An OB/GYN tackles menopause. There is no wisdom in suffering.

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While I’ve not hit this era of my life yet (thank God – it sounds like the body becomes a freakin’ war zone complete with opposing bodily factions, ammo, and a “take no prisoners” attitude), I have to consider that at least a few of my readers are either approaching it or are there already and might need some backup, so maybe you guys might consider this information relevant.
(Plus if I reblog this I stand a better chance of actually finding it again however-much later when I might need it… Yeah, my brain’s still trying to track that FLM, y’all.)
Hope this is helpful to you, your mums, your aunties, your sisters, hell, maybe even your super-grumpy grandad…?
♥
~Mer

22 thoughts on “An OB/GYN tackles menopause. There is no wisdom in suffering.”

  1. Menopause, the gift that keeps on giving.. Already been there and done that, but I do relate to some of her comments. One of the ways to find out what you might have in store if you are not yet at that point in your life is to talk to your mother and aunts. Ask them about their experience. Not always the same, but at least you can get a sense of whether or not the people in your life may have to lock you in a back room and throw food in three times a day til you get over it. I had a rather minor experience based on what I have heard from others. Did have the hot flashes (kept a ceiling fan on in our bedroom 24/7)..put the covers on, kick the covers off..Remind yourself not to kill you husband when he very innocently asks if you are hot (because WHY ELSE would you have the fan on?)….first we get periods, then we get to have the babies, and THEN, the icing on the cake, menopause…..

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  3. I must be one of the very, very, VERY lucky ones. I hit the menopause 23 years ago and I’m still waiting for something, anything to happen… my monthly cycle just stopped no slowing down, no hit and miss it just stopped and that’s it. (ain’t I a lucky bitch…)

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  4. Normally, the first symptoms are the loss of the menstrual cycle in a period of two years (complete irregularity during that period of time). Then the hot flashes begin, so be prepared to carry a fan everywhere plus a scarf in your bag. It is convenient to carry baby wipes in that bag to help the dry skin caused by the great perspiration (either in cold sweats or otherwise). Begins to get used to take yogurt for bone decalcification and drink water often.
    Good luck!

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  5. I’ve come through the other side thank goodness but I was pretty lucky. Not too much heat in my hot flushes, but enough to be annoying rather than debilitating. I carried a fan everywhere. Had some problems with disturbed sleep but I decided, with the help of my doctor, to just go with the flow rather than take medication. It’s only taken about 6 years for the whole process to be over with, so I consider myself pretty lucky. 🙂

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  6. Early menopause in my 30’s. What a joy! Not. Practically had to have spare set of clothes with me each day at work for when the body overheated. That’s also when I learnt no to drink red wine. HRT could only do so much and I’d being on that for over 15 years by then. I was a mess, scared to eat, scared to drink (incl. soda, tea, coffee and occasionally water – they never could figure that one out) sleeping was exactly as described. Its still a mystery what went wrong. Luckily it only lasted 8 years. The Specialists even to this day like me to come in to test my hormone levels, they aren’t in the considered ‘normal’ range, whatever, I can now go through the day without my body overheating. Fun times for everyone else.

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  7. HOT FLASHES ! Night sweats. Yes, yes and yes. I noticed it all when I turned 47. 2010. It was strange. I would skip my periods for the whole summer and get it back for the winter. I would call that perfect. Then it just stopped like 2 years later. I loved it ! No more cramps. I had bad ones every month. In bed for days since I was 13. I would put powder in my bed to try and help. Blankets on and off.
    I don’t know if you ever read the Fever Series, but I felt like Mac taking off my clothes when ever V’lane appeared. Layers is the way to go. I also noticed during winter I don’t need a winter coat as much. I am always hot now. But not as bad as the beginning. What it comes down to is I love it.

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  8. Okay, have to share a funny story related to this subject..the year I turned 40 I started experiencing hot flashes and mood swings (which I thought was way too early, but since my mother died when I was young, I had no one to ask about it)..anyway, saw my primary care doctor and asked about hormone replacement therapy (this was before we knew the risks associated with HRP, in fact it was being touted as something that kept heart attacks at bay).. So he ordered blood work, then told me my hormone levels were normal. I looked him dead in the eyes and told him if he did not give me estrogen I was going to body slam him against the wall. (we had a good relationship, so I don’t think this made him afraid of me..) He smiled at me and replied, alrighty then, let me just write that prescription…and the bitch of it all ? I thought that using HRP meant you didn’t go through menopause..OH NO…it is just delayed. So when I went off the pill I got to experience all the joys of menopause, but when I was older.. Perhaps being older made me more philosophical about it…back to original comment above..menopause, the gift that just keeps giving..

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  10. valady1: I’ve asked around and apparently I’m basically doomed to regular monthly cramps until I’m in my mid-50s or thereabouts…then the “fun” starts. Sweating counts as a weight-loss method…right? RIGHT?? I dread it in a way, but at least I’m already a known snippy, only-slightly-evil bitch so that portion of future-hell won’t be all that much different to those around me…that’s a plus, right? (*evil grin*)
    *sigh*
    But srsly, women get ALL THE SHIT piled on! It’s just not fair. I say we get all the chocolate/the good cheese/wine for those who like it and the men get NONE. Yes, I’m giving the world my Evil Eye now.

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  11. Cela Whitney: That information is one reason I reblogged this to my readers – it seems to have pretty good and needed information about HRT. There’s no sense in suffering if you don’t have to.

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  12. theslainvalkyrie: From what I can figure out, some women are biologically lucky and it sounds like you really were/are one of them! Go you!! Still might wanna check with your doctor about making sure your bones are strong, etc., but you do sound seriously lucky! 😀

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  13. cari1973: The only parts of menopause that sound good are stopping menstruation (and all the side effects of it) and the yogurt (yum!). In a way I do dread whenever it does happen, but at least I won’t be going into it with no idea of what happens whenever it does occur. ♥

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  14. ericluver: It does sound like you got off pretty lightly compared to some of the war stories I’ve heard/read. Yay!! (The whole thing sounds dreadfully unpleasant to me even if my female relatives didn’t seem to have too rough a time. Blech!)

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  15. jules3677: Aww, honey, it sounds like you were put through the women’s-life wringer! Very glad it all seems to have calmed down by now – let’s just hope it stays that way!

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  16. ffbone: Sounds like a bodily war zone to me! Glad things are settling down, tough. And srsly, no more cramping/etc. really does sound like a great plan to me. I just dread the rest of the battle whenever it does creep up on me. My temp tends to run hot normally, so all THAT should be “fun”… *wonders how hard it would be to put an industrial fan on wheels with a mobile power source*

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  17. valady1: Awww, man, I bet you were NOT a happy camper when “the violent wave” came right back at you like that! I’d have been so disappointed in Mother Nature…!

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  19. So do l!!! 🙂 🙂 The Prof still likes to tinker with the HRT. Its always good for the students to examine the weird cases in person. Don’t know what I’ll do when he retires, become a mainstay in my life.

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  20. One positive thing I have heard (and experienced)..when your estrogen levels drop, testosterone (we all have both, just as men do) becomes more predominant.What this can mean is that we become more self assured and calmer. Conversely men have the opposite happen as estrogen becomes more dominant when their testosterone levels begin to drop. I have noticed this effect (again personally) with men who start to have a problem making decisions. Hormones are funny things aren’t they?

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  21. No worries there, I got strong, healthy bones and still running around like the energiser bunny… not bad for someone whose knocking on the door of sixty – or so my doctor says…

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