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[LellyM]

OK, I have decided that I will record my journey through this wonderful world of Meno. You never know I may say something that helps someone else cope?

So to start - I am 48 yrs old, no kids. Had a major op for ovarian cysts about 10-15 yrs ago and the doc then warned me I could be in for a relatively early Meno. And here I am!

Last period was in April 2015. Since then I have noticed I am a lot hotter in bed and I am more sensitive to temperatures. Also, emotionally I am "touchy". Hubby is wonderful. I have warned him what to expect and he is being quite understanding.

Could do without the anxiety attacks but if that is as bad as it gets I will cope. If I need to I will go and get some ADs. Don't get me going about the tiredness - but again used to this. When I had depression I was briefly diagnosed with CFS due to the tiredness. This is not as bad as that.

Bit of dryness but again OH is being quite patient and takes his time a little more.

Not bothered the slightest with this latest change in my body. OK, so I won't be able to have kids - so what! Never wanted them anyway (hubby snipped a decade ago when surgeon told me I had too much internal scar tissue and it would be risky).

GP being as good as useless. We have a family trait of high hormone levels in the female side which has the positive side effect of us aging well. Me, my mum (and previously my nan) are always estimated to be about 10 yrs younger than we are. But the downside is when we have blood tests the levels look "normal" even when they are low for us.
 
Lelx

[babyjane]

Thanks for sharing LellyM and what a good idea to record things if only so you can look bad over time and see how things have progressed or changed.

One word of warning with this meno lark, just when you get used to something it moves the goalposts and it plays a sneaky game so be warned.  things probably won't stay as they are now.  Mine got worse before it started to get better.

[Hurdity]

Hi LellyM

Glad you are able to share your story but sorry to hear about the issues you've had.

Have you thought of trying HRT of any sort, because if your anxiety is hormonal then HRT would be better for you to take than ADs and would have the added health benefits in addition to symptom control.  This is what the experts now recommend. If you've had high oestrogen over the years then you may well end up being much more sensitive to the decrease, so if your symptoms get worse then you may well want to replace some of this oestrogen just to feel normal again!

In addition - topical oestrogen would help your dryness and the sooner you do take something for this, the less likely you will develop severe problems later on. Have a look at the information on this site about vaginal atrophy ( what a lovely term this  is  ) and see what you think.

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/vaginalsymptoms.php
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/dryness.php
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/local.php

and an article by Dr Currie here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-vaginal-atrophy.php

Hurdity x

[SadLynda]

Thank you for sharing your story too.  I am finding the anxiety one of the toughest things and being this sort of 'hot stuff' is not what we had in mind for our future

Great info Hurdity.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hello Kelly

I am very interested in what you say about the women in your family having higher than normal oestrogen levels.

I think myself and the women in my family are the same. All very fertile. We only have to decide we want a baby and we're pregnant within a month. We all look much younger than we are, my Mum and Aunt are now in their 70s but look no older than 60 etc.

But the flip side is that we have all suffered with PMS, and have struggled with anxiety/depression during peri menopause. My FSH levels all came back as 'normal' but clearly they weren't normal for me anymore because I suddenly felt dreadful when my periods became much lighter and of shorter duration.

[CLKD]

   get thyself sorted with some local treatment for the dryness  [see our various atrophy threads] ……..

[Sarai]

GypsyRoseLee I get what you mean about hormone levels. I never considered they made us look younger. I have always looked much younger than my age as did my Mum. Never thought it was hormones though. I too was very fertile like you , think I want a baby and bam pregnant, but I too had PND with all mine and now Im so miserable its not true yet my last blood test showed I had oestrogen still floating around.

[babyjane]

what an interesting thought.  Mum never looked her age and had lovely skin, I am the same.  We also got pregnant within the first month of trying (three times in all) and I have not had the menopause from hell, it is just annoying and unpredictable.  Maybe I still have a few hormones circulating. 

[GypsyRoseLee]

I think maybe we need more oestrogen Sarai, as we're used to having a higher amount than average. Just out of interest, can I ask if you are fair haired or dark?

I remember reading that fair haired women tend to have higher levels of oestrogen.

[Sarai]

Gypsyroselee I'm dark brown haired (well I was before grey sneeked in) my mother was black haired. Not of foreign descent either. I don't know what it is but I bloody hate it. I think even when I had PND I didn't feel this bad, in fact looking back if I had understood more and had help I may never have needed antidepressants. My docs first thought was to write a prescription and then send me on my way.

[LellyM]

Well, here I am again.

I am not anti HRT it just hasn't been suggested yet (as GP has yet to admit that I am peri! - I guess 5 months without a period will help the conversation). But I am now trying St Johns Wort; Black Cohosh and Evening Primrose. So far it does seem to calm me down a little. But I think I may end up going to the doc soon as the anxiety is getting annoying. Mum was on HRT for years and as I may have mentioned previously, she went from "She Devil" to relatively normal almost overnight.

But so far so good!

L

[babyjane]

Good luck lellym, you sound like a together sort of lady, quite proactive.
This is a good place to bounce ideas around

[CLKD]

What helps at the time gives us breathing space.  However, our own hormones can over-ride some preparations so browsing here, asking questions, making notes will put you one step ahead if you need to see your GP!

[LellyM]

I do always try to be logical and pragmatic about things. If I can do something to change an outcome I will. if not I try not to worry about it.

This "wonderful" journey we are all on is simply part of life. Anything we encounter when above the grass is good and better than the alternative.

Overall I am embracing the freedom and will address any symptoms as they come along. So far they are mainly emotional (apart from the periods stopping).

I am also quite comfortable with the situation regardless of working in an office with only men. if I have a hot flush I just say to whoever I am talking to "hang on a tick, hot flush - it's my age!" and they just accept it.

Lx

[LellyM]

OK, have booked an apt at the GP for next week (earliest I can get there). The natural remedies are helping a bit but I am still struggling with the Anxiety side of things.

The annoying thing is I have always been good at handling stress. I didn't used to panic or anything. But now, my god. The slightest thing has my stomach in a knot and my pulse racing.

So, bugger it. if I need some drug to help me handle the symptom then I will do it. I just hope the doc doesn't do the old "writing the prescription for ADs before you even sit down".

Stupid thing is, I am not depressed. Been down that road before and this is completely different.

My coping mechanism is music. I am a semi-pro musician and I have always found that when I am playing I can't worry about anything. But now even trying to sort out a pile of music into instrument pads has my pulse going ballistic!

So I am going to get it sorted.

Lx