Questions about "the change" (apologies to the board guys)

[mstang67chic]

Before I start, I'll say that, yes, I plan on seeing my doctor. I just wanted to get some non-technical information from MY experts!

I have a sneaking suspision that I'm in the very early stages of menopause .....I think.

First of all, my cycle is no longer a cycle. I've been bad about keeping track (meaning I haven't LOL) but basically I've been spotting off and on since spring. At one point I did it for an entire month with one week of heavy spotting....like a period but not. Once in awhile I'll spot a day or two and then nothing for days but usually the spotting is every couple of weeks. To be on the safe side though, I pretty much wear a pad constantly. The good thing about this is that I have endometriosis so "normal" periods are usually extremely painful for me....the spotting? Not a twinge. Ok, so maybe I feel a bit "pinchy" at times but compared to my "usual"...pffft.

Also, and this may just be a coincidence, I've noticed that the last couple of weeks, my usual deodorant hasn't been lasting the day like it had been. Is this something that happens during menopause? I'll use the same amount I always do and by the end of even my work day.... I can smell a bit of rankness and I feel.....sticky. Obviously your body chemistry changes during menopause but this is something I hadn't heard about and thought I'd ask.

Otherwise...I haven't had any emotional issues normally associated with menopause. I've been on an AD for awhile and I"m still taking it but I feel pretty good. Actually my stress level is down since difficult child moved into his own place. (Did I post about that???? We are officially empty nesters!!! ) Anyhoo....no mood swings, no hot flashes, nothing out of the ordinary other than what I already mentioned. And let me tell you...when I have "normal" periods....there is more than a tad of PMS. (Just ask husband)

So....any of this ring any bells with anyone?

 

[Jena]

ok i've been in it for 3 years.with one word i can describe SUX!

i am hot when i should be cold, i am cold when i probably should be hot. i cry at times when i shouldn't and should be stronger, emotions are often out of wack. my weight has found itself to my belly and hips whereas years prior it did at times evenly distribute.

sleep disturbances i have found bite also. not knowing when my period will hit. i feel like i should be wearing a diaper LOL. it's sort of like everything's outta wack. bigtime. i take purified fish oil seems to help a little in keeping me balanced. yet it isnt' easy.

men become mature, us we just get old??

grey hair, hair in places i didnt' know it could even grow, less hair on my head. wrinkles for my wrinkles. dry skin ugh i hate that part of it. ok i think i'm done.

welcome to the other side!!!!!

one good thing i gotta say that comes with this age i find is i dont' care so much anymore what ppl think. emotionally its a good thing.

 

[Jena]

oh and one other the hot flashes. i could feel like i'm laying in the sun when i'm in a cold room and i am just soo hot it's unlike anything i've ever experienced. i feel like i need a frozen drink or something and suntan oil. i haven't found a cure for that yet. just keeping windows open and freezing rest of my ppl here. you going to get a hormone level test? i got one and i just laughed when saw results. dr was like wow your young, but you are soo menopausal. yay!!

 

[KTMom91]

Well, Stang, I suspect I'm getting there myself. Periods appear at strange times, ranging from every two weeks to every two months, and last a day, three days, a week, who knows. I'm gaining weight. The PMS cravings have become CRAVINGS. I am hot. All the time. I sweat. A lot. My deodorant seems to be failing me every so often (glad you added that...I just thought it was me, and had no idea why). Cramps have lessened in the front and intensified in my lower back. I actually have hair on my chinny-chin-chin...and my neck. Just a few, but they get really long because I'm too blind to see them. Then I have to have Hubby get out one of his many flashlights and the tweezers, and let me tell you, that is NOT FUN because he can't see either. Haven't had any additional sleep disorders; maybe because my sleep is already disordered!

My sympathies. This hoovers greatly.

 

[muttmeister]

OK, so I'm OLD...but I still vaguely remember menopause. Actually, I had very few symptoms. I never had any problems before with my periods and when menopause came, they just became shorter with longer spaces in between. I don't think I had any big mood swings; no emotional problems. Just great joy at not having to deal with that any more. A few hot flashes, but not like a lot of people have. And now that I'm well past it, life is better than ever.

Advice: get a good facial skin moisturizer - it's worth the money. Plan to slather on body lotion every day, especially in cold weather. Find a hair style that's easy to keep and looks fabulous on you. If you color your hair, have fun with it. Mine is bright red. Everybody knows at my age it's gray anyway so I pick a color that looks good on me and makes me smile. Don't dress like a teenager but don't dress like an old lady either. Have fun with what you wear. Do see the doctor to make sure that you are really dealing with what you think you are. No sense in taking chances.

