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Menopause YUCK!!!

[Replies: 14]
Wanting to know if any of you have experienced much saddness, and doubt due to menopause. For most of my life I have been a happy person. It seems ever since menopause crept in, I've been feeling sad, fearful, and lower self esteem than usual. Have any of you experienced this, and if so, what are you doing to help this situation? Thanks
Last Post Oct 17, 2010 8:25 PM by: chaplain4God
offline chaplain4G..
chaplain4G..
Posts: 3
Registered: 10/17/10
(15 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Oct 17, 2010 8:25 PM
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Wow, Ladies thank you so much for your comments. " I am not alone" i am 48 years old and have been going through these wonderful changes in my body. I started at 43, 2 to 3 periods a month, sometimes non for 6 months, unable to lose weight, and waking up tired with aches and pains all over my body. I have had a partial hysterectomy last year. Symptoms have increased 100%. The heat flashes (my Pastor calls them power surges) comes about every 20 to 30 minutes. It is like a heat wave turned on from your chest up to your hair follicles. The beads of water form and start to spill over. The vision blurs a little, the non layers of clothes start to come off, the hand held fan comes out, and the cool water feels refreshing. I sleep with an air conditioner and a fan right on me. I toss and turn and make circles all over my bed at night trying to locate a cool spot. The best part is Everyone is cold in the house except me. I take showers as often as possible during the day and before going to bed. I change underwear's and clothes for cooling freshness 2 to 3 times a day. My son (19) and my daughter (25) has a new respect for any one going through menopause. What am I doing about it? I have tried herbal, acupuncture, and over the counter med's (not working). I am not able to take hormone treatments. So, I now walk every day 1 to 2 miles with my dogs, I have stopped eating pork and red meats, removed sugars (accept for natural fruits) caffeine and learned to stand still and take deep breaths with much water next to me. I learned that time does not stand still and wait for this to pass. So I run with it. Carry a wet towel around with you with plenty of water, dress in short sleeve layers, sit at the end of pews, I carry my own fan when I am visiting family and friends, and I always state out loud "and this too shall pass" for there is a season for everything. I have to thank God that I have experienced most of the treasures in life. From the day of birth, to my giving birth.
I love my children very much and I love my past because it has made me better in my present time. I appreciate who I am and how I can overcome. I am stronger and better. I chose to walk with menopause in some semblance of peace and not let the joys of what is coming pass me by. Menopause is tough. I have become tougher, I read more on health, I am taking care of my body, I am aware of any changes, and I do appreciate these changes now because i can encourage others in telling them : "and this too shall past"
Ladies, the season shall pass soon. I am hoping and will continue praying that my season's end is now....much love
I pray that you also find calm and cool relief ....if you are reading this...continue to be encouraged, you are not alone.
offline kkimbelry
Posts: 3
From: currently - La Crosse, Wisconsin
Registered: 9/20/10
(14 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Sep 20, 2010 5:26 PM
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I am having a hard time with this. At 52, I stopped having menstrual periods. I had no cramps, no hot flashes, no anything.

Then, I got really, really,really depressed.

I have one son, age 25 who is ????? place and wanted to have a whole large house of kids. Now, I will never be able to fulfill that at all

I was reading Gail Sheehy's book called Passages
just last week to identify myself and noticed that this early 50's thing got little mention, but there was something mentioned about personal growth and development continuing at all ages and in all decades.

Why do some of have so much emotional energy wrapped up in childbearing and why in the heck should I feel depressed? I had a really painful, heavy menstrual period from the time I was 11 years old until 52 ( another 40 years war - so to speak) so
should be glad that "this is now over", but instead I feel loss.
offline lynnj9500
lynnj9500
Posts: 2
Registered: 4/8/10
(13 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Aug 25, 2010 7:02 AM
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Wow...love everyones input on this stage in life...and love the expression "Second Spring"...that is what I shall refer to it as from this point forward in my life.

