Questions for those who have been through menopause

[ClockworkDolly]

I coped with menopause through weight training... I exercised my way through it.

Wow. I admire your discipline.

My worse symptoms were insomnia and anxiety. Also joint pain, hair loss and tingling hands and feet.
I'm not sure if I recommend it as such because it depends on the individual and their stage of menopause.

I currently get tingling hands, especially in my thumbs for some reason. It almost feels like I have little worms underneath my skin wriggling about. I actually didn’t know it was a symptom of the menopause.

There was me thinking I may be coming out the other side of menopause. Seems like it might be here to stay a little longer.

 

[Base2019]

I take my HRT as soon as I wake up... no hot flushes or cold sweats. Used to take it sporadically and sometimes late evening and was convinced it added to my sleep issues... now when I take it first thing I don’t have an issue going to sleep now like before so I’m wondering does the time I take it effect me who knows! Lol As I am young for menopause I don’t think I can really stop taking it as they want me to remain on it for bones etc... I get that some women don’t like or want to take it but sometimes feel like some can make you feel bad for taking HRT. It fixed a lot of my menopause symptoms so it 100% works for me

 

[Reflected view]

Hey, the past few months I have had sleep issues I can get to sleep no problem but I abruptly wake up around 12:30 - 1ish wide awake until about 4ish iv always been a great sleeper right through till about 5:30am never had the need for an alarm but now iv had to set an alarm and I just can’t get out of bed, my periods are getting heavier and lasting longer they can be three days late then the next month they will come on time then the next month three days early. I feel my skin has aged the past few months to and my hair is lifeless and a bit dry should I start taking any vitamins or supplements??

 

[Notworthy]

Hey, the past few months I have had sleep issues I can get to sleep no problem but I abruptly wake up around 12:30 - 1ish wide awake until about 4ish iv always been a great sleeper right through till about 5:30am never had the need for an alarm but now iv had to set an alarm and I just can’t get out of bed, my periods are getting heavier and lasting longer they can be three days late then the next month they will come on time then the next month three days early. I feel my skin has aged the past few months to and my hair is lifeless and a bit dry should I start taking any vitamins or supplements??

The main ones that are suppose to help are Vitamin D, Vitamin B, Magnesium and Zinc. Omega 3 aswell but I usually crave anchovies at some point in the month so assume that thats my body signalling it wants it. Iron if you are bleeding very heavily, that Floradix is supposed to be OK if you don;t like taking pills

Just remembered another symptom to monitor, peeing!! For a couple of days I don't get the signals that I need to wee until I really need to wee then it's a mad dash. This is not a kegel fix as its fine the rest of the month, just a couple of days. It follows the weight gain so just the water retention finishing but it's bloody annoying

 

[Reflected view]

The main ones that are suppose to help are Vitamin D, Vitamin B, Magnesium and Zinc. Omega 3 aswell but I usually crave anchovies at some point in the month so assume that thats my body signalling it wants it. Iron if you are bleeding very heavily, that Floradix is supposed to be OK if you don;t like taking pills

Just remembered another symptom to monitor, peeing!! For a couple of days I don't get the signals that I need to wee until I really need to wee then it's a mad dash. This is not a kegel fix as its fine the rest of the month, just a couple of days. It follows the weight gain so just the water retention finishing but it's bloody annoying

Oh that’s very interesting about the peeing thing, recently it’s been a sudden heaviness ( but as you have said it’s not the normal signal for wanting to pee) iv went to the toilet and it’s been a pee how weird is that I started taking vitamin D three months ago and every year for the past four year I get a course of iron tablets from the doctors as I’m anemic, I’m not allowed to give blood as my levels are to low. Thank you

 

[Base2019]

Hey, the past few months I have had sleep issues I can get to sleep no problem but I abruptly wake up around 12:30 - 1ish wide awake until about 4ish iv always been a great sleeper right through till about 5:30am never had the need for an alarm but now iv had to set an alarm and I just can’t get out of bed, my periods are getting heavier and lasting longer they can be three days late then the next month they will come on time then the next month three days early. I feel my skin has aged the past few months to and my hair is lifeless and a bit dry should I start taking any vitamins or supplements??

I’m sorry you’re having sleep issues, they are the absolute worst! Have you tried any sleep aids? I got a natural one by lamberts it’s lemon balm complex and l-theanine, its really good before bed and also helps with stressy times aswell. I also love a good eye sleep mask and the calm app sleep stories.

