Yay for Menopause
krael65
Posts: 306 Member
I'm 54 years old. I'm solidly in perimenopause. I've been 11 months without a period - so, 1 month away from official, full-on menopause.
(Interestingly, my 12 year old twins just started menses last month. But I digress!
)
I've been lamenting the fading of youth: the feeling of being invisible.... of hating my fuller mid-section.... struggling to find (or alter) jeans to fit my larger waist that don't bag in the hips & legs.... the vigilance to maintain or increase my NEAT so as to maintain my weight.... getting off my *kitten* to lift the weights when all I wanna do is binge-watch Netflix on the treddy... Of being the grandmother-aged mother of middle school girls. (Seriously. Them other mom's musta birthed when they were 12! And don't get me started on the teachers that look like they're students - amiright?!)
...and where did THAT hair come from?!
I could go on.
However...
It just occurred to me. I'm not "afflicted" with menopause. Oh no. I've reached a wonderful milestone!
I'm 54 years old. I'm pretty darned healthy overall. I've maintained my weight for 3 years now, and am at a lower weight than I was as a teenager. I haven't had an acne outbreak in over a year! (used to suffer major acne issues). I DON'T HAVE A PERIOD ANYMORE. No more "feminine products" or unfortunate accidents! (Now my daughters' bailiwick
) And best of all, I don't have to give a fork what I wear, do, or say - as long as I'm not hurting anybody in the process! You're embarrassed by mommy's singing in public? Too bad!
Peace out.
(Interestingly, my 12 year old twins just started menses last month. But I digress!
)I've been lamenting the fading of youth: the feeling of being invisible.... of hating my fuller mid-section.... struggling to find (or alter) jeans to fit my larger waist that don't bag in the hips & legs.... the vigilance to maintain or increase my NEAT so as to maintain my weight.... getting off my *kitten* to lift the weights when all I wanna do is binge-watch Netflix on the treddy... Of being the grandmother-aged mother of middle school girls. (Seriously. Them other mom's musta birthed when they were 12! And don't get me started on the teachers that look like they're students - amiright?!)
...and where did THAT hair come from?!
I could go on.
However...
It just occurred to me. I'm not "afflicted" with menopause. Oh no. I've reached a wonderful milestone!
I'm 54 years old. I'm pretty darned healthy overall. I've maintained my weight for 3 years now, and am at a lower weight than I was as a teenager. I haven't had an acne outbreak in over a year! (used to suffer major acne issues). I DON'T HAVE A PERIOD ANYMORE. No more "feminine products" or unfortunate accidents! (Now my daughters' bailiwick
) And best of all, I don't have to give a fork what I wear, do, or say - as long as I'm not hurting anybody in the process! You're embarrassed by mommy's singing in public? Too bad!Peace out.
99
Replies
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I'm still peri...and the last few days have been a hormone roller coaster...so today, you are my hero and someday I want to be just like you!!!19
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Aw, sending you good vibes, @tcunbeliever. Hormones can be such a *kitten*!0
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You have a really great outlook!! I've been in peri for about 3 years now. And everytime I get excited because I haven't had a period in months, boom - period from hell. I cannot wait for this to be over.
Otoh, these hot flashes are a nightmare. I'm noticing also kinds of trends with them as well. I get a hot flash when there's stress and I get one when my husband walks into the room. WTH? And my black cohosh seems to be less effective than the last time.
Anyways, I also have a 12 year old daughter who will get her period anytime now. It's so interesting for her to be moving into this phase while I'm moving out of it.
I think one thing we can all be excited about is the day we no longer bleed several days each month. Hooray for menopause!4 -
@lalalacroix - I went through similar. 4 months w/o a period, then start back up again for several months. This happened a few times over the course of 3 years. But this time I think it's going to stick!
Fortunately for me, I've yet to have any significant hot flashes. But I can be moody AF at times. It is interesting to have daughters just beginning while I'm ending this phase. My poor husband! 6 -
I'm with you - 54 years old here too. Life is good!3
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I'm 52 and still peri. Oh when, when, when will this END? You are my new spirit animal. #lifegoals
And I hear you about your daughters--my 15-year-old and I are in synch, and the hubs usually gets that faraway look in his eyes as he heads out to the market for more chocolate, heating pads, and supplies!
