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[SarahMcComish]

Hi, I am really pleased to be accepted in to the forum!

I went through the menopause at 46 and am just starting to get my head above water!

My Mother had a difficult surgically induced menopause, after a hysterectomy at 46 years old.  She suffered scar tissue and her hot flushes still haven't stopped, she claims, at 68!

I have been luckier and in fact, found the peri-menopause years more tricky, experiencing migraine and palpitations in particular.

Having 4 daughters of my own, the whole subject has become a passion and a quest to find a lot more information for them, than was available to my Mum and I.

Looking forward to sharing with lots of you.

[Dyan]

 
You will get lots of support on here.
I found this forum a life saver when I was having a difficult time.
We have a laugh too

[Kathleen]

Hello SarahMcComish and welcome to the forum.

I agree that we should educate our daughters so that they can prepare themselves as best they can. I try not to frighten my daughter with my tales of woe but she seems pretty unflappable at the moment. She even suggested  that because my symptoms had a definite start date they are bound to have a definite finish date (yes but when? When?).

I think this forum helps tackle the taboo of the menopause and I certainly mention my predicament to anyone who's interested and probably several who are not!

Take care.

K.

[CLKD]

   hopefully, if we still have GPs in Practice, that by the time your Girls arrive at The Change, there will be lots more knowledge out there!

[Hurdity]

Hi Sarah McComish

  from me too!

Wow four daughters! Great idea to educate them and especially as you had an early menopause at 46. How old are you now and have you taken HRT - which the guidelines recommend until the natural average age of menopause?

Do ask away about anything you want and there is a lot of information on the main site and links to follow.

Hurdity x

[SarahMcComish]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Looking forward to the information/support and some laughs would be great too (great therapy I've heard)!

I'm 48 in March and am not currently on HRT although recently, aching joints have made me wonder whether I should be thinking about bone health.  Any advice out there?  I know that aching joints is a common symptom, but would a GP be likely to send me for tests at this stage, as I am otherwise healthy and active?

Happy Friday everyone!

[CLKD]

You could look at the Osteoporosis web-site for bone advice, I understand that brisk walking several times a week helps keep the bone strength.  Hooverying of course amounts to similar 

Eating well.  Exercise regularly.  Keeping weight off generally.  'me' time - all important.

We have a funny 'room' here too …….. 

[Hurdity]

CLKD!!  Hoovering is light housework and requires a good deal of imagination to think that it constitutes decent weight bearing exercise!    OK better than sitting on your butt in front of the TV but no, it won't help prevent osteoporosis!!!  Brisk walking yes - but only goes so far if oestrogen has reduced....

There is some information about osteoporosis on this site here (top tabs under "Health"):
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/osteoporosis.php
Risks: http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/osteoporosisrisks.php
Diagnosis: http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/osteoporosisdiagnosis.php
Treatments: http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/osteoporosistreatment.php

Also the national osteoporosis society https://www.nos.org.uk/about-osteoporosis

If you went through menopause at 46 then that is just about classed as early menopause - and as I said the recommendations are for women to take HRT until the natural avergae age of menopause of 51 or so. You can see if you fall into the risk category above. Yes your doctor should be able to refer you for tests (DEXA scan) - see under diagnosis link above.

CLKD is right about exercise etc but this alone is not sufficient if you are at risk so please do go and get checked out as osteo can only get worse with age and you are still young. Maybe you have an idea of whether it runs in the family or not?

Hurdity x

[Taz2]

Hi Sarah - welcome from me too. My mum did tell me lots about menopause - she suffered dreadfully with hot flushes and mood swings and did use HRT for a year back in 1968 - but I didn't really listen! I just assumed that I would cope better and she was making a fuss. Her words "you just wait my girl" come back to me haunt me often. 

Do you mean that your periods stopped two years ago at the age of 46? If so then I agree with Hurdity that HRT would have been a good idea in order to protect your heart and bones up to the more usual (although I'm not sure who sets these ages) age of meno which is 51. As you go further into meno then symptoms can begin to increase so HRT is something to consider if you find your life is being impacted by menopause symptoms. Your mum is not unusual to still be suffering from flushes in her late sixties. Some women never get any and some women have them for years - my friend's mum still gets them in her eighties and I recently met a woman who was in her mid seventies and waiting to see the GP about whether she could have anything to alleviate hers. She was saying that she'd had them since her mid fifties but just soldiered on as her mum had advised against HRT but she now realises that she has probably missed the boat in getting it prescribed. None of her friends had ever had any bad meno symptoms though. I'm rambling - sorry! 

Taz x 

[SarahMcComish]

Thanks for the all the detailed advice and referral to the 'funny room' too, of course.  My hoovering is definitely not exercise, as it is too infrequent, lol- though I am researching local aqua aerobics/Zumba classes.  I already really enjoy yoga and regular walking.

I have done the 'oesteo. risk' test and although I seem to be low risk (apart from my early menopause) I will definitely go and discuss with my Doctor.

Sarah x