# The menopause thread



## saucywench (Mar 24, 2009)

By all due accounts, I believe I will be rolling into menopause in about 8 months. I am of course now in the perimenopausal stage, and have been for...no telling HOW long. Seems I did a search on here for such a thread but came up empty, although I know menopause has been mentioned in threads here and there. I know that the number of peri- and post-menopausal women is relatively small on this site, but I wanted to get some dialogue going--with those who have been through it, those in it now *raises hand*, and hopefully the younger women who have yet to enter these stages can also learn from the experiences imparted here. If you are a woman, there is no escape. Your experiences may be mild, they may be severe, but--you will go through it. You may have even had it forced upon you through surgery.

I want to discuss all aspects--the physical, physiological, psychological, sexual, and emotional impact that menopause has on us.

I have been mentioning menopause to my PCP for the past couple of years or so. He tells me that I'm not officially 'in' it until I have stopped having a period for a full year. So the countdown is on. 

One of the things I'm currently wondering about is to what degree my perimenopausal state affects my other conditions: back pain, history of depression, mood swings...it's like a 'chicken or egg' situation: what causes what? 

As far as physical/physiological, I have been aware of a few things, but I don't know what I can attribute to aging in general, and what I can attribute to signs of menopause. I first noticed small signs of aging shortly after I turned 47--which, oddly enough, was the same age I began to notice aging in my two older sisters. Over the past four years, those small signs have been increasing in number. At first I had a stray gray hair here and there, and now (under my hair color) I notice the gray is more widespread. Many of my eyebrow hairs have lost their color (which I suppose is gray only they simply look colorless to me.) Fortunately, most of these colorless eyebrow hairs are on the upper lid under my brow and I just pluck them out. But then, I have also developed a sparse trail of coarse hair (I refer to them as man-hairs ) right along my chin line. These are annoying, unsightly, and they grow like mad. Sometimes I pluck them, but sometimes I just shave them. They're going to grow back regardless of the method I use. Some of these hairs also appear on my upper lip. Whereas I have noticed before I had a little baby fuzz there, these few hairs have also grown in coarse. There are three or four that are dark, the rest are colorless. I even have some growing right on my lip line. If I don't catch them early, and press my lips together, I can feel them 'stabbing' me. :blink Also (and this is weird), I have tiny, tiny, colorless hairs that have appeared only on the edge of my right nostril--they remind me of cilia. Also, I have observed that some nasal hairs seem to be peeking out a wee bit from my nostrils. Eww. That's one body area I never thought I'd need one of those rotor thingies for maintenance, but if they get really noticeable, I'll have to do something about them. And speaking of lip lines, I am losing definition there. I have been fortunate enough in adulthood to have a generous pair of lips, for which I'm grateful, but they ain't what they used to be. I can tell something is going on there, but they're still plenty full...although I am getting a few of those vertical lines. 

Of course, my undereyes are getting a little baggier, and losing theiir elasticity. My double chin has been getting progressively worse over the last four years, and in addition I've gotten that matronly 'jowly' appearance--another eww. Also, even though my double chin is plenty fat, I'm getting these vertical 'wrinkles' right down the middle, which reminds me of a chicken's neck.

I have two or three books on menopause, only one of which I've partly read so far, though I don't care for it much. It's 'The Silent Passage,' by Gail Sheehy. I know this edition is dated (1991, I believe), but her tone comes off to me as sort of Carrie Bradshaw-esque...if that makes sense. I am just not identifying with her (or the women she references) at all so far. Maybe there's more substance as I get further into the book.

Anyway, that's the gist of some of my physical issues. I'll get around to more of the psychological/emotional if the thread progresses. I would welcome your input--if you're brave enough to post.


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## Orchid (Mar 25, 2009)

hello
I have been in perimenopause in what seems like forever many years from
my late thirties onwards that is. According to my gyn-ob his oldest perimenopause
patient went on into her eighties no kidding.
Most females he told me get to menopause in their forties.
My housedoctor can not believe I am still in perimenopause at 49 yrs as I am old according to him. He is a few years younger than me and his wife is allready in menopause. Come to think of it all my doctors their wives are in menopause. Start of this year I thought finally no periods into menopause. Now periods again so still very much into perimenopause. All 38 symptoms you name it I had them. I will tell you this perimenopause is not definitaly not a popular subject on any forum I ever visited. Folks are very much afraid.
But everyone if alive gets to go through this. For some it is a breeze. Others well talk about endurance I rest my case. One can never pinpoint a date as it is a gradual process unless one gets surgical menopause which is instantly.
Here they do not do this without much evaluation as you get other troubles.
Anyway I have other health issues so eventhough perimenopause is for me an added load it is not the main thing what with heart failure PH et al etc.


