Is It Over Yet? The Perimenopause Thread
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kshama2001 wrote: »ronjsteele1 wrote: »Thought I'd give this thread a little bump & post this here rather than the group.
TOM this weekend and I actually thought I might be coming down with the flu, it felt so similar (I wasn't). Chills, body/joint aches, fatigue, nausea. Then I made the mistake of thinking, "Well, at least I'm not having much in the way of cramps/pain this time". That came overnight
I'm trying to accept the fact that it's probably going to be like this for a while, years maybe, and I'll just have to learn to work around it, but I'm finding it very discouraging.
I don't know how you feel about the birth control pill, but have you ever considered taking the bc pill continuously? I started about 1 1/2 years ago because my TOM symptoms had simply become unbearable, and it has changed my life! No more periods is an amazing thing. I do have some spotting, but it is totally worth it.
This is a relatively new development for me... I guess let's say I might be considering it going forward
I am one that tends towards trying all other options before pharmaceuticals, so in light of that, some other things to consider before BC might be - evening primrose oil (1300mg twice a day), red raspberry (either as a tea or capsules multiple times a day), progesterone cream (starting with OTC or another option is bio-identical prescribed), omega-3's in large doses (assuming you have no blood diseases and are not taking blood thinners).
I think the two things that have balanced things out the most in my house have been evening primrose oil and progesterone cream. It took about 3-4 months of daily use for the evening primrose oil to balance things out. The progesterone cream can be used on the spot as needed so can provide immediate relief for emotional issues but requires regular use for long term cramps/pain. It can be used daily (amount adjusted for symptoms as needed) or from days 14-cycle start if you know when your regular cycle is.
And when all else fails.........there's always BC.
Lol, Patti! I thought I remembered you mentioning evening primrose oil on here and as I was lying awake last night waiting for the ibuprofen to kick in, I made a mental note to PM you & ask about the dosage (but you know how it goes with mental notes these days ) Also, would there be any harm in trying OTC progesterone without having had your levels checked?
I recommend getting Dr. Christiane Northrup's 'Wisdom of Menopause', reading the progesterone sections, and if they resonate get a progesterone cream like Emerita's Pro-Gest (random wild yam creams are probably a waste of money.)
Dr. Northrup's books are available in my library system, so maybe yours as well.
Just put it on hold- thank you!1 -
kshama2001 wrote: »
Lol, Patti! I thought I remembered you mentioning evening primrose oil on here and as I was lying awake last night waiting for the ibuprofen to kick in, I made a mental note to PM you & ask about the dosage (but you know how it goes with mental notes these days ) Also, would there be any harm in trying OTC progesterone without having had your levels checked?
I recommend getting Dr. Christiane Northrup's 'Wisdom of Menopause', reading the progesterone sections, and if they resonate get a progesterone cream like Emerita's Pro-Gest (random wild yam creams are probably a waste of money.)
Dr. Northrup's books are available in my library system, so maybe yours as well.
Good book to read. Yes, you can play around with the OTC creams without testing. You'll know if it helps or not. The hardest part is balancing how much you need. I had my DD start out with a very small amount and work up to where she felt good and balanced. Granted, I had years of experience with myself prior so that probably helped but it's not hard to figure out. You can tell when you feel "off." If you feel worse, it's too much. Feel nothing, probably not enough. I went to a prescribed bio-identical when it looked like I was going to need more then a tsp. of cream per day because that is A LOT to rub in when you only have a few places you're suppose to put it (thin skin) and it would get way expensive using an OTC that much every day. But for my DD, the pump works perfect because she doesn't need much.
We did not like Emeritas (the smell or how much it took) but that doesn't mean you wouldn't. My DD uses NOW Unscented (she hated the lavendar) Progesterone Cream and has done well with it.
Actually, all OTC progesterone creams are made from wild yam. Some packages don't list it out that way, but anything listed "natural progesterone" is from wild yam (even if it's made in the lab, it starts from wild yam). Some brands list it as "produced from wild yam" or "synthesized from wild yam" and some brands list it as "natural progesterone cream." Either way, anything OTC is essentially wild yam.
The book that was suggested is a good guide.1 -
I know I just need to research this stuff myself, but just doing a preliminary search on the evening primrose oil, does it matter if you take a capsule or is it better some other way. Recommended brands?0
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Okay, read/scanned most of the posts.
