Near or Post Menopausal Group

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Wrecked baggage

workshy000
workshy000 Posts: 90 Member
edited December 19 in Social Groups
Greetings all, I'm new here. Glad to have found this group. I've already gathered some interesting information and it is good to know I am not alone. Though I still think I may have been hit with the ugly stick more than others!
I hate to look in the mirror, I just see this ugly, old, half demented creature staring back, lol.
I want to lose weight and get as fit as I can and hopeful alleviate the aches and pains and bad mental state if that is indeed possible for me. At the moment I feel like Sisyphus as well as the boulder he had to push up the hill!
I really shouldn't complain, compared to some of you I have it easy, but I won't let that stop me.

I have most of the symptoms listed on this site: http://www.power-surge.com/educate/34symptoms.htm

By the by: On that site they recommend 'Revival Soy Protein'. It seems its some kind of elixir for most ills (Menopause, weight loss, heart condition) according to the Revival web site:
http://www.revivalsoy.com/whysoy/article.html?article=menopause&-session=revivalsoy:724C07150c67c3346Ewmh395D3CA

I am not about to buy any of their products but am wondering if any one else has, or has used some kind of high soy diet to any effect?
I drink quite a lot of soy milk and eat tofu occasionally but I haven't noticed any special benefit?

... and a quick internet search seems to indicate that there is no real benefit from upping soy intake:

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18500
http://www.johnleemd.com/store/soy_menopause.html

Oh well another hope dashed on the rocks of quackery. I'll have to stick to a healthy diet and moderate exercise and hope I don't kill someone in the mean time.

Replies

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Hi and welcome! I don't know about high soy diets, but being married to an asian vegetarian, there's a fair amount of soy in our house!

    I don't know what to think about soy and not soy! to be honest.

    On on the "uphill" end of menopause. Still bleeding. Some sort of ovulation happening from time to time. Hot flashes, night sweats and weight gain with the same flipping diet and exercise routines.

    For me, bio identical progesterone, evening primrose and calcium have helped (and the occasional morning sickness pills for the ovulation barfs, and xanax for the extreme sleepless nights).

    Hope you'll stay and post what works and doesn't work for you!
  • workshy000
    workshy000 Posts: 90 Member
    Hi Sabine, Thanks for the welcome. I'm still menstruating, erratically but fairly consistently.

    I use evening primrose oil tablets for breast cysts and it really helps, and I take a quarter to a half of a xanax for a couple of nights when things are really bad. Other than that, I can't think of anything that helps specifically that hasn't been mentioned in other forums.
    Exercise helps my mental state.

    Reading about Bio identical progesterone, it seems it is soy protein or wild yam, according to this website at least: http://www.hormoneclinic.com.au/progesterone.php

    "Natural estrogens and progesterone, on the other hand, pose little to no risk of adverse effects when they are used properly. Unlike the synthetic progestins and conjugated estrogens, their molecular structure is identical to the hormones made in the human body. When the molecular structure of a hormone is "tweaked" to make it patentable (thus enabling drug companies to charge what they like without fear of competition), it does not function the same as its natural counterpart. This can lead to other actions in the body resulting in unpleasant or dangerous side effects. Natural progesterone and estrogens, which are made from soy or wild yams, are bioidentical - indistinguishable from the real thing, both under a microscope and within the human body."

    Edited to add, Germaine Greer mentions in her book 'The Change' that a teaspoon of honey before bed helps ward off nightmares. :)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,455 Member
    Welcome workshy000.


    My first thought is you need to throw away that stick that you are using on yourself. There are very few ugly people in the world, and I think it is more personality than physical appearance. I once knew a woman at work who was not blessed with the best physical attributes, but she was a very hard worker and extremely conscientious. She always had a kind word and a smile, and I liked her far better than some of the physically pretty, lazy, mean girls I worked with. She ended up as manager a few years after I left.

    I'm on the downhill...no, I'm at the bottom of the menopause cycle. It's been five years since any type of unusual symptoms. Now I'm just fighting all the little bacteria and viruses that want to return me to the earth :laugh: I never had any noticable changes from soy or evening primrose, but that didn't stop me from taking them both. Of course, who knows how bad it could have been without them? I did not do any kind of hormone replacement. Heck, I didn't even take birth control. I'm a natural hippie-type.
  • cnmince
    cnmince Posts: 20 Member
    Welcome, workshy000! I'm responding to your query about soy. I'm 54 and struggle with mood issues and memory deficits. A few months ago I came across some research (found one citation at least: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19000378) indicating that soy isoflavones appear to benefit working memory. I've been taking Solaray Genistein PhytoEstrogen supplements for 2 months now and I think it has helped my memory at least marginally.

    For improving mood, there's nothing like exercise. I'm thankful that antidepressants are out there. They really helped me out of a low place several years ago but I would much *much* rather work up a good sweat and burn some calories than deal with their side effects.

    Menopause is a challenge for us all. Especially in a culture that basically worships youth. It's hard not to feel marginalized as we go gray and sag and forget stuff. But every once in a while I sit back and think about what I know now vs. what I knew then (talking with my 24 y.o. daughter helps, too) and I always come out of it happy to have lived my life thus far. I wouldn't go back for all the world.
  • workshy000
    workshy000 Posts: 90 Member
    Thanks for the welcome all :)

    cnmince I could definitely use something for my brain functioning. I wonder if I don't have early on-set dementia! When I asked my Dr about it she just laughed and said it was probably medication side-effect or menopause symptom. But I don't know, calling your cats 'fish' and not batting an eyelid seems a long stretch. As well as not remembering what year it is let alone what day it is!
    And I have to admit I struggle to remember my husbands birth date etc.etc.

