WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR FEBRUARY 2021

Hot Flashes -- thanks for the suggestions.
- I still drink coffee, but it is cool not hot.
- I take Vit D every day and try to get out into the sun as much as possible.
- I take ginger to try to combat the nausea. If it gets really bad I take an anti-nausea pill (in Canada it was gravol, it's something different here) but they make me really sleepy so I can only do that toward the end of the day.
- I use an allergy pill to ease the pins and needles, but again most make me really sleepy so I can only use them toward the end of the day. But I do go for a non-drowsy Claritin in the mornings - I'm supposed to use that for hay fever allergies anyway.
- I use panadol or ibuprofen to ease the pins and needles if they get really bad.
- I stop eating each day about 9 pm and start again at 11:30 am ... sort of intermittent fasting.
- I exercise every day and actually, I don't seem to have the hot flashes when I'm exercising.
- they do seem to come about the time when I would have had a period.
- Yes, I absolutely think we do a disservice to women when we don't discuss these things! 50% of the population goes through "women's issues" and yet somehow it's often taboo to talk about them.

What Are The 34 Symptoms of Menopause?
https://mpoweredwomen.net/medical/what-are-the-34-symptoms-of-menopause/

The 34 Symptoms Of Perimenopause
https://www.meno-me.co.nz/the-34-symptoms-of-perimenopause/



Cats
My three previous cats were indoors only, except for the balcony.
Our current Rhody is also an indoors cat, except that he goes out on a leash or into his catio.
I've never liked the idea of letting cats roam, especially in a city environment. We live on a street that gets very busy in the morning and when school lets out (we're near a school) ... lots of crazy parents rushing to drop off and pick up kids. We've nearly been run over several times trying to cross the street to get to my bus, I don't think they would hesitate to mow down a cat in their way.


Staycations
We've been doing those quite a bit over the past 3 years, but usually only long-long weekends or maybe a week here and there. Unfortunately, so far they've been generally more stressful than I have hoped ... travelling with my husband and cat.

I'm really torn about Easter. We're running a pair of cycling events early in the break, but then I've booked the whole week after Easter off. Part of me would like to find a nice little house in a remote area with decent cycling facilities (if I can) ... part of me would like to just stay home. Oh ... obviously that's stressing me because here comes another hot flash.


Machka in Oz

Katla49 wrote: »

Debbie: You are wise. Long ago we had a cat hating neighbor who deliberately set poisoned meat in his garage as cat bait. We didn’t know about it until we were moving away. My beloved cat had disappeared months before. When we were moving away, our next-door neighbor told us that our cat was poisoned. The cat hater’s wife was my neighbor’s best friend and the neighbor kept the secret until we were moving away. Our cat was one of the cat hater’s victims. We have not had another cat in many years.

Katla in NW Oregon

I don't understand how people can hate that much- that is so terrible.
We would like it if the one cat didn't go outside but he was tearing up the house before we started letting him out. We have had to replace the wood door casings around some of the doors(the front door has been replaced at least a couple times)- It started after the second cat came into the house. Now, with 7, Neko is in at night but can't wait to get out of the house- he has learned how to stand by the electronic dog door so when Savannah goes out her door, Neko runs out right behind him. He comes in the house once in a while the same way but usually we have to go track him down/trick him to grab him to bring him in- grumbling all the way(he grumbles at the other cats when they get near him.

Debbie

Did the Shape Cardio Body DVD. The plan is to do a Cathe Friedrich Band DVD. Vince and I only have pain at the injection site….SO FAR. Hope it continues this way.

My neighbor called around 6 this morning (the one whose hubby was in Afghanistan…he works for Fed Ex so he’s in Knoxville right now). She smelled what she thought was gas so she asked if she and her mother (who lives with them) could come here. Since I was up, no problem. It turned out that a skunk had sprayed her house right by these vents and that’s what she was smelling. The guys said that this happens all the time. They were only here for about an hour but I gave her the code for the garage in case we’re gone and she needs to leave the house for any reason. We’ll have the house locked but in case it’s raining (or snowing) at least she can stay in the garage. When we go somewhere where we need to have someone watch the cats we keep the door to the house unlocked for them.

