Official DIS "Change O' Life" Ladies Thread

[Kirby]

my regular Dr did bloodwork and said I am anemic but offered nothing other than to follow up with my gyn

He/she didn't put you on iron pills? I've been taking iron (SlowFE) for years now. I got so anemic two years ago that my regular doctor almost admitted me to the hospital. Fortunately, taking iron did the trick and now I only take it during my period.

 

[grinningghost]

I want to know how come we need a medical reason to get rid of our uteruses (uteri maybe? LOL). Dammit....I'm done with mine can't I leave it at the curb with the trash?

I was just telling DH yesterday that I wished I could "donate" my uterus to somebody who needs one. I've been bleeding for almost 3 weeks solid, which the doctor said is NORMAL for perimenopause. Um, OK. Tell that to DH who can't understand why I'm using the monthly excuse to avoid "relations" for weeks on end.

I'm also so happy that my thread took off. I was looking for a good menopause message board and just couldn't find one that I felt comfortable with. It's MUCH better to discuss this among friends.

 

[geffric]

I'm flashing as we speak, I'm not depressed but I am miserable. I could kill everyone and anyone who doesn't agree with me, doesn't do things the way I want them done, or even just looks funny. My poor DH gets the brunt of this but....I could care less. I wonder how many divorces are caused by menopause.

the flashing is the worst... I get really hot- sweat through everything.. then I am ok.. I try and dress in layers at work so i can strip when I get so hot with the flash.. Poor DH is just thinks it is me!! Asd My teenage boys are hormonal too.. what a family!!!

 

[mtblujeans]

When I have hot flashes, it looks like my head is on fire!! My face gets so red, people comment on it! Does everybody else get red, too!?

 

[geffric]

mtblujeans I don't think that i get red.. or no one has said anything.. but i get hot and sweat from the tip of my hair all the way to my toes, it is so bad that my underwear needs to be changes, i am just soaked.. At night, i have to change the pillow case and my side of the sheets are wet.. doesn't make it a restful night..

 

[grinningghost]

mtblujeans I don't think that i get red.. or no one has said anything.. but i get hot and sweat from the tip if my hair all the way to my toes, it is so bad that my underwear needs to be changes, i am just soaked.. At night, i have to change the pillow case and my side of the sheets are wet.. doesn't make it a restful night..

Those night sweats are the worst. It's almost comical to have to wake up in the middle of the night to change clothes and sheets.

Unless of course you're dealing with a bedwetting child.

 

[OhMari]

I'm still a little leary to talk about it on the CB Board.

My comments-my husband asked me this weekend when I will go through menopause. I am 43 and I told him it will probably take 10 more years. This past Saturday I felt like deaths door. On Sunday we went to the zoo and my boys told me I look like a different person. I can't believe how the week leading up and the first 2 days of my cycle are just plain horrendous. I can't explain it in any other words.

I had all the tests done to rule out everything. "Pre-menopausal"-diagnosis.My ob-gyn told me she would put me on a low-dose bc. Are you kidding me, I am overweight? She told me than she cannot help me then, to just keep taking the Toradol for my symptoms.

 

[dejavu]

I am 47 and am having alot of these issues too. I told my gyn and he put me on BC pills- well I am 30 pounds overweight and I am NOT getting any heavier!!! So I went off of them. Ihave a friend who swears by bio identical hormones-anyone know anything about these? They are the one Suzanne Sommers talks about- they are natural not synthetic and you get them from a compoundiing Pharmacist. I think a woman Dr. would be more sympathetic-my Dr was like "just get over yourself" I can't take another 4-5 years of these symptoms!!!

 

[flrose]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for starting this thread. I thought I was going absolutely mad with all I was going thru and it so helps to know others are dealing with the same stuff. Was having really, really bad "monthly visits", then they weren't monthly but, sporadic. THEN when they lasted ALL month decided I needed to get checked out. Went to the doc, had the blood work, pap, sonogram all that the stuff. Went back and doc didn't have blood results but, said she didn't think I was menopausal! I was so depressed to hear that. But, I did have fibroids. PUt me on a low dose progesterone to regulate things, which it did. Have had no problem w/weight gain matter of fact I have been dieting and lost some weight. Went back and she had blood results showing I was going thru the big "M". . Yippee, but now we have the fibroid thing to deal with 'cause I will continue to have the visits monthly. Had another sonogram and now waiting to go BACK to the doc again. Geesh, this woman stuff is just not fun OR easy is it? Luckily, I don't have the hot flashes during the day but, I wake up during the night soaked. I also have that "leave me alone" syndrome, don't talk to me, don't look at me, don't touch me........... I'm on meds for that so it isn't near as bad as it could be.
SunFloridaDisney: You are not weird! I'm ALWAYS interested too! LOL

 

[hunnypotmama]

It's so hard to find an understanding Doc. I've had my ob/gyn for 10 years, ever since I had my daughter. I'm 41 and she totally didn't believe that I could be starting pre-menopause. I described my symptoms, they fit the description that I had read to a "T" and the only thing that really seemed to click with my Dr. was when I told her my mom was in her late 30's when she went through it! "Ohhhh..." she says, with a look of shock on her face, tinged with "I guess you're not completely crazy..."

