Wednesday 4 July 2012

Menopausal Musings

I have come to the conclusion that I have hit menopause - BUGGER !!!  It really isn't fun and, to be honest, I thought that I was too young for it anyway !  Clearly I was mistaken on that count.  So, during my investigations of exactly what I can expect to happen over the next however long it takes to get over it, this is what I have found out with regards to the symptoms :

There are 34 of them on this website !!!  I suppose I should be grateful that I have not been afflicted with all 34 !!!


- hot flushes - oh this is a goodie.  I can sit here with everyone else rugged up and before you know it I am stripping off and sitting in my undies (sorry TMI !) - luckily we haven't had anyone around visiting when this has happened.

 - night sweats - similar to above except my jarmies get soaking wet and I have to change our linen at least every two days.  So what happens when I am in bed is that I snuggle under the doona until the sweats strike when I throw the doona off for 5 mins to cool down, pull the doona up and then at least another 3-4 times during the night I repeat.

I have been taking wild yam to counteract these two symptoms and it does seem to be working - the down side is that they taste like cr*p so even when you find a solution for the symptom, the solution is a bit cr*p anyway !!!

- mood swings - what more can I say ?  Sometimes my family run for cover when I arrive home because they aren't quite sure what to expect - hell I don't even know what to expect from myself from one minute to the next !

- fatigue - given how badly I have been sleeping, whether because of A's snoring or the bloody menopause, I don't know - what I do know is that I am always tired, even when I wake up, I'm tired.

- hair loss - on this one I seem to have gone the opposite way.  I have always had really thick hair - the amount of new hair that is growing is amazing - and painful - because I have all these new hairs sticking up in places where my hair shouldn't be sticking up !!!

- sleep disorders - like I wasn't doing a good enough job of having cr*ppy sleep every night all by myself - this just makes it 1,000 times worse !!

- difficulty concentrating - this I have really noticed at work.  I cannot seem to stay focussed on the task at hand for very long at all.  My mind is all over the place and my work is definitely suffering.  Things that I could knock over in an hour are taking me nearly a whole morning - it is driving me nuts given that it is year end and I have 6 companies I am supposed to be winding up for the year !!!  I cannot even read for any length of time.  I used to read 4-5 library books a fort-night - now I it takes me close to a month to finish a book.

- incontinence - well I don't really suffer from this but only because I have been really good for the past couple of months doing my pelvic floor exercises - I used to think they were a waste of time but I did them just in case they did actually work - I am sooooooooooooo glad I did because they do work !!!!

- irritability - see mood swings above !!!  I don't understand how things that never used to worry / annoy me can send me over the edge now ?????  Note to self - I wonder if this is why A has to work away from home so much - anything to get away from the dragon witch I am sure he thinks he is married to ?????

- headaches - definitely had more achey feeling in my head the last couple of months - not headaches per se, just not feeling right.

- joint pain - I thought this was just the arthritis in my knees and elbows but maybe it isn't just that - maybe it is the menopause on top of the arthritis / old age - yay double whammy !!!!

- muscle tension - again, I thought it was just stress and because especially my neck and back are always tight - this obviously doesn't help in any way, shape or form.

- weight gain - my weight is going up but my measurements seem to be staying pretty static so not sure what the go is with that.

- itchy skin - at night my arms can drive me nuts with how much they itch.  I have tried different tops, I have tried different sheets, I have tried using moisturiser on them, I have tried not using moisturiser on them - nothing seems to help - they itch like I have been touching poison ivy - another yay !!!!

When I look at the list above, I realise that maybe I am not that badly done by given there are 34 possible symptoms that I could be suffering from.  I think it is time I took myself back to the naturopath to see what she can recommend to try to make me a little more bearable to live with !!!

Have you suffered with this ?  Can you make any recommendations about what I could try to do to alleviate some / all / any of the above ? 

Linking in with Dorothy at Singular Insanity for Things I Know this week !

TFTD : Your past circumstances and background may have influenced who you are today, but only YOU are responsible for who you become tomorrow.

22 comments:

  1. Ugh. Three freaking years of this crap and no relief in sight. Hot flushes, insomnia, mood swings, anxiety/depression.... It seems that different things work for different people. I've tried a number of herbal or other over the counter remedies with no luck. I stay well away from anything containing black cohosh (which appears to be the only thing that has widespread success) because it's linked to live failure and I already have problems there.

    I was prescribed a low dose antidepressant which helped a lot for about six months. The hot flushes diminished and I slept, plus my crankiness settled down. I had to quit them because of side effects and now I'm back to square one.

    Cutting out alcohol and caffeine helps with both hot rushes and sleep...but makes life a lot less fun. ;)

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    1. Thanks so much for this Kek - I will definitely check for the black cohosh. Oh man, three years and still going- my heart goes out to you - I've only had this a few months and definitely getting worse !!

      I did get hold of my naturopath yesterday as it was such a down day - I don't normally feel like this and I am not sure how to deal with it. She has posted me some stuff so hopefully that will arrive today and I can start taking it. It is doing my head in.

      As you say, different things seem to work for different people - will let you know how I get on with this stuff when it arrives.

      I hope you have a good weekend - thinking of you !
      Love, hugs and positive energy.
      Me

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  2. *flushes. Stupid auto correct.

