*Menopause*

jelli · 07-14-2011, 12:38 AM

Menopause is not an illness, but a natural process in a woman's body. Symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, declining libido, lack of energy, and weight gain are just indicators of the changes caused by unbalanced hormone levels in a woman's body.

How has menopause effected your life? Taking any treatments? Tips?

jelli · 08-04-2011, 11:31 AM

Wow, that many.

Gráinne · 08-04-2011, 11:55 AM

I've been in perimenopause for awhile, without major symptoms

. I'm going to go as natural as possible unless I become a raging beast.

08-04-2011, 03:43 PM

Menopausal and mad as hell here!

I soddin' hate it.

I started with major symptoms last year after having a couple of years of menstrual changes.

Unfortunately said symptoms also coincided with giving up smoking so I was twice as loopy for a while there.

I started having quite serious night sweats which necessitated me having to sleep on towels for a few months. Then the night sweats stopped and the hot flashes started and they came every 10-15mins throughout the day and night. At first I thought the sweats and flashes could be as a result of my body being unaccustomed to all the oxygen it was now getting after quitting smoking. However the flashes didn't stop and I hadn't bled for months so I went to see my doctor who confirmed that yes I was having menopausal symptoms and could only suggest hormone replacement. I had to explain that my Ma died of breast cancer as a direct result of taking HRT (many moons ago now) so I am reluctant to take the risk myself.

I did my research and and started taking soy isoflavones (plant estrogens) along with high strength fish oils 3 times a day. After a few days they started to work and the hot flashes started to decrease in frequency. As they're really quite expensive I tried decreasing the number of isoflavone pills but the hot flashes increased again. So, I've been taking these pills for a year now and they work ....on the whole.

Recently I went to see the practice gynae nurse who suggested taking a low dose of Clonidine (Dixarit). I've been taking these for a month now and they have really helped. I have barely had a hot flash for a month!! We've just increased the dose a little bit and I'm 'cooler' than I've been in a whole year.

What is really hard to cope with is I feel so much like a 'girl'. I've always been a more male identified genderqueer being so am finding it really rather alien to feel female and I hate it. Really, really hate it. Having months on end where I don't bleed is the only 'good' aspect.

Ok I'll stop whinging on....for now

jelli · 08-04-2011, 04:16 PM

I figured this topic wouldn't be for everyone publicly. Thank you to anyone that takes the courage and or time to post. for those that are reading... take care of yourselves.

My journey with female issues and menopause started at age 14 with endometriosis. By 16 they wanted me to have a hysterectomy, but that wasn't going to happen since I always wanted a big family. Over the next few years I dealt with fibroids everywhere and excessive bleeding and pain. During this time I would also have my children. By 25 I had my hysterectomy and like most, menopause ensued. It hasn't been a great situation. They did start the patch after surgery, but I had a major skin reaction.

I started having trouble with ICC and that brought about them finding I needed to have an oophorectomy. So at 35 they removed the last ovary, major scar tissue, and some repair of a prolapse.

My Dr. recently prescribed a "compounded for me" cream for estrogen and testosterone. I am turning 40 in less than 2 weeks and things are starting to become a bit more normal. Thankfully, I have had great support.

Something else though, I am not sure if related or not, but they also found I was Vitamin D deficient(I posted in the vitamin D thread), magnesium very low, and my body wouldn't process vitamin B normally, so I take the sublingual.

I've noticed several people I know(IRT) that are almost ashamed to talk about their journey. Some to the point they won't even go see a doctor. I feel sad about the last aspect.

Apocalipstic · 08-04-2011, 04:30 PM

Hi there! )

I had a hysterectomy in 2008, and though I have a lone ovary left it is riddled with endometriosis and my hormone levels are way lower than they were before.

I guess you would say I am in perimenopause. Not yet on any supplements.

I do take Vitamin D as I also have a deficiency and B12, which seems to help with moods.

Omega 3s help too.

I have really bad heat flashes and this heat wave right now ia mking it all pretty miserable.

07-14-2011, 12:38 AM	#1
jelli Member How Do You Identify?: Femmilicious Preferred Pronoun?: she Relationship Status: And you said I wasn’t your type!!! Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SC Posts: 836 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,758 Thanked 1,079 Times in 377 Posts Rep Power: 16588547	*Menopause* Menopause is not an illness, but a natural process in a woman's body. Symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, declining libido, lack of energy, and weight gain are just indicators of the changes caused by unbalanced hormone levels in a woman's body. How has menopause effected your life? Taking any treatments? Tips? __________________ “Sometimes we make the right decision; sometimes we make the decision right.” “Every conflict is a lesson in self-discovery for both of us. Sometimes it's only hindsight that makes it worth it. For you, I would do it all again.“

