Menopause

[Wicksey]

OK girls .......... I need your help. I did a search on here for menopause but came up with nothing relevant. Am I the only person getting really worried about the onset of the dreaded menopause? Is there a support group anywhere here or does it just make it worse to talk about it? Perhaps I shall worry even more if I hear of other people's experiences

[annie_d]

What aspects are you worried about? Why? Did you worry about the onset of menstruation? S'only a hormonal swingaround. Do you want natural support? Like Ymea and Black Cohosh i mean or chit chat and emotional support for the changes?

[kexon]

Hi Wicksey,Mrs.Kexon here, if you do a search with title signs and sympt oms of the menopause you should get loads of info,i know this cos i have gone from per-menopausal to full blown symptoms during the last 4 years.All womens symptoms are generally the same except not all women have them for the same duration of time and to the same extent.I am in the middle of the sweaty betty stage,not pleasant particularly in the summer, but have found Black Cohosh,suggested by the surgery nurse in the uk to have helped enormously.I have other symptoms like never getting a full nights sleep, but you get through it,so ,dont worry .Dont know of any groups here in spain,but you will find women quite happy to talk about it,happily we are not in the dark ages anymore,where it was taboo to talk about menstruation(heaven forbid!)or the dreaded menopause) I am still sane,well at least i think i am,but then would i know if i wasnt!!

[Wicksey]

I think I need reassurance that I am not going mad, and it's only very early days yet.

I know it's only natural and all that, but I sometimes have scary moments and I worry that it's only going to get worse. I had a terrible time as a teenager - I was a really horrible person and I don't really want to be like that again, all moody and nasty! I am a worrybag and get anxious over things, so perhaps I am worrying too much about it which is making things worse! Perhaps I need a relaxing massage from time to time, or something to occupy my mind more! I am having a better few days after a week of waking several times in the night very hot and in a panic - so at the mo I'm in a more positive mood. I will certainly try natural herbal remedies, even if they only have a placibo effect. I take valerian to help me sleep when I'm feeling scared at night plus use lavender oil which I feel helps.

[Chrissie]

Hi Wicksey,
I remember the feeling of going mad only too well For me that was the worst part of the experience - it was almost as though my body and my mind were unattached. One day I found myself crossing a busy road with some small part of my mind telling me not do it, but my legs had I life of their own Very scary, but I just about survived. My memory also disappeared It was at that point that I went for HRT and I felt so much better and more sane within a couple of days. I think that now I would try the herbal route first though.
Good luck XX
Christine

[Wicksey]

Thanks for the support, girls Not sure I can take HRT due to thrombosis in the family, but I will try any herbal treatment. Feeling not too bad at the mo, but may well resurrect this when I'm next having a mad moment!

[annie_d]

Hya again. Through all my ups and downs in life i have used Bach Flower Therapies and really found them to be helpful. Used them with my daughters too with good effect. You can easily Google the info. Nothing to lose!

[Sandramay]

Hi,Wicksey, I've hesitated to answer, I didn't want to be a 'Jobs comforter' but there is eventually light at the end of the tunnel. I enjoyed good health for 50 years and sailed through two happy healthy pregnancies. Then BAM! it hit me and the next seven years were hell. Time off work every month, confined to being near a bathroom, spoiled, cancelled holidays, fatigue, embarrassment, doctors, specialsts, hospitals. HRT was not a route I wanted to take and the suggested hysterectomy held few charms. The long suffering family understood if I declined invitations etc. and pills to control my menstrual cycle did not work. I think my lowest moment was when my Doctor ( a family friend) saw me and said 'Sandra, your face looks like the bum end of a monkey' which proved to be acne roseacea. I never even had acne as a teenager! In the end I stuck it out and let nature take it's course. That finished six years ago. All the problems eventually went, I've still got my bits and bobs, and now thoroughly enjoying being a new grandparent........... who enjoys escaping to Spain.
I'm not so sure about the amount of useful grey cells I've got, but as I didn't know how many I had, I don't know how many I've lost.

[kexon]

Well I am sure wicksey is feeling much better for those up-beat comments! It reminds me of the ante-natal clinic i had to attend with my first pregnancy,when a well meaning lady decided to tell me of all the awful pregnancies and births she had endured,I always felt terrified listening to her! When i did give birth it was nothing like she had described and everything was fine(luckily) !!

[Free at Last]

I will be 52 in June and am getting a bit concerned because there is no sign of my periods stopping yet, they are still regular as clockwork although don't seem quite as heavy as they were up to about 3 months ago, thank goodness. What age should I expect to be free of the dratted things, do you think?

I did go through a period of getting night sweats, for about a year, and have experienced more mood swings just before my period is due, having never suffered much from PMT before, but so far haven't had hot flushes during the day. I don't want to use HRT if I can avoid it as I believe you only get the symptoms anyway once you eventually stop taking it.

I'm sure if men had to go through all this a miracle pill would have been invented by now.

[Sandramay]

[quote="kexon"] " but you get through it,so ,dont worry ."

Precisely my point, even if it can get tough at times.

Wicksey, I guess you can appreciate honesty.