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## Orchid (Mar 25, 2009)

for all sorts of info on all things perimenopause & menopause
visit

www.mayoclinic.com see sections perimenopause & menopause

and the www.power-surge.com has a very extensive forum for this also age sections 30+ 40+ 50+ 60+ and a section for male partners etc


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## Orchid (Mar 25, 2009)

To the question about existing health issues prior to perimenopause they will usually be worsened by the hormonal upheaval. That is why do mention to your doctor that you are in perimenopause it will save them the guess work.


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## chocolate desire (Apr 9, 2009)

Thank you Saucy for starting this thread. Orchid that first link was so helpful and now I cant wait until next month for my cycle(never thought I would say that) so I can have my Dr, check my levels.I have been having night sweats for about a year now and I always chalked it up to my blood pressure go figgure. After reading the symptoms on that list I have the first five. There was a time when I could tell when my period would start or end or how bad my *flow* would be. Now it is a wait and see thing.I used to never ever have cramps and now I cant seem to escape them or the bloated feeling.
And it seems I never sleep any more but when I do I wake up hot as fire sweating.
I will be 45 in June I hope I dont have to go thru this to much longer.
Saucy thanks for giving us an inside look at you so to speak. If I was to list things i have noticed that has changed about me it might turn into a book


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## SamanthaNY (Apr 9, 2009)

Oh holy crap! I have internal shaking (number 34)! Criminy, I never knew it was a 'thing'. My doctor thought I was insane and then sent me for an gastro ultrasound, lol.


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## moore2me (Apr 11, 2009)

Dear Saucywench and others,

Not only have I had the E ticket ride of menopause, but I had surgical menopause with a total hysterectomy. I went from 70 mph to 0 mph in one day. What a trip! Each day I look more and more like my mother or grandmother.

For a while I tried to take artifical hormones, but stopped them due to health concerns and they made me too crazy. So what physical changes have I been amazed to undergo? First, you're right in that hair grows in places on the face where you've never had hair before. Or the hair turns from soft and fine to dark and stiff - some even like catfish whiskers or like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly. Nose hairs, yep, dark and curly. You will have to learn to pull them out or rotary cut them. The other facial hair you don't like will have to be tweezed or shaved as well.

While my hair grows great under my chin or down the side of my face, the hair on top of my head gets thinner and thinner. I almost have a bald spot - just like grandma. My hair is so thin it hurts to have it frosted, so most of the time, I leave the color alone.

Lower eyelids droop out - yeah, that too. I have talked to some women whose lids had to be tucked up & tighted they drooped too much. (Germs and dust gets in the eye.)

Skin gets thinner and loses elasticity. It starts to look like tissue paper. In addition, I have the additional fun of becoming an easy bleeder under the skin when bumped even slightly. I am always sporting several lovely bruises on my arms.

Your gums start to recede and dental care becomes critical. It is very easy now to get cavities at the gum line and brushing and dental visits become very, very important. Learn to brush your gums.

You start getting "liver spots" on your skin, especially in areas that have been exposed to the sun. Start planning on going to a dermatologist for spot checks on a yearly basis, especially if you have been a sun worshipper or a tanner (bad girl!).

I am running out of time & space so further morphing changes will have to be saved for later discussion. Next time: Sexual urges? Bladder control? Taste in clothes? Men? Shoes? Food?


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## BubbleButtBabe (Apr 23, 2009)

I started into perimenopause when I was 34 and finally hit full menopause when I turned 47. The last 7 or so years have been the best of my life!!

I grew fangs and became the monster in aisle 4 of what ever store I was in.That's how bad my temper got. I would snarl at little old ladies pushing their baskets because a)they went to slow or b)they kept running over the back of my feet or c) they parked their baskets in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was angry and to me it didn't matter what was going on I was pissed all the time. That is what tipped my Mother off to the fact I was having hormone issues..

