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[Machair]

Thank you ER for your reply. I hope you are feeling well - I'm sure you are tiny really around your trunk! Maybe it is the natural way you would have changed since your LMP rather than HRT doing it? Are you having any signs of your own oestrogen?

[Elizabethrose]

Nought!! It feels weird after battling for so long. Everything is just flatlining!

Yep you could be right about the weight though I've had lengthy periods of lows before and it hasn't happened. Docs are aware of how I've reacted in the past to hormones so aren't surprised. I put on over 4 stone with first pregnancy and 3.5 with the second when my diet was being considered. I was back in my size 8 works suits within 3-4 months each time. Same thing happened after I stopped the HRT, the weight just fell away without me even trying to lose it.

However, it's not the end of the world, I'll be sensible but I'm absolutely not prepared to give up any particular food stuffs. I'd much rather have comfortable nether regions!! 

[Machair]

Isn't that interesting? I put on a similar amount in weight with my pregnancies as well. Maybe this has a relationship to late menopause.
I hope to flatline soon! Does this cause no secretions at all other than when you use vagifem? I can't wait! Sounds mad I know- but as you say battling for so long with this is weird!

[Elizabethrose]

Another thing in common. I was 7 and a half stone when I became pregnant and my tummy was showing within weeks and my breasts were like giant throbbing boils within 2 weeks of conception. It was ridiculous. I had to try to keep the pregnancy under wraps at work until 3 months but I had to secure all of my waist bands with extension straps. I was eating no more than normal but piling the weight on. My friends found it hilarious especially when I grew out of all of my maternity clothes and had to buy more!!

When I was forced to try the HRT exactly the same thing happened. The weight just piled on then literally fell off when it was stopped. This time it started climbing almost immediately I started the Vagifem. Pesky body is just far too reactive!

All of my own mucus stopped with the last oestrogen dive but aside from high oestrogen cervical mucus everything had dried up a good while before. Then the discomfort started quite quickly late September/October. I sincerely hope yours doesn't dry up in the same way but hope the hormones calm soon. x

[Elizabethrose]

Sparkle, I haven't had an increase in appetite at all, in fact I'm eating far far less but I just can't budge it. It happened with the HRT too. It just seems to make me balloon. Docs recognise this.

I had weird and whacky symptoms with the contraceptive pill in my late teens and early twenties. I tried loads but they produced horrible side effects. I just seem to be very reactive.

I remember my breasts were tingling 6 days after ovulation in my first pregnancy and I'd been away and foolishly put something in my bath which gave me cystitis for the first time. I just knew I was pregnant and went to GP to get advice. He told me I couldn't possibly know I was pregnant at that stage as it was early for implantation to take place but I explained the breasts and the weird feeling of euphoria I had. He performed a test 2 weeks later and was astonished when it was positive. The same thing happened in my second pregnancy.

Given you've not completed the every day for 2 weeks it may be that you're just bloating a little, I think the loading period can do that anyway. Whilst I will fight the weight gain because I have a tiny frame and I feel heavy, I figure it's something I'm prepared to accept for good vaginal health. You cannot live comfortably with sore bits, that's just utterly miserable. xx

[Elizabethrose]

Yep I know, freak city! 

GP at that time with hormone specialism said that some women are super sensitive to hormone change and can read the signs. Wow, nothing has changed on that front!

My sister on the other hand takes after my mother without any obvious sensitivity at all. They did not experience any symptoms of menstruation, peri or meno aside from migraine. Not even a period pain between them! I fear my daughter will be like me, though sadly the changes also affect her moods.

How different we all are. I was discussing this with a group of medic friends last weekend who concluded that nothing surprises them anymore, that there is always someone who doesn't fit the rule book. However, all it takes is a site like this to prove there are a great many women out there who don't fit the rule book.

Since Christmas I have allowed myself one Hotel Chocolate choc per day as my only treat (if I've had no pud!): Despite my Buddha tendency I'm clinging on to that! Jeez, little things that please!! 

[Machair]

Sounds like a great plan ER. I like the Ohso chocolates. Only 63 calories and contain good things too.