I would maybe keep a note of your periods and see if there are any patterns. If it’s very out of the normal for you I’d defo do that for a while and flag with your GP. Especially are you are already anemic it’s not going to help with your energy levels.

I think everyone’s hair is a bit meh at the moment with no hairdressers open etc. Also skin wise, sitting indoor more than usual with central heating/fires etc isn’t great either - we are all in the same boat with those tho, they will come good again in time I’m sure

Hope you have a great night sleep tonight xxx

 

[Reflected view]

I’m sorry you’re having sleep issues, they are the absolute worst! Have you tried any sleep aids? I got a natural one by lamberts it’s lemon balm complex and l-theanine, its really good before bed and also helps with stressy times aswell. I also love a good eye sleep mask and the calm app sleep stories.

I would maybe keep a note of your periods and see if there are any patterns. If it’s very out of the normal for you I’d defo do that for a while and flag with your GP. Especially are you are already anemic it’s not going to help with your energy levels.

I think everyone’s hair is a bit meh at the moment with no hairdressers open etc. Also skin wise, sitting indoor more than usual with central heating/fires etc isn’t great either - we are all in the same boat with those tho, they will come good again in time I’m sure

Hope you have a great night sleep tonight xxx

Thank you so much I’ll give it a go, iv been listening to rain and storm sounds, here’s hoping

 

[Libbylulu]

Interesting....
I'm thinking of coming off HRT altogether. It only appears to work sporadically.
I've started to take Menopace Plus too.
I feel I'm constantly supplementing the HRT.
I'm on HRT pill topped up with oestrogel, CBD oil, citalpram (10mg) and magnesium spray and still have regular occurring insomnia!


How are you now?
Do you take any supplements?

I don’t think I’ll find a solution for myself tbh. I feel I go round in circles. Currently I’m taking magnesium, multivitamins for 50+, turmeric capsules. I’ve gained so much weight and am forever tired. No matter how much I exercise or how I watch my diet, the scale is still going up. Currently I feel so tired that I couldn’t care less about anything.

 

[imnotarobot]

I just went to my GP yesterday after procrastinating and crying and being angry for months and months. I was nervous that she wouldn’t be receptive to HRT but she couldn’t be nicer, she is 2 weeks older than me and completely sympathised. I have a script for HRT which I will fill tomorrow. So I’ll let you know how I get on!

My symptoms are all over the place, I either feel top of the world with no symptoms at all or I get ALL of them on top of one another. Most worrying is the paranoia and anxiety that my family hate me, I really struggle with that one!

 

[Notworthy]

I just went to my GP yesterday after procrastinating and crying and being angry for months and months. I was nervous that she wouldn’t be receptive to HRT but she couldn’t be nicer, she is 2 weeks older than me and completely sympathised. I have a script for HRT which I will fill tomorrow. So I’ll let you know how I get on!

My symptoms are all over the place, I either feel top of the world with no symptoms at all or I get ALL of them on top of one another. Most worrying is the paranoia and anxiety that my family hate me, I really struggle with that one!

This is where it's important to diarise your symptoms, there will be a pattern

I don't take HRT, unfortunately I had a really bad experience with it, primarily because I have a coil and so was only given Estrogen, I'm pretty sure that I was Estrogen dominant so giving me more of the stuff left me suicidal. I would recommend pushing to see a menopause spercialist, GPs don't know anything about menopause, I actually asked my GP how much she knew and she admitted that heer knowledge came from female patients going through it. bleeping joke, 50% of their patients are going to go through it and it's barely covered in training. One GP gave me anti depressants because in his words ' thats the recommended treatment for my symptoms' went home checked NICE guidelines and it very specifically says to not prescribe anti depressants if the patient has no previous mental health issues. He couldn't even be bothered to keep up with guidelines because middle aged women don't count.

 

[imnotarobot]

Thanks so much for your response. I live rurally wayyyyy away (hours and hours) from anywhere with a specialist, but I certainly take your point about GPs (I had to wait two months to see her alone!). I’ll give this a go and do the diary thing, that’s such a good idea. I used to keep a daily journal that I would unload in but I found it was making me worse mentally. I need to do a clinical diary just of symptoms I think.

Again, thanks again for your post.

 

[Notworthy]

Thanks so much for your response. I live rurally wayyyyy away (hours and hours) from anywhere with a specialist, but I certainly take your point about GPs (I had to wait two months to see her alone!). I’ll give this a go and do the diary thing, that’s such a good idea. I used to keep a daily journal that I would unload in but I found it was making me worse mentally. I need to do a clinical diary just of symptoms I think.

