The Foul "M" Word

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ya know, it shouldn't be called menopause.

we didn't start it, we've had to deal with it's evil effects for years, and now when it's finally over, we get blamed. :)
 
For me the worst thing is reading as much as you can to find out what to expect only to discover that there is no 'norm'. It seems that everyone is so different. I've just decided that whatever happens to me it must be my 'norm', but I don't like surprises which means that this is a laugh a minute!!
 
I hear ya Claire. I've been dealing with it for a few years. My family history would indicate a very rough road. But, I have concentrated on the natural methods, ie, soy, flax seed, black cohosh, stuff like that. I can't say that those products helped at all. I will say that my symptoms are mild, especially compared to family history, but I believe that is because I eat a healthy balanced diet, get a lot of exercise and have a postive mental attitude. At present I am using no interventions and intend to remain that way. I have a sister who also is following a similar path as mine and her symptoms are light also.
 
I have to say it hasn't been that bad for me, as compared to my sister and freinds. Still no fun. But almost all the other women I know are into sleeping pills and/or antidepressants now that people are afraid of hormones. I'm going it with a supportive hubby and copious amounts of wine (yes, I know, I know, that makes the night sweats and insomnia worse). Luckily, Buckytom, my hubby as a late-in-life baby and remembers his mom's well. And his confusion because no one explained it to him! He says I'm angelic in comparison. Cloudy, Ive been reading tons as well, and the big answer is no one knows much of anything! My mom claims hers was mild, she doesn't even remember it. Believe me, that gets a rise out of my sisters and me, because WE sure as heck remember HERS!
 
Not there yet, but, older sisters like to laugh at me when I do something that they went through. Unfortunately, the women in my family start this dreaded phase around 40. I'm am so not looking forward to this!!
 
when i got really thin i went into pseudo-menopause. nothing that made me fret!:LOL: 25 now so i have another 25-ish? wow.
 
I have quite literally ALWAYS had night sweats. They're getting a little worse now. I've always been a bit of an insomniac. Maybe those two things are making this "time of life" a little easier. The fact that I don't panic when I wake up drenched (keep clean nighties in my bedside table drawer, have extra pillows, and just change) ir when I go several days on only several hours of sleep. It's a "been there, done that" thing for me. And of course, it doesn't hurt that I am early-retired. Falling asleep at 5 a.m. when you have to get up at 6 is a ***** -- like I said, been there, done that. Falling asleep at 5 and getting three hours in is much better!

By the way, a freind of mine is 26. She has one child (almost 2 now). She has a family history of very, very early menopause, and was trying to conceive. She was feeling very emotional, and her periods stopped, but her home tests said she was NOT PG. She said she went into crying fits because she was certain that she was going 'through the change' (with good reason -- her grandmother and mother both did in their late 20s, early 30s). Luckily she went to the doctor to see if the rabbit died, and indeed, it had.

And yes, lots of sudden weight loss (or gain for that matter) can screw up your hormones.
 
If I could jsut walk in and say "Hey Doc take it" I would have done so many years ago. Though my time may be coming up. I've had 2 aunts that had it, my sister, and mother is scheduled June 15th for one. I do have cysts and my next appointment is in July. Given the family history I'm just gonna tell them to give me one and save me the trouble later.
 
A trick I learned at the nursing home, is to take the over the counter medicine, Benedryl, for insomnia. I currently have a nice crop of poison ivy and have been taking one pill, think it is 25 mg every night. I need to take it at least 9 hours before I need to be alert the next day. Benedryl is an antihistime but it knocks me right out.
 
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