menopause - Menopause Message Board

greekgirl · 08-06-2002, 09:41 PM

hi i have just discovered this site and am glad to find so many with same symptons for menopause, i thought i was going loopy! my periods became less frequent, 28, 26, 25, 24 day cycles, then 19days with show and spotting in between then 18days then nothing. i was suffering from insomnia, mood swings, irritability, sore breasts, bloatiness, overactive bladder, depression, extreme fatigue. i had not associated all symptoms together for any one cause. the doctor put me on antidepressants and hrt. i was zonked out for one week with the antidepressants and because of hrt have not had a period for 28 days. i am nearly 52 years of age. is the end or just the beginning. it is unbearable to have to live like this. any comments greekgirl

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lsm2000l · 08-07-2002, 03:53 AM

This sounds about normal to me. I experience all the things you are. I take antidepressant to help me sleep. I just take 100 mgs before I go to bed. I only took hrt for a month because it bother me and now with the reports coming out about hormones I'm glad I didn't tak any more. I had bladder problems in the beginning and I wore those pad for awhile but that cleared up too. It's been a year since I had my period so I guess I'm over it. I was told you have to wait until it's over for a year before you can be sure you're done with it. Boy was I glad to give away my pads.

DottieMae · 08-10-2002, 02:20 PM

Oh, my!!! I felt I just had to do something to figure this stuff out ... shed tears when I found this site! It seems like most of the ladies here are a bit younger than me, except for greekgirl ... I'm almost 51 years old and this has come up on me very suddenly. My husband says I've been more irritable than my usual self for a while but just these last three months have thrown me for a loop!!! I went for a check up thinking I was having some anxiety disorder because I was so nauseated and nervous ... I had lost about 12 lbs. in just 10 days or so because I couldn't keep food down or didn't have an appetite. It seems the doctor would've noticed that I wrote down how these symptoms (dizziness, nausea, headaches, nervousness, fatigue, lack of focus, insomnia) had all started at the same time .... right before my three previous periods which went from 28 days to 22 days. I was hoping she'd go ahead and do the hormone tests but she seemed to be looking in another direction ... thyroid or intestinal related, which was all okay. From a chest x-ray they were sure that they had found a lung tumor, which turned out to be something they couldn't explain after I had the CAT Scan .... royal freak out there!!! They had me scared stiff for about a week until the final analysis.

What really amazes me about this is my inability to handle it all. I just can't seem to function!!! I have had 8 children (natural childbirth-no pain killers), helped my husband run a farm, home schooled all those kids, and have helped in all family areas including helping with elderly parents ... I've been a very strong person but now I find myself so entirely helpless. This is undoubtedly the most uncomfortable thing I've ever experienced!!!

I did notice that some of you have had to use some type of tranquilizer especially for help with sleep. I did manage to get my doctor to prescribe Xanax and that works for me even at the .25mg level ... most of the time I even cut that in half. First time I've ever used anything like this, but I must be able to function ..... sure hope this doesn't last too long!!!

I welcome anyone's input ...

DottieMae · 08-10-2002, 02:35 PM

Sorry, Greekgirl ... I meant to add something in that last message especially for you. I was just doing some reading on this website [url="http://www.menopauserx.com"]www.menopauserx.com[/url] and they mentioned something a little hopeful for women our age ... since you're about 52 and I'm almost 51, it would seem like we're kind of late to be in this perimenopause condition ... they mentioned that the later you start with the symptoms we're talking about, the sooner you get over with the whole process. Boy, I hope they're right about that because I agree with you 100% ... this is just unbearable!!! Hope you feel better soon, and feel free to write back to me any time since I think we both could use all the support we can get!!!

Bye,

action · 08-10-2002, 05:29 PM

I'm an oldie too - now 53! I guess I started with the hot flushes around 50/51 and pottered around with lots of other natural alternatives (Promensil worked well for a little while there) before opting (with eyes wide open) for HRT. I am a totally different person!!!! The occasional insomnia is probably more work related than menopausal, my periods come on the dot and are thankfully getting shorter (thanks Primolut), I dont have creepy skin, hot flushes, rabid mood swings (just the normal female ones!), palpitations etc any more. I am a human being again:lol I guess I am lucky that it is working for me because I know that it doesnt do the job for lots of people.

Dottie I was thrilled to see your comment about us late starters getting it over and done with quicker! Cant wait:lol

Angela