I am tired of people saying how good men have it and that we get old. We get fabulous the older we get. My life is better than it's ever been.

 

[witzend]

I thought I was on my way to done with a 7 month break from cycles. Until last month, when I started all over again. HARUMPH!

 

[klmno]

I think I'm on the tail end- and it's not a day too soon. Signs seem to be deecreasing but are still there. I definitely suffered from hot flashes and I think that played a big part in the sleep disturbances. Of course stress and nightmares about difficult child didn't help either. Now at the early stages when hot flashes first began, my deoderant worked. I ended up switching brands along the line because that brand got too expensive. I've tried several types since then and none seem to work half as good. At least that's what I thought- that it was the brand- but you might be onto something about it being related to menopause and maybe it has nothing to do with the brand. Maybe now that I'm employed again I'll try the one I used to use and see if that does the trick or not.

 

[Lothlorien]

I started having perimenopausal symptoms about four years ago. They tend to come and go. I started taking Vitex (vitamin supplement at a health food store) and that helped a lot. You only take it for about six weeks. It relieved a lot of my symptoms for quite a while. When they come back, I start back on it again.

 

[Hound dog]

Hmmm. With that near constant spotting and the history of endometriosis.......make certain to make a gyn appointment for yourself.

My cycles became irreg. One month I might spot lightly, the next be normal. Then I had about a year with the hot flashes that nearly drove husband insane because I'd have the windows open in the bedroom in the dead of winter. Started having dry skin which has never been an issue. Then instead of normal cycles I'd just spot maybe a couple days. PMS symptoms were over the top though which svcked big time. Then it just stopped and stayed stopped. No more symptoms.

I've been done for hmm maybe 3 yrs now.

 

[DammitJanet]

I have no idea if I am in menopause or not. Last time they checked my levels I still wasnt. I think I have symptoms but who knows. I had a partial hysterectomy so I cant tell by periods...lol. I do know I have hot flashes and I thought my dry skin and thinning hair was due to menopause but that turned out to be thyroid. Mood swings? How would I tell?

 

[BusynMember]

Janet, the others gave you good input. I wanted to add that I had almost no symptoms (maybe because of my AD), but the temperature dysregulation was a biotch. I was hot when I should be cold...for a while I was hot all the time...lol. I'd open the window when it was below zero...lol. I found that fans are good. You can just turn 'em on when you get hot and nobody else has to freeze. Fortunately, that has pretty much gone away now, but it hoovered big time.

For me, one day I just stopped getting my period. I was 53. I don't miss it

 

[skeeter]

I started with the hot flashes - had them for over 5 years. My periods were always a mess, so the only change there was I wouldn't have one for a while, then I'd get one, then I wouldn't. I haven't had one for 16 months now, so I hope that means it's finally over. I had the same deodorant issues - had to switch to the "clinical, heavy dose" stuff.
My metabolism stopped. This happens to all the women in my family. I was always skinny, I've gained about 10 lbs and I absolutely cannot get it off no matter what I do.
My worst problem was a change in how my migraines manifested. They were almost always tied to my period, and would hit about 2pm. With no hormone fluctuation, they started hitting during the night and would put me down and out for 2 or more days. I'm not on a small dose of anti-depressant and neurotransmitter blocker to help control them (since July - seems to be working).

 

[mstang67chic]

Well....while it's annoying, if the spotting is the worst of it....I'll be happy. Somehow though....I doubt it will be this easy. Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[lmf64]

I have been in the midst of all the other symptoms for about 4 years now. I haven't had a period in over 3 years and before that it was every three to four months for a year or so. I hadn't thought of the deodorant thing until now, just reapplied after a sink bath in the afternoon. The hot flashes are what get me now, oh and the night sweats. difficult child yells at me for having a fan on all night in a house without the furnace on, but believe me I need it blowing on my head or I get no sleep. My hormone levels a year ago said that I was in the early stages (which I couldn't believe since I hadn't menstruated in over 2 years at that time, but whatever). I told doctor last physical that I was only going to go through one more pap and I meant it. This is the last year I'll go through that!

 

[hearts and roses]

I am still cyclic, though the cycle is shorter. I had an endometrial ablation last year I think and it has helped as far as the heaviness/flow goes - much much better. I still have months where it will be heavier than others, but nothing compared to what it was. I started with night sweats about 10 years ago. Those still afflict me on occasion.

