Menopause

[tillyh345]

Im 49 years old and havent had a period since last April so presume I am going throught the menopause now...what I need to know is I feel like s...t, really tired all the time, headaches at least three times a week, cant stop eating, therefore putting on weight and generally just feeling miserable.
Has anyone got any advice? Is this normal?

[tillyh345]

this does seem a popular subject, thanks for all your comments. Will have to do something, I just sit or lay on the sofa most nights with my hubby waiting on me hand foot and finger bless him.....sometimes its too much trouble just to get up and have a pee lol, BUT I do, not incontinent yet! I might add that I do work full time so hopefully this is normal? Mind you , theres always one friend that says shes had no symptoms and gets up two hours before everyone else in the morning to do her housework before she goes to work, and hasnt put on a pound, Bitch.....lol

[boxtops]

baths is right, there are risks but there are risks with everything, there is a small increased risk of breast cancer on HRT but while I was towards the end of it, my GP said that I had to weigh up the small percentage risk of that, against feeling so much better on the patches. Do find out as much information as you can so you can make an informed decision - don't let anyone pressure you either way!

[Bathsheba]

i'm sure the weight gain is more to do with your inactivity through tiredness, tilly, although eating non stop won't help...;-) Good luck, whatever you decide,.......you haven't mentioned hot flushes.......they're my personal demons ;-) xx

[tillyh345]

Yeh I do have the hot flushes, they seem to come and go, on THEIR own I could probably deal with them is just all of it is CRAP...

[Bathsheba]

aaww, bless you....i feel for you......i suppose i'm lucky just to have the flushes, although after 14 years of 'em, i don't feel so lucky, heh heh xx

[Sqad]

Go to your GP and have an under active thyroid ruled out, which can be done by a simple blood test.

If the thyroid is working normally (as shown by normal blood test), then you can rest on an assumed diagnosis of menopause.

[Bathsheba]

Good advice Sqad. Tilly could also have a FSH blood test to confirm if she actually is going through menopause ;-)

[ethandron]

fsh tests are somewhat unreliable because during menopause the hormone levels vary significantly almost hourly. when they actually draw the blood to test it will show one thing, then an hour later it could show another. being 49 and not having had a period since last april is a pretty positive indication that you're almost menopausal, you don't really need a blood test to tell you that.
tilly, best thing is to try and tough it out. join a forum specifically about menopause (there are loads out there, try healthboards.com or powersurge.com) and you'll get loads of help and support from ladies who are in the throes of it, or have been through it and come out the other end in one piece. and lots of suggestions to help alleviate the symptoms - all 35 of them!!! (google '35 menopause symptoms', you might be surprised).
and yes, you are completely normal :)

[annie0000]

sqad, will underactive thyroid cause your periods to stop as well? My mum has that and I have been getting menopause symptoms for the last year or so and I am only 43. never thought that it could be thyroid instead.

[ethandron]

annie, have a look at patient.co.uk, hypothyroidism, and it'll give you the symptoms (irregular periods are one of them).

[Bbbananas]

My best mate No 2 (the Infamous Lil) went through an early menopause in her early 40's. She went on HRT and has never looked back. She has regained her libido, has great skin - now she's over the insomnia, the depression, the skin rashes & the irregular bleeding.........

I am not in in yet, but when I am - bring on that HRT. My libido is below sea level at the moment.

[Sqad]

annie.......yes.....irregular periods MAY be a symptom of under active thyroid.

[pericat]

Hi tilly - Im 51 - my periods stopped for a while but are now back with a vengence - I feel I will never get rid of them. they can sometimes stop due to stress

[paross]

I have been 'on the change' for about 15 YEARS! Took HRT tablets for most of that time (initially it was for flushes) but about 12 months ago I decided I just had to get off them so weaned myself, with GP's approval, and I have had 15 years worth of flushes since then which is so debilitating. Added to that is tiredness, weight gain, depression etc. etc. I am convinced that it is never ending!!!! On the other hand my sister has had no probs, COW!

[ethandron]

i'm 3 years without a period and have to say i'm glad i didn't use hrt, at least it's over and done with for me and i don't have the symptoms to look forward to, as i would if i was on hrt and then came off it. ok, i had a few years of symptoms - maybe 3 - but the symptoms come and go, they're not there all day, every day.
and now every day is christmas day, no periods, no mood swings, lots of energy. it's not an illness, it's a natural part of life and there's something very liberating about being post-menopausal.
like everything though, it's each to their own and we women should all do what we feel is best for ourselves and support each other in our choices. even with the best will in the world, no man can ever understand, even though some think they do :)