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[Momo]

Hello Ladies
just came on to feel connected to other people who might understand, feeling very low and easily confused. Everything seems such a challenge at the moment
I am not on HRT and trying to manage on herbal treatments if possible. Very early days and my last period was only 122 days ago - thank you period tracker app  but sometimes I just feel so overwhelmed. Hot flushes every 2 hours , including through the night and some very negative thoughts and feelings. I will be going along ok and then whomph I feel really tired and it all feels too much to deal with.
I exercise 5 days a week if I can and eat well - but I am currently having massive sugar and crap food cravings. Dried fruit and rice cakes not quite enough substitute for chocolate and cheese 

I am lucky in the fact that I am currently out of work, so don't have to cope with having to drag myself to a desk, but struggling trying to get a project/business of my own off the ground, trying to stay motivated but just some days I have no oomph and just want to sink into the ground and not get up.

Also trying to decorate house and be supportive to husband at a difficult time with his work. Compared to some of the posts on here I can see I have it easy - no kids to worry about and  no major family crises at the moment ( touch wood). So why do I feel so overwhelmed?? why do the hormones make me go loopy like this and why can't I seem to pull myself together?

actually it helps just to get this out of my head and onto a screen, so thanks for reading

sending you all a virtual hug if you need it

cheers
Momo

[CLKD]

  you feel over-whelmed because you are.  This time of Life is called 'the change'  and despite being 'natural', it can severely upset ladies.  However - if herbal remedies were reliable then they would be available on the NHS  although some ladies do find initially that herbals help, but don't last as hormone levels dip and dive.

Keeping a mood/food diary might help.  Crashing fatigue is common.  I remember my Mum suddenly sitting down heavily and dropping to sleep. 

Be kind to you.  Have a chat with your Practice Nurse/GP to get a feel on how the Surgery deals with menopause.  Browse the menus, top of page.  Ask away!

[dazned]

Sorry to hear you are having a challenging time of it,but it can be a very challenging time ! You won't be alone here ,it's a good some are having a stable time of it to help those in a bad place but we all been where you are so we can relate and know what you are feeling. I sure you will get lots of information and help here .

[honorsmum]

Hey Momo,

I can totally relate to your post - it pretty much sums up how I feel.
I haven't missed a period yet, but I'm getting the full rollercoaster of symptoms each month and bow my periods are getting closer together, the crashes are coming more often.
I was prescribed HRT last week, but I'm frozen in terror about taking it. I thought it was what I wanted, but now I'm panicking.

I've started to keep a mood diary, and it does help a bit to see a pattern emerging.
No words of wisdom, I'm afraid...but bucket loads of empathy.xxx

[Dorothy]

Hi Momo

Not sure if this will help, but I have found having small mixed snacks help with the cravings for sugar or junk food - I used to have this problem pre-peri where I would eat enormous amounts of 'healthy' food and still feel starving.  Then I read about mixing protein/fat/carb/fruit or veg in small meals/snacks and it really helped.  I used to have an enormous bowl of porridge or muesli for breakfast, now I have a much smaller bowl but add a couple of walnuts and a small spoonful of natural yoghurt and feel more satisfied.  Snacks are something like a banana and a few nuts or seeds, or a boiled egg and an apple. 

I've also found pomegreat juice helpful - sweet enough to be a sweet treat, but tart enough that I don't want a second glass!

[wombat62]

Hi

Sorry to hear you are having a bad time, most have been there and got the t-shirt. I wish there was more info out there about exactly what does go on at this time of our lives, it's not just the obvious stuff!

I would try to stay off the dried fruit, it has a lot of sugar in it and if you can train yourself to like dark chocolate (the above 70% one, the flavoured ones help!) then a square of this would be better for a sweet fix plus it's hard to eat too much of it!

I find the motivation thing hard so I understand where you are coming from. One moment, yeah...I'll take on the world and then next...this is too hard, can I give up?!

If there is no health reason why you can't try HRT then maybe try it for a while, low dose patches may just give you some stability to give you some night time rest so you can cope with trying to get your new project off the ground as you'll need your energy for this.

Dorothy's advice below is good for food, I've started putting full-fat yoghurt on my cereal and it does help with making breakfast last longer. Keep off diet and lite foods as these replace the fat with sugar and the full-fat versions will keep you feeling fuller for longer, just have a bit less of them!

Hope things settle down for you but be kind to yourself and try to find ways to manage it to suit your circumstances.Take care...

[Kathleen]

Hello Momo.

I can't really add to the advice you have already been given but I did want to welcome you to the forum.

I can totally relate to how you feel, menopause is a tough time for some of us.

Take care and keep posting.

K. 

[Millykin]

Mono
Can't really help much but just wanted to say hi lots of info on here, keep posting. I can relate to cravings, I just can't get enough food lately, and it's junk I'm craving! I'm slim can eat anything but stick to healthy stuff but lately anything I can get my hands on, more at night time. X

[Momo]

Ladies, you really are all quite marvellous

Dorothy and Wombat62 - great advice re food I will look into that. I do eat 80-90% dark chocolate and I really like it already, so no struggle there. But I hadn't read about the mixing carbs/protein fat etc. I try and snack on fruit as well as the dried variety ,but it is easy to go for the dried variety to get a sweet 'fix' as it were.

I worry about taking HRT because I never found a contraceptive that I could get on with, so I worry about how those hormones will affect me if it take HRT.  In the end I chose to be sterilized rather than keep taking them. I used to get diabolical migraines, 3 weeks out of 4 and terrible depressive moods and hideous acne whilst taking everything from the mirena coil to depoprovera.

The last 7 years have been great because I haven't had any of those side effects as severely. But now the menopause has come and got me and off I go on a round of up and down moods again. I think I need to go and chat to my GP about what might work for me.

I guess a lot is changing in my life as well as my mind and body and some days are harder than others.

thanks once again for your lovely supportive words and I wish you all the best
Momo

[CLKD]

I got sterilised too  ………. little steps.  Take time to browse, make lists, ask away and don't be surprised if your GP isn't 'up to date' on menopause matters