[Elizabethrose]

It's a crying shame Sparkle. My daughter is not allowed the pill, any of them, because of her migraine with aura. She has said to me in the past that she worries that she might have the same migraine experience I've had but I've poo-pooed it insisting that by that stage the medical profession will be better educated re migraine. There's certainly been a lot more research done in recent years than ever before.

Poor girls!! x

[Elizabethrose]

Sparkle, our knowledge is increasing, it's up to all of us to educate our children about menopause. For far too many years women have put up and shut up because nothing was talked about openly. Our girls have first hand experience of our peri journeys we haven't hidden behind closed doors we've talked about it openly with them. I think our openness is gradually forcing the medical profession to take meno seriously.

Maryjane's battle with VA is horrific and she is determined to shout from the rooftops to better educate women which will then force the dumb nuts medics to start better educating themselves about meno and treating their female patients with some respect.

Sermon of the day now ended, peace be with you! xx

[nearly50]

Back to day 1 for me........Only made it to 29 days this time round, hoping it isn't as bad as last time though. I'd got too used to these big breaks I think! Not the end of the world though and I'm beginning to work out my body's signs better thanks to you Elizabethrose.

[Elizabethrose]

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring!! That's exactly the pattern I followed during the last few years. I'd have a few long cycles then would be thrown when all changed and the short ones appeared again. My nightmarish ones were always the very short anovulatory ones, they triggered the worst migraines that would go on for weeks at a time!! 

It really helps to recognise what's happening doesn't it? We can then just become more matter of fact about it all. You'll get there or what one (lousy) consultant said to me about 12 years ago, 'You are definitely nearly there, trust me, you won't still be menstruating when you're 57' Duh!!!

Day one nearly50 (nice little treat needed today!). xx

[nearly50]

28 is still relatively long for me, better than the 12 and 14s I was seeing anyway!

Still can't believe you've dealt with this for so long, ER. I can't imagine how relieved you must feel to be at the end (don't think it is tempting fate to say that anymore). When is your official menopause party day?

[Elizabethrose]

Haha, I've said it before nearly50 and I'll say it again, it's not over till the fat lady sings!! 

Well the last period started on the 7th September 2016 and the last day of any remnants was on the 12th. Flushes swept in again on the 15th.
So I suppose D day is the 7th September, then I can start strutting my funky stuff. 

In the famous words of the Fatback band.........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpqXnrPNa00

[Elizabethrose]

Sparkle, do you think the Vagifem is plumping up your urethra which gives you the feeling that you need to pee? I would say the whole area feels plumper, not swollen but fuller, I suppose more like when you're younger. What this has subsequently done has stopped any leakage and I'm not even using panty liners any more. I had a bit of pelvic heaviness in the loading weeks. x

[Elizabethrose]

You're anxious about it not a right moany old whatsit!

It's actually quite difficult to describe these feelings. Ok sorry for too much information BUT when you pee after orgasm it feels (well it is!) swollen because the area is engorged with blood. When you pee then, you almost have to 'push' the pee out. That was the first change in feeling I had there. Then the pee became directional again i.e. downwards instead of flailing around as it had been doing for the past few years. Boy I hope you're not eating your lunch!! 

Then I noticed that any leakage was reduced and then all leakage had stopped. It's gone through a series of changes (all since the beginning of Vagifem). I'm convinced it's just the Vagifem doing it's thing, re-oestrogenising the area which is exactly what we need it to do. I'm wondering whether that heavy feeling is that the tissues are plumping up and you are aware of your urethra because of this and it makes you think you need to pee more. Are you actually producing more urine or is it the same quantity spread out over more pees?

Haha, oh my, how my conversations have changed over the years!

I wonder whether as you're anxious about it that it's causing the side pain again or indeed if the side pain is unconnected to this but just a symptom of your bowels.

It may be that because you didn't do the everyday two week loading that it's slowed down the usual progression of changes? I have certainly found that my breasts are not reacting so much now, probably because the tissue is more plumped and therefore not absorbing so much. So things do change. I just need to sort out the weight gain, which probably doesn't amount to much but just sits on my trunk. (No I'm kidding myself, I'm sure if I weighed myself I bet I have put on a lot, well for me!) xx