The Change

southern yankee · Post by **southern yankee** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:27 pm

It is a very difficult time in some women's lives. Some breeze through it. Their periods stop and that's it. others like myself go through many changes emotionally and phyical. Around a year ago. i thought i was truly having a breakdown. My husband too thought i was losing it. (He is not the most understanding person) About 8 months ago I went to my GP. Telling her how i felt i was ready for the men in white coats to come for me. "THEY COME TO TAKE ME AWAY--YA HA!!" But it did not feel funny at all. I told her of my depression,lack of sleep. Eating benges, hot flashes, the mood swings, and loss of memory. She gave me a half grin. Asking me a few questions. Putting her hand on my sholder. Hun, you are 50 and you are going through the change. You are NOT NUTS. I then told her how rough it was for my mother. Going into a mental hosp. for 6 weeks. she started me on anti-depressents. they are helping. But with the cancer rate in my family. decided agaisnt hormones. So i think one of the hardest things. Is trying to explain to my husband. That this could take up to 8 more years. So if your wife, mother, sister or friend. Is not quite herself. Please try to be understanding. This is no fun for the one living it either

(:-5

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:23 pm

southern yankee I feel your pain. I started at 51 and it ended when I was 57. I wasn't sure I would survive from day to day. I also did it without hormones. It was hard but when it ended I got my sanity back.

There are not magic drugs, natural or otherwise it is what our bodies do normally and that is how I choose to handle it. You will make it just buy yourself a fan for your office at work, home, and a personal one that is for your side of the bed. The hot flashes are insane, the night sweats are awful. I didn't know I had that much water in me. :wah:

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:53 pm

Yankee

I'm 50 - been going thru this roller coaster for a few years now - medically induced phase of life.

I've chosen a mild dose of hormones. When it first started I was going to lose it - coming right out of my skin.

1st there's really nothing that can control this change - I've tried everything over the counter & Prescriptions.

Then I went to a Homeopathic DR. - natural remedy.

My change has settled down - it's not gone, I still have terrible hot flashes just not as often. Oh, I can feel the heat/temp rise now it's a warning it's coming and I can prepare - leave a group & handle it - walk outside for fresh air & dry or like jump in the pool, which I do even if it's 1:00 or 3:00 in the morning.

All I can recommend - when your system settles down & it will in time

get your THYROID checked.

Yankee - I'd agree with Carla the night sweats are the worst - they haven't gone away.

Your's is severe swings now - they'll settle down - go away NO - I have asked so many women - I'm told it never really goes away - just eases up.

My sister was hospitalized, DR's called it Hysterical Menapause.

Dictionary - suffering in the uterus - emotionally uncontrolled & wild .

Yankee - knowing all of the emotions, be very careful while talking to your daugher (from your other thread). and I wish you luck on that issue.

I wish you luck going thru this change - I've hated it & all the side effects..

Patsy

Victoria · Post by **Victoria** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:24 am

I'm only 43 Ive started getting the hot flushes, the irregular monthlys, memory loss,

and I forget what else!

I bought myself a lovely fan for the hot flushes and if i forget things I quite candidly say 'its that time of life you know'!

My doc thinks Im nuts anyway and my thyroid is already up the spout so I'm stuffed.

Luckily I have a husband who says 'just give me a bit of warning if you need to throw things'! He understands that things may be difficult but then he's seen it all with the thyroid so he is fairly well prepared.

I view this as a time to be as outrageous as I want and blame it on a medical condition that no man is going to ask details of!!!!

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:56 am

Welcome, Southern Yankee. I do share your occasional discomfort. Life is full of changes, isn't it? I just kind of "go with the flow" and remind myself the discomfort will pass in a few minutes. The feeling just reminds me that I'm still alive and kicking.

Attached files

southern yankee · Post by **southern yankee** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:07 am

along-for-the-ride;912942 wrote: Welcome, Southern Yankee. I do share your occasional discomfort. Life is full of changes, isn't it? I just kind of "go with the flow" and remind myself the discomfort will pass in a few minutes. The feeling just reminds me that I'm still alive and kicking.

I wish mine was slight disconfort. But at least now i do understand what is going on. The degree of the change varies from person to person. But now i understand what my poor mother went through. she had me late in life. i think i was in 5 th or6th grade when she was hospitalized. I wish she was still here. So i could ask her questions.

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:13 am

southern yankee;912962 wrote: I wish mine was slight disconfort. But at least now i do understand what is going on. The degree of the change varies from person to person. But now i understand what my poor mother went through. she had me late in life. i think i was in 5 th or6th grade when she was hospitalized. I wish she was still here. So i could ask her questions.

I do miss my mother as well. There are indeed many things we could talk about.

southern yankee · Post by **southern yankee** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:52 pm

along-for-the-ride;912969 wrote: I do miss my mother as well. There are indeed many things we could talk about.