    Bio identical progesterone pills seem awfully expensive here - $40.00 for a months supply (120/4 a day) seems to be the cheapest online in this country. And that's 'wild yams' - I don't know if that refers to crustacean or vegetable.

    I was taking an antidepressant for chronic pain (endep numbs the nervous system and I have spinal nerve pain - post herpetic neuralgia) but I don't take any pills except for ibuprofen and paracetamol pain killers now because my stomach can't take anything else. It felt like another demoralising blow to not even be able to medicate against the worst of it (except for small dose of xanax which I think is literally a life-saver) but on the up side I have found the old core of strength I used to have and thought was gone and am attempting a reboot of the self on multiple levels - as I suppose we all are or we wouldn't be here.

    cmriverside you have a point there. If it works keep doing it. :) I wouldn't mind being ugly if I had a nice personality, or a sharp mind, or some other useful attribute but no, the best I can say for myself is that I keep a low profile and don't bother others unless they bother me. I have read about women who get a second wind after menopause and I am kind of banking on that! I saw a woman in a shopping centre carpark who was probably at least ten years older than me and she looked so fit and healthy I wanted to sink to my knees and worship at her feet but instead i keep an image of her in my minds eye and aspire to similar results.

    I have found that some of the symptoms I have leave after awhile, they seem to come and go (like the body odour problem others have mentioned; for a while there I couldn't stand to be in the same room with myself but thankfully that seems to have passed), but the mental cycle of anxiety, depression and rage seem to be consistent with the menstruation (or double helix of the peri menopause), as well as frequent urination, migraine, hot flushes and memory dump.



    I better shut up and get on that treadmill now. Best wishes to you all.
  • jingoace
    jingoace Posts: 219 Member


    I have most of the symptoms listed on this site: http://www.power-surge.com/educate/34symptoms.htm

    By the by: On that site they recommend 'Revival Soy Protein'. It seems its some kind of elixir for most ills (Menopause, weight loss, heart condition) according to the Revival web site:
    http://www.revivalsoy.com/whysoy/article.html?article=menopause&-session=revivalsoy:724C07150c67c3346Ewmh395D3CA

    I am not about to buy any of their products but am wondering if any one else has, or has used some kind of high soy diet to any effect?

    Hi There,
    I too have many of the symptoms listed on the power surge site... & reading that site's information helped me realize that I am NOT just a bat-**** crazy old women!

    As far as the "Revival Soy Protein" - it is all hype & marketing, imho. Yes, I did purchase a BOX of the peachy flavor & the chocolate flavor. I can say with certainty - they are the WORST TASTING chalk-like stuff I've had! And I tried mixing them with all kinds of other stuff. And, I don't buy into the Soy thing.... If you would like a couple packets to try, I'd be glad to send you a few... (send me a private message with your addy, k?)

    Good luck with figuring out what helps you the best with YOUR symptoms... it is a continuously evolving process, imho.
    :) J
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
    I'm not sure how healthy soy is, but I read its not good if you have underactive thyroid. I have Hypothyroidism and found also wheat intolerances are common and I never knew this, once I cut wheat I lost loads of water and inches from around tummy and lost weight.

    I still treat myself occasionally and have to deal with bloated tummy and few extra pounds water for a few days if I just resist a yorkshire pudding or some choc fudge cake but I try and be wheat free for most of the time and have noticed a difference.

    It doesn't always apply to everyone, a friend with hypothyroidism also tried cutting wheat and it's made no difference to her, she still gained and struggling to lose it again.
  • workshy000
    workshy000 Posts: 90 Member
    Hi jingoace, thanks for the offer but I think I'll give it a miss. I may try some of the pills mentioned previously if things get much worse but at the moment I'll stick with exercise and eating healthy.

    shakybabe, Sorry to read you have hypothyroidism and ataxia, that is a heavy load.
    Cutting out wheat -I've tried that and failed. I had cut back a little previously but bread is so handy to eat I started eating a sandwich for lunch again since I've been exercising. Mmmm yorkshire pudding, glad I don't have any eggs in the house! haha.
    I might try to make a bean casserole and freeze it in portions for lunches.
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
    I know what you mean and gluten free bread is so expensive like £2.50 for a small loaf, but when I ran out and local shop doesn't stock it I just went back to weightwatchers and can see the difference if I have it for more than 2 days in a row my tummy bloats and I've put a few pounds of water back on.

    I found i get away with it better if I keep diet strict at either side of my treat and keep it to once a week and allow a mini yorkie with sunday dinner too, so wednesdays and sundays are my treat days! :wink:
  • workshy000
    workshy000 Posts: 90 Member
    £2.50 for a small loaf sounds about right for a gouging - considering that they are removing a substance not adding one ;)
  • sandrahere
    sandrahere Posts: 2
    So happy to have found this site just need to work out how to download it to my phone now :-) Going to read all through the threads. Am feeling sluggish, sad, unattractive and old! Getting fit is my goal - in mind and body. Onwards and upwards!
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