Let's talk menopause!

[auntpolly]

Give me an "M".....give me an "E".......

Seriously, I'm not all that freaked out about getting old but I'd really appreciate any experiences - especially if they have to do with hot flashes. I am getting a little sick of them and have been having trouble sleeping.

Anyone have any ideas that have worked for them? How long did your menopause last?

 

[tevagirl]

Except for the hot flashes, forgetting stuff, being snarky and the chin hairs, I love menopause!!

 

[auntpolly]

Except for the hot flashes, forgetting stuff, being snarky and the chin hairs, I love menopause!!

So, I take it you haven't found anything that relieves your hot flashes? Do you have trouble sleeping?

 

[tevagirl]

I think I must have lucked out in the hot flash department. I still get them but nothing like what I've heard other people talk about. I mean in the last 8 years I've only had two that were bad enough to make me want to rip my clothes off. I can only think of a couple of times that I went outside to get air.

As far as sleeping, well the covers are off, the covers are on, the covers are off, the covers are on. But again, I don't think I've had it near as bad as others have.

 

[auntpolly]

As far as sleeping, well the covers are off, the covers are on, the covers are off, the covers are on. But again, I don't think I've had it near as bad as others have.

That sounds like me. I used to sleep such a sound sleep!!! Now, I'm waking up a thousand times to toss covers off and then again to find them and get back under them.

 

[Tinkerbell_Tiffany]

You all are SCARING ME!!!!

 

[RNMOM]

Yep, sleep and the covers are an issue here too.

Tivagirl you forgot the lose of "chest" tissue and hence the sagging that goes along with the big M.

I found being on antidepressants has helped a great deal with the hot flashes but not so much the sleep.

 

[auntpolly]

I found being on antidepressants has helped a great deal with the hot flashes but not so much the sleep.

Really? They helped? I've never heard that!

 

[Tinkerbell_Tiffany]

I got some of these to take with us to disneyworld to keep us cooler, but have ya'll ever tried these.
they might help with your hotflashes...

 

[auntpolly]

You all are SCARING ME!!!!

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

No, seriously - I'm ready to bid farewell to my dear old "friend." For sure.

 

[tevagirl]

That sounds like me. I used to sleep such a sound sleep!!! Now, I'm waking up a thousand times to toss covers off and then again to find them and get back under them.

It's not fun.

You all are SCARING ME!!!!

I might be in the minority but I was and am thrilled to be menopausal. No more periods!! Plus my husband is so relieved. He doesn't have to worry about looking at me funny and getting murdered every month!

 

[RNMOM]

There is some research on it in the past few years. I was initially on Paxil and it worked well. I needed to change and the Effexor is working nearly as well but I am finding more trouble sleeping. My joint pain from my arthritis is also acting up so that makes sleep difficult too.

I LOVE GETTING OLD!!!!!!

Here is a link to one of the articles. There were a lot more.

http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-1-63-106-3292-1,00.html

 

[tevagirl]

Tivagirl you forgot the lose of "chest" tissue and hence the sagging that goes along with the big M.

What? I can blame that on menopause too?

 

[auntpolly]

What? I can blame that on menopause too?

Remember when we were in HS and didn't want to wear bras -- and our mothers warned us that we'd regret it one day, that we'd get all saggy...

Mothers! What don't they know!!!

 

[1rockinmamato2]

I'm 34 and post-menopausal. I tried to fight the symptoms myself for years and was really hoping that if I ignored them they'd go away. But, they didn't. They just got worse.

So, in May, I finally decided to have my gynecologist check my E2 and FSH levels and he was shocked that I truly was menopausal. I haven't had a cycle in over a year.

Oh yeah, back to the symptoms (scatter brained - add that to the menopausal symptoms). The hot flashes were/are terrible. I had no difficulty falling asleep but if I'm ever awakened (and with two small children, that happens a lot) I have difficulty going back to sleep. The moodiness is intolerable and I had a couple bouts of rage like when I couldn't get the box of batteries out of the cabinet and I just went crazy on it.

But, I'm better now. I'm on an estrogen patch and progesterone orally. I worry about the side effects, but seriously, my quality of life is worth the risk.

What has helped me the most is keeping a sense of humor about all of this. Have you all seen the http://www.minniepauz.com site? It's hysterical.

 

[auntpolly]

So, in May, I finally decided to have my gynecologist check my E2 and FSH levels and he was shocked that I truly was menopausal. I haven't had a cycle in over a year.

Oh man! That's a drag! I thought that if you'd gone a year you were done!

I did that thing with falling asleep fine but waking up and not being able to get back to sleep -- but I've moved on to just being so hot all the time I don't know what's going on.

 

[1rockinmamato2]

Oh man! That's a drag! I thought that if you'd gone a year you were done!

I did that thing with falling asleep fine but waking up and not being able to get back to sleep -- but I've moved on to just being so hot all the time I don't know what's going on.

He was shocked because of my age. He doesn't see many women my age who need HRT. My reproductive endocrinologist diagnosed me with premature ovarian failure when I was 29, so I've known this was coming for quite a while.

Aren't the hot flashes just terrible? I still have one every now and then even with the HRT. It's like a heat that comes from the inside instead of out. The night sweats are ridiculous. I freeze DH at night because I have to have the fan on as high as it will go.

Oh, another weird symptom coming from the menopause is the crawly skin feeling. I get that a lot, particularly on my head.

And let's not even get into the libido issue.

 

[mum4jenn]

I have not had any hot flashes but all the other symptoms I am going through. I have an appointment with my GYN next week to get the official word. I sure hope something can be done.

 

[Tinkerbell_Tiffany]

34 years old, isn't that a little young?
if thats the case I only have about 5 years to go...............

 

[aunt lissa]

Oh goodness I can remember right after my hysterectomy I started having hot flashes and night sweats and horrific nightmares. My hysterectomy was done so quickly I didn't have a lot of time to prepare for it and research, nobody told me that it was going to throw me straight into menopause at 26! I nearly freaked, unfortunatley 2 years later I am still dealing w/ the night sweats, hot flashes and mood swings. The only thing I've done this far is take a cool shower and sleep w/ a fan on me.