A Thread About Menopause

jeremysgirl, have you tried deep core exercises to help with bladder issues? Kegels helped but once I switched to deep core exercises I have no more issues. I do them about 3x per week.

Gotcha, sorry if I sounded bitey!

Bitey has been my worst menopause symptom!

I had to have an ablation in my early 40 due to constant heavy bleeding. It stopped the bleeding but I have no idea when I entered menopause. I remember having I guess, hot flashes, but can't remember when they started. I never kept track. Now that I'm in my 60's, I figured I'd be almost through with menopause. I still get night sweats. Thinning hair has been happening for a while. Vaginal dryness has not been a problem. I did experience extreme itchiness earlier this year, which is a symptom. But turns out I all of a sudden became allergic to wipes I've used. Maybe the company changed an ingredient in them but once I stopped using them (process of elimination) the itchiness went away. So I thought I had an easy time of it. The night sweats weren't bad. No soaking of my bedding. No suicidal thoughts.

However, and I'm not sure it could be a sign off menopause, but I get bouts of rage. I put it off thinking it is because of the political scene. I'm usually an even-keeled person, but these moods are very concerning to me. It's a newish thing, and seems to have gotten worse the past couple of months. So far I've managed to keep it under control, and haven't gotten into it with anyone. But you know those videos of a woman going off irrationally on someone over something trivial? That could be me! I remember when my mom would get so mad sometimes. You know, talking through clenched teeth? I remember avoiding her for quite some time. I believe she was around my age. Could HRT help with that?

My hot flashes/night sweats were erratic here and there at first. But the irritability? DH and DS are lucky to still be alive.

But two years ago the hot flashes started becoming more regular. And irritability died down. But periods, while still pretty much every 28 days, were becoming way heavier than I'd ever seen. Like box of 40 tampons in a week heavy. So last July (2023) I had a naturopath appointment. Discussed all that was going on. Started some supplements to help. And they got worse (she said I'd hate her then love her) but went away. Then we moved on to stage 2, and then 3, and they came back with a vengeance. Her suggestion was bloodwork and a visit to an obgyn - both of which I did.

I'm now on HRT and NO MORE flashes! They went away - it has been a lifesaver for me. I wasn't sleeping, was either on fire or frozen from being damp/clammy all the time. It was awful.

I made it to day 284 with no period, then bam,  7 day period. But it wasn't overly heavy so ok. But the clock started over to get to that magical one year. Then bam, 16 days later I've gotten another one.

Make it stop!! LOL

ETA - I have an old shoulder injury that flares every once in a while for a day. But it's been flaring for over a month. I think I'm dealing with frozen shoulder. I have movement but at night it is really achey. Going to Osteopath and massage therapy is helping!

My only symptom, other than erratic perioids, were hot flashes. They lasted about 10 years. I was pretty much never cold. I don't think you need to worry. Some of us are lucky and sail through menopause.

I'm in menopause and I get a little warm once in awhile and maybe once a month have a mild hot flash. That is the extent of my symptoms. I'm bipolar and I haven't noticed any problems with my mental health, either. Menopause has been pretty much a non-event but boy, I love not having to deal with periods.

When I was in perimenopause my periods were like crime scenes. I'd have to set an alarm every two hours when I slept to change my tampons. It was crazy. My doctor put me on birth control pills and that cleared it up a bit. I never kept track of my periods so I don't know how much time went between them before I got on the pill. I also don't know when my periods finally stopped- I'm guessing 5 years ago but I don't know for sure. I'm 58.

Here is an odd one for you. I had stopped having periods and about 15 years later was making my first trip to Europe. We were having some trouble with the trip (lodging? train schedule?) and I began to bleed, like break through bleeding. It was an ordeal to find products in a foreign language etc. Came home and everything stopped and never had another bit of trouble.

I was foolish for not contacting my physician when I got home, but it all worked out.

I’m 51 and I’d say I’ve been peri menopause for like 5 years. My periods feel like they have basically stopped.

My only symptom other than irregular periods has been hot flashes, which aren’t too bad and are mostly at night. Oh I also wake up at night more often and in general feel like I need less sleep.

The only meds I'm on is Ozempic and a blood pressure med which I can't remember the name of at the moment. And I started both of those beginning of Oct. I've been raging for a good part of the year, but it's gotten worse since end of Summer. No mood drugs, not even weed. Which I'd try but so far the gummies I've tried have given me anxiety. Not smoking it because I value my lungs. I've done enough damage to them from regular cigarettes over the years. So not really sure what to do. I guess be glad I don't own a gun? Because road rage is all just another "fun" aspect of it!

I'm hot all the time, too. Our ceiling fans are getting a workout. My HRT doctor says that testosterone is the hormone that regulates body temperature, so maybe I'd be really dying without it. Hot flashes are estrogen. I haven't had any more hot flashes since I started estrogen, but I'm still having night sweats sometimes.