What I have noticed from keeping track is that the few days leading up to my monthly I will have wicked hot flashes, night sweats, I will develop underarm odor (don't usually have that) and my whole body is achy. I still have cramping, though not near what it used to be. I have regular pms symptoms anyway, but thhe day before and first day I bleed are the absolute worst in terms of depression...like today!

According to my family history and my gyno, it can last a while. The best suggestions to keep night sweats and hot flashed at bay or to a minimum include eating healthy fats and getting daily exercise.

Best of luck~I don't think meno has to be horrible.

 

[Star*]

Being unemployed I swear they put all the good news on tv during the DAY when employed and irritable people NEED it. I'm convinced it's another conspiracy (opens notebook and makes yet another entry into consipiracy theory book)

So anyway, last week on Dr. Oz? They had this fantastic segment and show on Perimenopause. Everything that you described. Right down to WHICH you should use and why - antipersperant or deoderant and why. Because one has way more aluminum in it to block perspiration - and no it is NOT causing breast cancer (proven fact). So swab it on. Also they had ideas on doing shots of natural juices (i think wheat grass - it looked horid) to boost the oxygen in your blood, to assist your body in perspiring less, and........they had things on there like the ICE pillow, which you throw into your freezer and then go to sleep at night with then discard when your body temp is regulated. Brilliant.

He talked about why our body temps regulate and had a specialist on there telling us that we are NOT crazy and we are NOT going crazy and that this 'period' of time can last for from 3 months to ten years. (get in, sit down, buckle up, hang on guys). The ovaries during our 'fertile years' produce boatloads of hormones and thats good so we can supposedly make healthy babies. Then that starts to decline, in different women at different times - and as the hormones diminish the brain and the ovaries have what is like miscommunication an all sorts of whacky things happen to our bodies - temperature fluxes, loss of memory, crazy periods, food cravings - it's like we're nuts. For intents and purpose? We're not, we're just outta whack.

There are several natural things/herbs that we can take to help with this - and I can't remember what they are now, but I swear by black cohosh for those powersurges. I took it religiously for 3 months - and when they stopped? I think I sent the rest to another member here. I mean I couldn't get my temperature regulated if I packed myself in ice. After taking that? Nothing happened. Back to normal. I lost a bunch of weight and that seemed to regulate my periods more than anything - I was going for a full hysterectomy and oophorectomy --I was miserable, missing work and everything because of the severity. Lost 130lbs - and now? Fairly normal but due to perimenopause? My body thinks I need one every 3 weeks, but only for 3-4 days. I am not a candidate for pills or shots - I gain weight and get very cranky. I do have hair loss - Oh see my pictures...but that could be from a number of things health wise or genetics, or a difficult child - (I'm banking on Dude) - It's better than it was and growing back thanks to WEN - but not on top - so I'm in for a fancy comb-over style.

As far as diet? Well if you're over 35? You should NEVER eat after 7PM anyway if you have any desire to loose weight - and if you want to keep mobile - move. This new way of life I've been doing is easy, and I don't exercise - If I did? OMG I'd be soooo built..I'm just kinda there....only thinner than I was.

I think you can probably check out Dr. Oz's web site and look for that show it had TONS of information about perimenopause. At a useable and understandable level. The only thing that grossed me out was the rubber uterus. Blech. Could have gone all day without seeing that. So be warned. BUT it did say that your OBGYN and your GYN is NOT the person to see for Peri-menopause. There are specialists that you can seek out that have a better understanding of what your brain and ovaries are talking or rather not talking about - and THAT is who you want to talk to.

I think surviving this? Is a piece of struddel after a difficult child.....and all the accoutriments that came with THAT fun part of life. I rather feel like I'm outside the gates of OZ as one of the characters giving my speech - perhaps as the lion with a flowerpot on my head and a rug for my robe - "Hot flashes? I'll not turn into ashes!....You think this is B.O? (holds up arms high) I got a kid you should know!, You think YOU got PMS? Try facing a school board with this mess (points to difficult child), ? Your hormones all crazy? My kid ate a daisy!" Lemme at 'em....Lemme at 'em!

Yeah somethin like that.....tffffpth.

 

[SRL]

What cinched it for me was the body temperature. It just crept up on me without my realizing it. I'd been seeing my gyn for various symptoms (dryness, irregular periods) when he suggested perimenopause. He went down the list and I denied hot flashes, memory issues, etc. Then on the way home I stopped at the grocery store and realized I was spending extra time in the dairy aisle because it was cold and felt so good.