7 -
@MostlyWater - life IS good!
@ethelsmommy - Yeah, my husband's look is more "horrified". Perhaps he'll work his way up to "faraway"... once he accepts that this is really happening!1 -
I’m loving menopause so far. Except for the chin hairs.17
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I do NOT miss those painful, inconvenient periods AT ALL!! I do get hot flashes, but I’ll take them anytime over periods
Thanks for the great post!!! Love your perspective.... now what to do about the vag dryness?????1 -
I’m 41 and have gone through the menopause due to ovarian cancer. I feel better than I have in years! No more tampons, no worries about birth control (I’m married to my childhood sweetheart and we’re both faithful btw) and now hrt has stopped the hot flushes I feel great. Roll on the next chapter of my life 😊8
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I'm gonna need someone to send me a postcard or something to give me a heads up that menopause is arriving. I had a uterine ablation 4+ years ago, so I don't get periods anymore. Are hot flashes going to be the first sign? Or something else? I'm 46, so I'm thinking it's not too many years away at this point.4
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_BlahBlah_BlackSheep_ wrote: »I'm gonna need someone to send me a postcard or something to give me a heads up that menopause is arriving. I had a uterine ablation 4+ years ago, so I don't get periods anymore. Are hot flashes going to be the first sign? Or something else? I'm 46, so I'm thinking it's not too many years away at this point.
I wonder about this too as I have a Mirena IUD and haven't had a period for 3 years. I'm 44 and I still have several more years with the device in place so I feel there's a decent chance of it starting during this time.1 -
I had menopause early due to a hysterectomy in my mid 30's.
It wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. Let me know if you end up with an enhanced sense of smell. That was, by far, the most interesting symptom. 👃👀9 -
_BlahBlah_BlackSheep_ wrote: »I'm gonna need someone to send me a postcard or something to give me a heads up that menopause is arriving. I had a uterine ablation 4+ years ago, so I don't get periods anymore. Are hot flashes going to be the first sign? Or something else? I'm 46, so I'm thinking it's not too many years away at this point.
Maybe ask if your doctor will run the blood tests for it once in a while?4 -
My last three years I would bleed for one day a year, for about an hour or less. I finally finished at 52. Hot flashes aren't inevitable. I never really had them. At best I'd get an occasional warm flash, where I'd ask, "Is it warm in here?" and then I'd go on with what I was doing and forget about it. My mother also had an easy menopause so I wasn't surprised.2
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this is a great thread. Not because menopause is really all that great but because it tells us that in life we really need to focus on the positive things vs always the negative.
There are a lot of pretty ugly things about menopause - including night sweats where you wake up with your bed soaked, but there are also a lot of things which are gladly gone - like the mood swings - the bleeding - the fear of pregnancy - the bloating and cramps - etc... I would say that I do not think men totally get the whole thing and sometimes all they hear is that word and think of women melting down in hot flashes or 90 year old ladies with walkers.... I know some folks think it's harder to lose weight and maybe our bodies take longer to heal without the hormones but some of that is not only the M but just aging and moving less in general.10 -
54 here and out the other side. I didn’t know I’d gone through menopause because I was on the pill until I was 52. Doctor suggested it was time to stop. My general mood and anxiety improved drastically a few month after getting that out of my system.14
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I am 64 and entered post menopause awhile ago I find it a freeing part of life. Though my libido has really retreated from me - I may go talk to the doctor about that soon.
Weight seems to be stubbornly hanging on. The fuller hips, middle, and thighs. Even when I was pregnant I didn't have this! I didn't use any hormones - just prolongs the change. And it does get better.
With an understanding partner/mate I am settled into this part of my life.
Now - on to keeping track of my meals, exercise, fats, calories, carbs, and all of it I am sure it will get better.
10 -
Does anyone have any night sweat remedies other than black cohosh? It doesn't seem to be working well for me any longer and I'm really suffering. I'm waking up many times at night and sleeping less and less.
(Apologies for the detail!)7 -
Welcome to 'the club'! I'm 3 years into menopause. Not gonna lie, the hot flashes were &!*#$ - but I'm loving my curse-free life! No constantly checking my purse to make sure I'm 'packing', no more PMS every month, no more migraines! Yep, things have 'shifted' a bit on my body, but in the realm of things, it's all good!7
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