Again, thanks again for your post.

You must weigh yourself every day, once I started doing that everything fell into place. Things to look out for are weight, food cravings, any niggling pain, peeing, mood, smell (does it become heightened or is there one particular odour that you can smell, mine was fish now it's dogshit) fatigue levels if you exercise, sleep patterns. There is more but you will really understand yur body a lot more in the next 6 months.

 

[Reflected view]

@Notworthy hey, something else has come to mind, iv woken up with a really bad burnt plastic/rubber smell and taste in the back of my nose and throat this has happened twice. Could this be linked to ??

 

[Notworthy]

@Notworthy hey, something else has come to mind, iv woken up with a really bad burnt plastic/rubber smell and taste in the back of my nose and throat this has happened twice. Could this be linked to ??

I don't know, this is why it's important to diarise literally everything over a few months. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of weighing yourself. I never even owned a set of scales before this but they have been the signpost to everything else.

Also diarising won't make symptoms go but it will help you manage yourself better and help with relationships as you can warn your family. Also DO NOT make any life changing decisions unless it's something that predates peri. Loads of marriages break up around this time and if you read articles about women that hook up with younger men in other countries, the vast majority of them are in their late 40's.

 

[imnotarobot]

I Loads of marriages break up around this time and if you read articles about women that hook up with younger men in other countries, the vast majority of them are in their late 40's.

I’ve said this many times recently, I wonder how many marriages break up because the husband isnt able to ride this hurdle through with his wife. My family are very supportive but they also are quite bewildered at times.

 

[Notworthy]

I’ve said this many times recently, I wonder how many marriages break up because the husband isnt able to ride this hurdle through with his wife. My family are very supportive but they also are quite bewildered at times.

It's not always the Men, 2 of my male friends have been divorced lately by their wives. I sold my succesful business as I thought that was where the problem was, then I turned on my son. Its the need to change things which can be positive if your life is not what you want but when you have a great life and the your hormones start making you question everything it's a disaster

 

[Reflected view]

I don't know, this is why it's important to diarise literally everything over a few months. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of weighing yourself. I never even owned a set of scales before this but they have been the signpost to everything else.

Also diarising won't make symptoms go but it will help you manage yourself better and help with relationships as you can warn your family. Also DO NOT make any life changing decisions unless it's something that predates peri. Loads of marriages break up around this time and if you read articles about women that hook up with younger men in other countries, the vast majority of them are in their late 40's.

Thank you

@Notworthy sorry to bother you again, but do you recommend individual vitamins or would a multi vitamin do ?

 

[Notworthy]

Sorry misse the last post. I'd personally take individual vitamins but with Summer arriving you can make an effort to get out and get your Vitamin D. Also forgot to mention that a friend clocked onto what was happening with me when I mentioned that I was losing a lot of things and I thought I might have early onset dementia. I also started falling over and tripping over things. I used to be a natural speller and all of a suden I found myself googling words like Succeed.

 

[Pixie06]

What age was everyone when they finished? I'm really struggling with my teenager, who won't go to school, is so lazy, rude to me - her friends even tell her not to speak to me the way she does. The other day she was going out of the house with her nipples hanging out of her top, which is a bralette. I told her to put on another top. She told me to F off at which point I lost it, grabbed her back, she was out the door and pushed her up the stairs. She went into school (she'd refused to go in earlier) and they took her to A and E as she had complained of dizziness and the police were with her. I don't know wether my losing it is menopause, or just me being totally drained by her, or if I'm unstable. She's staying with a friend now. I feel so low.

 

[Mitzymooface]

What age was everyone when they finished? I'm really struggling with my teenager, who won't go to school, is so lazy, rude to me - her friends even tell her not to speak to me the way she does. The other day she was going out of the house with her nipples hanging out of her top, which is a bralette. I told her to put on another top. She told me to F off at which point I lost it, grabbed her back, she was out the door and pushed her up the stairs. She went into school (she'd refused to go in earlier) and they took her to A and E as she had complained of dizziness and the police were with her. I don't know wether my losing it is menopause, or just me being totally drained by her, or if I'm unstable. She's staying with a friend now. I feel so low.

So sorry to hear this, I have a 15 year old daughter who is also challenging due to her own mental health issues. I think the hormonal rollercoaster of menopause can make this seem more difficult but I don’t think your reaction was unjustified perhaps a little stronger than you would normally behave? I think you need some support - have you spoken to anyone about how you feel, your GP or a confidential support group? Xx