08-04-2011, 11:31 AM	#2
jelli Member How Do You Identify?: Femmilicious Preferred Pronoun?: she Relationship Status: And you said I wasn’t your type!!! Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SC Posts: 836 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,758 Thanked 1,079 Times in 377 Posts Rep Power: 16588547	Wow, that many. __________________ “Sometimes we make the right decision; sometimes we make the decision right.” “Every conflict is a lesson in self-discovery for both of us. Sometimes it's only hindsight that makes it worth it. For you, I would do it all again.“

08-04-2011, 11:55 AM	#3
Gráinne Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Neither, nada, out of the box Preferred Pronoun?: My name always works Relationship Status: Happy whatever happens Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,818 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,011 Thanked 7,246 Times in 1,416 Posts Rep Power: 21474851	I've been in perimenopause for awhile, without major symptoms . I'm going to go as natural as possible unless I become a raging beast. __________________ The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one. ~Erma Bombeck

08-04-2011, 04:16 PM	#5
jelli Member How Do You Identify?: Femmilicious Preferred Pronoun?: she Relationship Status: And you said I wasn’t your type!!! Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SC Posts: 836 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,758 Thanked 1,079 Times in 377 Posts Rep Power: 16588547	Take care of yourselves. I figured this topic wouldn't be for everyone publicly. Thank you to anyone that takes the courage and or time to post. for those that are reading... take care of yourselves. My journey with female issues and menopause started at age 14 with endometriosis. By 16 they wanted me to have a hysterectomy, but that wasn't going to happen since I always wanted a big family. Over the next few years I dealt with fibroids everywhere and excessive bleeding and pain. During this time I would also have my children. By 25 I had my hysterectomy and like most, menopause ensued. It hasn't been a great situation. They did start the patch after surgery, but I had a major skin reaction. I started having trouble with ICC and that brought about them finding I needed to have an oophorectomy. So at 35 they removed the last ovary, major scar tissue, and some repair of a prolapse. My Dr. recently prescribed a "compounded for me" cream for estrogen and testosterone. I am turning 40 in less than 2 weeks and things are starting to become a bit more normal. Thankfully, I have had great support. Something else though, I am not sure if related or not, but they also found I was Vitamin D deficient(I posted in the vitamin D thread), magnesium very low, and my body wouldn't process vitamin B normally, so I take the sublingual. I've noticed several people I know(IRT) that are almost ashamed to talk about their journey. Some to the point they won't even go see a doctor. I feel sad about the last aspect. __________________ “Sometimes we make the right decision; sometimes we make the decision right.” “Every conflict is a lesson in self-discovery for both of us. Sometimes it's only hindsight that makes it worth it. For you, I would do it all again.“

08-04-2011, 04:30 PM	#6
Apocalipstic Pink Confection How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her, Ma'am Relationship Status: Dating Myself Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Nashville Posts: 4,266 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 17,195 Thanked 11,383 Times in 2,840 Posts Rep Power: 21474855	Hi there! ) I had a hysterectomy in 2008, and though I have a lone ovary left it is riddled with endometriosis and my hormone levels are way lower than they were before. I guess you would say I am in perimenopause. Not yet on any supplements. I do take Vitamin D as I also have a deficiency and B12, which seems to help with moods. Omega 3s help too. I have really bad heat flashes and this heat wave right now ia mking it all pretty miserable. __________________

08-04-2011, 03:43 PM	#4
Daktari Guest Tournaments Won: 1 Posts: n/a My Photo Gallery	Menopausal and mad as hell here! I soddin' hate it. I started with major symptoms last year after having a couple of years of menstrual changes. Unfortunately said symptoms also coincided with giving up smoking so I was twice as loopy for a while there. I started having quite serious night sweats which necessitated me having to sleep on towels for a few months. Then the night sweats stopped and the hot flashes started and they came every 10-15mins throughout the day and night. At first I thought the sweats and flashes could be as a result of my body being unaccustomed to all the oxygen it was now getting after quitting smoking. However the flashes didn't stop and I hadn't bled for months so I went to see my doctor who confirmed that yes I was having menopausal symptoms and could only suggest hormone replacement. I had to explain that my Ma died of breast cancer as a direct result of taking HRT (many moons ago now) so I am reluctant to take the risk myself. I did my research and and started taking soy isoflavones (plant estrogens) along with high strength fish oils 3 times a day. After a few days they started to work and the hot flashes started to decrease in frequency. As they're really quite expensive I tried decreasing the number of isoflavone pills but the hot flashes increased again. So, I've been taking these pills for a year now and they work ....on the whole. Recently I went to see the practice gynae nurse who suggested taking a low dose of Clonidine (Dixarit). I've been taking these for a month now and they have really helped. I have barely had a hot flash for a month!! We've just increased the dose a little bit and I'm 'cooler' than I've been in a whole year. What is really hard to cope with is I feel so much like a 'girl'. I've always been a more male identified genderqueer being so am finding it really rather alien to feel female and I hate it. Really, really hate it. Having months on end where I don't bleed is the only 'good' aspect. Ok I'll stop whinging on....for now