If you are post menopause how do you feel?

[cantheydothisreally]

And what would you tell a peri meno woman?

49 and need some hope 😞

It is so debilitating OP. I'm running out of options now and it's steadily getting worse 😞

lovemydaxie
I have found acidophilus tablets from Holland and Barrett have helped but it seems to get better and then worse again

HRT helped the oestrogel but Utrogestan made me constipated ☹️

OP I take Symprove probiotic which does help but it's interesting that the Utrogestan caused you constipation which actually would be a good result for me, but I guess there's no happy medium 😟

Mine too . I'm glad it's not just me .

Hattie43 my GP did not think it was related to peri 🙄

When I started oestrogel it was great and then with utrogestan I was very anxious and constipated with heart palpitations ☹️

The constipation may work for you lovemydaxie perhaps?

I have thought about symprove too

Tried the wild nutrition powder and it gave me diarrhoea !

My poor little bottom ☹️

I know what you mean. I tried collagen shots recently and had the most dreadful effect on me. Poor bottom indeed!

I fancied trying collagen, sounds awful ☹️

Any sudden changes cause more issues in my experience I guess I started the thread to see if there is hope!

Has Hrt helped you?

lovemydaxie

There might be - but I think there are environmental factors too. My mother had a terrible menopause- but she also had a terrible diet. High in ultra processed food, tins of soup, no fresh fruit or veg. I remember her flooding, being confined to bed in tears and then a hysterectomy.

My sister and I had no issues, both sailed through and out the other side. She definitely has no libido problems (recently divorced and making the most of her freedom) 🤣. We both eat healthily - and have since we left home in our teens.

It's not inevitable that a daughter will have the same menopause experience as her mother.

OP I'm only one week in with HRT so don't know yet if it's going to help, but it's a very low dose. If it doesn't at least I can cross it off the list. I've procrastinated about it for a long time, but decided I've got nothing to lose.

good luck lovemydaxie.

Perhaps let me know how it goes?

What regime?

OP It's half a patch of Evorel Conti. Will keep you posted.

Thanks and good luck 🍀

Really hate the smell of cooking meat now. Last Christmas didn't want any turkey!

Im peri menopause but have also got that. It smells rotten to me. I'd rather have tofu.

I'm (very nearly) 52. My first peri symptoms were anxiety (crushing, debilitating) and terrible insomnia. I honestly thought I was going mad, it was horrendous.
Since starting HRT my sleep and anxiety have improved hugely.
My most irritating symptoms are joint aches, really quite bad at times
I do feel like I'm getting to the other side of it now. Recently I've done wild swimming, cycling and surfing.
I do mourn my libido though..

..and I've gone off meat too! Weird..

At 51 I had awful anxiety so bad I stopped driving and couldn't stand the bus.
Then I realised I had dreadful joint pains in my knees and hands which was so bad I crawled upstairs at night.The odd hot flush and horrible night sweats.
Insomnia,low moods anger and bladder issues,dry burning mouth.
Now at almost 56 I feel good.
On oestrogel and utrogestan gave up alcohol and started exercising
All my symptoms have gone and it took a while but there is hope

At about 47 I often felt below par. Everything hurt, especially when I used to try and turn over in bed. I had blood tests, I was basically well, it was just the menopause.
My periods stopped at 52 and that was around the age that I started to feel better. I got hot flushes but just felt very hot, I never poured with sweat.
A couple of years ago, around the first lockdown, I started to do Yoga and weights. I've deliberately put on about 7 pounds since then and my arms have really filled out doing the weights. I'm up to 10kg now and before my 50s I'd never lifted a weight. I'm 58.
I love full fat Total yogurt and whole milk on my cereal.
I've never taken and never will take HRT. I'm sure there's a place for it, but it's not for me.
I've got an inner confidence that I never had before and don't take shit from no one...with the exception of DD for whom I'm still a right pushover 😉
I agree don't be fobbed off by the GP however always good to remember that in most cases they probably know a damned sight more than Davina McCall. In my opinion she has a little knowledge and thinks she knows everything.

I had a late menopause - I had trouble-free, monthly periods until I was 54(!) then they began being very heavy, very frequent, and for 5 years I had hospital appointments, scans, womb biopsies, a coil (which I made them take out after about a week), various tablets, anaemia - was on Iron tablets for 6 months. My periods eventually stopped, 6 months before I was 60! I'm 63 now, never had HRT

I'd always joked that when I reached the menopause I'd go into complete denial and spend the entire household budget on pregnancy tests for the next 30 or 40 years. But when the time came I was emotionally prepared for it. My periods became less frequent for a couple of years then I got annoying hot flushes and dryness. Starting HRT at 52 cured the symptoms. I had a couple of light breakthrough bleeds early on because I'd fibbed about my periods having been stopped for 12 months in order to get continuous rather than cyclical HRT, but no other side effects.

I'd encourage you to get as informed as possible about menopause, HRT, other treatments that might be used for the symptoms, and the lifestyle things you can consider doing to future-proof your mind and body.

I'm two years the other side, went thru hell before, flooding, crazy anxiety, insomnia. Sleep still not great but i get at least 5 hours now. Sweats come and go in cycles but libido has vanished. Hate it. Am not on hrt asked for it got given AD which I didn't take. Can I ask all of you on hrt if you have your libido?

Yes, I do.

I don[t, when I stop.

I feel better now than I did. I've ever taken hrt (was refused years ago and didn't go back).

I'm still tired-ish and work only part time. I have bladder issues which I take Solfenacin for and atrophy which causes dryness. I've lost interest in sex.

I watch my weight very carefully and I'm in pretty good shape for my age. I think you have to look after yourself when you get older. I look younger than I am (63) and still enjoy clothes and makeup.

My bullshit - ometer is very finely tuned these days mind...

If you have vaginal atrophy (dryness, bladder issues etc) low dose topical estrogen can help, usually cream or pessary. Can be started at any time, little systemic absorption and safe to use long term. You might find you then don't need the Solifenacin (I was prescribed this too but never took it as the cause of my needing to wee all the time was low estrogen and thinner irritated tissue in the urethral tract)

menopausesupport.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GSM-OF-MENOPAUSE-SYMPTOM-CHECKER2.pdf
d2931px9t312xa.cloudfront.net/menopausedoctor/files/information/463/Vaginal%20Dryness%20v21-02.pdf

I am post menopausal now. I was feeling really crap so went to doctors for first time in years. Had blood tests and ultrasound, everything was fine,
Dr told me I was PM.

I have had quite a time, first hot sweat 8 years ago. On the whole constant since then. I have had debilitating brain
fog, low energy, the whole menopausal crap. I am 55 now.

I did not go in HRT, just didn't want
to although Dr offered it.

I still have hot sweats, at moment they are constant, it's really uncomfortable but I have just got over covid so not sure if constant hot sweats related to that, they weren't this bad before covid.

I do feel positive though on the whole as I know I am on the right side of the tracks. I've made it through.

I feel solidarity with all you posters, your posts show we are not alone.