I lost my mother 14 years ago. not a day goes by that i don't think of her.

shelbell · Post by **shelbell** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:36 pm

southern yankee;911473 wrote: It is a very difficult time in some women's lives. Some breeze through it. Their periods stop and that's it. others like myself go through many changes emotionally and phyical. Around a year ago. i thought i was truly having a breakdown. My husband too thought i was losing it. (He is not the most understanding person) About 8 months ago I went to my GP. Telling her how i felt i was ready for the men in white coats to come for me. "THEY COME TO TAKE ME AWAY--YA HA!!" But it did not feel funny at all. I told her of my depression,lack of sleep. Eating benges, hot flashes, the mood swings, and loss of memory. She gave me a half grin. Asking me a few questions. Putting her hand on my sholder. Hun, you are 50 and you are going through the change. You are NOT NUTS. I then told her how rough it was for my mother. Going into a mental hosp. for 6 weeks. she started me on anti-depressents. they are helping. But with the cancer rate in my family. decided agaisnt hormones. So i think one of the hardest things. Is trying to explain to my husband. That this could take up to 8 more years. So if your wife, mother, sister or friend. Is not quite herself. Please try to be understanding. This is no fun for the one living it either

(:-5

I'm the type that just hopes my periods stop...I'm sick of them. I have so many of the things that you've described, but I'm only 44 and periods are still regular. My problems have all been linked to depression, bi-polar, insomnia, etc. I see my "female stuff" doc in a month and am going to talk to her about these things. I too have a strong history of cancer in my family so I will forgo the hormones too. Thanks for sharing..this may help other women understand what is going on with their own bodies. I hope it doesn't take 8 years for you...:yh_pray

Hope6 · Post by **Hope6** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:20 pm

my mother had to have a hystorectomy ( i don't think i spelled that right!) :wah:

so she went through a kinda instant menapause! so i have no one to ask questions either!

i was 40 years old and started getting flushed feelings and feeling just not right, my first thought was menapause, but i thought i was to young, then i started getting sick to my stomach and didn't know why!

it ended up not being menapause at all!

i was pregnant! :wah::wah::wah:

it's his birthday today actually, he's 2 years old!

i feel a little bit like i would like for my periods to be over! now that i've had my baby, i'm ready to be through with it, but at the same time i'm kinda worried about it too!

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:24 pm

Some women don't have alot of troubles with the change-I've had very few problems and at 53 keep asking my mom when it's going to start. She says it must almost be over for you, and you didn't even know it. :wah:

Don't worry about it Hope until it comes.

Hope6 · Post by **Hope6** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:35 pm

chonsigirl;914940 wrote: Some women don't have alot of troubles with the change-I've had very few problems and at 53 keep asking my mom when it's going to start. She says it must almost be over for you, and you didn't even know it. :wah:

Don't worry about it Hope until it comes.

yeah i mostly try to just not think about it, i'll deal with it when it shows up. :-6

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:09 am

I started when I turned 50, didn't really find it much different than I was already feeling, but the sweats, now I never get the night sweats, I get mine during the day.....when everyone can see you pouring with it off your head, face. etc.

My 2 ceiling fans at home are really helpful, but also found at Canadian Tire, fans in automotive department, they plug in and are no bigger than 4 inch round, one sits on my desk at work, and I also have a full size fan under my desk for my legs!

Also have two fans I use in bed or just watching t.v, they run on battery, not those tiny ones, these are handheld and really give a good cold wind! One is also kept in my car for whenever I need it, in the car, in the stores, picnic, etc............I am never without one and carry one in my purse!

I refuse to go on hormones, as breast cancer runs high in my family, however, the mood swings are hard to deal with!

but doctor also says it could be panic attacks as I do get those.

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:05 pm

ODIE

That's not panic attacks....

That's Menapause

Don't let any man tell you other wise...

Good Luck - night sweats actually wake me up - hate them..

it's menapause honey

go with the flow

Patsy

southern yankee · Post by **southern yankee** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:17 am

Patsy Warnick;926637 wrote: ODIE

That's not panic attacks....

That's Menapause

Don't let any man tell you other wise...

Good Luck - night sweats actually wake me up - hate them..

it's menapause honey

go with the flow

Patsynot fun at all!!:( if men lived through this. i think more relief would be found, RIGHT LADIES??:mad:

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:32 pm

Patsy Warnick;926637 wrote: ODIE

That's not panic attacks....

That's Menapause

Don't let any man tell you other wise...

Good Luck - night sweats actually wake me up - hate them..

it's menapause honey

go with the flow

Patsy

wonder why I never got the night sweats.............that seems to be the highest on the list...............mine are during the day, but could be nerves.

a friend of mine had them every night......it was so bad she had to get up and change the sheets...........lost alot of slee!

god bless our lives!

southern yankee · Post by **southern yankee** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:31 pm

Odie;959482 wrote: wonder why I never got the night sweats.............that seems to be the highest on the list...............mine are during the day, but could be nerves.

a friend of mine had them every night......it was so bad she had to get up and change the sheets...........lost alot of slee!

god bless our lives! we are all different. mine is more emotional then phyical. but with my doc's help i feel not so looney toons anymore.

:eek:

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:37 pm

Could you imagine men going thru everything we do?

southern yankee · Post by **southern yankee** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:36 am

Odie;959550 wrote: Could you imagine men going thru everything we do?

if men had kids. the human race would be extinct.

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:46 am

I just saw this article, thought some of you may be interested in it. It's about how yoga helps with the physical and mental aspects of menopause.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080822/hl_nm/yoga_dc

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:54 am

chonsigirl;914940 wrote: Some women don't have alot of troubles with the change-I've had very few problems and at 53 keep asking my mom when it's going to start. She says it must almost be over for you, and you didn't even know it. :wah:

Don't worry about it Hope until it comes.

do you still have your monthly friend?

southern yankee · Post by **southern yankee** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:39 am

Asking about Monthly friend. well this year . i have been hit and miss. i have missed 5. the last 2 months Nothing. But i feel like i will but don't. Wonder if that is normal?:-3

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:50 pm

southern yankee;961046 wrote: Asking about Monthly friend. well this year . i have been hit and miss. i have missed 5. the last 2 months Nothing. But i feel like i will but don't. Wonder if that is normal?:-3

wish I knew what it felt like to be normal!