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  3. Surely essential oils would help!
    Going by my information, the best oils to use are Clary-Sage, Geranium, Jasmine, Nutmeg, Sage, Bergamot, Coriander, Red Thyme, either singly or in a blend. But you would probably know all that already, being a massage therapist!
    Big hugs :)

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    1. Thanks for that Tracey. I don't use oils in my treatments as I do mainly remedial work and reflexology. I will have a look to see if I can find some of those oils - and a therapist who will use them on me. Because I have such high standards for myself, I find it really difficult to find a massage therapist. Thanks for this - just made me think maybe I could use them in a burner as well - will definitely look into this over the weekend - anything for some relief.
      Have a great weekend !
      Love, hugs and positive energy.
      Me

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  4. Oh dear, goodluck with everything!! And thanks for sharing too, helps us with information for when we get there :)

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    1. Thanks Kristyn. Will let you know how I get on with any relief that I can get !
      Have a great weekend !
      Me

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  5. Ohhhh Mmmmy Goooodnessss!!! I hope my new leaf in life helps with all this menopause stuff! My Mother has it really bad like over 10 years now and can't seem to shake it. Hormone pills are making things worse. She constantly is sweating and changes her clothing x4-5 times daily!!! Twice at night. Great read 'ME" xxDani

    PS: I just connected with you via FYOB and officially a "follower" come past when you have a spare second

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    1. Hi Dani - thanks for stopping by. Wow sorry to hear about your Mom - that is a long time !!!! I certainly hope that it doesn't stick around anywhere near that length of time. The medication from the naturopath arrived today so I am starting them tonight - will let you know how I get on in case your Mom might want to try them (if she hasn't already).
      Have a great weekend !
      Me

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  6. I sympathise with you. I have been peri-menopausal pretty much since weening my last child (she is 8) 6yrs ago. Every time I think that is it I get a bleed but last one was January so fingers crossed it is over. I am 44 but family have a history of early menopause

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    1. Wow Kebeni - that is a long time to have been through this. I hope that it is over for you soon - I wouldn't wish this on anyone. My mood swings are really starting to get to me (and the family I think !!!).

      I had a long talk to A about it yesterday and he is really understanding. Told me I should embrace it rather than fight it - and, while I can see the benefits on some level of doing that, I really don't want to !!!

      Have a great week and take care.
      Me

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  7. Two words - natural progesterone. I'm perimenopausal and I'm only 42..sob sob. In my previous life as a pharmacist, I dispensed a lot of this cream. Have a look at the Lawley Pharmacy website in WA as a starting point for getting educated. It's helping me a lot :)

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    1. Thanks for this info Liz. I will have a look to see what I can find out about this and whether it is something that might give me some relief. I got some tablets from the naturopath - neauro-calm - apparently they should help with sleeping, irritability and mood swings.

      Have a great week !
      Me

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  8. I'm perimenopausal too but yet to get a hot flush... oh dear, I could do without any mood swings as the teens and twins are swinging all over the place and I often feel that I am the one and only one holding things together in the house. Not that I don't get grumpy, I do but manage not to act out like the kids (and hubby sometimes) do.

    Hope the things from the naturopath work. can you do other things to make your life easier... esp so that you can sleep or rest by day if you need to??

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    1. Thanks Seana - not too much I can change in my life at the moment as I work full time and have the reflexology/massage business that I run in the evenings/weekends at home. I am trying very hard to be kinder to myself. A said last night that I should try to embrace this and not fight it - easier said than done I fear !!!!
      Since explaining a lot of the symptoms to him he has become a lot more understanding and tolerant of them which is great - I don't feel quite like I am trying to shoulder this all by myself.

      Have the best week !
      Me

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  9. I am not there yet. I am living in fear that Miss A will be hitting puberty right when I am hitting menopause. The fear, the fear!
    It's such a joy being a woman is it not??!! At least we have each other. Men don't have that! xx

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    1. I never really got why women went n about menopause - I totally get it now !! I do feel for you if you both hit the hormones (or in your case, lack of hormones !!) a the same time. Poor A needs a bloody medal is all I can say !!
      Funny, my client last night said exactly the same thing - "such fun being a women !!!". You are right - at least we have each other - it is good to be able to talk to other women about what we are going through.
      Have a great weekend !
      Me

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  10. I think I'm perimenopausal and have been told that the symptoms can last up to 15 years - my poor family!! I hope you get some relief (at least your heating bills will be down??) be kind to yourself xxx

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    1. LOL yes I have heard anything from 1-10 years - I said the same thing - my poor family !!! I went the dr yesterday so hopefully nice the results of the blood test come back we will have a starting point and can work from there.
      I am trying to be kind to me but not being very successful !!
      Have the best weekend !
      Me

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  11. Great post, and I enjoyed reading the comments too. Hopefully I've got a while before this, and not looking forward to it.

    I'm not sure I knew you are a massage therapist - I was too ten years ago (quit once I had children). I specialized in maternity massage and hot stone massage. You are right - it is hard to find a good massage therapist once you know too much - I'm so picky :)

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. I had never really given it any thought to be honest and it took me a while to cotton onto the fact that I had started it - after the hot flushes and night sweats had happened for a while the penny dropped !!!

      My passion is reflexology but there aren't enough people who understand just how good it is for them which is why I combined my business with massage and hot stone massage. I only do it in the evenings and on weekends. So glad to hear that you are picky too - sometimes when I say that I can't find a good therapist people don't get it !

      Have a great weekend and take care !
      Me

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