Free at last, I was 57, went a year free and had one more............ and yes, I was on holiday My daughters used to call it my "flight cycle"

[Cassandra]

Free at last, I was 57, went a year free and had one more............ and yes, I was on holiday My daughters used to call it my "flight cycle"

Oddly enough, a friend who stayed with us last year has also had 'flight' or 'holiday' cycles, 3 times in 18 months and only when on holiday I wonder if this is actually quite common? By the way, she isn't 50 yet so there is a wide age range when it can hit.

[Chrissie]

I had mine at 43

[Wicksey]

I feel a lot better for knowing that you do come out 'the other side' again, and I do appreciate honesty too. There's masses of info on the internet but being a rather anxious person, I don't want to start imaging symptons I think the prospect of being not being my normal self again afterwards has been worrying, so to hear that you do get through it eventually has been comforting.

I am having dreadful trouble sleeping again and do wake up very hot, but that may be something to do with the fact that it has suddenly warmed up and I am still wrapped up in my 13.5 tog quilt! I have had rare bouts of feeling panicky and severe anxiousness over the last 8 years so maybe it's just me rather than linked with hormones, although my periods are now all over the place and I don't know if I'm coming or going. I am 49 so probably about average age for the onset of the symptoms.

Re the travel periods - that has happened to me too and when I was reading up on irregular periods, ones of the possible reasons was "travel". Perhaps we are getting stressed about travelling and that affects the hormones?

I appreciate your support and it has helped me to be able to 'chat' to others about things. Has anyone had a bone density test at all? There was an article in one of the free mags this month about osteoporosis, although from the check-list I am very low risk, but wonder if I should be considering taking more calcium or not. Apparently taking too much can be as bad for you as having too little ..... doh . I just want to try to stay healthy but sometimes there's just too much information

[Sandramay]

Hi Wiksey. glad to hear you are feeling more positive
With the 'travel' cycle I've wondered if it has anything to do with cabin pressure. I was never really phased by the travel itself, in fact I enjoy flying.
Yes I had a bone density scan. Our local hospital ran a £10 scheme for the over 50's. VERY simple, didn't even have to undress. They took a 'pic' of the hip area. Results 30 mins later. I was pleased and relieved that my results equated with someone 15 years younger. Nice to know all the calcium at the cheese and wine parties hadn't gone to waste .......... Oh, and no jokes about my being dense please

[Cassandra]

Wicksey, ask about bone density tests at your town hall. Mine do them free roughly every 2 years for anyone over 45. They take a scan of your foot and you have to give your height, age and weight. It's a bit of a conveyor belt system on the day so you don't get the results until 3 weeks later, from the local doctor. Mine were right in the middle of the range, which is good, but the doc told me I had to lose 10cms from my waist

[Wicksey]

That's interesting that they do the bone scans for free. That reminds me that the last time I had a mammogram, the private gynaecologist at the Clinica Rincon pointed out that I should be able to get them free through the local health centre after I'm 50. My E106 ran out some years ago and I am not longer registered for the Spanish health system (although I am a resident) so would I still qualify for these free tests? Not that I mind paying, it is worth it, and so far all the normal check ups I've had privately haven't been too expensive (still haven't got around to private health insurance )

[madass]

Hi I have been going through the menopause for the last 6 years. The worst part for me is the hot flushes especialy at night and not sleeping good, but they say that you follow your mother in this aspect of your life my mum had her last period when she was 48 I was 50 ( near enough) ,she got very depressed, thank god I have not, Unfortunatly she died aged 72 still having hot flushes OMG I am only 56 I hope I don't have another 16 years of these. LOL I did try black cohosh and found it vey good but was advised to take a 3 month rest after taking them for 6 mnth and never bothered to take them again. Just let nature take it's course. It's not nice but there are worse thing's happen than the menopause.

[crazyred]

Hi, I'm not menopausal but am a student homeopath. Sepia is a very good remedy for menopause being predominantly a 'female' remedy. Black Cohosh is a good herbal remedy along with Agnus Castus, Dioscorea & Red Clover. Make up 1 litre, using 1/4 litre of each ingredient. & take 40 drops (approx 1 tsp) a day if any severe symptoms of menopause or if withdrawing from HRT.

This is also a recipe for HRT cake from a book about HRT alternatives which sounds very nice:

INGREDIENTS

100g Soya flour
50g rolled oats
100g raisins
100g dried chopped apricots
50g linseeds
50g sesame seeds
25g pumpkin seeds
50g sunflower seeds
50g walnuts
4 pieces of chopped stem ginger
½ tsp each of ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg

METHOD

Mix together with 1 pint of Soya milk. Leave to stand for ½ hour, put in a loaf tin and cook for one hour on preheated oven on Gas Mark 4/190c/340f. Serve with spread.

To store: wrap in tin foil and refrigerate - the cake will keep for about 2 weeks.

If you are having severe hot flushes try to stay away from stimulants like coffee, tea & alcohol as these affect the adrenals which control your body temperature.

Hope this helps

[Cassandra]

Wicksey, mammograms also free, though sometimes have to get on a mini bus to the next village so it can be an all day affair. Like the bone scans it's roughly every two years, your town hall should be able to give you more information.

I was resident but had no health cover and didn't qualify for state care when I had the bone density test, it was free to all residents who qualified by age and I suspect a few holiday home owners who happened to be here at the time went as well!