BUT the last time I went for a checkup, she kept asking about my "PMS." It's just a term, I know, but it was like she was deliberately NOT calling it "perimenopause."

 

[goofy4tink]

When I 'flash' I don't get red, but evidently I do give off a fair amount of heat!!! Those sitting on either side of me in choir know within about 5 seconds of my hot flash that it's happening. They used to make fun of me...but not anymore!!! They are now card-carrying members of the club.
I wish I could take something but I can't. But the weight has stayed almost the same for 6 yrs. so I guess losing much more is out of the cards for me. But an addtl. 10 off would be really nice. That and it would be nice to be 'interested' again. Well, at least I think it would be nice to be interested.

 

[grinningghost]

I was reading online about rashes caused by erratic hormone levels. I've been getting a weird rash on my chest and neck which seems to flare up when the bleeding acts up. My doctor labeled it atopic dermatitis, but I don't know. The medicine clears it up some, but then it just comes back. It's super itchy.

Anyone ever experience this?

 

[DoeWDW]

I'm so happy to find this thread!! I'm 41 and going through many of these same symptoms. I'm headed to the doc on Friday and am going to BEG to be put on year round birth control pills just to suppress the evil monthly! I want to try Seasonale or something similar where you only get your period 4 times per year.

My moodiness and depression and bloating start 10 days before my period. I NEVER used to have these kinds of problems. Then my period is extra heavy and my back just about kills me - the kind of pain that Tylenol can't touch.

I've just started to occasionally get the night sweats - hard to believe the fun is just beginning.

 

[grinningghost]

I'm so happy to find this thread!! I'm 41 and going through many of these same symptoms. I'm headed to the doc on Friday and am going to BEG to be put on year round birth control pills just to suppress the evil monthly! I want to try Seasonale or something similar where you only get your period 4 times per year.

I'm going to the doc tomorrow and I'm going to BEG for something too. I can't take it anymore - I'm only 40 and I've heard this could go on for 10+ years! Say it isn't so!!!!!

 

[flrose]

Couldn't find this link and thought I was a "thread-killer" or something.

Doreen, have you tried Women's Tylenol. I started out this phase of life just like you. I swear I was having PMS all month long. And it wasn't funny! But, the women's tylenol seemed to help a little more than anything else I tried.

grinningghost, I didn't think about it until you mentioned the rashes. I break out on my neck and chest and it's super itchy but, I didn't relate it to this change stuff. Thought i was using a soap or something I was allergic to.

 

[grinningghost]

grinningghost, I didn't think about it until you mentioned the rashes. I break out on my neck and chest and it's super itchy but, I didn't relate it to this change stuff. Thought i was using a soap or something I was allergic to.

I didn't relate it to the change thing either, but I've been so frustrated with this stupid rash, that I started my own investigating online. Doctors seem so hesitant to blame anything on menopause, yet it just stands to reason if your hormones are wacky, your whole body will be wacky, including your skin. And without a doubt, the rash will almost be fading away, and when the mood swings and the bleeding start up again - boom - there's that icky rash again.

I'm going to the doc tomorrow for my annual physical and I'm going to ask flat-out if she thinks this dumb rash could be hormonal. If she says no, I think I'm asking for a referral to a hormone specialist.

 

[Grandma Bear]

A second opinion won't hurt and often helps as the new person usually looks
at it with a fresh prospective.

 

[grinningghost]

A second opinion won't hurt and often helps as the new person usually looks
at it with a fresh prospective.

ITA. And quite often, I think the doctors are relieved when you say you're getting a second opinion, because sometimes, I think they just don't know.

 

[natt]

OMG!!! I can't believe this was only started on 5/29 and is up to four pages!! But I thank you for starting this and am going to take the time to read it..I guess I'm in the "peri" stage, but will value any preinfo I can get. These boards truly have something for everyone!

 

[grinningghost]

OMG!!! I can't believe this was only started on 5/29 and is up to four pages!! But I thank you for starting this and am going to take the time to read it..I guess I'm in the "peri" stage, but will value any preinfo I can get. These boards truly have something for everyone!

I can't believe it either - but I'm so glad it's working out. I think it's such a universal subject - yet, it's hard to talk to people about it anyway. Hopefully we're going to break a few barriers here and get it out in the open.