to whine and moan about my hot flushes?

[solidgoldbrass]

Because I have been alternately whining and laughing, really. And it's occurred to me that I might in fact be acting like the sort of person of whom my mother always says 'The only trouble with her is, when you ask her how she is she tells you...'

Ooh well-if that´s a challenge...

It is a strange experience for us. Am 43 and have recently started taking HRT, been on it for nearly 3 weeks and my flushes are diminishing. Thank you HRT. I am less pleased to have grown, quite frankly, enormous norks. What with this, my now thickened waist and huge arse I just do not know how to dress. And then there is the mad sprouting hairs everywhere. Pah.

I am just knackered, physically and mentally. DH is trying to be understanding but is finding the weepy me quite a challenge. Ha! He should try the menopause and then he would know what a challenge is!

Chin up women, onwards and upwards! Or a sideways suffle to the fridge for more cake.

I would like to know why teenagers get lots of "sympathy" (for want of a better word) regarding their behaviour during huge hormonal changes, but women undergoing the same in reverse just get laughed at, ignored, poo-poohed or told to "get over it".
IT'S NOT FAIR (see Kevin the Teenager)

Good point Nina. In a way I am pleased I am menopausal now as I remember my mother and I clashing like mad when I began my periods. I have a DD aged 6, so hopefully I will be calm and serene by that time.

Far too many I in that ^.

"It's a natural process, embrace it" I was told. I was very measured and restrained when I replied "Fuck off".

ESP: Yes, I remember my hormonal teen years clashing with my mother's menopausal ones, which makes me glad that my DS is only 7 and I should be a serene old dear by the time he hits his teens...

Same here for me, I was starting my periods (and they were horrendous for the first few years until the doctor put me on the pill), at the same time as my mum was having the worst part of the menopause.

No wonder my Dad spent most of his life in his shed keeping out of our way!

Oh thanks OP for this thread. I started getting mine this month for the first time. I can't believe I'm this old.. Disclaimer I am still gorgeous it just takes a bit longer each morning to achieve

I'm off to get sage tablets.

My mum started getting hot flushes so she cut out coffee and started putting linseeds in her bread and they went away!

I've been advised that linseeds and soya are a good idea, also eating regular small meals, but not to waste money on vitamins and herbs (not that I would anyway). Not sure about linseeds though. In my mind linseeds are what you use to clean paintbrushes, polish your lacrosse stick, oh, and deal with constipation. And I don't need any assistance in that direction whatsoever thanks (bowels not so much irritable as criminally insane).

I take the chemicals. And I am NEVER coming off them. I told my GP this last time I went and he said they're no longer instructed to limit HRT to 5 years, so that's good. I've been on it for 7 years already. Mum's menopause lasted 12 years ...

Egg-shaped! That's exactly it! The super-fit and slenderous creature I was, before the hormones hit, has been enveloped in a sheath of lard that swells throughout the day to form a suspiciously pregnant bulge by teatime. At this time of night my midriff rests, Buddha-like, upon my thighs. It's almost majestic.

The hair on my head's getting thinner, unlike the hair on my face which constantly surprises me with new configurations. I am never separated from my tweezers, since weekly WAXING cannot suppress the exuberance of my face bristles. The aunt I most resemble had jowls like this. Mine are developing nicely. I'm going to change my name to Boxer Buddhabristle.

It all makes sense suddenly, doesn't it? Why older women are fat round the middle - because that's what happens; diet & exercise don't work the same anymore. Why we wear stretchy waistbands: because our waist explosively expands as the day goes on. Why older women don't deal with those face hairs: they've grown since we left the house! Why we wear unflattering sleeveless tops with cardigans and jackets: because we never know what temperature we're going to be. Why we have crap eyebrows: it's either crap or bristle, the elegant eyebrow is no longer available. Why we drink gin ... so will you, young lady, when you've got all this to deal with

Hello Hot ladies.

I have a question: I have to have a poorly ovary removed (leaving me with one) and whenever I ask the doctor if it will affect my hormones he goes a bit vague.
Will it? Am I going to suddenly half go through menopause?I already have way too much chin hair. (35)

Worried.

I had myoivaries shut down last month and have had HRT for 4 weeks. Feel bloody awful so Im waiting for my ovaries to kickstart again. Having major flushes and vomiting episodes.

Is anyone else having gastric problems? Its like morning sicckness, i know its going to happen so can be ready for itt! Really dizzy had as well.
Roll on my hysterectomy.

Nowthen I have a friend who had an ovary taken out at 36 and hasnt had any menopause signs yet.

Oh good, thanks coco. I do find that gynacologists seem to ignore the whole issue of hormones and how much they affect you. It's all mechanics to them.
(All the ones at the hospital are men.)