I almost sold my bedroom furniture because I hardly ever slept in my bed. I would sit up for hours and hours,lay down, sleep 2 to 4 hours and be back up doing something else(thank god for trazadone saved my life).I looked like I was trying to get over a hangover everyday..

I now look like a basset hound. My jowls have dropped,my top eyelids are almost to the bottom of my eyes. I can close my eyes without really closing my eyes. I have that wonderful puppet looking mouth thing going. Lines from my nose all the way to my jaw. Very few true wrinkles but the rest is showing my age.My forehead is getting bigger as well. My ears are getting longer.

I have noticed lately that what I always feared would happen has happened. I am going bald.Not real noticeable right now but I can see the thinning happening. The grey hair I have had since I was 12 so that is not biggie. The grey hair I have in other places worried me at first but not as much now,except that one long grey eyebrow that seems to have a mind of it's own.No chin hairs but a really thick mustache. I can put Burt Reynolds to shame if I don't keep it shaved.

I love those liver spots,looks like someone was trying to paint my hands with dots but I kept moving.(sighs) They are really dark on me since my skin is so dark.

The urge to urinate all the time and having to go 2 to 4 times a night..No fun. The ideal that I was going to have to go back to wearing diapers before I even hit 52 grrrr.

Now on to a much funner subject, HOTFLASHES. They do not stop when you reach full blown menopause,they just get less frequent. I still do not wear a coat in the wintertime just a jacket or sometimes just a sweatshirt. The night sweats are lovely as well. My poor feet never go under the cover until they feel like they are about to freeze off.

If there is one thing I can suggest that I have begun that seems to help with some ummm personal things.Drink lots and lots of water.

I'll add more when I think of some more. The joys of being a woman.


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## DeniseW (Apr 28, 2009)

Could you tell me more about the sexual urges? I've gone from no sex drive to practically molesting Butch in the course of a week, it's crazy!!! 






moore2me said:


> Dear Saucywench and others,
> 
> Not only have I had the E ticket ride of menopause, but I had surgical menopause with a total hysterectomy. I went from 70 mph to 0 mph in one day. What a trip! Each day I look more and more like my mother or grandmother.
> 
> ...


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## moore2me (Apr 29, 2009)

DeniseW said:


> Could you tell me more about the sexual urges? I've gone from no sex drive to practically molesting Butch in the course of a week, it's crazy!!!



I consider my pre-menopause years to be normal in the sex drive area. After my hysterectomy, I started having hot flashes and my gyno put me on Premarin an estrogen replacement). A day or so after starting the Premarin, I started going into sort of a "feral heat". It was embarrasing. Here I was, married for a decade, and started having urges, thoughts, and dreams like a adolescent boy. 

Seeing I was headed for trouble, I asked my gyno to lower the Premarin dose. She put me on the lowest pill. The urges did not abate. My sex drive was still roaring like a NASCAR. Between these side effects and the reports of breast cancer, I decided to stop hormone replacement. Now I really don't have much of any sex drive hormonally. The ovaries are gone - and the body realized that childbearing is no longer possible. Honestly, sex has dropped way down on my list of priorities in life. I am not gay, I am still straight. And as an artist, I enjoy the beauty in the human form and appreciate it's perfection in Brad Pitt, young Paul Neuman's movies, or the athletic prowess of Michael Phelps. However, nowadays I prefer to be an observer.


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## katherine22 (Apr 29, 2009)

saucywench said:


> By all due accounts, I believe I will be rolling into menopause in about 8 months. I am of course now in the perimenopausal stage, and have been for...no telling HOW long. Seems I did a search on here for such a thread but came up empty, although I know menopause has been mentioned in threads here and there. I know that the number of peri- and post-menopausal women is relatively small on this site, but I wanted to get some dialogue going--with those who have been through it, those in it now *raises hand*, and hopefully the younger women who have yet to enter these stages can also learn from the experiences imparted here. If you are a woman, there is no escape. Your experiences may be mild, they may be severe, but--you will go through it. You may have even had it forced upon you through surgery.
> 
> I want to discuss all aspects--the physical, physiological, psychological, sexual, and emotional impact that menopause has on us.
> 
> ...



