Questions for those who have been through menopause

[Meangirl815]

Hi i had a hysterectomy due to PMDD which put me straight into menopause.

I need HRT as I'm only 42 so still need the estrogen for bone and heart health i also have oestopenia. Because my original problem was hormonol i have struggled so much with getting my HRT correct. It's a minefield honestly. So many different options of how to take it (tablets patches or gel) plus finding the right dose.

Nearly 2 yrs post op and I'm still struggling

 

[RoseRazor]

Yes I get palpitations from time to time, usually at night when I'm in bed trying to sleep. I'm keeping a diary of symptoms that I think may be peri-related. Not counting on seeing my GP any time soon, it took 3 months to get her to give me a simple answer on something else. I'm trying to motivate myself to get into doing exercise again, to get rid of the belly...

Yeah my symptoms get worse at night from about 4pm onwards. Also they get worse at certain points in my cycle. I’ve been tracking it all. Dr said ‘you had a baby in 2020 so you CANT be menopausal’. But….. that’s just not how the menopause works, even I know that All I know is that I feel crap and it’s hit me like a ton of bricks. That’s why I’ve gone private now. I’ve had enough.

 

[Notworthy]

Gosh, amazing how much is affected by the menopause

After spending 6 years tracking and diarising I have come to the conclusion that there is literally no bodily function that isn't affected by hormones (or lack of them) It is why I am absolutely dead set against hormone blockers for children. Medicine has not done nearly enough research on hormones and their impact on the body to start messing with puberty.

 

[Mitzymooface]

Got to have blood test for anaemia which I often am - anaemic I mean. I wonder about paying to see a specialist? I just want to know how long this bleeding will last. Constantly shattered. Thank you for replying

Not sure if HRT would solve the issue here - my daughter also had a similar experience when she started her periods at age 10! she was terribly affected by constant bleeding for months and months only stopping when she started the pill. This regulated the bleeding. She came off it after a couple of years and her periods were fine then (as fine as they ever are!)

 

[Reflected view]

Well, I’ll let you know the outcome of my appointment tomorrow morning ladies. Should find out definitively what is going on xx

Good luck

 

[House of Tea]

Have you noticed the Boots advert for face creams for menopausal women the cheeky fuckers.

Band wagon jumped upon

 

[Suzesnooze]

Thank you I kind of thought it could be as iv noticed a few other changes that suggest I’m coming out of peri and going into menopause, but with how my mind has been these last few weeks I wasn’t sure. Thanks again you always make me feel at ease with your reply’s

Peri can last 10 years. You’re only into menopause after going a full year with no period. You definitely sound like you’re in peri. It’s awful how it can change you as a person. It definitely has had a big effect on me and my thoughts etc.

 

[Base2019]

I had really bad night sweats that woke me up in a panic, hot flushes during the day where my body would be covered in sweat down my back it was horrible, really bad insomnia with dreams that would waken me in a fright and terrible anxiety. I have to say when I was given the hrt by my doctor I thought oh il only take this for 3 months to get me through until my body settles, but now I understand that it’s the best for me personally and I will remain on it until such a time where it doesn’t suit my needs. I take a sleep/anxiety supplement from the natural health food shop which has really helped me and I will be taking it for the foreseeable also.

For some women the hot flushes and night sweats are temporary. A good friend of mine only took her HRT for 3 months, the script ran out and she didn’t feel like she needed it again.

What I’d say is definitely don’t feel like you have to persevere through symptoms which aren’t comfortable, go to your doctor and they will help. They can also refer you to the HRT clinic for a review if the HRT your taking isn’t doing the trick, it’s not a one fits all approach so don’t give up if too don’t get it right straight away

 

[1001 others]

Does anyone have very sore joins, muscles. My ankles, legs are always so painful. I already take vitamin D, cal/ magnesium and turmeric. Do you have any magic potion?

Yes, and yes! Spirulina powder stirred into a smoothie made with bananas, chocolate-flavoured collagen powder and lactose-free milk has changed my life. Without word of a lie! I've always loved spirulina and thought I'd give the collagen a try after looking and feeling so, so exhausted for so long. I still have my usual morning coffee but could probably go without it as my energy levels have been great. I'm two weeks in and very happy with the results. I'm not as hungry as usual either, which is a huge plus. I make mine in the morning and sip slowly on it throughout the day - I don't even need lunch as I'm not hungry.

 

[Notworthy]

I cannot believe how much my skin has aged in a year. My hands suddenly look like old women's hands and I've got the dreaded flabby arms. I have been toying with HRT as I do think there are long term benefits to taking it.
Weight is fine, BMI is about 21 so possibly a bit thin.

