Well it is a relief to have found you all as this menopause malarkey can make you feel so isolated. It is also a shock to the system when you are not prepared for what actually happens! I had no idea of some of the huge changes that awaited me at this stage of life so to be able to come on here and share this 'journey' will mean an awful lot.
Ten months ago, after being irregular for around two years, my periods stopped completely. There were a few symptoms at that time but here is where it stands at present:
Hot flushes, night sweats and cold flashes accompanied by anxiety, feeling ill at ease
Occasional palpitations
Irritability
Mood swings, sudden tears
Trouble sleeping through the night
Loss of libido
Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
Difficulty concentrating
Aching, sore joints and muscles
Headaches
Gastrointestinal discomfort
Bloating
Hair thinning
I really don't want to go down the hrt route and feel what I need the most is the emotional support that hopefully this forum can provide and maybe along the way I can help others too.
There are some things that I'm struggling with more than others. I have often suffered with health anxiety and now I am finding it difficult not to dwell on getting older and what the future holds. It hasn't helped that the end of my periods coincided with my fiftieth birthday which I was dreading anyway. Lack of sleep is definitely contributing to my frame of mind and loss of mojo so I'm planning on taking Kalms to see if they will help. One of the things I had no idea was going to happen was the loss of a normal sex life. That has been a big blow. I feel like a huge part of me has vanished overnight and it's hard to come to terms with
I could go on a lot more lol but will leave it there for my first post. Just knowing there are others here who are feeling the same way helps already