Perhaps I was fortunate, menopause was the biggest none event of my life. I find this post very disturbing since it lends credibility that a woman is less valuable and fully alive during this time since I have noticed no one is talking positively about this experience There are cultures where menopause is non-existent, a non issue. Menopause is a social construction emphasizing the illness model at the end of menses, and it will be one more tool to discredit the vibrancy, attractiveness, competency and sexuality of older women who will be convinced to consider pharmaceuticals for a natural stage of life. How does it contribute to the perception of the beauty and value of older women to talk about this experience so negatively? I loved the menopause as I could fuck freely, with little concern about the opinions of others concerning my sexual behavior ( a perk of menopause - you care less what people think) with no fear of pregnancy and my libido has never been stronger or my mind clearer.


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## moore2me (Apr 29, 2009)

katherine22 said:


> Perhaps I was fortunate, menopause was the biggest none event of my life. I find this post very disturbing since it lends credibility that a woman is less valuable and fully alive during this time since I have noticed no one is talking positively about this experience There are cultures where menopause is non-existent, a non issue. Menopause is a social construction emphasizing the illness model at the end of menses, and it will be one more tool to discredit the vibrancy, attractiveness, competency and sexuality of older women who will be convinced to consider pharmaceuticals for a natural stage of life. How does it contribute to the perception of the beauty and value of older women to talk about this experience so negatively?
> 
> *Moore's comments in blue:
> I talked about my experience with surgical menapause in a negative fashion because I was sick at the time it was done. I was not ready for the change of life, did not enter it gently, and no one told me what to expect. So, I was recovering from being "gutted like a catfish" at the same time here comes my friend menopause.*
> ...


*
Katherine, you sound like an intelligent lady, so you probably already know that we still can't "fuck freely". With all the social diseases running around such as AIDS, hepatitis, herpes, and other drug resistant veneral diseases we should never have unprotected sex with someone other than in a monogamous relationship. Proper use of condoms is the first aid to rely on. Even after menapause, you can still catch some nasty sexual diseases.*


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## Miss Vickie (Apr 29, 2009)

katherine22 said:


> Perhaps I was fortunate, menopause was the biggest none event of my life. I find this post very disturbing since it lends credibility that a woman is less valuable and fully alive during this time since I have noticed no one is talking positively about this experience



Maybe people are talking about it because for them it's not a "none event" but rather a significant change in their life. I'm not sure it means a woman is "less valuable", but rather addressing the really significant hormonal upheaval that happens for some women. I'm glad for you it was no biggie but it's not that way for others. Just like PMS, PMDD, ovulation pain etc, it's one of those YMMV kind of thing.



> Menopause is a social construction emphasizing the illness model at the end of menses, and it will be one more tool to discredit the vibrancy, attractiveness, competency and sexuality of older women who will be convinced to consider pharmaceuticals for a natural stage of life.



Look, I'm the first person to say we way over-medicate ourselves, but I disagree that it's a "social construction". I've seen the lab results, talked to women suffering with very real symptoms. I agree that pharmaceuticals are probably not the way to go, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't really happen. The human body isn't a light switch and the huge changes we go through in various times of our lives -- menarche, pregnancy, post-pregnancy, and menopause -- are significant. To deny them is to call women "hysterical" and haven't we had enough of that?




> How does it contribute to the perception of the beauty and value of older women to talk about this experience so negatively?



How does it benefit us to keep mum about something that is very real? Are we to be seen and not heard, like women of yesteryear, denying the very enormous changes our bodies are going through? There's probably a lot more discussion about now, more than ever before, as baby boomers go through menopause in huge numbers. I think talking about things like this are a good thing. For too long women's bodies have been shameful things, our biology considered dirty or something to cover up or deny. It's very reassuring for women to know they're not alone, and it's also beneficial to share the ways in which they have coped.



> I loved the menopause as I could fuck freely, with little concern about the opinions of others concerning my sexual behavior ( a perk of menopause - you care less what people think) with no fear of pregnancy and my libido has never been stronger or my mind clearer.



