Peri menopause

[Anonymous]

I keep hearing that nobody warns you about it or prepares you for what to expect. Please do tell.

[Anonymous]

You can search this or the Health forum and find hundreds of responses. In short, unpredictable periods, health changes from decreasing hormones (insomnia, mood swings, fatigue, decreased libido, hair loss, skin changes, urinary issues, hot flashes). Hopefully you won't experience all of those, not everyone does.

[Anonymous]

It's horrid. No one prepared me.

[Anonymous]

For me it started as mood swings--to the point I googled irrational anger age 43 and figured out what was happening. Knowing it's normal helps a lot in dealing with it. I'm 50 now, and one month away from official menopause, so it can last a long time!

For me, it definitely got worse before it got better---the mood swings became more intense, the sleep deprivation became worse, weird periods that were sometimes really far apart other times really close together, sometimes light others very heavy. The skin starts to dry and you'll get random chin hairs which is fun. You'll buy about 15 pairs of tweezers, figure out which ones are your favorite and then buy about 15 pairs of those and keep them everywhere, especially the car so you can capitalize on good lighting in the car to nab those pesky hard to see hairs. Your vision starts to change you'll need reading glasses or progressives with the prescription changing regularly.

About 5-6 years in things started getting better--the sleep was improving, the periods were consistently infrequent, the mood stabilized more with fewer swings, distant vision/astigmatism improves while near vision continues to get worse etc.

This is an excellent time to start (or continue) to lift weights and get strong so you can head into old age strong both skeletally and muscularly. If you fall, you want to be able to get yourself off the floor (unlike my mom.) The way your body responds to exercise is different--you don't need to kill yourself with cardio like when you were younger but your body will love the slower pace of strength training. This is also a good time to hammer down on eating nutrient dense foods. It will not only make you feel better, but will help with the mood swings, potential weight gain, strength training, immunity, and sleep.

[Anonymous]

My midsection is expanding.

I'm still working out (cadio & weights almost daily), almost never drink, eat pretty healthily. But I look constipated daily despite being a 2x-a-day pooper.

WTF IS THIS FARKERY

[Anonymous]

My gyn told me that for every woman, its different. some will have all the symptoms and they come and go over, 5-10+ yrs. Others have a sudden onset or no symptoms at all but periods stop. I have had symptoms that come and go, and often are not present at all —insomnia, irregular periods, mood changes, hot flashes, night sweats, dryness— over past 7 yrs or so (im 49). I went yo dr and had them test my hormones. Turns out Im at low levels of fsh and not close to menopause at all at this pt. He said if I was, I could take HRT. Instead, I still take the pill for estrogen and he gave me vaginal estrogen cream, which I highly recommend. I always thought there would be s moment when I changed and somehow became old — like hot flashes, gray hair, wrinkles all at once. but it doesnt seem to be like that, at least not for me. It is disconcerting and no one really prepares you for all this

[Anonymous]

I am 57 and up until last December I was still getting periods fairly regularly. This is the longest I’ve gone without one so I am hoping this is Perimenopause.

[Anonymous]

The mood swings are out of control for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The mood swings are out of control for me.

Not to mention, the swings in energy levels, food cravings, expanding waist lines, etc. That all I can live with. The mood swings are killing my relationship with DH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For me it started as mood swings--to the point I googled irrational anger age 43 and figured out what was happening. Knowing it's normal helps a lot in dealing with it. I'm 50 now, and one month away from official menopause, so it can last a long time!

For me, it definitely got worse before it got better---the mood swings became more intense, the sleep deprivation became worse, weird periods that were sometimes really far apart other times really close together, sometimes light others very heavy. The skin starts to dry and you'll get random chin hairs which is fun. You'll buy about 15 pairs of tweezers, figure out which ones are your favorite and then buy about 15 pairs of those and keep them everywhere, especially the car so you can capitalize on good lighting in the car to nab those pesky hard to see hairs. Your vision starts to change you'll need reading glasses or progressives with the prescription changing regularly.

About 5-6 years in things started getting better--the sleep was improving, the periods were consistently infrequent, the mood stabilized more with fewer swings, distant vision/astigmatism improves while near vision continues to get worse etc.

This is an excellent time to start (or continue) to lift weights and get strong so you can head into old age strong both skeletally and muscularly. If you fall, you want to be able to get yourself off the floor (unlike my mom.) The way your body responds to exercise is different--you don't need to kill yourself with cardio like when you were younger but your body will love the slower pace of strength training. This is also a good time to hammer down on eating nutrient dense foods. It will not only make you feel better, but will help with the mood swings, potential weight gain, strength training, immunity, and sleep.

\

Same as above pp. Only I started same time and older and I just missed my first two periods at 54--so unless I miss 10 more I am not through it yet. My sister was 57 before she was in menopause. Ugh

[Anonymous]

I will add a couple of things that caught me off guard. I had regular periods starting at age 11. It was so weird to suddenly not have that body clock, and to have the irregularity. It made me feel so strange.

Now that I am through it, there is a weird sensation of grief sometimes. I was done, done, done with having babies both for myself and at my doctors’ command. I love the ones I have but had zero desire for more. Still, there was something about knowing that it would be literally impossible for me to get pregnant that felt sad. I’m mostly over that, but every once in awhile it hits me.