What changes have you made?

[Happyinheels]

Hi everyone,
I turned 47 a few weeks ago, I had a hysterectomy when I was 33 but still have my ovaries. It's taken me a while to connect the dots as it just never crossed my mind that the way I have been feeling was down to being peri menopausal, with not having periods. I have practically every symptom going, I've gone from being a well put together, intelligent woman to someone who is beyond exhausted all the time who struggles to hold a conversation. I've lost so much hair and my joints and muscles ache so
much that it keeps me awake.
I've been reading up and researching and trying to get my head around the next step as I really can't go on like this. The low mood, brought on by sheer exhaustion, is so debilitating. I'm normally fit and active.
My question is please can you share with me effective changes that you have made to your lifestyle? Do you take any supplements? What have been the best changes you have made? Thank you so much!

Sorry to hear it sounds like you have suffered a while now. I first had symptoms around 40, hard to know exactly as I’m hypothyroid diagnosed around then. I’ve been poorly for years and then went on HRT just over a year ago and it’s been amazing. Not perfect but big difference. I also prioritise sleep in a way I haven’t before, I am careful with drinking enough water too and not overloading myself.

That must have been difficult @WahineToa . I think I've been peri for a few years but not realised. I've been trying to get an appointment with the doctor to see about going on HRT. Sometimes even just getting through the day is a struggle.

I've cut out sugar and only have carbs in veg. That made a big difference to my energy and mood. The sugar / insulin response is a hormonal function so I reckoned that taking some of the load / stimulants off my endocrine system can only be a good thing.

Also lots of exercise and vitamin D and magnesium plus glucosamine.

No booze, limited caffeine and tonnes of water / herbal tea.

Yes to prioritising sleep.

Also I'm talking to lots of people about how I feel so I don't feel as much shame / awkwardness when I forget words / conversations!!

Sorry to hear that OP - it sounds horrible. I'm 51 and the biggest symptom I've had has been putting on weight and not being able to shift it in the way I used to.

I've given up sugar, and stopped eating breakfast so I always do a 17-7 fast. I have my Fitbit set to 12,000 steps and usually do an at-home workout too (Caroline Girvans or an intermediate yoga with Adrienne), even when I really really don't want to. I don't eat meat anyway but would have stopped if I did. I take iron already but have added a multivitamin and vitamin D (wondering now if I should do something more targeted).

The weight is coming off (what I feel is unreasonably slowly, considering all the above), but I'm also feeling great, and am sleeping better than I have for years. I'm talking to the doctor on Monday about HRT. Will be following this thread with interest.

Also lots of exercise and vitamin D and magnesium plus glucosamine.

Yes, I agree with exercise as that’s helped me a lot now I have testosterone to help get energy for it! I also take vit D, almost everyone in the uk will need to ( I test regularly ) and magnesium is a common and good recommendation except that if you already have enough it can cause panic attacks and heart palpitations! I had that experience, tested magnesium without supplements months later and it was quite high naturally. I eat a lot of veg and nuts etc as I’m WFPB- whole good plant based vegan.

@FusionChefGeoff tea is my weakness - I can easily drink about 15 cups a day! I may need to try more herbal teas.

It's like a vicious circle - I'm way too exhausted by the end of the day to force myself to exercise. Yet exercise makes you feel better. Maybe if I add in some vitamins that will give me a boost?
I'll have to check out glucosamine. Is that for joints? Do you take the magnesium and vitamin D as separate supplements? I started a multivitamin that's supposed to be for 'stress' but it's not making much difference.

I think talking about it is definitely a positive. I felt embarrassed when I connected the dots. Oh and a whole host of other feelings which I need to wrap my head around.

Can you switch to de-caf tea?

@rachelagain there are positives in your post! Great that you feel so good with the changes you have made. I'm definitely going to check out some vitamins.
I think I've come to the point that I know I'm not going to have the stomach I did when I was 25 but equally I do want to be fit and toned as much as I can. I was running and doing yoga but the aches and exhaustion are just getting in the way.

@WahineToa I'm definitely going to check out vitamins. I'm so tired of feeling so tired all the time! It's getting in the way of exercise.

I think I definitely need to give it a go!

Have you had your thyroid and testosterone levels checked? Low in either and you will feel fatigued.

