopause other than very early (to retain bone mass) or after early full hysterectomies. And in those cases they carry it on to a reasonable time for normal menopause.

I've been through a pharmeceutical menopause already to try and stop endometriosis from spreading, so I know what the sx feel like.

I'll be fifty in July so the timing is right for a natural menopause. Just wasn't quite ready for this. (and not enjoying it, either)

 

[LittleDudesMom]

I can relate.

I had my last period in May. Prior to that I had a period every other month for two years. My doctor said I was in peri mena at that point. She told me that I would have to go 12 months without a period to be considered mena.

So, the morning I get back from my 50th birthday trip to Charleston, it hits with a vengance! I've suffered with extremely painful, pain medications and muscle relaxers rx'd, periods since highschool. I was so excited.........now I have to start over!

So, I feel ya! I've not had some of the other common signs like drying skin, hot flashes. I am loosing a little more hair than usualy when my doctor says happens........nice.

Sharon

 

[GoingNorth]

I hear you on the dry skin and hair. With heat running all the time, combined with hair loss being a side effect of Depakote, my tub looks like someone gave Sasquatch a shower and combout in there.

Given what falls out, I'm surprised I have any hair left at all.

And, of course, I ITCH...constantly from the dry skin and I had dry skin to start with. Noticed that my face is starting to get fuzzy, too. Luckily, my body hair is very thin and fine and nearly colorless, so I don't anticipate the meno-moustache becoming an issue for me.

 

[hearts and roses]

Ugh, I feel for you GN. My sisters and my closest friend went 11 months without and then out of the blue it showed up again...argh. They all said the same as you - it was worse than ever. And not one of them had any supplies in the house!!! Thankfully, it does eventually go away for good. Wish mine would.

 

[GoingNorth]

thankfully, I'd been carrying a partial box of tampons around with me in my suitcase because before this latest hormonal mayhem my cycles had become very irregular.

I managed to find those and think I'll be fine with those. If not, I can always run out for more.

 

[skeeter]

I've gone 6 months, 4 months, 1 month, 6 months, and now it's been 8 months. I'm hoping this time it will stay gone.
I get hot flashes a lot, especially at night. I wake up sweating, toss off all the covers, then wake up again 30 minutes or so later freezing cuz husband has all the covers.

 

[GoingNorth]

yeah, skeeter. I have my bed made up in layers of bedding so I can strip off a layer or two when needed.

For the past couple of years I've worn layered clothing like a long sleeved shirt over a tshirt so I can basically do the same thing.

At least being chilly, you can always add layers. You do much about being too warm if you are already naked.