Menopause

[Poptart4]

There have been alot of stories in the press about celebrities going through menopause. The latest being Lisa Snowden. See Daily fail.

At this point I will hold my hands up and say I now very little about menopause even though I'm a women in her late 30's. But these horror stories are really scaring me. Does every women going through the menopause go through hell? Is this what I have to look forward to? And do these symptoms (memory loss, depression, rages, sweats... God knows what else) eventually stop?

I can't believe no one has ever talked to me about menopause before. It wasn't even mentioned in school.

It crept up on me too. I'm 48 and only realised last year that all the things that were wrong with me were peri menopause related - no doctor put together all the symptoms either!
I was having heart palpitations, muscle aches, anxiety. The worst was bladder problems and vaginal pain/dryness (vaginal atrophy). I could have been helped years ago had anyone realised I was peri menopausal. It didn't occur to me because I still had periods.

Peri-menopause was pretty difficult.

I've always suffered from hormonal headaches and they turned into monthly migraines with associated nausea. They were hard to cope with. I did actually start to need time off once a month they were so debilitating - but that was right at the end.
Some flooding.

It started sometime in my 40s but I'd had my last period by 50. I'm now late 60s and I've hardly had a headache since.
Also, the odd hot flush but nowhere near as bad as many of my friends as I don't get them at all now. Don't cope very well with heat/hot days though.

Everyone has a different experience

@lollipoprainbow

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So why are you here?

And I wish you well with yours.

(And if it goes badly, do you think you might want some help and advice?)

@lollipoprainbow

It's enough to have to read about Lisa Snowden's reproductive system let alone smug Holly Willoughby!!

Have to read?

Who's making you?

The Menopause Baby Jesus?

I'm currently going through it. Started on HRT patches last week.

I think it's great that this is being discussed and that prominent women like Kirsty Wark, Louise Minchin, Davina McCall and the rest are discussing something which happens to EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.

Yes, some will sail through with no bother. Others will cope without medication. Others like me will need a bit of extra help. Raising awareness of menopause will mean women don't feel they have to suffer in silence, and won't have GPs fobbing them off with the "it's just one of those things" nonsense.

It’s not great.

I don't love the idea of being lectured by a woman (Lisa S) who was only ever famous for having great tits/for being shagged by George Clooney, but, honestly, the more knowledge gets out there the better. If the government is even quarter way serious about pensions not paying out till our late 60s, the current attitudes towards this issue, the first signs of which typically kick in when (graduate) women are less than halfway(!!!) towards this point, are beyond the pale.

Thanks so much for all replies they have made me feel better. There's hope I'll be lucky and my symptoms won't be that bad. But even if it's hell I know there is help.

even if it's hell I know there is help

It's so easy - couple of pumps of gel per day and Mirena coil :)

I was managing ok and I think exercise helped me a bit but sleep was a bit broken and the hot flushes came and went. Then boom at age 58 the whole lot of symptoms came back with a vengeance. I always thought I could 'get through it' but after speaking with a friend and also watching the Davina programme I decided to speak to my GP and started HRT six months ago. I feel calm, sleep well and have no hot flushes now. I also understand there are long term benefits in terms of bone and heart health. I do understand that every woman is different but I am happy with my decision.

ThreeLittleDots It's so easy - couple of pumps of gel per day and Mirena coil smile
That combo works for me.

@lollipoprainbow well wasn't your mum fucking lucky.

@Poptart4 I'm nearly 50. Mostly in fair working order, bit fat but probably laziness not meno. The worst bit is not knowing when your next period will be and how heavy/light it will be. Some have been like Niagara falls, others like wiping your nose. 🤷‍♀️ Can't really plan stuff that far in advance because of ^
Some night sweats, but I've always run "hot" and hated summer.
Not going down the HRT route personally, but each to their own.

@lollipoprainbow

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Here's a thought - don't click on a thread about it

@pussycatunpickingcrossesagain not really she has late stage dementia. Happy now ?!

Menopause was definitely mentioned in my sex-ed, about 1979. I mean, it's not a hot topic for 11 yr olds to focus on, but we were taught the basics & that some women found it unpleasant, had hot flushes and other symptoms. I can't think of a time I didn't know that.

Dunno what British kids got taught then.

Unfortunately, the main problem is that menopause is unique to the individual coupled with the fact most GPs aren't schooled in it. Is it any wonder that can be hard to diagnose and also recognise, particularly if one doesn't suffer the usual symptoms. I think these reasons highlight just beneficial it is for others share their experience.

I know that when I watched Davina's highly informative documentary about her experiences, it struck me how 'standard' (for wont of a better word) her journey was. And I do think this is somewhat of a problem as those who don't follow a certain path find it difficult to understand what is really happening to them and often the GP will tell them they're depressed.

Often, it is retrospectively and with hindsight that many women realise what they're going through. I know for me, my periods were the last thing to be affected and this plus my age (I was in my 30s) led to many GPs dismissing my concerns I was perimenopausal even though I was suffering brain fog, hot flushes and sweats, chronic insomnia and my weight had gone crazy, all classic signs of perimenopause.

What I advise is the OP (and any others who are in their 30s) to start reading as much as possible now and also talking to their mother/female relations about their experiences as in some instances, we follow a similar path to our mother.

It’s a nightmare and I wish I’d known what to expect beforehand.
Part of the problem is that it’s different for everyone. I personally found the emotional mood swings very difficult as I didn’t know what was happening- & it did go on for 10 years. Towards the end there was the heavy periods & flooding, luckily I lived close to work as I had to go home and change a few times. I also had bad sleep & really erotic dreams.
I didn’t experience night sweets or hot flushes.

[quote lollipoprainbow]@pussycatunpickingcrossesagain not really she has late stage dementia. Happy now ?! [/quote]
She meant lucky to sail through the menopause symptomless, what’s dementia got to do with it and why would anyone be happy about your mother having it?
You have issues. Don’t read threads if they’re annoying you it’s not “droning on” it’s discussion.

I had a hysterectomy at 35 but my ovaries were left intact so very hard to tell when I started menopause
I’m 57 now and the only symptoms I expected were mood swings, flushes and vaginal dryness
I wish I’d known about the sleep issues, brain fog, near vaginal atrophy, feeling absolutely drained etc - I might have asked for help earlier
I worry about HRT side effects etc so battle on

[quote lollipoprainbowMessage deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.[/quote]
I think we need to drone on about it a great deal more. That's the point of the thread.

I wish I knew if mine has started or not! I have the more a so no idea what’s happening with periods as they’re super erratic.
Struggle mentally anyway so no idea if that’s hormone driven or not. Some night sweats but better since I stopped drinking alcohol.

Menopause done and dusted in a few months. Did have the flushes/sweats but been off and on steroids for years so didn't really notice them. I've got Crohn's and have had Cancer and have some other illnesses - menopause was a doddle!

I'm 43 and bloody grateful to all women, celebs and non celebs, who speak up about their experiences.

Droning on? Hysterical will be bandied about next.... just jog on if not interested 🙄