Late 40s, menopausal and fading

[Swedes2]

I haven't as yet submitted to the full beard and elasticated waistband trousers. But heck, it's hard isn't it? I absolutely love clothes, make-up, and all that shit.... but I am becoming more and more interested in my garden (not a euph). Last night I went to the garage to buy milk in my gardening clothes.

Anyone else going through the same thing? Have you any tips you can share?

Thanks swedes! -- nothing to make one feel OLD like a back problem . . . !

syndol - not sure what that is. I've been using some herbal pills but I don't think that they make much difference really.

LOL at menopausal blonde on LadyCorny's colour card. I think mine must say "Dyer in Denial, will try anything".

there was a thread on MN about going to bed at 11pm...I managed it about twice.

I feel sooo much better if I can just be lying down in bed by 11, even if I can't get to sleep straight away.

grey hair? well, I have been going grey since my twenties - my great-grandmother was completely white by the time she was 40, and I inherited her hair genes. I get it dyed at the salon every 6 weeks - am NOT going to give in to the grey yet.

V glad to read that the running / exercise is helping some of you mentally.

I had no probs with depression and anxiety until I hit 30 and had twins - cue awful PND which has recurred regularly. Dr thinks its all hormone related. Kick started by IVF then twin pregnancy and now reignited by early perimenopause. Dr kindly suggests that peri can go on for 'at least' 10 years .

In the middle of trying to throw absolutely everything natural I can at it in a bid to minimise impact. When its bad it is very bad. Also taking low dose AD. trying to keep this as low as poss as been long term issue now. But v worried if will get worse as get closer to menopause. Have also just started a 'cycle' diary to see if any links with PMS now that periods closer together and heavier.

Sooo grey here . . . in fact, have had noticeable amounts of grey at the front since uni, where one boy would refer to me publicly as "Young mitten with the grey hair." Didn't mind it when I was younger but now it simply looks unkempt if I let it go.

Along with eating evening meal early (as in between 5 and 6 -- though how is this possible for most of us on any kind of regular basis?) going to bed by 10 p.m. or so is supposed to help the adrenal glands. The adrenals in turn help regulate the female hormones.

Tried to catch up but this thread moves on quick. I was thinking of leaving mumsnet recently, DD nearly grown up and me knocking on but will stay.

Can C25K be walked? I already walk that distance now and again.

I have a strange good metabollsuim (sp) wine doesn't put weight on me.

Blimey, there ARE a lot of us around! Can't keep up with this thread at all!

Slogan for the Day:

"Real Women don't have Hot Flushes - they have Power Surges!".

That's what my fridge magnet tells me anyway .

Arrf at colour cards - 5 years ago dyed my hair a deep cherry red shortly before girly trip to Flamenco Fest in Seville. When I saw the photos on my return, I realised the card must say "Delusional Mid-Life Crisis"

hope your knees feel better soon Kerry
I don't know what it is with lunges - they are really hard to get right I think - I don't do them 'cos I find it hard to get the position right and overextend my knees. Always do squats though

Hello - wish I'd found this earlier! I'm 39 this year, and have noticed peach fuzz on face now resembling labrador's bum. Longer, more of it, but still fine and blonde (small mercies). Also knackered, but can't sleep. Cranky AND now love gardening!!! (No interest before, so VERY amused to read about you ladies!!!) Have a trillion things to do today, but have kids home from school and couldn't be bothered. Had hormone tests last year, which said that I was still fertile, but have had hysterectomy, so HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW? Signs look bloody obvious to me!
Has anyone tried the more "natural" progresterone? Does it have any effect on facial hair, energy and sleep?

Hi Kerry. I get occasional surges of 'Fark. I appear to be wasting my life. By now I should have built my own house, started a magazine and tried at least five careers. And it's too late now! '. Maybe that's where the wine abuse comes in handy. Having my much longed-for baby has helped, but now I worry I'm too knackered to give him my all. He's shortly to go to nursery for two days a week, and I can't wait for the respite!

Yes was thinking about stuff I haven't done. I didn't have a son (might get a GS one day). Want to run my own business, my job gets me by, but I want to earn more for botox spending money on me.

I've known a few people who never made it to the big 50 so am grateful that I have. Was trying to imagine how life will be once DD leaves home, I will be lost then.

Also, reading through the posts on here I never equated my terrible memory with the meno so thank you, now I know why I have been forgetful for the past few years, especially at work. Thought it was me being incompetent.

Very grey here - also since teens (thanks dad), don't dye it and won't start, but realised there is very little dark brown left during haircut yesterday.....
I, too, am aware of the passing years (have had a particulaly crappy three or four recently and am now thinking 'oh shit where has that time gone'), I seem to have made some seriously rubbish choices. I swing between thinking 'I'm too old to change' to thinking 'I am not givingup yet'! Also the illness thing - everyone around me seems to have, or know someone who has breast cancer and that is just depressing as hell. Also looking back a very looong relationship and not sure we will continue on

Syndol is a painkiller with a muscle relaxant in it, mmmm codeine. I suffer from neck spasms so I convince myself it is medicinal.

I don't worry about my demise but my mum it feels me with horror.

Right, you lot! Coping strategies R Us time:

Going to bed by 11.00pm absolutely helps. Couldn't function without (or at least aimfor) 8 hours kip per per night. Herbal Nytol tablets, and / or piriton helps with insomnia.

"What ifs" / unfinished business type angsts / mood swings - I take St John's Wort religiously every day - the Kira one a day tablets. They are expensive, but IMO the only ones that work reliably. Stopped taking them for a couple of months last winter and really hit rock bottom - badly depressed, de-motivated, hitting the bottle, gained loads of weight etc.

Hairdresser for cut 'n colour every 6 weeks. Our local FE college offers incredibly cheap deals by the level 3 hairdressing and beauty students - all carefully supervised by tutors. They also do manicures / waxing etc etc and charge £3.50-£10.00. Not sure I'd risk a Brazilian though .

Only drink alcohol twice a week at most, allowing 3 days between each binge carefully measured intake of recommended units. Dull, but essential.

Weigh yourself twice a week. It's the only way to avoid the creeping "gunt and mid-section barrel" syndrome . My scales broke, and without them I gained almost a stone in 6 months - I'm 5'10" so the extra weight has more places to hide.

Apparently I have gained two pounds since I got up this morning. [cangry]

I weigh myself more than twice a week. Can you tell?

Mitten, actually I often weigh myself again after a big poo just to see if it makes any difference. It doesn't .

threading is great for random facial hair as is IPL, which takes care of a number of things (e.g. uneven pigmentation and thread veins) at the same time and is fairly permanent.