I would really like to know what some of you women are doing, trying, using, that has been successful in helping you deal with the joys of perimenopause/menopause<-----being scarcastic incase you missed it :)

I'm using bcp and although they have helped with many of my symptoms I'm still not feeling as healthy as I did 3 years go. I also take primrose oil, flaxseed granules, calcium, magnesium, multivitamin, B6, lecithin, and garlic daily. I've noticed that these supplements and vits. have helped my memory, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Since I'm quite overweight my dr. is truly pleased with my cholesterol numbers.

Any suggestions on how to get rid of brain fog (my definition is dizziness/lightheaded feeling 24/7)?

I wish I had an answer for you. The brain fog is terrible. Do you ever feel like you are going to faint? I have been noticing this feeling I get that makes me feel woozy for a second and I have to sit down. It is really scary. I do not get a hot flash at that time but I feel really lightheaded. Do you get this? I can't take feeling so bad all the time. The anxiety is killing me. Sorry I didn't answer your question...I am sure someone will.

I have been exercising since I was 21 (read a book by kenneth cooper and was smitten with exercise ever since...guess that's a good thing?), I also take lots of vitamins and I try to eat lots of fruits/veggies along with seafood...meat occasionally. I do drink at least 1 glass of soymilk daily and we do eat tofu. I wouldn't say that's a lot of soy, but probably more than an average American. I think I have officially missed my first period this month...YIPPPPIIIEEEE....and my only complaint so far (cross fingers) has been tender breasts. I didn't even get a night sweat that I had assumed would come with delayed/missed periods. The woozy head I have had about 4 times since I hit 42 and usually with PMS...didn't hit me this time so maybe I will only get it when I do get a period. I was telling DH yesterday that if this is what it feels like to not get periods anymore, I am sooooooooo ready!! Now, I don't suppose one missed period means it is all over with and I may end up with all 100+ symptoms in 2005 :(
By the way, I am 47.5...will be 48 in May. I also hope I won't have ultra huge bleeding because of this missed one...oh the joys.

I started taking Prempro (low dose) about two months ago. Yes, I know all about the WHI study but I have been through hell this year along with the menopause and I needed a break. The nice thing is, I have a renewed interest in sex and have a new boyfriend. The hot flashes went away. I just feel better.

Joyka, despite what we've all heard about the WHI study the women that I know who are taking Prempro or Premarin all feel wonderful. My mother and mother in law took Premarin for years and felt well. I wish you the best with your health and new boyfriend :).

Kittenlover, when I have the energy to exercise I do feel renewed and rejuvenated afterward. I wish I had the desire and energy to workout on a regular basis. I know that I will soon.

Captain14, I do know what you mean about feeling woosie and faint. Feeling woosie/spacey has been one of my main perimenopause symptom since all of this began. It has improved since I started taking birth control pills. Are you taking anything? I saw my ob/gyn today and she suggest that I start taking Wellbutrin to help with many of my symptoms. According to my dr. it should help with my lethargic feeling, weight gain, mood swings and low low low almost nonexisting libido.

I hope others post with additional information that will benefit all of us as we travel down this road.

Hopefully,
Well, you seem to be taking all the supplements that they are have recommended for us women to take when going thru the pause. Maybe you do need something like Wellbutrin to help rid your 24/7 brain fog/dizziness/ lightheadedness. I felt that way too - it lasted for months - until I went on for months - was the most weird feeling too. Once I was put on Paxil CR, I felt much better almost immediately. I was put on Wellbutrin first but it didn't work for me. Just keep in mind, if the Wellbutrin makes you feel worse, stop taking it and try something else. I really don't think we need to suffer anymore than we hae to!

molly

Hopefully,
Well, you seem to be taking all the supplements that they are have recommended for us women to take when going thru the pause. Maybe you do need something like Wellbutrin to help rid your 24/7 brain fog/dizziness/ lightheadedness. I felt that way too - it lasted for months - until I went on for months - was the most weird feeling too. Once I was put on Paxil CR, I felt much better almost immediately. I was put on Wellbutrin first but it didn't work for me. Just keep in mind, if the Wellbutrin makes you feel worse, stop taking it and try something else. I really don't think we need to suffer anymore than we hae to!

molly


Molly, how did you feel while taking the Wellbutrin? Yes, I'm quite tired of this dizzy/lightheaded/woosie feeling. Thanks for your encouraging post :), I need it right now :D.

I have not missed a period as yet but keep hoping - the symptoms I've had have been varied and slight according to what I know from other women.
Loss of former libido but then I think that is a natural part of getting older, every now and again it's like wow!
I have to excercise more to control my weight and I do eat mostly organic and try to lead a balanced life where my physical, emotional and spiritual needs are met.
My mother incidentally, went through the menapause without realising it, so maybe the severity of symtoms is hereditary to some extent. Then again I wonder why women from certain cultures ( not obsessed with getting old and unattractive) don't suffer anywhere near what we do.
I think some good advice already mentioned is don't try to do or feel what you don't. Give yourself permission to feel yuk!

I was feeling pretty bad already when I was put on it...it didn't make me feel better at all. It made me feel like I had no emotions, like a zombie and I kinda was freaked by it. I was still feeling really tired, still had that spacey dizzy weird headache feeling, felt like I wasn't all there. Kind of hard to describe. I took it only for 9 days and I always noticed that I felt just a bit better after the 12th hour. I stopped taking it cold turkey on a weekend w/o calling my dr. even. It didn't help me sleep either. I heard that it is often used for people who want to quit smoking.

The Paxil CR worked for me w/o me feeling weird - guess you could say I really didn't have any side effects. I maybe felt a bit tired but it could've been b/c I was already feeling that way. I literally felt a "lift" the very first time I took it. Within a month, I was "normal" and have been since. I'm 51 so it is either the Paxil or I was near actual menopause anyway and my hormones decided to get balanced or whatever. :confused: It is hard to tell what really helped me. I was also really scared to take the Paxil b/c of what I experienced w/the Wellbutrin. I'm not pushing the Paxil CR on you b/c each person is different, but Penny (who also posts here sometimes) is on it after I told her about it too. It was recommended to me by a women dr. who worked with my sister at a drug clinic - she knew exactly what I was going thru and told me to ask my dr. for it. I know a lot of people are against taking Paxil and all these SSRI's but I figure I'll deal with weaning off of it later plus my dr. is really caring and good about supervising me too - anything is probably better than what I went thru last year.

Do let me know how it affects you when you try it....

Take care,
molly

Molly, how did you feel while taking the Wellbutrin? Yes, I'm quite tired of this dizzy/lightheaded/woosie feeling. Thanks for your encouraging post :), I need it right now :D.

Molly, I took the Wellbutrin XL today an it's too soon to tell anything. I didn't notice any side effects. I've taken Wellbutrin before and it was the only antidepressant that gave me energy and the desire to get up and move after months of depression and panic attacks. Zoloft made me feel like a zombie.

I took Paxil back in 2002 and I felt wonderful for 7 days, then on the 8th day it caused my blood pressure to be quite elevated. Now, looking back I wonder if the elevated blood pressure was from the low estrogen. I had never related high blood pressure to perimenopause until I found out about a study that was being done on the relationship between menopause and high blood pressure. My mother, who has always had low to normal blood pressure, is now on bp medication after going through menopause.

I understand about the dizzy spacey not feeling all there sensation!!!!!!!!!! It's a horrible feeling...sort of like things aren't real...you're right it's difficult to put into words. I do know, after research, that the spacey dizzy feeling is called derealization and can be triggered by anything from anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks, and even medication related.

This too will pass.