You do know of course that HPV, HIV, HSV, Gonorrhea, et al are all still catchable, even without the risk of pregnancy. Right? Yes, you don't necessarily have to worry about pregnancy, but there is still risk from STD's.


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## Risible (Apr 29, 2009)

Ladies, I need to interject here; I don't want this valuable, very relevant thread to derail into arguing. I do not want to edit or delete anyone's input here; all of us women of a certain age have something to say about this, and this should be a thread where we can find our voice about this issue without judging, dismissing, or negatively commenting on others' experiences.

Thank you.

Risible
/mod


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## moore2me (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi Risible and others,

I clearly understand DIMS rules about not speaking negatively of our fellow posters. (And I think this should be extended to not speaking negatively of our neighbors and people we meet.) We have all been on the receiving end of hurtful words and whether they are in print or spoken - the words do damage us.

However, there is a very big difference in stating my opinion and stating accepted facts that are the the cornerstone for modern public health safe sex practices. Every major government, medical professional, and scientific professional group in existence today calls for protected sex to prevent the participants from AIDs/HIV, Hepatitis, and other human bloodborne or fluid borne diseases. The only groups I know that do not support safe sex practices using condoms is the Vatican and some ultra-religious groups.


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## BubbleButtBabe (May 5, 2009)

I don't want to argue about this either. I just wish someone had come forward before I began to tell me some of the really bad side effects. If someone had told me that feeling like the devil's spawn was natural until I could find some kind of hrt,I might not have went as wacko as I did.I would have been expecting things to be bad and if they weren't then I would have felt blessed.

I can assure you that what I went through was no figment of my imagination. It was very real and not pleasant.I am just glad the worse of it is behind me. 

I love the fact I have gone through menopause. No more tampons and pads to worry about.No more having that time of the month panties.No more accidents because I didn't realize I had started until it was all over the place.No more PMS,no more cramps.No more weird cravings or bloat.

I do not feel less of a woman because I am at that stage in my life,matter of fact I am almost like a totally different person. My life is now taken calmly,I quit sweating the small stuff,I speak my mind now a whole lot more then when I was in my '20's,I can have sex every day of the month if I want without worrying about making a mess or turning off the guy I am with. So it is not a bad thing if you have a good DR. that helps you deal with the bad stuff.


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## goofy girl (Jun 21, 2009)

I'm glad I found this thread! I'm 32, and my periods have been pretty regular until a few months ago and now I feel like I get them every 2 weeks. I have mood swings like crazy, I'm more emotional, and for the first time ever I've noticed that I have been having hot flashes. I'm wondering if it makes sense to me to call my Dr to see about testing my hormone levels or if I'm overreacting?


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## Jane (Jun 22, 2009)

RE: Miss Vickie, Mittelschmerz. Yeah, I had it too.

And RE: Menopause...I've always spoken my mind (besides being on Depo-Provera for 15 years before menopause) so I didn't notice that many changes. Dryer skin on legs...bummer. And since I tried to set the world's bleeding record prior to the Depo, it was a blessing for me to stop all together. 

But, I've had friends who found it excruciating with Hot Flashes even years later. I had been on niacin for a while, so that was the only point of reference that I had (and I ran to the doctor with ever severe niacin flush).

While many may feel we medicate too soon, I've known many women in their 80's and 90's with great health and wonderful minds, and the majority had been on post-menopausal estrogen supplements for years.

I personally think we operate too soon, instead of trying to work out other ways of dealing with fibroids (the reason I was on Depo). It seems to be the current version of "hysteria" in that we bug the doctors too much, so they yank out our innards.


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## BubbleButtBabe (Jun 23, 2009)

goofy girl said:


> I'm glad I found this thread! I'm 32, and my periods have been pretty regular until a few months ago and now I feel like I get them every 2 weeks. I have mood swings like crazy, I'm more emotional, and for the first time ever I've noticed that I have been having hot flashes. I'm wondering if it makes sense to me to call my Dr to see about testing my hormone levels or if I'm overreacting?



One thing I would like to add here....Please do not be like me and let your Dr. put off getting you those blood test...I thought since he was the Dr. that he was right I was to young to be going through peri-menopause but I wasn't...It took me almost going psycho on his ass that made him have them done...Check your family's history as well..My older half-sister went through it at a young age(37) I didn't know that until after I had started the HRT.