 

[Suzesnooze]

Oh where to start?!! does anybody suffer with chronic lightheadedness/off balance feeling. I find it even worse at period time and it kicks off my anxiety even more so

Oh yes! It’s awful. But I’ve got used to it now so it doesn’t trigger my anxiety anymore but it’s certainly not pleasant.

I think the worse thing is anxiety. Here I am, 4.24am. Been awake since 3. Have to get up at 6. I feel things more, like several layers of skin are missing. I am talking mentally rather than physically! I worry so much. I hate myself for it. I used to be ballsy and with a zest for life. I am now a little mouse who trembles at everything.

I’m going through this stage again at the moment but it seems to be worse when I have a lot going on or ‘changes’. But I’m over worrying anything and everything and it’s annoying me! Peri has made me lose a lot of confidence in myself and my abilities

 

[Jwren]

When I was first diagnosed as going through the menopause I was suffering from numerous symptoms, I felt so unwell I thought I had something seriously wrong with me medically, I had digestive problems to the point I had a colonoscopy. I had severe depression and had to go on AD, I was tearful, anxious about things that wouldn’t normally worry me, exhausted, hot flashes, palpitations, dizziness..... I asked my breast specialist (who is a top BC specialist, he‘s written many papers on it) who I was seeing for cysts at the time if I would be okay to take HRT, he advised me against it so I took his advice, as he‘s the specialist who had my best interests at heart. I read as much reputable information as I could on the menopause, I also asked my GP questions, he was wonderful and what he didn’t know he found out. I am now in a much better place, physically and mentally and the reason I posted is because HRT is not for everyone and I wanted to let women know not to give up if you can’t take it and also if you take it how to minimise risks but clearly that isn’t what some women want. An holistic approach isn’t for me but for some it might work and I‘m not knocking HRT but it doesn’t work for everyone, nor can all women take it.
Before I leave this group here is an article about some of the nutrients that are depleted by oral contraception and HRT which I briefly mentioned earlier. Sometimes we arrive at the menopause being depleted in vitamins/minerals and that in itself can cause symptoms/make them worse and can lead to other health issues, so I thought it worth posting for anyone interested.

I will now leave some of you to carry on your bitch fest about me ......and to the other women I truly wish you all the best in finding something that works for you. xx

How Birth Control Pills Affect Your Nutritional Needs

Prescription medications can affect your body's absorption and utilization of nutrients. If you use birth control pills or HRT, make sure you're getting enough of these nutrients

www.scientificamerican.com

 

[Notworthy]

QUOTE="Woolmercardington, post: 12740506, member: 51536"]
It's not a bad idea to start thinking about though. Not to get anxious, of course, but just to create an awareness. There's no real reason to think about it when you're younger, but at this age, then I think it's good to be prepared.

Oh yeah def i mean im glad its being talked about...but i dont think everyone has such an awful experience..now im more fearful as everyone keeps going on about it. But at the same time its a huge change and needs to be less taboo. The same with menstratation. It play s such a big part in every day life all the hormonal ups and downs


My point is all this so called awareness has actually made me worry and more anxious than not.
[/QUOTE]
I really wish that there had been more awareness when I was 46. I can't say I flet awful but I started to disconnect. I owned a successful business, assumed it was that that was making me an insomniac and generally disinterested so sold it, literally the biggest mistake of my life, the consequences left me seriously depressed and suicidal. But for that quite frankly I would've sailed through the menopause (apart from the sodding matronly belly) I disagree that younger women shouldn't pay attention, what the menopause taught me was to really focus on my body and all the small things that change throughout the month. I'd advocate for all young women to diarise their moods and really get a handle on what our hormones do. (literally everything)
I don't think you need to be anxious but do start to pay attention to your body. The one thing that really honed down what was happening was weighing myself everyday. the fluctuations in weight pinpointed the other things such as mood drops, heightened smell, insomnia, change in bowels and bladder (yes really) it really helped me put it all together

 

[Notworthy]

Hi looking for advice, iv got a call with my doctor on Tuesday morning is there anything that I should say ?? Thanks

Read the NICE guidelines beforehand. What do you want to get from your GP

 

[MrsD33]

Thank you for your replies. She has got a social worker, as the school got involved them due to her attendance and attitude there, and at home. Disappearing out of the house at midnight when I was asleep at 13, hanging out with not the best of people. I've taken her to the GP and nothing has been done. Social services haven't done anything. I'm on mitrazapine. My eldest daughter (who's been through uni and has a great job, so I at least I know I've not done that bad a job! With her at least!) says I'm a really relaxed mum. Social Services have been pretty unsupportive and feel like I'm the one in the wrong for thinking its not ok for her to be going into town in her pyjamas and that I can't get into her room to hoover or clean because there is no floor space, despite spending hours and hours doing it, for her to trash it within days. I've given up now. I'm on my own, her father doesn't want anything to do with her. Her sister now has her own life and career in London. I don't know what to do.

