Am I normal (54)

[Proud2Serve]

I’m 54. Menopause (or periods stopped) when I was 42 - the day my hubby left. I used to be so fit and strong and now I’m suffering and I want to know what is common/normal. I’ve had 2 kids at aged 28 and 33. I’m tall and overweight now

1. Forgetful
2. Needing a wee and need to reach a bathroom quick
3. Same with poo!
4. Drink wine and need to poo straight away!!! What’s that all about???
5. Itchy a lot
6. Sore everywhere- have spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis but limp when I get up - I’m like an old lady!
7. Cannot cope full time at work - headaches, sleepy, falling asleep at the wheel. ive dealt with this. I’m part time next week
8. Not excited by what used to excite me
9. Love to sleep. Love to swim
10. Dont wanna go out
11. Hate my body
12. Love wine but can’t drink much
13. No sex drive. I’m single :-(
14. Fussy and tidy

There’s a lot more besides. Please be gentle with me. It’s my first post

A lot of that is completely normal. Not sure about the wine and needing to poo straight away though! Although since menopause, I can't drink much wine at all as it gives me hot flushes at night and terrible sleep. Have you had a blood test? 42 is very early for periods to stop - did you have it investigated at the time?

It's 'normal' for someone like you who has had an early menopause (defined as before 45) and have had little estrogen for 12 years.

Probably 12 out of the 14 on your list are directly related to being post menopause.

I don't suppose your GP ever got involved when you were 42?

Now, women with an early menopause are advised to use HRT for at least 10 years to age 52 (average age of menopause) to protect bone density and hearts from the added risks of an early menopause.

If you've been diagnosed with spinal stenosis, have they given you a DEXA scan for your bone density?

I don't want to alarm you but you should see a GP who's experienced in treating menopausal symptoms.

You definitely should be considering HRT to sort all of this out, including vaginal estrogen for the weeing - which is caused by thinning of the bladder lining (loss of estrogen) and pelvic tissues.

There's no need to keep suffering like this- go and speak to a dr and get some treatment.

Thank you!