Hrt plus testosterone. Listening to my body and now feel pretty great. I too had ever symptom including the night pain in hips and thigh bone. Lost a few years quality of life but hrt literally turned it around in a matter of a week or two. Good luck

HRT was life changing in terms of mood. Magnesium for great sleep quality has been a life saver too.
vm.tiktok.com/ZMFy2HJNa/

Magnesium for great sleep quality has been a life saver too.
vm.tiktok.com/ZMFy2S3oL/

I use these. 1 morning, 1 afternoon & 2 evening
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B37YMQVK/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Giving up alcohol completely has also been beneficial.

I haven't had my testosterone tested. I'll mention this to the doctor - when I can get an appointment! I've filled in the balance questionnaire and read through some advice on a fb group recommended on another thread on this board so I have a better idea of what to actually say instead of waffling around 🤣

@wantmorenow so sorry to hear that you suffered with those awful night pains too. I'm glad that you've found things that have turned it around for you. I'm going to speak to the doctor about hrt and possibly testosterone. I need to look into the testosterone part for sure.

@BeingHeldAtHunPoint thank you for those links - I did actually wonder if the menopause is something that has an ending? Do you have to take HRT for the rest of your life?
Thanks for that link to the magnesium too - I missed screen shotting the tiktok bit about the best magnesium to take so I'll watch it again.
Sleep, and good quality sleep, would be great! When I do sleep I wake up feeling exhausted.

@Happyinheels It's likely your ovaries packed up years ago. The average time between a hysterectomy and ovarian failure is 2-3 years regardless of age.

You really need to explore this and have a bone density scan for a start. If your ovaries fail before 45/50 you are at a high risk of osteoporosis (and heart disease later on) and the sooner it's diagnosed and treated (often with HRT for younger women like you) the better.

Don't faff around just with lifestyle, when you probably need estrogen.

If necessary ask your GP for a referral to a menopause gynaecologist and if you can't get the help from the NHS consider paying for a one-off appt to get advice.

Vitamins are not going to help! No one needs vitamins (except Vit D ) unless they have a restricted diet.

@JinglingXmasbells wow, I didn't realise this at all. I feel really stupid now. At the time of the hysterectomy my children were really young and my focus was on recovery and then getting on with being a mum. I really had no idea of future implications. I feel a little bit thrown now, but huge thank you for that information. It kind of changes things!

Yes it's important that you seek advice.
Your GP may refuse a bone density scan but push for it!

Here is info from a medical site- just happens to be the first one when I googled, but it does explain more fully what may happen.

www.liverpoolwomens.nhs.uk/media/2691/gyn_2018-164-hysterectomy-the-menopause.pdf

Obviously not all women have an early menopause but you do have symptoms and say they have been there for some time.

@JinglingXmasbells I've been Googling since I read your message and also found that Liverpool link. It makes absolute sense. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I definitely have had the symptoms for a few years but like I say, just didn't connect the dots. I'm going to try and get in at the doctors tomorrow morning.

Your GP may refuse a bone density scan but push for it!

I second this. My mum took HRT from 40, after her hysterectomy

Exercise. As a minimum I try and have a walk everyday. Initially I didn’t think I had the energy to do it, but soon found that I could and feel so much better for it. It’s usually 40mins as I walk into my local town and back, just pick up some milk or something so that there is a point to it, rather than just aimlessly walking. I sometimes listen to a podcast too.

You're welcome!

Good luck!

Think the wisdom currently is get all the hormones we used have and just keep taking them as long as they suit you. Until we die even. I really do hope you get sorted.

I even had hospital referral and MRI for potential bone cancer due to pains - they would leave me sobbing in the night with pain. Still have a dull ache sometimes but it's five years on and so much better.

Most of us need those hormones, natural supplements don't come close to it.

@Happyinheels I exercise in the morning before doing anything - otherwise yes I am too exhausted for anything.

I just take all the supplements together and without a massive amount of care if I'm honest. That's the only way I can be sure of doing it. I used to have a magnesium spray but just kept forgetting it!!

I tried iron for tiredness but it had such an effect in my bowels (constipation) that was far worse than the fatigue.

The other consequence of cutting out sugar / going very low carb is that by default I am eating so much veg and so many different types so hoping that a lot of nutrients are doing in that way too.

Yes glucosamine is for joints.