Sorry you’re going through this. Do you have any friends or family for support?

My advice with teenagers, is pick your battles. If she wants to live in a pig sty, shut the door and let her!

My only rule with their rooms was that no food or plates or cups went in there.

Is there a teacher at school that you could get help from?

Dont give up on your daughter, she’s testing you. Let her know how much you love her and always will, you just dont like her behaviour.

And like others have said, speak to your doctor about how your feeling and see what other help you can get

 

[Pixie06]

In a time where women can become men and vice versa, that we still don’t have a bloody clue about menopause, and where we are in it, what risks the medication are, how to use it. FFS!

 

[If i told you …]

I hav

I have a few questions, if anyone can help please.

If you take hrt, how long after your symptoms started did you start taking it?

Does HRT help with the weight gain?

My last period was 2 years ago and I was having hot flushes all the time but for the last 6 months I havent had any, has this happened to others? I still have crazy mood swings, insomnia, night sweats, weight gain, dry itchy skin etc

I have taken hrt for the last 12years. I am on elleste solo due to the fact that I had an hysterectomy in my thirties. (Best thing I have ever done).
The hrt has been in my view a god send … no side effects whatsoever and the consultant who did my hysterectomy strongly advised me to go on it, once i felt the need. He was a man and he couldn’t praise it high enough
My GP at the time was female and she readily prescribed it. I have had no trouble I. getting it prescribed all this time.

Yes I have put weight on, but this isn’t down to the hrt Women naturally do I believe, once they hit their fifties. I’m 56 and in the best of health. I believe this is as a consequence of hrt

Having said all this, I am having a consultation this afternoon with my doctor as she is keen now to change my medication, only because she now feels that the elleste is no longer effective and wants me to try a newer version, like a gel. Will keep you informed. My advice is go for it

 

[RoseRazor]

All my life I've been bang on 28 days. I've had one month where it went 32, but now it's settled at 25.
I've been through phases where it's been really heavy for me, and now it's hardly anything.
I never thought I'd want the heavy days back, but I feel my body needs that even though its not doing it.
I'm weeing every hour, sometimes more, and most nights I'm up for the loo when I've never had to do that.
I've never felt the need to do any pregnancy tests, but funny you should say that because I said to my husband the other day that with my feet and ankles feeling so hot and fat, bloated belly, sore boobs and constant weeing that I feel pregnant.
It's all delightful isn't it!!

Yep sore boobs and periods of nausea, leaking boobs at points too. But 100% not pregnant. It’s a shit storm of every hormonal symptom I’ve ever had.

Wish there was more information or guidance on how long this will last. Do symptoms taper off? Are there seasons of worse symptoms and months with nothing? Do certain symptoms come first and then other symptoms towards the end? If you start earlier does that mean you finish earlier or do we all finally go through menopause at the same age? I only really found out about peri menopause recently. I had no idea there would potentially be years and years of symptoms still with a period and the chance of getting pregnant still too! I thought periods went first and then you felt symptoms so it’s been a huge wake up call for me and husband. Kinda glad though. I’m looking forward to being on the other side of this and hopefully my hormones being stable for the first time in my life. Then I can have fun without tip toeing around my symptoms!

 

[Cupcakemum]

How peri/menopause effects your mental health and mind set is the most shocking for me, I honestly never thought that would be a factor and probably one of the main ones for me personally

Same here. It was that which spurred me into speaking to my employers and my GP because I worried myself.
I've been on HRT now for just over a month, and while I still don't feel completely myself I certainly feel a lot less low than I did!
My night sweats, dizziness, palpitations have also practically gone away and I'm finally sleeping without my mind racing and ridiculously vivid dreams disturbing me.
It could be that just the sleep has helped my MH, but considering the GPs first answer was anti depressants I'm so pleased I chose HRT first.
I haven't dismissed AD's and will use them if I feel I need them, but for me I knew they shouldn't be my first option and not to let the GP bluff me off

 

[House of Tea]

I’m at the stage I’m going to kill my husband he’s been pushing my buttons for a few weeks now, il be sitting watching the tv and he will come in and say you look in a mood, your face is tripping you, it’s your choice to stay in it or come out if it I tried to explain to him that the more he comes at me with these comments the longer it will take but I feel he’s going out his way to get a reaction from me he asked me when will the menopause stop I said this is it there is no end date NO CONSIDERATION FOR ME only him

If only you could get a pause from the man. Twerp. Putting himself into the centre of things.