Anyone recognise these 'symptoms'?

[resipsa]

Is this all menopause related or just life? Early 50s, work PT, married, two kids, reasonably fit and healthy but just meh. Disconnected. Like I'm watching everyone else playing 'life' from a distance. I go through the motions but am not really feeling it. Not depressed in a sad way. Would be delighted to bugger off alone for 6 months to Tahiti. Can't get excited about nights out or even a holiday. Groundhog Day. It's a new thing. I was OK throughout Covid times but since about Feb 22, just can't see the point...

If you're describing apathy, loss of interest in things you used to enjoy or a can't be arsed feeling, then yes that's the menopause. It's a recognised symptom.

If estrogen is at optimum levels then testosterone can be the missing piece of the jigsaw.

Yes, meno.

When I first started patches I got some spark back. It's slowly diminished but covid hit me badly 5 months ago.

Oestrogen was showing v low despite 50 patch. Started upping it to 75 and promptly got covid again!

But I feel a bit more with it and have ideas again.

I'm working on upping oestrogen and then see how I am before asking to try testosterone - I was 130 ish on 50 patch and she wanted around 600 so I don't know if 75 will cut it. I have lost libido completely too though which is a more recent thing.

This is me ! No get up and go at all. Would happily sit on the couch all day and scroll MN. But I don’t get hot flushes, just apathy.
Seeing the GP next week.

Yep, this is menopause. I was very ‘meh’ a bit better now but it’s also a viscous circle thing too I think. You can’t feel bothered so don’t then life becomes very dull. I feel I’ve suddenly become very old at 53, almost overnight.

I've come on here to look at similar op. I'm 45, mirena fitted and been having symptoms for past few years. I cannot find joy in anything, I'm drained, meh, no spark but longing to feel alive again. I'm sick of the flushes, the sleepless nights, the lack of self worth. I feel like I'm shrinking away from life that others are enjoying. I am considering all sorts from separation from my husband, to taking time off work to just disappear somewhere.

This has reassured me that maybe it is time to take the next step.

This is also a symptom of hypothyroidism, which is very common in ladies in their 40s and 50s. The symptoms do overlap with those of the menopause (eg tiredness and weight gain, as well as the apathy that you're experiencing). It might be worth having your TSH checked.

Feeling a similar way. Zero interest and depressed. Started doing house chores, gave up and reached for the wine. Hot flushes, sweats, lack of joy and zero libido.

Anyone got any slivers of hope for some spark to return without treatment? Just back from holiday - when, in fact, all the 'meh' disappeared and I had a ball doing very little in the sun - and it's worse than before. All so tedious and pointless and full of obligation that you resent...

Possibly easier said than done but if you felt better loafing around on holiday you need to try find ways to do more of the same if at all possible. I recognise that feeling of obligation and suddenly we can find ourselves asking ‘what about me? I think we lose the desire to nurture with the menopause and want and need to put ourselves first for once.

It's me again. I feel low now. Struggling to see the point of anything. Everyone around me seems so tethered to life and to each other with real purpose as they go about their day to day lives. Others are planning holidays or moving house or getting promoted or just meeting up merrily and I am stuck in the same place, literally and figuratively. I need a change but just don't know what it is. Sorry for the self-pity if anyone gets this far! The march of time feels unrelenting.

Are you taking any HRT? If not, then it might be worth exploring. I have definitely felt better since starting it (similar age and lifestyle by the sounds of it).

Please ask Gp about whether hrt is right for you.

I felt extreme disconnection and low from everyone. Plus lots of other symptoms. Hrt really helped though I then had to keep tweaking to get to the right level when symptoms returned.

I’m feeling similar. In addition to what might be going on meno wise I’m feeling the change of season, not feeling busy enough or fulfilled by my little life and like everyone else is having a jolly, fantastic, time and I’m missing out on the party! HRT can help but so can reaching out on here and to friends in real life and maybe other therapies can help too.

Thanks all for your replies. They are appreciated on several levels. For reasons I don't quite understand, I am very treatment resistant generally (no pills for headache, no anything when DH had cancer, ditto my IVF journey afterwards). Really want to come through this downturn without reliance on medication but I see the sense of asking about HRT. Am pondering it...

Look at it this way... all HRT does is replace hormones that were there before. So it isn't like other medication, you aren't introducing something different into your body, you are just replacing something that used to be there.

I feel the same way,just a general lack of interest…I have a “good chat” with myself on a daily basis,,to remind myself it’s hormonal and hope it will pass in time…I started HRT 2 months ago and I see no improvement at all with feeling of Apathy.i continue to do the same things,work,socialise etc but my interest is not there and I find it challenging…it’s a difficult feeling to express,because you are not depressed, your body is changing with hormonal changes…identifying what is really important to you as an individual is very important..for me I Need my daily walks so I prioritise that…if I need to be social,I do it but perhaps spend less time out than I did previous.. I also think it’s important to recognize when your body is tired and you need sleep..learn to say “no” if you genuinely not up for something..but continue to try…I hope my new normal is better than these days,,,time will tell I guess…be nice to yourself and prioritise you…