The Change

[southern yankee]

It is a very difficult time in some women's lives. Some breeze through it. Their periods stop and that's it. others like myself go through many changes emotionally and phyical. Around a year ago. i thought i was truly having a breakdown. My husband too thought i was losing it. (He is not the most understanding person) About 8 months ago I went to my GP. Telling her how i felt i was ready for the men in white coats to come for me. "THEY COME TO TAKE ME AWAY--YA HA!!" But it did not feel funny at all. I told her of my depression,lack of sleep. Eating benges, hot flashes, the mood swings, and loss of memory. She gave me a half grin. Asking me a few questions. Putting her hand on my sholder. Hun, you are 50 and you are going through the change. You are NOT NUTS. I then told her how rough it was for my mother. Going into a mental hosp. for 6 weeks. she started me on anti-depressents. they are helping. But with the cancer rate in my family. decided agaisnt hormones. So i think one of the hardest things. Is trying to explain to my husband. That this could take up to 8 more years. So if your wife, mother, sister or friend. Is not quite herself. Please try to be understanding. This is no fun for the one living it either

[CARLA]

southern yankee I feel your pain. I started at 51 and it ended when I was 57. I wasn't sure I would survive from day to day. I also did it without hormones. It was hard but when it ended I got my sanity back. There are not magic drugs, natural or otherwise it is what our bodies do normally and that is how I choose to handle it. You will make it just buy yourself a fan for your office at work, home, and a personal one that is for your side of the bed. The hot flashes are insane, the night sweats are awful. I didn't know I had that much water in me.

[Patsy Warnick]

Yankee

I'm 50 - been going thru this roller coaster for a few years now - medically induced phase of life.
I've chosen a mild dose of hormones. When it first started I was going to lose it - coming right out of my skin.
1st there's really nothing that can control this change - I've tried everything over the counter & Prescriptions.

Then I went to a Homeopathic DR. - natural remedy.
My change has settled down - it's not gone, I still have terrible hot flashes just not as often. Oh, I can feel the heat/temp rise now it's a warning it's coming and I can prepare - leave a group & handle it - walk outside for fresh air & dry or like jump in the pool, which I do even if it's 1:00 or 3:00 in the morning.

All I can recommend - when your system settles down & it will in time
get your THYROID checked.

Yankee - I'd agree with Carla the night sweats are the worst - they haven't gone away.

Your's is severe swings now - they'll settle down - go away NO - I have asked so many women - I'm told it never really goes away - just eases up.

My sister was hospitalized, DR's called it Hysterical Menapause.
Dictionary - suffering in the uterus - emotionally uncontrolled & wild .

Yankee - knowing all of the emotions, be very careful while talking to your daugher (from your other thread). and I wish you luck on that issue.

I wish you luck going thru this change - I've hated it & all the side effects..

Patsy

[Victoria]

I'm only 43 Ive started getting the hot flushes, the irregular monthlys, memory loss,
and I forget what else!
I bought myself a lovely fan for the hot flushes and if i forget things I quite candidly say 'its that time of life you know'!
My doc thinks Im nuts anyway and my thyroid is already up the spout so I'm stuffed.

Luckily I have a husband who says 'just give me a bit of warning if you need to throw things'! He understands that things may be difficult but then he's seen it all with the thyroid so he is fairly well prepared.
I view this as a time to be as outrageous as I want and blame it on a medical condition that no man is going to ask details of!!!!

[along-for-the-ride]

Welcome, Southern Yankee. I do share your occasional discomfort. Life is full of changes, isn't it? I just kind of "go with the flow" and remind myself the discomfort will pass in a few minutes. The feeling just reminds me that I'm still alive and kicking.

[southern yankee]

Originally Posted by along-for-the-ride

Welcome, Southern Yankee. I do share your occasional discomfort. Life is full of changes, isn't it? I just kind of "go with the flow" and remind myself the discomfort will pass in a few minutes. The feeling just reminds me that I'm still alive and kicking.

I wish mine was slight disconfort. But at least now i do understand what is going on. The degree of the change varies from person to person. But now i understand what my poor mother went through. she had me late in life. i think i was in 5 th or6th grade when she was hospitalized. I wish she was still here. So i could ask her questions.

[along-for-the-ride]

Originally Posted by southern yankee

I wish mine was slight disconfort. But at least now i do understand what is going on. The degree of the change varies from person to person. But now i understand what my poor mother went through. she had me late in life. i think i was in 5 th or6th grade when she was hospitalized. I wish she was still here. So i could ask her questions.

I do miss my mother as well. There are indeed many things we could talk about.

[southern yankee]

Originally Posted by along-for-the-ride

I do miss my mother as well. There are indeed many things we could talk about.

I lost my mother 14 years ago. not a day goes by that i don't think of her.

[shelbell]

Originally Posted by southern yankee

It is a very difficult time in some women's lives. Some breeze through it. Their periods stop and that's it. others like myself go through many changes emotionally and phyical. Around a year ago. i thought i was truly having a breakdown. My husband too thought i was losing it. (He is not the most understanding person) About 8 months ago I went to my GP. Telling her how i felt i was ready for the men in white coats to come for me. "THEY COME TO TAKE ME AWAY--YA HA!!" But it did not feel funny at all. I told her of my depression,lack of sleep. Eating benges, hot flashes, the mood swings, and loss of memory. She gave me a half grin. Asking me a few questions. Putting her hand on my sholder. Hun, you are 50 and you are going through the change. You are NOT NUTS. I then told her how rough it was for my mother. Going into a mental hosp. for 6 weeks. she started me on anti-depressents. they are helping. But with the cancer rate in my family. decided agaisnt hormones. So i think one of the hardest things. Is trying to explain to my husband. That this could take up to 8 more years. So if your wife, mother, sister or friend. Is not quite herself. Please try to be understanding. This is no fun for the one living it either

I'm the type that just hopes my periods stop...I'm sick of them. I have so many of the things that you've described, but I'm only 44 and periods are still regular. My problems have all been linked to depression, bi-polar, insomnia, etc. I see my "female stuff" doc in a month and am going to talk to her about these things. I too have a strong history of cancer in my family so I will forgo the hormones too. Thanks for sharing..this may help other women understand what is going on with their own bodies. I hope it doesn't take 8 years for you...

[Hope6]

my mother had to have a hystorectomy ( i don't think i spelled that right!)
so she went through a kinda instant menapause! so i have no one to ask questions either!

i was 40 years old and started getting flushed feelings and feeling just not right, my first thought was menapause, but i thought i was to young, then i started getting sick to my stomach and didn't know why!

it ended up not being menapause at all!

i was pregnant!

it's his birthday today actually, he's 2 years old!

i feel a little bit like i would like for my periods to be over! now that i've had my baby, i'm ready to be through with it, but at the same time i'm kinda worried about it too!