single mum of 8 year old going through menopause - nightmare!!

[mocca]

Didn't know the best place to post this so please bear with me. I'm a single parent of nearly 51 to a lovely 8 year old girl. Amicable relationship with her dad who she spends a lot of time with. I'm in the early stages of a new relationship with a lovely man of 52, although it's been a bit of a whirlwind. He lives 200 miles away so that adds stress to my already busy life (I work full-time as well).

And now, I've started having the most awful menopausal symtoms - the worst of which are terrible mood swings which my poor little girl is subjected too, a lot of crying and feeling terribly anxious and hopeless. I suppose I should see my GP, I can't put my child through this much longer but I wonder whether I should share this with my new man. He's very understanding and emotionally literate but I don't want to scare him off because it's so early on! But if I don't say something, sooner or later he's going to think there's something really wrong with me anyway. As I write this, my head feels like it's about to explode and I have to feel normal in the morning! Thanks.

Can sympathise, I'm 34 and have has hormonal imbalances since 13, I have 2 dc and a partner who also understands the ups and downs but it must be hard for him having a 'different' person for a week in every month. I get what you mean about your dd, but in some ways kids do need to understand these ups and downs as they will experience them one day.

All I can say is hang in there. My mum is 57 and has just finished her menopause, you can try all the HRT etc but ultimately it will pass.

Good luck

try a herbalist. agnus castus and milk thistle work well for menopause symptoms, as does black cohosh and many other herbs that have none of the side effects that HRT has. go to a local independant health shop or look up a herbalist in your phone book. if not try the NIMH, national institute medical herbalists they have a herbalist finder on there when you put in your postcode.
you can also find herbs to perk up your sex life too if that is flagging under the menopause