Viv UK – when we were on total lockdown (no gyms open), we saw neighbors we’d never seen before walking. Hope everything is OK with your eyes. What happened?

Barbara – yes, while I was growing up, the loss of a mother was hard. But after about 30 years I came to understand that in some ways it was a blessing in disguise. I’m MUCH more independent. 50 years ago there was no daycare so after school I went to a friend’s house. Well, when I got married and we bought our first home, she asked me “why did you move so far away”. Then she got a divorce and guess where she and her second husband bought a house? About a block from me. I think I’m better at planning because I always had to do it, I didn’t have anyone to make sure I had toothpaste, shampoo etc. I needed to tell my father that I needed it. Yes, he’d buy it, but I still needed to tell him that I needed it. And plan that I would need it so I’d have the item when it was needed (did I make sense?)

Heather – “accidents” happen. I “accidentally on purpose” happened to mention that I worked in a grocery store and I was bumped up and got the shot sooner. Was that the reason? I’ll never know. But as long as I got it, I really don’t care

Bananas – I really didn’t have bad hot flashes. I really and truly believe that exercise helped with them. When I couldn’t exercise, they were much more intense. But as soon as I could start exercising, they weren’t as intense and eventually faded away.

In the past I’ve always used the Y down in FL on the AWAY program. But now they’re not doing it (because of COVID). BUT it looks like there’s a Workout Anytime where I can go. I will have to pay for the month, but for me it’ll probably be worth it

I admit, I haven’t been all that good with diet in the evening. I’m hoping that a change of scenery (going to FL) will change that. Well, I’m not up THAT much, but I’m still up, which I don’t like. This usually happens after I close out my diary.

KJ – I’m so very happy for you. You deserve that license, it’s about time! Have you ever thought of having someone helping you do things like shovel snow? This way you’re still exercising, but you don’t have to rush as much. I’m sure your job keeps you young in mind, and that’s important

Healthier me – you’re doing great.

Allie – just don’t do too much! I know you, and I’m afraid you might push yourself too soon. That’ll just make the healing take longer

Tina CA – my saying was always “I’ll be dead and buried and the dirt will still be there”

Pip – sounds like you are really getting there. Thanks for popping in, I know how busy you must be.

RV Rita – vent any time you want

Margaret – Vince just got an email that the Walgreens here has the shots. Also, our GP called him to let him know that they have the vaccine in. Even tho we already had it, I thought that was nice of them to let us know in case we hadn’t

Our first cat, the one who “followed Jess home from school” was an indoor/outdoor cat. He may have been declawed, but I swear I’ve never seen a cat scurry up a tree as fast as that cat did. And he was a pretty good hunter, too. When we moved from the Poconos to Kennett Square we just couldn’t keep him in the house all the time even tho we were on a busy street. Unfortunately, he got killed. Honestly, that just about killed me. Now even tho we’re on a dead end here in NC, all our cats are indoor only.


Michele NC
Who will be leaving for FL tomorrow

I drink this ... or there are also hazelnut and vanilla. No need for milk, cream or any of that white stuff and no need for anything sweet. All the nice strong black coffee flavour with just a hint of something extra.

GodMomKim wrote: »

Machka - I like adding the non-fat milk as it helps me get calcium, as I am not a milk drinker (really don't like any of the milk or milk like products, and don't do cereal)... but I have never seen that item in our stores. I am not really a fan of the "strong black coffee" flavor - I'm a light weight.

I managed to make it through menopause with no symptoms at all, but one of the things that may have helped is I am on a no caffeine diet. So all my coffee and tea are de-caffeinated or herbal (tea); and very limited chocolate. No soda.

Kim

I'm down to 1-2 cups of coffee a day, early in the day, and that's just about it for caffeine. My most common beverage is water.

I used to drink a lot of diet coke, but my consumption has gone way down in favour of water.

M in Oz