I'm 43...
Next appt. I'm going to ask to have my progesterone levels checked....
The symptoms do sound like peri, but you might want to consider full HRT due to your age if that's confirmed via test. I was 47 when I was tested and I started on HRT in part because one of the concerns was that I was on the earlier side of average and estrogen seems to be pretty protective against some health issues (the other part was quality of life, which significantly improved on HRT). If you take estrogen and have a uterus you also have to take progesterone because estrogen alone can increase your risk of endometrial cancer.0 -
I know I just need to research this stuff myself, but just doing a preliminary search on the evening primrose oil, does it matter if you take a capsule or is it better some other way. Recommended brands?
Capsules are fine. This is what we're using http://www.vitacost.com/now-super-primrose. I use vita cost because they are fast, free shipping with a minimum order (I buy a lot of my shampoo/handsoap/shower soap through them). I like the NOW brand because it's the 1300mg (I wanted high potency) and years ago my health group did a bunch of research on brand name vitamins. We discovered that NOW is the brand that many of the more expensive brands of vitamins use and just relabel them as the expensive brand name. So quality wise, I like them. Most NOW brand stuff is free of a lot of common allergens that have affected my family in the past. YMMV. That's just why I chose what I did.1 -
I'm just full of questions today! (You can tell I had a bad weekend
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I don't remember any mention of this up thread, but has anyone found any particular dietary changes that bring them relief?0 -
Ladies - I'm 54, still regular as always. Make 'em stop!
The menstruation goddess has always found humor in giving me a period at the most inopportune times - tent camping, hiking, Seabase with a bunch of boyscouts, scuba trips, all day sailing (w/no bathroom), skiing, etc! She can be mean!0 -
Thought I'd give this thread a little bump & post this here rather than the group.
TOM this weekend and I actually thought I might be coming down with the flu, it felt so similar (I wasn't). Chills, body/joint aches, fatigue, nausea. Then I made the mistake of thinking, "Well, at least I'm not having much in the way of cramps/pain this time". That came overnight I'm trying to accept the fact that it's probably going to be like this for a while, years maybe, and I'll just have to learn to work around it, but I'm finding it very discouraging.
Yeah, this has been kind of a rough weekend for me too.
Started with hot flashes and night sweats on Thursday and Friday ... so much on Friday night I finally got up and got something to drink because I figured I was getting dehydrated with all the sweating.
Saturday wasn't too bad fortunately ... just some lower back pain ... because my husband and I cycled 100 miles.
Sunday was a heavy, heavy, flooding heavy day ... big cramping.
And Monday (yesterday), I just felt nauseated and dizzy and achy and hot all day like I was coming down with the flu.
Fortunately today I feel a bit better.
Didn't help that we went away for the long weekend and I didn't have my Valerian, Evening Primrose Oil, Calcium, Magnesium, Vit B12, or Vit D with me. I took all of that last night which might have helped improve the situation today.
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Thought I'd give this thread a little bump & post this here rather than the group.
TOM this weekend and I actually thought I might be coming down with the flu, it felt so similar (I wasn't). Chills, body/joint aches, fatigue, nausea. Then I made the mistake of thinking, "Well, at least I'm not having much in the way of cramps/pain this time". That came overnight I'm trying to accept the fact that it's probably going to be like this for a while, years maybe, and I'll just have to learn to work around it, but I'm finding it very discouraging.
Yeah, this has been kind of a rough weekend for me too.
Started with hot flashes and night sweats on Thursday and Friday ... so much on Friday night I finally got up and got something to drink because I figured I was getting dehydrated with all the sweating.
Saturday wasn't too bad fortunately ... just some lower back pain ... because my husband and I cycled 100 miles.
Sunday was a heavy, heavy, flooding heavy day ... big cramping.
And Monday (yesterday), I just felt nauseated and dizzy and achy and hot all day like I was coming down with the flu.
Fortunately today I feel a bit better.
Didn't help that we went away for the long weekend and I didn't have my Valerian, Evening Primrose Oil, Calcium, Magnesium, Vit B12, or Vit D with me. I took all of that last night which might have helped improve the situation today.
Yep... my weekend too, minus the hot flashes and the 100 mile bike ride... wait a minute, you went on a 100 mile bike ride? 0 -
Thought I'd give this thread a little bump & post this here rather than the group.
