Menopause the natural way - time to rant!

Nurse_Lizzie

I certainly am "of the age" , and I had already started with occasional hot flashes, mood swings, and irregular periods for the last couple of years. After I had my BMX, I suddenly stopped having periods entirely. YIPPEE!!!



Woke up this morning with blood everywhere, cramps like a knife in my gut. I knew it was too good to be true - I couldn't get past this without s rogue period or two. But man, this just ticks me off!



I'm not looking for advice, obviously, just needed to let off a little steam. Now I'll go take my Advil and curl up in a little ball until the cramps go away!



Lizzie

momoschki

Lizzie,

Yes, you have my total sympathies!  I have not had a BMX, however, went 8 months with no period from last November-July and then, inexplicably, it was like the ovaries just switched back on!  Since then, I have had 4 periods, and at 55, I feel like I am way too old for this.  I was especially worried about estrogen surges-- I am high risk, with ADH, and while I was freaked out by this, oddly, my oncologist thought it was a non-issue and pronounced that he was not at all concerned with the hormonal potential BC implications of this.  I found this reassuring, but odd.  After my last GYN appt, an US found an endometrial thickening that was consistent with ovulation (I knew I was ovulating!), but no period came, so I am now on a 14 day course of progesterone... so we shall see what happens, but I am praying that I am very very close to the end!

Nurse_Lizzie

momoschki



Thanks for your sympathy! I'm 55 too, so am waaayy ready to be done with this... I don't need to worry about hormone levels because I'm TN, and fortunately have had both Fallopian tubes removed years ago for tubal pregnancies. So for me, periods are just a nuisance, with no good purpose at all.



It just occurred to me - good thing I don't have tubes, I don't need to worry about ovulating and getting pregnant. Now THAT would be the last straw!!



Lizzie

momoschki

Yes, I think it is totally ludicrous that at 55, my body thinks it has to get ready for a baby. I keep threatening my 23 year old son with a baby sister!

Blessings2011

Ohhhh, Lizzie, I remember those days.....

Not having had kids, I hit peri-menopause at 47. (I'm now 62.) I had fibroids the size of basketballs, a period that would last for three weeks out of four, and several trips to the ER for those gushing floods that wipe you out.

My doc put me on birth control pills to try to "even things out" and boy, what a mistake that was! As soon as I stopped them a few months later, I got hit with every menopause symptom in the book. Hot flashes every 20 minutes, drenching night sweats every 45 minutes, and finally - loss of my short-term memory.

I thought I was going crazy. One physician I saw wanted to put me on Prozac. Another suggested hormone replacement therapy. I opted for the HRT. Within days my symptoms were gone. Of course, I still had the horrific, painful periods....

I finally gave in and consented to a total hysterectomy at age 48. All my friends who'd had one said I'd say two things afterwards: 1) I feel like a new woman; and 2) Why did I wait so long? They were right.

Looking back, I now know the HRT I took for so long was not healthy.But at least it got me through what could have been a ten year stretch of time filled with symptoms.

And now, when I inadvertently walk down the "feminine hygeine products" aisle at the store, I just smile, remembering having to wear two tampons AND a mattress-sized sanitary pad; all at the same time.

I don't miss those days at all.

Hope the Advil works and you feel better soon!!!

p.s. I have a friend who is still having periods at the age of 65. 

Leah_S

Nurse Lizzie, I always found one of the best treatments for bad cramps was to curl up in a ball and feel sorry for myself.

Worked every time.

Leah

Nurse_Lizzie

Yep curling up works. And, if I'm still having periods at 65 like blessings' friend, I'll curl up forever!! Or, do a self service hysterectomy. I'd pull it out with mu bear hands!



Feeling much better. I have ranted, and then went to the grocery store to buy more pads. Thought I was done with those. Any one used poise pads for double duty??



Lizzie