Questions for those who have been through menopause

[ginger tea]

I had a conversation today with my husband regarding menopause he asked me when will it finish the look on his face was of sheer horror and fear when I told him there is no end date

 

[House of Tea]

I had a conversation today with my husband regarding menopause he asked me when will it finish the look on his face was of sheer horror and fear when I told him there is no end date

He will have his own change of life…they change into Victor Meldrew imo

 

[YetAnotherObsessionx]

He will have his own change of life…they change into Victor Meldrew imo

Karl Pilkington is their perimenopause, Victor Meldrew is the final menopause stage... just before they start wearing all beige.

 

[Howdy]

I had a conversation today with my husband regarding menopause he asked me when will it finish the look on his face was of sheer horror and fear when I told him there is no end date

It is hard for them. Tonight when I snapped at something mine said he just didn't know how to read me at the moment. Me neither! I'm all over the shop.

 

[Ruby’s mum]

Karl Pilkington is their perimenopause, Victor Meldrew is the final menopause stage... just before they start wearing all beige.

Grumpy bastarditis we call it, easily recognised by the sudden fondness for cardigans and taking extreme offence at someone forgetting to stir their tea

I had a conversation today with my husband regarding menopause he asked me when will it finish the look on his face was of sheer horror and fear when I told him there is no end date

And to cheer everyone up my 78 year old mum says she still has occasional hot flushes and multiple other symptoms

 

[House of Tea]

Mine hasn’t reached the cardigan stage, and tea stirring isn’t on the agenda. But boy is he moody.

 

[Suzesnooze]

Apparently our inner ear is affected hence the balance issues.

Interesting as I’ve been having some vertigo like symptoms that are awful and I was wondering if it was yet another menopause symptom.

 

[Libbylulu]

Read about Andropause. It’s interesting how men also suffer in later life too

 

[Crumpet41]

Hi all. Decided to find a thread with perimenopause discussion as I believe I'm fully in it now at the mid 40s mark. Reading about the symptoms others have experienced is reassuring although I wish we didn't have to go through this!

The worst thing, along with the awful loss of confidence and second guessing myself all the time, anxiety, weight gain, low mood and crying, is awful nausea. Does anyone else get this? If so what helps relieve it given it is hormonal? I haven't yet gone to see a GP; I've just started to take some supplements to see if they help. I am also so very tired! I already take magnesium which used to help with general tiredness but doesn't seem to be doing much now.

Hi,

I am a similar age - I am 43 ( 44 this December ) and I believe I am in the throes of perimenopause . I have contacted my GP on multiple occasions which was quite frankly a waste of time. They took my blood ( and I was under the impression it was to check my hormone levels) only to discover that they had in fact tested for sugar levels. ( sorry I am digressing ). I also made further calls only to be advised that the peri meno is not an official medical condition .. so basically I got nothing in the way of help or support .

Symptoms wise I experience the following ( in varying degrees each month).

Low mood / suicidal thoughts / loss of confidence / very poor decision making ability / need constant reassurance / stress levels are through the roof. Crying at every thing. Or I feel very angry and see red.

Physically - sore breasts / back / headaches/ sore muscles generally / Terrible memory ( I have lost 3 bank cards plus driving license in less than 3 months ). This is extremely unusual as I am quite careful with my purse / cards. I have major brain fog where I feel like I’m in actual fog. Extreme fatigue - as in where I need to take an hours nap in the day. After 8 hours sleep I still somehow feel like I have not had a minutes sleep. Also itchy skin..very itchy skin.


I also bought supplements but haven’t taken them continuously - and I hadn’t considered magnesium as this seems to be included in the tablet.

In short I feel like I am going completely crazy ..

 

[Notworthy]

Hi,

I am a similar age - I am 43 ( 44 this December ) and I believe I am in the throes of perimenopause . I have contacted my GP on multiple occasions which was quite frankly a waste of time. They took my blood ( and I was under the impression it was to check my hormone levels) only to discover that they had in fact tested for sugar levels. ( sorry I am digressing ). I also made further calls only to be advised that the peri meno is not an official medical condition .. so basically I got nothing in the way of help or support .

Symptoms wise I experience the following ( in varying degrees each month).

Low mood / suicidal thoughts / loss of confidence / very poor decision making ability / need constant reassurance / stress levels are through the roof. Crying at every thing. Or I feel very angry and see red.

Physically - sore breasts / back / headaches/ sore muscles generally / Terrible memory ( I have lost 3 bank cards plus driving license in less than 3 months ). This is extremely unusual as I am quite careful with my purse / cards. I have major brain fog where I feel like I’m in actual fog.

I also bought supplements but haven’t taken them continuously - and I hadn’t considered magnesium as this seems to be included in the tablet.

In short I feel like I am going completely crazy ..

The following has been released today Menopause-practice-standards-14.6.2022.pdf (thebms.org.uk)

 

[Crumpet41]

The following has been released today Menopause-practice-standards-14.6.2022.pdf (thebms.org.uk)

Thank you. Just going to take a look at this. I can’t describe how I felt when the GP said the peri menopause wasn’t considered to be an actual condition. It was awful.