TOM this weekend and I actually thought I might be coming down with the flu, it felt so similar (I wasn't). Chills, body/joint aches, fatigue, nausea. Then I made the mistake of thinking, "Well, at least I'm not having much in the way of cramps/pain this time". That came overnight I'm trying to accept the fact that it's probably going to be like this for a while, years maybe, and I'll just have to learn to work around it, but I'm finding it very discouraging.
Yeah, this has been kind of a rough weekend for me too.
Started with hot flashes and night sweats on Thursday and Friday ... so much on Friday night I finally got up and got something to drink because I figured I was getting dehydrated with all the sweating.
Saturday wasn't too bad fortunately ... just some lower back pain ... because my husband and I cycled 100 miles.
Sunday was a heavy, heavy, flooding heavy day ... big cramping.
And Monday (yesterday), I just felt nauseated and dizzy and achy and hot all day like I was coming down with the flu.
Fortunately today I feel a bit better.
Didn't help that we went away for the long weekend and I didn't have my Valerian, Evening Primrose Oil, Calcium, Magnesium, Vit B12, or Vit D with me. I took all of that last night which might have helped improve the situation today.
Yep... my weekend too, minus the hot flashes and the 100 mile bike ride... wait a minute, you went on a 100 mile bike ride?
Yeah ... I do that every now and then.
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Bad day today ... today, I had the worst bout of hot flashes I’ve ever had.
It started in the middle of the night … I’d be drenched with sweat and feeling really nauseated, then I’d get up and go to the toilet and kind of cool down, and then I’d be freezing cold. Over and over.
But I had a good hour before I got up in the morning, and felt all right when I showered and walked across to the bus, so I thought all was well.
Got on the bus, and within 100 metres, it hit me again … hot, drenched, and I felt so sick, I had to get off the bus just before it left our suburb. I bought a bottle of water and took some ginger and a Zantac and walked around in the cool for a while, then caught the next bus.
I just made it to the first stop in town when I had to get off again. I couldn’t get back on a bus, so I walked some distance to my First Aid class, and I was late to my First Aid class, unfortunately. But I felt all right while I was outside.
No sooner had I gotten settled inside, when yet another hot flash hit me … drenched with sweat and feeling so sick. This happened several times and I had to get up and go to the toilet to run water over my wrists and try to cool down each time.
Finally, I took a Travel Calm (Gravol with Caffeine), and after that, things seemed to settle down and I made it through the rest of the class.
I also made it home, but was feeling just a hint of it by the time I got home. I was also very, very tired … drained. So I went for a nap.
Oh, and on the third or fourth one, my period (which ended a week ago) started again … so it does make me think it is hormonal.
I really hope this isn't going to be the way it is now.
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That does sound awful. Early on mine included nausea. They don't any more. I hope, at least, you don't continue to feel sick with them. ugh!
You may find that you have to weigh quality of life issues against HRT or Bioidentical HRT.... new evidence suggests that real progesterone can quell hotflashes.
I do hope you find some relief.
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That sounds awful! I'm so thankful I haven't really had the hot flash thing. I would definitely be looking at something natural to help. Progesterone or another supplement of some sort. Epo?0
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I entered this thread more out of curiosity. I had a partial hysterectomy several years ago. I did have an ultrasound done on my ovaries a couple of years ago because of some recurring abdominal pain, but the tech said I had "beautiful ovaries" . . . . whatever. I'm in my mid 40s. I'm just wondering what the symptoms are for those of us who don't have the periods anymore but still have our ovaries? Anybody have experience with this?
I had everything out but my ovaries at age 39. I am now 50 in a couple of months and assumed I was peri due to mood swings, anxiety, hot flushes and dryness plus lack of libido. About November last year, I stopped taking propanolol prescribed for migraine as they were not working anymore. I didn't want to up the dose or go on another preventative pill so I made dietary changes. I mostly avoid processed food and stick to fruit, veg, leaner meats, nuts, seeds, some legumes and whole grains but no gluten. I also stopped drinking coffee. I am pretty sure the meds may have caused the libido and dryness issues as these both rectified soon after stopping and before the dietary changes. I still have the PMS it seems. Breast tenderness, bloating etc but hard to say what is going on without the bleeding. I still have migraines but they have reduced and at such times, I also feel fatigued, sick and weak. It pretty much feels like I go through a normal cycle but hard to know for sure.1 -
I'm just full of questions today! (You can tell I had a bad weekend )
I don't remember any mention of this up thread, but has anyone found any particular dietary changes that bring them relief?
