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Menopause

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Original poster

What symptom of meno really surprised you?

499 replies

menopausalfart · 13/04/2025 20:52

I've had most symptoms associated with perimenopause, including some really nasty ones.
The symptom that surprised me the most was the memory loss. If I don't do something the moment it enters my brain, it's gone.
I've been taking HRT, vitamins, collagen, and I exercise regularly. This symptom, along with anxiety, has stubbornly persisted.

OP posts:
Original poster
menopausalfart · 13/04/2025 21:13

@Happymomoftwo I've suffered with headaches since puberty. Meno hit and wham, migraines every month. Thankfully, Sumatriptan has sorted them for me. I thought I was dying the first time it happened.

OP posts:
Gwenhwyfar · 13/04/2025 21:13

FoxRedPuppy · 13/04/2025 21:12

Wow. Hope you never become disabled.

Show quote history

Well, I might lose my memory. That's the point!

FoxRedPuppy · 13/04/2025 21:13

And yes, it is discrimination. There is tribunal case law.

There are other ways than lists. And employers can transfer people to other roles. But anyway. Are you menopausal? Are you suggesting that all menopausal women leave work?

CheeseDreamsTonight · 13/04/2025 21:13

My hair has started to grow fuzzy and wavy! I look like I have the hair of 3 people! It’s sleek and straight underneath, and the top layer has 6 inches of fluff followed by 6 inches of straight. You can see the day my hormones decided to trash my hair. It’s so weird. It won’t be so bad when I have enough wavy fuzz to cut the straight off but at the moment I look like I’ve permed the top 6 inches of my hair!

converseandjeans · 13/04/2025 21:14

Forgetting really simple words halfway through a sentence. I’m hoping it gets better!

cocoloco23 · 13/04/2025 21:14

The bleeding.

I thought menopause meant my periods would stop. After 30+ years of heavy painful periods, I was looking forward to it.

Instead, I bled every day for two years, and so heavily I often couldn’t leave the house for weeks. Due to blood loss, I ended up in A&E three times. Eventually I had to have a hysterectomy, and I was so anaemic, I had to have three blood transfusions before they’d operate.

EveryOtherNameTaken · 13/04/2025 21:15

So many of the above!

Sensitive teeth! So random too. Never any particular reason why.

Gwenhwyfar · 13/04/2025 21:15

FoxRedPuppy · 13/04/2025 21:13

And yes, it is discrimination. There is tribunal case law.

There are other ways than lists. And employers can transfer people to other roles. But anyway. Are you menopausal? Are you suggesting that all menopausal women leave work?

I'm in the early stages of perimenopause. I hope not to lose my job, but I guess it could happen. My work couldn't transfer me to a totally different job.

cocoloco23 · 13/04/2025 21:16

FoxRedPuppy · 13/04/2025 21:05

The memory loss. It’s really hard to explain what it’s like until you experience it.

And @Gwenhwyfar lots of women leave jobs in menopause and they shouldn’t. It’s discrimination. There are ways around it.

For me it’s the itchy skin too. Like I want to scratch my skin off.

Can you say more about the ways around memory loss? It really scares me, how bad mine is.

Original poster
menopausalfart · 13/04/2025 21:16

@CheeseDreamsTonight I used to have lovely, thick, wavy hair. Now it's dead straight and quite thin. I have no idea what that is all about!

OP posts:
Imsixtyandiknowit · 13/04/2025 21:17

The driving anxiety that is so bad I have dropped driving ☹️

NooNakedJacuzziness · 13/04/2025 21:17

Shoulder pain

Original poster
menopausalfart · 13/04/2025 21:19

@cocoloco23 I missed 3 periods, then started bleeding and haven't stopped for 2 mths. It's not heavy, though, mostly when I wipe. I can't wait for them to stop altogether.

OP posts:
CheeseDreamsTonight · 13/04/2025 21:20

@menopausalfartno way! Totally the other way round! I genuinely have zero idea what to do with waves. I only look ok with it tied up at the moment. I had no idea peri could do this

CheeseDreamsTonight · 13/04/2025 21:21

@NooNakedJacuzzinessoh I forgot about the shoulder pain. And itchy armpits and left boob for a year. Really odd

Theeyeballsinthesky · 13/04/2025 21:22

Vaginal atrophy and the fact that even with topical estrogen orgasms are a pale imitation of what they used to be. I mean fucking hell!!!

FoxRedPuppy · 13/04/2025 21:22

@cocoloco23 my employer has a menopause policy, and essentially it’s about understanding and what works. For me I do write things down as soon as I think of them. I check in a lot with line manager as talking things out helps me process and remember. And if I’m in a meeting and forget a word, I just say that’s it’s meno related and it’s accepted.

FoxRedPuppy · 13/04/2025 21:23

I have itchy armpits particularly!

And orgasms have changed, can’t really express how, but they definitely have!

Yellowtulipsdancing · 13/04/2025 21:23

Pins and needles in fingers, number feet

BunnyLake · 13/04/2025 21:25

menopausalfart · 13/04/2025 21:13

@Happymomoftwo I've suffered with headaches since puberty. Meno hit and wham, migraines every month. Thankfully, Sumatriptan has sorted them for me. I thought I was dying the first time it happened.

Migraines are the bane of my life. Are these prescription or over the counter meds?

cocoloco23 · 13/04/2025 21:26

menopausalfart · 13/04/2025 21:19

@cocoloco23 I missed 3 periods, then started bleeding and haven't stopped for 2 mths. It's not heavy, though, mostly when I wipe. I can't wait for them to stop altogether.

Make sure you’re taking iron supplements. The tiredness and brain fog is bad enough even without anaemia!

Allseeingallknowing · 13/04/2025 21:26

Brefugee · 13/04/2025 21:03

the crippling anxiety attack just before a hot flash.

ETA: gosh yes, the shits. All the freaking time.

Edited
Show quote history

Just be careful with that hot flashing! People might not understand!

shellyleppard · 13/04/2025 21:27

The amount of time it actually took me. Was in perimenopause for 10 years. Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Oh and the freaky periods. My longest gap was 80 days.... I honestly thought they had stopped. No bloody chance. Two in the month then nothing for 3 months . Now 3 year's post menopausal.

soupyspoon · 13/04/2025 21:28

I didnt know pins and needles and numb feet were connected, so thats another thing I can add on

I have to say to people 'I need to finish this email' when they start talking to me, or I'll never go back to it and log off with tons of half finished emails which I will then think that Ive actually sent.

AxolotlEars · 13/04/2025 21:28

Nearly running red lights
Loss of words... thinking I was having a stroke
Hip pain
Wanting to end my marriage
Anxiety