Positive experiences

[hls]

I just wanted to say that the menopause was not all I was dreading. My mother had a terrible time with hot flushes til she was in her 60 and 70s and she swears she still has them.

I MAY be talking too soon, but so far, so good.

I am early 50s, and according to blood tests am post-meno. However, since the test I have had a period-2 months back so not quite all over yet!

I have had practically NO meno symptoms. A few night sweats off and on, but not so bad that I lost sleep had to get out of bed. A few very mild flushes for 3 weeks, then they stopped.

I don't know why- but maybe lifestyle has a lot to answer for. I am very careful about managing my stress levels- i am self-employed, and give myself one day off a week when I do whatever I want to do. It might mean less money, but it keeps me sane.

I eat very well- I have another medical condition, which is uncurable, but can be controlled with diet to a certain extent- so I can't drink, or even drink tea or coffee.

I don't eat wheat, so that cuts out sugar too, as I don't have cakes, biscuits etc etc. I do eat lots of oily fish. I also exercise- 3 miles 4-5 times a week up hills, and I have just got myself a personal trainer who comes once a fortnight to help me with resistance exercise, as a bone scan showed I have low bone density.

I am not saying I am perfect!!! Far from it- there are some things in my life that cause me worry and unhappiness- but I though these tips might be helpful. My gynae- one of the best in the UK and has written a best selling book on meno - swears by exercise and thinks it can be as good as HRT.

So, don't feel pessimistic over the meno- do all you can to help yourself and it will make it easier.

Haven't quite got there yet but my Mum swears hers wasn't a big deal at all, in contrast to two of her SILs (my aunts) who took HRT and are still experiencing symptoms after 10 years. Is this common?

I don't know. I wonder if it has a lot to do with your level of hormones in the first place and how gradually they decline.

I still think lifestyle is very important. My mum was a SAHM all her life, so her life was not very stressful, as she never juggled work and home, so i really don't know why she had it so bad.

It may be round the corner for me, but all I can say is, don't expect the worst, and if it happens, there is plenty of help out there.

Thanks for the post, hls - lovely that you take such good care of yourself

My Mum didn't have a hard time with it (she couldn't remember much about it, when I asked) and neither have I. I think some of it is bound to be genetic, but not all - and I agree that generally cutting down on stress and stuff that throws our bodies out of whack has to help. I think exercise has been proven to - not just for bone density, but overall.

I wonder if carting an 18 mo old everywhere counts as weight bearing exercise? I don't drink either, or smoke, but I could certainly do better in the sugar department

Keep lugging that 18 month old! lol

I think cutting down on sugar would help, as it raises the blood sugar levels up, then down, and that must give the body a heck of a lot to cope with.

Yes, am sure you are right. I acquired a chocolate habit when pg with dd2 - under the illusion that it provided energy, but really comfort I think - and keep trying to tackle it without success. Am going to set a date and stick to it...

Interesting post.

I'm 47 and haven't had a period for a couple of months, a few weeks back i started having hot flushes and night sweats... a couple of nights were awful with no sleep and it's hard when you are working and have a 6yr old to look after.

I read as much as I could and decided to try and improve diet, exercise and stress levels....and it's working the flushes are few and far between and the night sweats are also improving...... so I think lifestyle does have an impact on menopause symptoms.

My periods were fine until I hit 50, then I had a few shorter cycles,but no other symptoms, bar the very occasional night sweat, but never missed any until just before my 52st birthday- then I had a few months without one when I had mild flushes for 3 weeks. Between 52 and 53 I had periods roughly every other month, getting lighter all the time,with the odd "normal one" in between. I stared exercising more (walking a lot) when I was 52 for other health reasons, and maybe this helped a lot.

I went through the menopause about 3 years ago at the early age of 43. I just wanted to say that apart from having got a bit fatter (!) and having had some mild hot flushes, it has been absolutely fine. I was a bit upset at first, I think due to the fact that it made me feel old, but now I think it is great and it has been a positive experience for me.

No more periods, period pains and no more PMT. I don't have the ups and downs I used to have and I just feel the same all the time. I used to have feelings of euphoria followed by desperately bad migraines and I don't have this anymore at all. I don't have headaches in fact anymore and I used to suffer terribly. I always try to stay active by walking and exercising.

My message really is a positive one. It took me around 3 years to come out of my menopausal period and looking back, it was no big deal.