I am 51 years old next mth and not really quite sure where I am in all this menopausal stuff. But I know from listening to my body...that I am there. So many emotions, feelings of discomfort and hot flashes, etc, etc happening with me. Just missed my first period last month and hoping I am done. Hahaha.

But let's just set all the negative side of menopause aside and look at some positives too. I also feel a blooming coming about. Not sure if any of you also feel those emotions.

I feel ready to take care of myself more and enjoy my life. I feel as I want to live life to it's fullest now more than ever. My children are grown and have children of their own and no longer need my input/assistance (they call it interference) in their lives or at least they think that. :) My husband and I have dreams in our lives and I am looking so forward to living them and sharing them with him.

So even though we have hit this phase in life that makes us feel old and even some days crappy - we need to take control of those feelings , recognize what is causing them and turn them around and allow ourselves to bloom and accept - as said above we have hit our Second Spring...and I love spring with the birds and flowers returning after a cold winter. My favorite season is spring. So I am okay with all this and I hope you all join me as well.

One other thing...I too do not believe in medicine field and the stuff they want us to take to help us through this natural stage of life. I have taking a more natural approach in dealing with it. I eat better than I ever have, I exercise now and I take natural herbs to surpress my menopausal symptoms.

Happy Second Spring everyone...

Vicki
offline haeleigh
haeleigh
Posts: 9
From: Notre Dame, IN
Registered: 7/23/10
(12 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Aug 23, 2010 10:03 AM
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I am so sorry that you ladies are suffering from menopausal symptoms.

I had a bout of adrenal fatigue that delayed my period, etc. I started doing more research and it and found out that adrenal fatigue can start early menopause. I am 35 so this had me a bit concerned since I have never been married and never had children.

Cramps: try magnesium (it does wonders! my cramps were so bad that i was advised to check into a hospital monthly and have morphine drips)

hot flashes, etc. - you may be vitamin B deficient. try taking an extra dosage.

for tiredness, mood swings, low blood pressure, etc. - check out some info on adrenal fatigue.

I tried everything - yoga, reiki, meditation, etc. I started taking adrenal supplements and wow! I am really seeing a lot of improvement.

Love, light, and prayers -

Haeleigh
offline Lauravdb
Lauravdb
Posts: 4
From: France
Registered: 4/18/09
(11 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Aug 21, 2010 4:24 PM
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You could start with your nutrition first: take omega 3-6-9, vitamine B complex and absolutely no sugar, and eventually no alcohol for couple of weeks.
The second thing could be a look at your creativity. Are there enough new things in your life?
Success!
offline Pawnee
Pawnee
Posts: 18
From: Tazewell, VA
Registered: 7/10/10
(10 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Aug 19, 2010 7:10 AM
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Thank you Marcia. This is the most clear and succinct argument I've read to date regarding the Second Spring and other periods of transformation in a woman's life. I agree, it is high time we honor who we are, so that we in turn will be honored.
offline MarciaL9
MarciaL9
Posts: 31
From: Alberta, Canada
Registered: 7/29/10
(9 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Aug 18, 2010 11:15 PM
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Hi everyone,
I was reading what you all have shared regarding menopause. I am only just starting on this phase of my life but a few years ago I cut this little blurb out of a magazine, I don't remember what magazine so I don't know who to give credit for it. I am just going to write this out word for word. Maybe someone will find this resource useful.
"I read Xiaoln's 2006 book, Ancient Healing for Modern Women, albeit with skepticism. But I agreed with her: Why are Western Women taught to resent their bodies? Their periods are a "curse", childbirth is torture and women drag themselves back to work in a week, and they are told to hate ageing instead of congratulating themselves for moving into a different part of life.
This is terrible, she wrote in her book. In China, a women's period is called Heavenly Water. Pregnancy is called Ripening the Fruit. The Golden Month is the equired time of rest affter birth. And menopause is called Second Spring." I prefer Second Spring to all the other terms I have heard to describ menopause. The women in my family have gotten off very easily when it came to symptoms and this is what I expect for myself too. I have found that when I change what I believe my perspective changes and how I feel about a situation changes. I've noticed that women lie about their age until a certain point. I was at a great aunt's birthday and when I went to wish her happy birthday she told me with great excitment, "I am 92 today!" When do women get to that point when they are congratualting themslves for their age and all they have accomplished?
offline Pawnee
Pawnee
Posts: 18
From: Tazewell, VA
Registered: 7/10/10
(8 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Aug 13, 2010 10:06 AM
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I am 60+. I have learned not to judge myself or my life experiences. I observe them and let my thoughts and reactions get to know each other. I allow my feelings. I allow myself to connect with my feelings. I use my reactions and my physical discomforts as a school. I accept where I have been and who I have been and I intend who I am now. I forgive myself and others for perceived wrongdoing. I love my journey. Ours is a beautiful story; all the tragedy, all the drama, the villains, the angels, a daunting tale of survival; a victory found in love, appreciation and Connection. Thank you all for sharing your wonderful stories and your deep and honest feelings. This is the authentic power of women.
offline wilson5406
wilson5406
Posts: 2
From: Landover, MD 20785
Registered: 8/12/10
(7 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Aug 12, 2010 7:15 PM
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Yes, About two years ago I had an hestorectmy, at the time I was only 30 years old, and only had one child.The sugery has left me pre-meopauseal, I felt old, depress, tired, and yes sad because I could no longer have children. But I felt old! I am having hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, and etc. But here are some clues that I have help me through this rough process. My faith in God, and Yoga , Yoga was a great help to me and my healing process and lots of prayer and research on how to make my life better, and I have been reading healing books. These clues help me. TRIED THEM they may help you in the future.

