menopause and feel better

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel great! Love not having my period and I lost weight.

Did you gain during peri? Did you do anything different---or weight just came off when periods stopped?

[Anonymous]

I love being in menopause! My last period
Was two and a half years ago. No more monthly headaches, no cramps, no exhaustion and fatigue around that time, no blood. I love it!
I also love not having to worry about getting my cycle at an inopportune times, like on vacation.

I did gain a few pounds, which I have since lost. I did have hot flashes very occasionally for the first year but those are also gone.

[Anonymous]

I really hope this will happen to me too! I have been feeling awful for 10 years now.

[Anonymous]

This is helpful to read, but there are some just biological things that are not great about menopause. Loss of estrogen is related to so much of what we associate with declines in aging.

Do you still have sex? I am in my late 40s and still sexually active with my husband and I’ve started to notice while I don’t have many symptoms of perimenopause yet, one thing I’ve noticed is more vaginal dryness. Sex isn’t painful yet and I’m still able to get aroused etc. but it is definitely something I’m noticing and not loving.

I do plan on getting an estrogen cream, especially since there is no increase risk of cancer with topical estrogen, and frankly very little risk with systemic, but I don’t want to have that debate on this thread and there are plenty of threads on that. But in the meantime, since I’m not slated to go back for my exam for the next several months, I am looking into some hormone free options.

Just wondering if anyone wants to address that or is it just that you’re not having sex or just not concerned about that aspect of life? I have been told that’s not something that gets better or goes away and in fact will get much worse.

[Anonymous]

^ 54 still having sex with spouse- no problems.

[Anonymous]

I experienced brutal symptoms in perimenopause which was all exacerbated by having one ovary removed and part of the other and thus an extreme dip in hormones while still having periods for years. I had such awful hot flashes and night sweats that I didn’t sleep more than a few hours each night for years which devastated my mental health. Hormone shifts brought on gallbladder issues and a removal which then resulted in an absorption disorder and chronic vitamin deficiency that caused serious neurological problems and ultimately cost me my career.

I’m on HRT now which in my case was critical to restore my sleep which of course is the basis for all good health. I finally got the deficiency properly diagnosed and treated and I’m on the path to restoring my health but I experienced such drastic sarcopenia it will take some time to rebuild my muscle mass at this age and stage of life. Luckily the substantial weight gain I suffered kept my bones very strong so I don’t have issues there despite suffering a few fractures while suffering the neurological problems and resulting frequent falls.

It’s been quite a journey, but a few years into menopause my mental health is restored, I have hope for my body and a lot of love for it after all it has endured and how much it is still capable of healing. I feel better about myself than I ever have before even though I’m the least attractive I’ve ever been in my life - if we are lucky menopause cleanses our minds of a lot of stupid distractions and allows us to just be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ 54 still having sex with spouse- no problems.

What do you do for dryness and other changes to the vagina and surrounding tissue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ 54 still having sex with spouse- no problems.

What do you do for dryness and other changes to the vagina and surrounding tissue?

I don’t have dryness yet. 54–but periods only stopped 5 months ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I experienced brutal symptoms in perimenopause which was all exacerbated by having one ovary removed and part of the other and thus an extreme dip in hormones while still having periods for years. I had such awful hot flashes and night sweats that I didn’t sleep more than a few hours each night for years which devastated my mental health. Hormone shifts brought on gallbladder issues and a removal which then resulted in an absorption disorder and chronic vitamin deficiency that caused serious neurological problems and ultimately cost me my career.

I’m on HRT now which in my case was critical to restore my sleep which of course is the basis for all good health. I finally got the deficiency properly diagnosed and treated and I’m on the path to restoring my health but I experienced such drastic sarcopenia it will take some time to rebuild my muscle mass at this age and stage of life. Luckily the substantial weight gain I suffered kept my bones very strong so I don’t have issues there despite suffering a few fractures while suffering the neurological problems and resulting frequent falls.