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## Miss Vickie (Jun 24, 2009)

Jane said:


> RE: Miss Vickie, Mittelschmerz. Yeah, I had it too.



Fun, innit? Only not. 



> I personally think we operate too soon, instead of trying to work out other ways of dealing with fibroids (the reason I was on Depo). It seems to be the current version of "hysteria" in that we bug the doctors too much, so they yank out our innards.



I agree, Jane. It seems you can hardly have anything going on before they start talking about hysterectomy. I had to fight to keep my uterus. Even though I'm not particularly using it, removing it disrupts the blood supply to the ovaries which can make you go through menopause earlier. I'm just not ready for that. I had my ablation, which has turned out to be the best thing ever. I just wish it could work for fibroids, but unfortunately it doesn't.


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## goofy girl (Jun 26, 2009)

missaf said:


> Definitely tell your doctor about this one. They should be checking your hormone levels for sure: estradiol, progesterone, FSH, LH, and free and bioavailable testosterone. It couldn't hurt to have your thyroid levels checked, too, as they cause hot flashes and weird period symptoms (T3, T4, and TSH).
> 
> Early menopausal symptoms can be a sign of many things, but it's best to get these checked, then decide what kind of endocrinologist you'll need to follow up with.





BubbleButtBabe said:


> One thing I would like to add here....Please do not be like me and let your Dr. put off getting you those blood test...I thought since he was the Dr. that he was right I was to young to be going through peri-menopause but I wasn't...It took me almost going psycho on his ass that made him have them done...Check your family's history as well..My older half-sister went through it at a young age(37) I didn't know that until after I had started the HRT.



I saw my Dr. I went in and rattled off my list of symptoms. My first one was "irregular periods"..so instead of letting me finish she said "Don't you have a GYN? Why did you call me, you should really see her" So I told her that I thought as my PRIMARY CARE physician I should see her first and see what she thinks. She said that's fine, she'd be happy to talk about it but I'd have to follow up with my GYN. Fine. So, then I told her about the mood swings, hot flashes, moodiness/irritability, inability to concentrate and lack of sleep. So, she suggested that I take Ambien to help me sleep because that's certainly what's causing my moodiness and irritability. And my irregular periods that I've been having for three months are probably because I went off of my birth control pills a year and a half ago. I told her that I have a family history of thyroid disorders and diabetes, should I have some blood work. She said of course if it will make me feel better she will order the blood work. SO..then I said something for the third time about hot flashes and she said "ok...what is it with hot flashes because that's not normal for a 32 year old". NO SHIT THAT IS WHY I AM HERE YOU JACKASS. :doh::doh::doh:Needless to say, as soon as I left her office I got a recomendation from a friend and switched PCP's. Even if this is nothing, I didn't feel comfortable and for a year I've been giving her the benefit of the doubt and thinking that I have always had appointments when she is having a bad day, but this is just ridiculous!!!

So...short story long...I don't have any answers yet but I'm working on it!


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## BubbleButtBabe (Jun 27, 2009)

Good for you for changing Dr.s!!!..Sounds like she didn't care nor could she be bothered in doing the blood work to check and see if your symptoms were caused by something besides GYN problems..I go in for check ups ever 3 months,since there is a big history of diabetes in my family my blood is drawn a week before my appointment to check and see if things have changed..I even get my thyroid checked then to make sure it is still working properly..

We have to be very proactive in our medical care...We have to speak up and keep speaking up until someone hears us!


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## Tracy (Jul 1, 2009)

I personally believe that I have been perimenopausal for at least 3 years now. I have been trying for the past 2 years to get my primary doctor to run the blood test to see but all that I kept getting from him was that I'm too young. Even though I tried to tell him that my grandmother died when she was 40 and she had already gone through menopause and my aunt went through menopause in her late thirties and early forties. So this year I decided to change doctors. I went for my office visit last week. When I started telling her all of my symptoms she starts saying to me that I'm too young and that I"m just having bad PMS. I'm thinking to myself if I don't get some relief from my symptoms that I'm going to kill someone. After pleading with this doctor she had me to come in the next morning for the blood work. She is checking my hormone levels and my thyroid. I have not heard anything regarding the results yet but I'm hoping that the blood work will show that I am actually not losing my mind and that I am perimenopausal. Some of the symptoms that I have been experiencing and are getting worse as time goes on are: I feel like that I'm angry with the world and stay pissed off all the time. I do not sleep and if I do its only for 2-3 hours a night. I have to pee all the time and sometimes its hard to control my bladder. I have been very emotional. I cry at the simplest things that I shouldn't give a second thought to. My periods are getting shorter and shorter. My hair is thinning a little. I have those darker spots on top of my hands. Sex has come to the point that I can live without it (sad, very sad). This is just to mention a few.


