Useful things for surviving the menopause

[Egghead68]

I’ve found these cooling pads helpful at night:

www.<a class="break-all" href="https://amazon.co.uk/Chill-Mattress-Single-Comfortably-Innovative/dp/B073WHY2MF/ref=asc_df_B073WHY2MF/?hvlocphy=1006886&linkCode=df0&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=309909280065&hvpos=1o3&hvdev=m&hvtargid=pla-696506022613&hvrand=11360041154179764583&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-menopause-3630998-Useful-things-for-surviving-the-menopause" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.co.uk/Chill-Mattress-Single-Comfortably-Innovative/dp/B073WHY2MF/ref=asc_df_B073WHY2MF/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309909280065&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11360041154179764583&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006886&hvtargid=pla-696506022613&psc=1

And this iPhone fan

www.<a class="break-all" href="https://amazon.co.uk/VIMVIP-Lightning-Portable-Rotating-Suitable/dp/B01LYJIA4X/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?s=gateway&keywords=iphone%20fan&qid=1562428974&sr=8-3&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-menopause-3630998-Useful-things-for-surviving-the-menopause" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.co.uk/VIMVIP-Lightning-Portable-Rotating-Suitable/dp/B01LYJIA4X/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=iphone+fan&qid=1562428974&s=gateway&sr=8-3

And a pedestal fan by my bed.

Anyone else got any tips on things they have found helpful please?

Tempted to say wine but actually my tolerance has plummeted Last few remaining pleasures.

I effing hate the menopause!

Cardigans. So much easier to take on and off than jumpers, and you have all those useful buttons to do up or undo as well.

A spare pair of PJs next to the bed so you can get changed easily when you wake up drenched with sweat at 2.30am.

Chocolate.

It's probably completely coincidental, but my menopausal overheating stopped within two weeks of starting to take Menopace vitamins.

After trying everything going from chill pillows to having the fan on all night and various herbs and remedies, the only thing that has made me feel "normal"again is HRT.

Therapy!

HRT

That's why it was invented.

Yup I’ll echo HRT.

Hrt

And wool duvets...great for night sweats.

Not all of us can or want to take HRT unfortunately but I know it works well for lots of people.

I’ll give the Menopace pills a try - thank you Drama.

Dressing in layers is certainly helpful - thanks Grumpy.

@Egghead68

Are you unable to use HRT? If you give more info, we can offer more precise options. If it's a case of you don't like the idea of HRT, but are suffering your GP can offer you some drugs that are not hormonal.

You should see your GP for advice or a meno specialist.

Most of the herbal and supplement options are like snake oil. Lifestyle changes are best if you cannot use HRT.

It's not a case of 'surviving the menopause' because some women- quite a lot- find symptoms last for life.

I've started wearing a t shirt from Go Outdoors - designed for hiking etc, so it wicks away sweat. I'm finally not waking up soaked to the skin in the early hours.

Hard drugs, alcohol and definitely no men.

@Egghead68 It's 100% your choice to avoid HRT but if you are really suffering with symptoms, make sure that you have done your research, because so many women come on this site believing they can't (they think things like migraine, high BP, history of distant relatives with cancer etc are no-nos.)

Also make sure you are up to date with the latest research into risks and not still basing a decision on the outdated headlines and research of 20 years ago. HRT has changed it's not made with horse pee etc etc.

HRT and Vagifem. Nothing else needed.

There's a lot of unecessary scaremongering still about HRT which unfortunately puts off women who could really benefit from taking it. It probably saved my sanity and my marriage.

I appreciate some women sail through, others find exercise and diet etc help. I was sleeping about 2 hours a night, waking up drenched, had anxiety through the roof, aching joints and was an absolute rage ridden mare to live with.

Replacing the falling oestrogen in my body with a small dose of oestrogen, less than the pill, has made life liveable again.

If that helps another woman who is struggling through then great.

HRT

And apart from making me physically and mentally normal, its saved me a shit ton of money on supplements and chill pillows

Watching this thread with interest as after menopause going away years ago, I seem to be back in full swing, though unsure if it's really menopause at the GP insists, she says it can go on for decades, but can't answer when I point out it finished for me well over 3 years ago & now it's back & far worse 😐

Anyone else had this happen ??

During menopause first time round, if that's what this is I found the Menocare menopause magnets an absolute godsend, calmed everything right down in a day & stayed that way all the way through unless I forgot to wear it for some reason. I passed the 2 I bought onto a friend & cousin, both did well on them too.

@RockinHippy

You can't go through menopause twice.