 

[Mrs Moon]

I was one of the lucky ones that had no symptoms whatsoever.
Like my mother and sister, we were all in our early 40s when we stopped.
Good luck, because its not easy being a woman

I was 41 when I finished menopause and I didn't notice any symptoms going through it and so I was lucky I suppose. I have had cancer in my 50s and don't know if that was connected to early menopause. Doctors don't know.

 

[Notworthy]

Thank you. Just going to take a look at this. I can’t describe how I felt when the GP said the peri menopause wasn’t considered to be an actual condition. It was awful.

You could contact the British Menopause Society and ask for advice in lodging a complaint to your GP. It really isn't good enough

 

[Howdy]

Thank you. Just going to take a look at this. I can’t describe how I felt when the GP said the peri menopause wasn’t considered to be an actual condition. It was awful.

With this now released you can advocate for yourself - they can't ignore you or be dismissive. I'm so sorry you're struggling, it is really tough stage of life. But there is help, we don't need to suffer like this. I've just started with the supplements. It includes red clover which is a phytoestrogen, therefore helping to balance the drop in oestrogen - supposedly. My last PMT was awful, I'd say the worst it has been, I felt desperate. It isn't a way to live.

 

[knickerbocker glory]

I think my PMT changed, I became so annoyed, angry and pissed off. The smallest thing set me off ranting. Before I'd never noticed a change as dramatic. Like clock work the next day or so I'd get my period. I'd never made the link before. Wow.

 

[Notworthy]

Bear in mind that our bodies need cholesterol to manufacture hormones so if you have been on a low fat diet you may want to reassess what you are eating. I remember watching a programme a year or 2 ago about a woman who found her PMDD suddenly got worse and it turned out she had stopped having any dairy.

With this now released you can advocate for yourself - they can't ignore you or be dismissive. I'm so sorry you're struggling, it is really tough stage of life. But there is help, we don't need to suffer like this. I've just started with the supplements. It includes red clover which is a phytoestrogen, therefore helping to balance the drop in oestrogen - supposedly. My last PMT was awful, I'd say the worst it has been, I felt desperate. It isn't a way to live.

The interesting thing I saw in there was that there is no time limit to HRT, too many women have been taken off HRT after 5 years but it is clearly stated in that document that women can continue on HRT for as long as they like or start it at any point, even after menopause. My mum is 75 and both my Dad and I have suggested she try HRT to see if thing improve as she has so many joint problems

 

[Woolmercardington]

Thank you. Just going to take a look at this. I can’t describe how I felt when the GP said the peri menopause wasn’t considered to be an actual condition. It was awful.

Utter disgrace. After all the media attention and yet some GP's still possess this antiquated attitude

 

[Libbylulu]

Bear in mind that our bodies need cholesterol to manufacture hormones so if you have been on a low fat diet you may want to reassess what you are eating. I remember watching a programme a year or 2 ago about a woman who found her PMDD suddenly got worse and it turned out she had stopped having any dairy.


The interesting thing I saw in there was that there is no time limit to HRT, too many women have been taken off HRT after 5 years but it is clearly stated in that document that women can continue on HRT for as long as they like or start it at any point, even after menopause. My mum is 75 and both my Dad and I have suggested she try HRT to see if thing improve as she has so many joint problems

My mum 78 suffering from terrible hot flushes at night. She’s so tired and run down from it. I told her to see the GP. He laughed scornfully at her and belittled her by saying ‘Good Grief you are far too old for HRT. It’s not for women your age’. She was so embarrassed she left without asking what did he think it was then Dr Big Bollocks?’

 

[House of Tea]

My mum 78 suffering from terrible hot flushes at night. She’s so tired and run down from it. I told her to see the GP. He laughed scornfully at her and belittled her by saying ‘Good Grief you are far too old for HRT. It’s not for women your age’. She was so embarrassed she left without asking what did he think it was then Dr Big Bollocks?’

Dr Git. Could she try sage tablets. I did not expect them to work for me but they did. (I am not 78 or on HRT. ) I take the Menoforce ones.

 

[Crumpet41]

With this now released you can advocate for yourself - they can't ignore you or be dismissive. I'm so sorry you're struggling, it is really tough stage of life. But there is help, we don't need to suffer like this. I've just started with the supplements. It includes red clover which is a phytoestrogen, therefore helping to balance the drop in oestrogen - supposedly. My last PMT was awful, I'd say the worst it has been, I felt desperate. It isn't a way to live.

I have been to buy supplements over the weekend ( picked up some peri menopausal tablets from a company called Health & Her which contains red clover.) I bawked at the price though £20 for two months supply just so I don’t lose my marbles ) . I have my fingers crossed they make a difference .
I am also going to make some changes to my diet - the first one is to limit bread / pasta and potato intake as I have noticed that when I eat a meal which is ( refined) carb heavy I become very lethargic and heavy. The urge to sleep comes over me . Instead I am going to try and choose complex carb foods ( sweet potato / lentils/ chick peas) plus eat oily fish once a week and see how I get on instead. I like these foods however I don’t eat them regularly . I am a bit of a bread / pasta monster. I think I need to accept that I need to make some changes as my diet I think isn’t working in my favour .