This is a silly question but...

[BK]

Hi everyone, hope you're all having a good day!

After having a blissfully good spell of feeling quite normal, I've now slipped back into another period of being spaced out, headachy, tearful, almost permanently hot in the face, and with digestive upset, which I always get when the other symptoms kick in.

Now I'm still very confused about whether this means my oestrogen levels have dipped or my progesterone levels, or both. Which leads me on to my question. I know it might sound a bit daft but if I can feel this lousy when my hormone levels are LOW rather than disappeared completely (i.e. during peri), why don't women who've been through actual meno and come out the other side spend the rest of their lives with these symptoms?

Am I being stupid?  I just can't help thinking that if LOW or fluctuating hormone levels can cause so many horrible symptoms, how much worse is it going to be when I actually reach menopause?

Sorry to sound like a daft bat but your thoughts would be welcome.

Love BK
xx

[Bixby]

I think that the fluctuating hormones during peri cause your body to "panic" and send out other hormones and chemicals to try to "kick-start" your ovaries into action. Hopefully, once your levels are permanently low the body accepts the situation and settles down. That's what I'm hoping for, anyway!
Bixby x

[Eddie]

I will watch for answer too, i have often wondered about this. Eddie

[Taz2]

I think Bixby is right in that it is the fluctuations which cause a lot of the panic type feelings as your body frantically tries to get you back on an even keel. Once the hormone levels drop and even out then you do probably feel better. However some symptoms such as joint aches and dryness, loss of libido, skin problems, don't go away as these are caused by lack of oestrogen not by fluctuation but I reckon we just adapt to feeling differently to when we were younger. Hot flushes are also a problem for some women even into their seventies.

It is a change and we gradually get used to it which means as time goes by we will feel much better.

Taz x 

[BK]

Thanks ladies 

I started doing a bit of internet research after posting and from what I've read so far, Bixby you seem to have hit the nail on the head. Just been reading an expert explaining that if fluctuating hormones send your ovaries 'to sleep' for a while, another hormone has a surge to shake them up a bit, then they get into a panic (oh dear, now I'm having lots of silly images in my head of little ovaries with faces hopping up and down in a frenzy!!  ) and kick in again and you then end up having all sorts of reactions, like very heavy periods etc.

With everything us girls have to go through at this stage in our lives, it's a wonder we remain sane!! 

[CLKD]

All the World is mad except you and me: and even you're a little bit ......... 

Nothing is silly on this forum: browse round, ask away, share .........   

[Joyce]

Sane - what's that?? 

[viv]

I remember sane .......I think.
It went with energy, libido, enthusiasm, get up and go, which has got up and gone. Oh and no joint aches, stomach upsets, IBS...... the list just goes on and on.
I think we all deserve a Change Medal which should be presented by the Queen 


Viv
x

[CazzaT]

 
That would be a good day, do you think the Queen would cope with all us hormonal, mad, panicy, moody, flushing meno brain woman in our big floppy hats awaiting our medal. 
Wonder what the medal would say on it? 

Cazza  xx

[viv]

Wonder if the Queen went through meno or was too posh for that. How about Camilla. I read in the paper she has been having a kind of natural botox treatment that involves bee stings. Perhaps that explains her face 


Viv
x

[Lou]

"Sane", I've just got the dictionary out and it says "Sound in mind, free from mental disturbance, healthy "  WOW that counts us lot out in one swoop !
 

[viv]

Doesn't it just.

In that case I have not been "sane" for years and years and years 

Doubt if I ever will be again.


Viv
x

[catweazle7]

Hi BK

I definitely feel better when my ovaries are having a lull and my hormones are low. I'm having quite long gaps between periods now and I feel fine until the old ovaries start to stir. Then I feel rubbish - spaced out, anxious, light headed with horrible dizzy spells. So I'm optimistic that when they shut down completely I'll feel fine (as long as I keep on with the ovestin  ).
I'm obviously one of those who can't tolerate the fluctuations either.

Catweazle x

[Lucky Stone]

I'm on oestrogen only hrt (1mg elleste solo - no womb so none of the other one) and have been for about 6 weeks now so theoretically, my hormones should be boosted BUT I am still feeling spaced out, anxious, light headed and cannot tolerate stress at all.  Anyone out there know how long hrt takes to properly kick in?  GP won't increase dose for now as hot flushes have subsided.  I do feel a BIT better but not much and every now and then I get a 'humdinger panic' ... thoughts 

[Bixby]

I think you'll find that you'll continue to feel changes in the effect of HRT for at least 3 months. At the stage you're at, I did feel better but nowhere as good as after a few months. The only difference is that I find that the progesterone I take really helps with my anxiety but I know that many ladies find that it's the prog. they take which causes them the problems.
Bixby x