It’s been quite a journey, but a few years into menopause my mental health is restored, I have hope for my body and a lot of love for it after all it has endured and how much it is still capable of healing. I feel better about myself than I ever have before even though I’m the least attractive I’ve ever been in my life - if we are lucky menopause cleanses our minds of a lot of stupid distractions and allows us to just be.

what brought about the need for the ovary removal? Concern for cancer?

[Anonymous]

Has anyone successfully used one of the online menopause portals (like Alloy) to diagnose and treat menopause symptoms (esp libido and anxiety)? There are several options but not sure if this is worth pursuing.

My PCP and gyn don’t seem equipped to help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel great! Love not having my period and I lost weight.

Did you gain during peri? Did you do anything different---or weight just came off when periods stopped?

Eating during before and while on my period was a huge problem. I was miserable two weeks out of the month. I love menopause.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ 54 still having sex with spouse- no problems.

What do you do for dryness and other changes to the vagina and surrounding tissue?

I don’t have dryness yet. 54–but periods only stopped 5 months ago.

I was like you at 54-even about when the periods stopped. Two years later and it is a completely different story. I felt pretty good for the first few months after periods stopped. But now, after menopause, I feel horrible. I exercise a lot, eat pretty well, cut way way back on alcohol, but in the last six months my moods and the hot flashes have become almost unbearable. I remember thinking around 6 months after my last period, "well, this is easy. These little hot flashes are nothing." Now, each one is preceded by a quick headache, then massive increase in heart rate, burning all over, then cold sweats. About once an hour. It was "cute" at first, now it's really causing discomfort and making my life much less enjoyable. I'm over it. Cannot take HRT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ 54 still having sex with spouse- no problems.

What do you do for dryness and other changes to the vagina and surrounding tissue?

I don’t have dryness yet. 54–but periods only stopped 5 months ago.

I was like you at 54-even about when the periods stopped. Two years later and it is a completely different story. I felt pretty good for the first few months after periods stopped. But now, after menopause, I feel horrible. I exercise a lot, eat pretty well, cut way way back on alcohol, but in the last six months my moods and the hot flashes have become almost unbearable. I remember thinking around 6 months after my last period, "well, this is easy. These little hot flashes are nothing." Now, each one is preceded by a quick headache, then massive increase in heart rate, burning all over, then cold sweats. About once an hour. It was "cute" at first, now it's really causing discomfort and making my life much less enjoyable. I'm over it. Cannot take HRT.

Why can’t you take HRT? There is more research coming out saying it might be appropriate and safe for cancer survivors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone successfully used one of the online menopause portals (like Alloy) to diagnose and treat menopause symptoms (esp libido and anxiety)? There are several options but not sure if this is worth pursuing.

My PCP and gyn don’t seem equipped to help.

I would definitely recommend trying it. These companies sprang up most physicians only trained to deal with pregnancy prevention and pregnancy, but no experience with menopause. I’m hoping to find a new OB/GYN since my gynecologist office pumps out babies well but doesn’t seem equipped to deal with menopause. But if I don’t find somebody I’m definitely going to try one of these companies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ 54 still having sex with spouse- no problems.

What do you do for dryness and other changes to the vagina and surrounding tissue?

I don’t have dryness yet. 54–but periods only stopped 5 months ago.

I was like you at 54-even about when the periods stopped. Two years later and it is a completely different story. I felt pretty good for the first few months after periods stopped. But now, after menopause, I feel horrible. I exercise a lot, eat pretty well, cut way way back on alcohol, but in the last six months my moods and the hot flashes have become almost unbearable. I remember thinking around 6 months after my last period, "well, this is easy. These little hot flashes are nothing." Now, each one is preceded by a quick headache, then massive increase in heart rate, burning all over, then cold sweats. About once an hour. It was "cute" at first, now it's really causing discomfort and making my life much less enjoyable. I'm over it. Cannot take HRT.

Why can’t you take HRT? There is more research coming out saying it might be appropriate and safe for cancer survivors.

Multiple blood clotting disorders. Too high risk for stroke.