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## BubbleButtBabe (Jul 1, 2009)

Good luck Tracy I hope you get the relief you need...

I was the same way,always angry..I would blow up over the smallest thing and be in a rage for hours..Snap at anyone that came within 3 feet of me...

I finally went on trazadone(50mg) to get some sleep at night....I went 2 or 3 weeks on 2-3 hours a night..When I had enough I went to my Dr. and begged her to help me because if I didn't start sleeping with my depression I was afraid I would kill myself..I was that tired..

I take oxybutynin(5mg) for my bladder problems. I realized I was way to young to be wearing pads.It has helped so much,I just hate the cotton mouth I get from taking them..

The hair loss I just noticed,but since I turn 52 tomorrow I kind of expected that..My Mom's hair was really thin by my age and mine isn't so I consider myself lucky so far...


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## SocialbFly (Jul 8, 2009)

I have noticed a couple of things as of late, my sex drive is varying a bit, from holy cow to forgetaboutit. My hair is thinner and my mouth is well...mouthier, hard to believe eh? I find i am having hot flashes again, grrrrr, and my periods which came ever 27 days like clockwork, are now whenever the heck they feel like it (bastiches). I have noticed mood swings a little more and the mittleschmirtz still comes, lovely...but in the grand scheme of things, it is a small thing but adds to the big picture of not being too happy right now...it definitely came in like a lamb, but i am thinking it will go out like a lion...


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## 362436 (Jul 23, 2009)

I'm getting hot flashes every forty-five minutes. My guess is that I had about 15 to 20 today. I am tired of sweating. I'm tired of having wet hair and wet clothing from this, even when I don't do anything but lie around. This summer has been brutal. 

At least I found this: ChiliPad which has been a lifesaver. It's specifically recommended for hot flashes - it's a mattress pad that cools down the bed. It's unbelievable what a difference it makes to get a full night's sleep.


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## BubbleButtBabe (Jul 26, 2009)

That's pretty neat looking..For the price,I hope it helps you to get cool and stay cool..Also try sleeping with your feet uncovered,that helps a lot..


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## HDANGEL15 (Jul 3, 2010)

*I thought I skipped HOT FLASHES all together, but the last several months they have driving me insane...so often I can't even track them....

seems I tried a vegan diet for 3 months, and they started after I reintroduced chicken and fish back into my diet....

I AM SO INSANELY TIRED OF ASKING......IS IT HOT IN HERE or IS IT ME?

I am on my 2nd otc vitamin store cure....but the ones I am taking now are so HUGE I gag every time I take them..and not much help as of yet *


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Jul 29, 2010)

OK ladies I had not seen this thread before. I just turned 50  and the menopause symptoms are getting worse. 

I have the strangest sleep pattern now. A couple of hours a day or all day long. Mostly I sleep during the day, I can't at night.

My thyroid is way out of whack. My doc just increased my thyroid med. Which is also helping me get my A1C back under control.

Anger for no reason. Crying jags. or both at the same time.

Elevated Heart rate from time to time. At first this totally freaked me out, but is a symptom of menopause for some women.

Since increasing my thyroids med, my hair started falling out again. 

itchy skin

hot flashes

Also I'm hungry all the time.

No sex drive 

needing to be held A LOT!

I know there is more but I'm getting depressed reading this. (Oh yeah depression)

I feel like I'm losing my mind a lot of the time.

I need to commiserate with other women who are going through this. The hair falling out it the hardest for me. I had a lot of my hair fall out about 10 years ago and again 3 years ago after surgery and now again. It's devastating for me. 

I'm having a hard time emotionally dealing with being this old and going through menopause. *sigh*


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