Keep your head up,and head for a glass of red wine lol. linda


--
Linda Wilson
offline reikilove
Posts: 69
From: Surrey B.C
Registered: 7/25/10
(6 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Aug 4, 2010 2:33 PM
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well, i am peri meno and looking forward to just stopping. Being at this stage I certainly am acutely aware of my body and its cycles. I take Laura Vanderhagens product estrosense, as i do not buy into the medical field. the medical field has yet to understand a woman's body. My mensies are getting worse and the pain is great. I always say Hey god i am not planning on haven any babies any time soon. What helps me is i do a lot of deep breathing and Reiki to use my body as an instrument in its own process. I know I have to look at this as cleansing and my power time into a different level maturity in my body. I find myself feeling weak and tired every month. i can feel it a day before it is happening. I noticed PMS is not as bad since i have been taking Estrosense it is a good product for peri meno and menopause. I always feel toxic when it comes on and every month I hope it will just stop. I am grateful though because some women when they head into menopause they have sometimes bled up to 28 days in a row. Me it is only 5 days 5 painful days, but every woman's body is so different and our bodies i guess just do what they are supposed to do.


--
Elvina Van Aert
offline bonadea
bonadea
Posts: 250
From: Southern California
Registered: 6/16/10
(5 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Jul 17, 2010 6:56 PM
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:-xI am surprised to hear how many woman still suffer from "menopause." I never experienced symptoms, though my mother did! I began a nutritional change at about 30. I eat red meat, rarely. I thrive on fruits and vegetables, orzon wheat, and lots of other grains. A lot of salmon, and dietary evening primrose.
I had a couple of "hot flashes" about 3 years ago. I have adjusted the pubic symphysis(pyramidal is-muscle), and core-releasing techniques have saved me from all the internal "mood swings." In my practice, a lot of young women are fearful of the "change," and I counsel them about the "power" stage that they will be going into. I'm living proof, that The "chemical -hormone cascade" that decelerates must be put back in balance, so we can smoothly transcend to the next level. Our ancestors weren't plagued by these symptoms, why should we be?
Grandma had more energy than most 20 year-olds!
She had no degenerative diseases, and could be maiden,mother, or crone at her choosing.


