Women in Menopause tips and support for these changing times
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Thank you friends! All of this information is very helpful!
I am happy you felt free to speak about your plant based diet. Studies do show that is a very healthy way to live! I try to do meatless Mondays; the guy who cuts my hair says it can even take a year to change from carnivore to vegetarian or vegan. He suggests making small changes like one meal a day plant based and things like that.
I find that when I am stressed, my hot flashes increase. I start sweating like crazy! Sometimes, I do a five minute meditation in the morning before getting out of bed to set a positive intention.
Thanks again for all your posts! I am learning a lot from you!2 -
It's nice to see everyone sharing. There are a dizzying range of symptoms.
Here were mine:- shorter cycle: consistent 28 day cycle went to 23 day cycle in early 50's. Also elevated TSH.
- temp regulation: I'm also one of those people who always felt cold when others didn't, and I experienced cold flashes before I had hot flashes. It was like I just couldn't get my core temperature up for ~an hour. They weren't too frequent but pretty memorable. My hot flashes aren't bad -- really quick and not super intense. Usually when I'm waking (also when my heart rate rises).
- less sleep: I wake in the night more and don't fall asleep as reliably. TBH, I could take steps to improve my sleep hygiene. I still have caffeine every morning and alcohol on weekends.
- Last period: age 55. or so I thought.
- post-menopausal bleeding: I had what seemed a lot like a normal heavy-ish period 2 months after official menopause. GYN ordered some pretty damn unpleasant tests to find everything normal, no obvious cause. Then I read in NYT that reproductive systems are really responsive to immune systems, and women experienced weird menstrual stuff after COVID vaccines. My rogue period was 4 months after my 2nd mRNA shot. Related? Who knows. That was a year and one month ago, and no weirdness since.
- body weight: I noticed no difference here. I "intuitively" eat a little more than I need to maintain at my desired weight, so if I am not making an effort to eat the right amount, I will gain. That didn't change at all during/after peri.
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I find I get hot flashes when I eat a lot of delicious bready carbs (dinner rolls and pasta, for example) so I can’t over-indulge in those, lest I pay the price. Sometimes I get full-on PMS, increased hunger, tiredness, and then…. Where the hell is my period????? It’s no longer predictable and I’m afraid to wear light colored pants! So that’s a real pain. My mom was finally finished at age 57, so I’ve got at least 4 more years of this!1
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I'm 50 and have been in perimenopause for about 5-7 years now. I have had horrid hot flashes and night sweats and had trouble sleeping. I am currently taking some supplements that greatly reduce these symptoms but find that I have to switch every 4-6 months because my body becomes accustomed to the formulation. It is what it is ... I have tried to not get frustrated with it.
I am not a good candidate to take low dose BC or even HRT due to pre-existing autoimmune issues. I would not take them anyway because at my age, they have risks including heart attack and stroke. Yeah, no thanks! I rather deal with the symptoms.
By far, the biggest issue has been my weight. The CICO method is not working for me so I have been playing with macros but I still have not found the "sweet spot" so to speak. I am not doing strict keto but have followed a lot of the principles. Right now, my macros are 35% protein, 35% fat and 30% carbs ... I initially lost 20 pounds late last year but I guess that I became less diligent about weighing food and reading food labels and gained 15 back. I have started again. I am discovering that this time though, and after recovering from COVID, I have a sensitivity to the sugar substitutes so that means I can't make keto desserts or eat keto bread. I can still have straight up monk fruit and stevia in drinks but not when it is mixed with Erythritol ... in the meantime, I will still work hard with my meal planning and just keep moving to burn calories! I have a feeling that before the year is out, I will rejoin my local gym and get a few training sessions with someone who is well versed in menopausal women.
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TBH, when I quit drinking alcohol, my hot flashes pretty much went away, and I lose weight much more easily. Generally sleep much better as well. I’ll be 52 in a couple months. Stupid period still comes right on time though 😡😂.3
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Carriehelene wrote: »TBH, when I quit drinking alcohol, my hot flashes pretty much went away, and I lose weight much more easily. Generally sleep much better as well. I’ll be 52 in a couple months. Stupid period still comes right on time though 😡😂.
As a non-drinker I only wish that solution was available to me! Hmmm... maybe I should take up drinking and it would work in reverse?6 -
My weird sleep issue has come back. I go to bed around 11:00 or midnight and I am wide awake at 5:00 AM or so. After 40+ years of being a night owl who required 9+ hours of sleep a night. Not sure if it's menopause-related or not.
Also, I've done some experimenting lately and found that excessive sodium definitely correlates with my hot flashes. Additionally (apologies if I posted this previously. I've definitely got the brain fog!), if I have a couple of days of really bad hot flashes, they are frequently followed by a day or two of anxiety with no discernible cause. Like, mentally I will feel fine. Sometimes even downright fantastic, but my body keeps sending the fight-or-flight signals.5 -
50 here and have been in perimenopause for at least two years. My cycle is still totally regular, but for the last two years all of my period seems to come out in one day. I started staining the bed again! Haven’t done that since I was a teen.
The main symptom I have been having for the past nine months is servere insomnia. I have been trying every supplement under the Sun. I have moderate luck with Valerian and Skullcap herbs, and melatonin, but have recently added some amino acids to see if that helps. Oh and Accupuncture.
I found a good herbal supplement that I feel keeps my moods even and really helps with the night sweats. It is called Women’s Balance by Gaia. I take one at night, and I very rarely get night sweats. When I go off it they come back.
I recently started taking a powder supplement/drink at night too called PURE Just relax. It has helpful relaxing amino acids and Insitol, which is supposed to be hormone balancing. I do feel more energetic since taking it, maybe because my sleep is a bit better. Not perfect, but better.
I get plenty of exercise (1 1/2 hours a day in average) and follow all the common sleep hygiene advice. Still only get two or three solid nights rest (6-7 hours) a week, then some really bad nights each week (3-6 hours). The few days before my period, forget it, I may as well just stay up all night and not even try and sleep. I do use Emerita Progesterone cream per my doctor’s instructions but don’t notice a difference with my sleep or heavy periods.
Still trying to lose 30 pounds. When I consistently track, I usually do lose weight but it is slow going.4
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