For PMS? Lots of recommendations in Dr. Christiane Northrup's "Women's Bodies; Women's Wisdom." Also in my library system
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This thread has been amazing, motivating and sad at the same time. I am 48 and fully into menopause. I have not had a period since 2010. Prior to that, I was peri for about two years. Definitely young for sure, but according to research there about 15% of us that hit menopause this early. I have not had a hysterectomy and did not do HRT because of family cancer issues. My husband was my rock through hot flashes, forgetfulness, exhaustion, mood swings and all the other joys. the best was the day I said the hot flashes are bad but thank god I didn't have the mood swings - the look he gave me was priceless.
All of that said, the only issues I have now are hot flashes at night and "mutant" facial hair. And of course odd things with my weight. I haven't gained anything in literally three years, but fat seems to have migrated. Here to get eating back on track and exercising to make sure I hit my 50s as healthy as possible.
to all of you still in peri, it DOES get better, I promise. It may take a year or ten, but know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.5 -
to all of you still in peri, it DOES get better, I promise. It may take a year or ten, but know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
This is encouraging. I turn 47 next week and am a bit young for missing cycles but my mom stopped in her late 40's. I'm not liking the 50 days between cycles that my body seems to want to do right now but I am looking forward to them just stopping completely. It's nice to know things DO improve.
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
That does sound awful. Early on mine included nausea. They don't any more. I hope, at least, you don't continue to feel sick with them. ugh!
You may find that you have to weigh quality of life issues against HRT or Bioidentical HRT.... new evidence suggests that real progesterone can quell hotflashes.
I do hope you find some relief.ronjsteele1 wrote: »That sounds awful! I'm so thankful I haven't really had the hot flash thing. I would definitely be looking at something natural to help. Progesterone or another supplement of some sort. Epo?
I can't take HRT at all. I've known that for a while, but my gynaecological oncologist (I have precancer) confirmed it again just recently.
Hormone replacement is absolutely off the table for me in any form, even the most mild forms, because I have a genetic disorder which increases my chances of developing both blood clots (I have already had a DVT -- left leg full of clots) and heart failure (I already have issues with my valves -- Rheumatic fever as a child) ... and adding hormone replacement to that mix could be disastrous.
This nausea kind of felt like morning sickness. I've been pregnant a couple times and miscarried (thanks to that same genetic disorder mentioned above), and this reminded me very much of that with the added bonus of heat and so much sweat I looked like I just stepped out of the shower.
However, my gynaecological oncologist did mention a serotonin based supplement which might help. We'd like to wait on that until the situation gets really bad (if days like yesterday start happening quite frequently) because apparently once I start it, I have to stick with it until I'm fully menopausal. So it's a bit of a commitment.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
That does sound awful. Early on mine included nausea. They don't any more. I hope, at least, you don't continue to feel sick with them. ugh!
You may find that you have to weigh quality of life issues against HRT or Bioidentical HRT.... new evidence suggests that real progesterone can quell hotflashes.
I do hope you find some relief.ronjsteele1 wrote: »That sounds awful! I'm so thankful I haven't really had the hot flash thing. I would definitely be looking at something natural to help. Progesterone or another supplement of some sort. Epo?
I can't take HRT at all. I've known that for a while, but my gynaecological oncologist (I have precancer) confirmed it again just recently.
Hormone replacement is absolutely off the table for me in any form, even the most mild forms, because I have a genetic disorder which increases my chances of developing both blood clots (I have already had a DVT -- left leg full of clots) and heart failure (I already have issues with my valves -- Rheumatic fever as a child) ... and adding hormone replacement to that mix could be disastrous.
This nausea kind of felt like morning sickness. I've been pregnant a couple times and miscarried (thanks to that same genetic disorder mentioned above), and this reminded me very much of that with the added bonus of heat and so much sweat I looked like I just stepped out of the shower.
However, my gynaecological oncologist did mention a serotonin based supplement which might help. We'd like to wait on that until the situation gets really bad (if days like yesterday start happening quite frequently) because apparently once I start it, I have to stick with it until I'm fully menopausal. So it's a bit of a commitment.
I understand. I sure hope you find some relief!0
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