There is perimenopause when symptoms come and go for years with varying intensity. This can last up to 10 years in some women.

When periods stop, you are post menopause, or 'menopausal' (rather than in perimenopause which is the transitional stage.)

The magnet will have done nothing, sorry to tell you. It's been researched and commented on by the Royal College of Gynaecologists (in a report on alternatives to HRT) and it's a placebo at best. Placebos have a 30- 40% effectiveness.
It may also seem to have worked, because your own hormones were so variable that it appeared to work but the reality was you were producing more estrogen during that time.

Now your periods have stopped you are experiencing all the rotten symptoms caused by loss of estrogen. Some women - like my mum- never get rid of flushes and sweats (she was having them in her 80s) and not sleeping well since the menopause.

If you want to try HRT the 'rule' is that it's best to start within 10 years of the final period, to get long term benefits and be safer.

Thanks for that Jingle, very helpful indeed. Definitely not menopause then as it's probably 10 plus years since my last period. I was grateful for early menopause as I had undiagnosed endometriosis- later diagnosed as a result of other issues.

I do have other health issues that include overheating, hot flashes etc, but doctors always look at my age & tell me its menopause 🙄 & so I've been very unsure about how to try & tackle it.

We'll have to agree to disagree on the magnet though, studies or not, it worked really well for me pretty much instantly, even though I expected it to be a load of rubbish & I can list at least 10 friends who had the same experience with it & loved their fanny magnets

@RockinHippy Think you have misunderstood :)

You can have hot flushes for 30+ years after your last period.

menopause is the stage we are at forever, once periods have ended. perimenopause is the time leading to a last period.

There is no scientific evidence for the magnet. It's a placebo- up to 4/10 women will say it works based on believing it will.
They will also find their symptoms come and go over the years.

If it worked, it would be handed out by the NHS- cheap, simple, no side effects.

In my experience, that isn't how the NHS works, they favour expensive drugs over cheaper non drug treatments.

Like I said, we'll have to agree to disagree on that point😊

No I didn't misunderstand, though I can see why that isn't clear in my last post. My hot flashes stopped for years, probably 3 years, then started up again about a year ago. Periods stopped over 10 years ago. Which sounds from your posts, not to be menopause but something else

How old are you now?

How old were you when your periods stopped?

Have you ever had a bone density scan because you had an early menopause?

Estrogen falls off continually post menopause. Just because you haven't had flushes for some time doesn't mean they can't come back- your estrogen levels continue to fall and get lower and lower. Women have some estrogen from their ovaries even post meno and also we make some from fat cells.

Obviously if you feel the magnet worked then use it again.

58 now
About 47/48 when periods stopped. Not exactly sure as it was all over the place for some years prior to that so didn't make a mental note of the actual last period.
No scan, though tbh it's something I need to push for as I fracture way too easily these days. I've actually woken up with a fractured foot bone & no clue how it happened. I was sent to A&E as a result of the last one & the one before by my GP, as she thought they'd test & scan as she was concerned, but they refused, didn't even X-ray the last one

I had hormonal tests about 14/15 years ago & apparently it was in full swing then.

As for the magnet, I'd need to buy another as I gave them away, which is why I'm trying to work out whether it is menopause or another condition, which will likely need tackling in a different way

https://www.amazon.co.uk/iwish-Protable-Rechargeable-Electric-Personal/dp/B01DM5H5WA/ref=mpssa113?keywords=i+wish+fan&qid=1562598194&s=gateway&sprefix=i+wish+&sr=8-3

This fan is my equivalent of a babies comfort blanket!! Worth every penny.

https://www.boots.com/boots-hot-weather-refreshing-spray-for-sensitive-skin-150ml-10113590?cmmmc=bmm-buk-google-ppccPLAsAs--(GB:Whoop!)+Boots+Pharmaceuticals---(GB:Whoop!)+Boots+Shopping+-+Category+-+Health+and+Pharmacy+-+Mobile&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkeOs0cyl4wIVcTPTCh2hGA2EEAQYAyABEgJYqDD_BwE

This kind of thing a good cool refreshing little spritz at desperate times!

I agree with the chilling pillow too - I have two JML 'chillows' but have seen something very similar in home bargains recently for half the price!

I'm also on HRT which has had to be built up slowly as I'm only in my 30s and had to have a hysterectomy because of cancer.
Surgical menopause adds just that little extra smack in the face because it's so sudden the hormones disappear!

Ooh and a random one - having a cold wet towel round your neck (looking like Wimbledon's finest player 😂) and/or running cold water over your wrists I found both to be useful.

Great tips thanks Raeray .