--
Transfrustration... .is Epiphany
In Action! )O(
offline yemanyacoa..
yemanyacoa..
Posts: 39
From: New Zealand
Registered: 1/13/10
(4 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Apr 26, 2010 5:14 AM
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Been there! Menopause really does test us to the limit. I found that acupuncture and massage made me feel better. I tried various remedies, they seemed to work for a while then become less effective, probably the best thing was hanging out with menopausal friends and a bottle of wine, a good laugh and a good cry works wonders.


--
Mary
www.yemanyacoaching .com
Putting life into living!
offline MellsVoice
Posts: 5
From: Arizona
Registered: 4/24/10
(3 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Apr 25, 2010 7:01 PM
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Menopause is definitely YUCK!
I never imagined that my mother and I would be experiencing menopause together, and I definitely never imagined I would experience menopause at age 27!
Unfortunately when I was 27 I ended up having to have a complete hysterectomy. I remember when I was told that I needed it my two biggest concerns were:
1. Never being to have another child.
2. What about Menopause?
My doctor(whom I eventually realized did not have my best interest in mind) had told me to not even worry about menopause symptoms. I asked multiple times before the surgery & after the surgery, what about hormone treatment? She kept stating that if I had hormone therapy my illness would continue to control my life. Which, with years of research on my illness, I had heard that hormones would enable my illness to continue. But after more research I had also become worried after learning what can happen to a woman's body that does not have hormone replacement after a hysterectomy. At the time though I was extremely ill, my body and mind were tired from the 12 surgeries' before that and I wanted nothing more but to be healthy again & to be able to watch my daughter grow up. So being paralyzed from years of pain, and desperate to have my life again I took her reassurance that I would only have my symptoms for about six months after the surgery. I later found out that my hysterectomy did not cure my illness, but that's a whole other story!
I am now 30 years old and I still continue to have sleepless nights caused by night sweats & anxiety, I still suffer from multiple hot flashes everyday, I still deal with the ups & downs of mood swings, I still suffer with depression/low self esteem and yes I still find myself crying over a rerun of "Sunny with A chance" or "Wizards of Waverly" every night when I watch Disney channel with my 9yr old daughter. Three years after my hysterectomy and I am still living in menopause yuck! My mother's symptoms have come & gone which makes my family happier because now they only have to deal with the ups & downs from one crazy emotional woman(me) instead of the two of us.
Over the past year I finally became well enough to stop the med's & treatments from my illness. So I have spent a year now trying everything from natural herbs, change of diet, over the counter hormone replacement, exercise, physical therapy, yoga, chiropractic care, and everything else out there. I have tried every thing possible but no relief!
I have been told that if you are able to get a prescription and take it to a compound pharmacy it does help and can eventually relieve symptoms. Being a single mommy with no insurance though, unfortunately I can not do that.
So if any of you wonderful ladies have found something that is cheap but works, Please Share?
To all my fellow menopause sister's I hope you find relief soon for your symptoms and just the mere fact of knowing that someday every woman has to experience menopause yuck, makes you all Brave Women in my book!


--
Melissa
offline shelter
shelter
Posts: 7
From: centralia wa
Registered: 4/19/10
(2 of 15)

Re: Menopause YUCK!!!

Apr 20, 2010 8:21 PM
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Yes, I know exactly what you mean. I have been reading a lot about it and now I have found that going to a doctor that will check all of your hormones, not just estrogen, and then going to a compounding pharmacy with the prescription for a bio-identical hormone cream. That seems to be helping a lot of women. Not all doctors do that so you have to ask before making the appointment. Ones that specialize in menopause or women's health usually do.
offline mggs11
mggs11
Posts: 1
Registered: 4/19/10
(1 of 15)

Menopause YUCK!!!

Apr 19, 2010 5:44 PM
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Wanting to know if any of you have experienced much saddness, and doubt due to menopause. For most of my life I have been a happy person. It seems ever since menopause crept in, I've been feeling sad, fearful, and lower self esteem than usual. Have any of you experienced this, and if so, what are you doing to help this situation? Thanks
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