NowThen, I had one ovary removed and the other started working double shifts immediately. They said it might take a few months, but mine didn't. I did have a face bristle problem (nothing like the one I've got now!) but that was due to the PCOS and, sadly, did not correct itself after the oophorectomy.

Yeah, Coco, I have 'gastric problems' which are mainly due to wind! That old-lady bloat finds its way out my old-lady bum eventually, prior to which it causes sickness, cramps and diarrhoea. Lovely

I've developed a dairy intolerance and a sulphite allergy. No more butter, cheese, wine, cider or sausages. Ever. It's grim. I can drink vodka though!

Thanks garlic Isnt it great to be a woman?

That was supposed to be a smile not a manic grin

Manic grins are necessary

I took HRT for 15 years, I also said I wasn't coming off it. I weaned myself off and have been off it for two and a half years but I am sitting with my top over my shoulders because I have just had a hot flush. I have been having them for about 18 years and can see no end to them. One bonus about coming off them is I no longer dread going in to a cold bed.

Deste, thanks for that! I know this is a shitty summer - but I'm still taking hot water bottles to bed; it's not really that cold is it?!

Added this to my watched threads to read at leisure.

It's a horrible time. My periods stopped 2 years ago and I still getting hot flushes. I'm really sick of them now and although not on any medications would like to try something herbal that works.

I put half stone on in the past year and a half co-inciding with giving up smoking and although I hardly eat it isn't shifting. Managed to get a couple of pounds off but that was because I broke up with someone I really cared about recently. The fat is around my middle, I hate it. I should start exercising more.

Don't sleep properly either, but I've always been the same, it's worse now and I go through phases of needing to pee all night.

I cannot wait until it's finished.

OK, I have been a bit more nauseous than usual the morning after a few pints - but I am wondering if I am now going to inaccurately label every twinge or malfunction as 'Bwaa, menopause!' - or on the other hand if various odd twinges and symptoms over the past couple of years have in fact been due to menopausal stuff.
I am a lazy slob who drinks and smokes and doesn't bother overmuch with personal grooming (never done anything to my eyebrows ever, for instance) so maybe I didn't notice the early stages. But now I have noticed, it seems to be speeding up a bit: became aware that hot flushes were real hot flushes a couple of weeks back, and last night and a couple of nights before I've been woken up by them, and now they are starting to get sweaty as well...

Reading this and realising this is what must be happening to me.
Have had maybe 1 or 2 periods in last 12 months (hurrah).
Recently have put on more weight despite trying really hard to lose it. Sore joints, and for the last month or so have felt so sick and nauseous. Tried explaining to a friend how 'rough' I feel. She thought I must be pregnant !!!

Should I be seeing he GP about this is there anything I should be doing. or is it just a case of getting on with it?

You vould see the gp and find iut about hrt if you wanted.

Im sitting here and i can fell the sweat coming out if every pore. Even in my hair. I sweat so much i should be teeny.

Anyone starting to carry fat around your middle a low gi diet is best. Insulin resistence can be caused by fucked up hormones.

How many off you have suffered with hormone/period problems when you were younger? My mum sailed through the menopause but she never had any gynae problems in her life.

Interesting point, coco! My first few years of menstruation were a bastard. I started late, had a five-month period (great introduction, huh) and then nothing for about a year. After that I got a heavy 3-week bleed every 6-8 weeks. My doctor put me on the pill, which made me almost normal though still heavy & irregular. Came off the pill in my early thirties, had monster periods interspersed with miscarriages, finally got a PCOS diagnosis and an ovary removed.

Since then my periods have been more regular but still abnormally heavy. Hot flushes started on my 50th birthday! Promptly demanded HRT, which worked instantly, but 7 years later I've still only missed two periods. I think they're getting lighter and shorter, which would be more of a relief if I didn't have so many other things getting worse at the same time

My sister has a similar history but managed to have kids and no cysts (pregnancies probably fixed them). She has a diagnosed & treated thyroid condition, but is suffering all the same menopausal symptoms as me. I think the thyroid takes too much blame for problems in middle-aged women. I get regular batteries of blood tests for my CFS (they identified the dairy intolerance) and have normal hormones for a woman my age on HRT. See above re "It all makes sense suddenly, doesn't it? Why older women ..."

[shrug] It's okay, actually, as soon as you stop expecting your body to be 28.

Ive had pretty regular periods most of my life but horrendous PMS. I had 3 miscarriages and horrible pregnancies (sickness and SPD).

Periods in my 30s were very heavy resulting in a womb ablation. Im now waiting for a hysterectomy because the lining of my womb has grew back in the wall of my womb resulting in swelling and pain.

I have varicose veins in and on my womb and down into my vagina and on my vulva
My right ovary is just a mass of cysts too.