Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: edelweiss on April 30, 2017, 02:10:35 PM
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Hello ladies, me again! I'm curious, if you had to give marks out of 10, how good/bad do you feel most days? (Where 1 is the worst). xxx
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7-ish - 4 in the early hours due to back-ground anxiety then I improve once I've eaten breakfast. By evening I'm a 9.
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Oh that's good CLKD. Glad you get to a 9 by evening. I hope over time you'll feel 9 or better all day, every day! xxx
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Tnx. That would be lovely. I try not to look too far ahead. By evening I have done all my commitments so really do feel better.
Yourself?
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Me? I'm 1 all day, every day. Maybe a 2 if I'm really distracted by something. xxx
I should say I'm not a natural born depressive/moaner - before this started 4 months ago, I was so happy, healthy, outgoing and grateful. It's like night and day.
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If at work 4 in morning rising throughout day to 8 (if the spaced feeling sods off). If not at work 3 rising to maybe 7 if I don't get motivated!!!!! Depends on how ive slept though xx
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quite anxious on work days and very anxious if I have a function to go to otherwise I'm a 8/9
Early meno I was 2/3
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1 - 2 over the last week, definitely a 1 over the last few days since I had the ACTH test. It's absolutely floored me! I tried being cheery at the beginning of this week in order to force myself into feeling better and more optimistic, but sadly I've failed! :'(
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I can change over the course of a day, even within an hour. At worst now I get about a 4 and at best probably an 8 or a 9
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Hmmmm thanks everyone. I am sorry you are a 1 too Tempest. Have you ever felt better?
Glad everyone else is much higher score. I hope I can get there one day. I don't relish years of this... mind you I had so much fun and laughter and love the first half of my life, I could say I've already had my fair share. But I would love to have a nice sleep and enjoy a cuppa and some food again one day. That wouldn't be asking too much would it?! xxx
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Of course not! When I was housebound in the 1990s for 4 months I thought I would never leave the house, ever. I couldn't walk my dog. Couldn't eat. Drink. Sit in the bath. Concentrate on TV ...... my GP gave me various medications until we hit on an AD which helped. Slowly I began to improve.
I learned not to take on too much at once. To say 'no' more often. When asked to help anyone I tell them that I need to look at the His/Hers Calendar and that they need a back-up plan too. I have been asked less and less .......... so feel more in control of what I do.
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I would certainly hope not, Edelweiss! I know what you mean about food too - I purely see it as 'fuel' right now as recently I've been struggling so much keeping blood sugar stable, although I'm not diabetic. Things improved for a few weeks, but this last week it's all over the place again.
I'm also awaiting an insulin resistance test via my endocrinologist. I see Professor McIntyre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital here in Scotland.
I too have had and continue to have a great deal of love in my life - thank goodness I have a fantastic husband but surely we deserve to have good times in the years to come too? I pray for this for every one of the ladies struggling here on MM.
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Thank you CLKD and Tempest for the encouragement and kind words.
How do you sleep - well or not? I feel absolutely wide awake all the time - haven't felt sleepy for months.
I have to take pills to get any sleep at all, but they only put me out for about 3 hours. So I take it at 2am, and sleep until 5am. I used to be able to sleep for Britain. Could nap anytime, anywhere, and get a good 8, 9, 10 hours of delicious restful sleep.
There's obviously something very wrong, but no-one has been able to help.
One of the specialists said try Horlicks. I had to laugh out loud. xxx
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Actually..........Horlicks kinda works! It's loaded with B vitamins, D and hot milk and malt extract are very calming. I did improve a bit when I used it! But......I found it very filling. It's like a meal in a mug to me. ::)
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Tempest no way... I can't sleep at all. Not the slightest bit of sleepiness even if I was awake for 24 hours. I tried it a couple of times and nothing. Not even drowsy. xxx
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Wow......it sounds like you're running adrenaline 24/7! So......that leads me to adrenal issues. One of the symptoms of Addison's or primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency is feeling 'wired but tired'. Do this even come close for you? Weight loss? Any episodes of low blood sugar and unable to keep sugars elevated? Low blood pressure? Orthostatic hypotension? If you can tick yes to most of these, then it may be worth investigating (just a thought - as these are my symptoms that led to the testing - the weight is dropping but like you, my shape has changed. Somewhat drastically)!
I may be wrong. It may all be 'just meno' but my old Consultant Gynaecologist who I have been seeing for 10 plus years was so shocked when I saw him very recently that he made a tertiary referral to the Prof. Of Endo. right away and I have been seen very quickly.
Just something to think about, if all else fails! I don't want to sound like I'm becoming obsessed with adrenals (even though I've been banging on a lot about them lately)!
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Hello again,
Tired but wired? Yes. I'm mentally exhausted, but sleepiness eludes me.
Orthostatic hypotension - definitely!!!
Low blood sugar - how would I know?
Losing weight - yes, but shape changing and I just HATE it. More than hate it. I used to like my feminine shape and curves. Now my thighs are skinnier and my middle is getting fatter. And flabbier everywhere. I'm really not sure I can cope with it actually. I always had a small waist and I can't get used to the idea of it going. It's too scary. And I have a wardrobe full of gorgeous clothes I won't be able to wear. I am not interested in any of the things I think I'll have to wear. Sooooo so depressing.
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edelweiss - as oestrogen levels drop muscles may become lax = aches and pains as well as dryness all over: inside and out. For me that laxity caused a drop in the belly apron - so when I look down I can see floppy belly; in the morning it is flat as previously but as the day progresses >:(. I haven't added any weight but have altered shape. When my blood sugar drops I feel sudden sick, light headed, faint ........ which is why NAPS advised me in the 1990s to eat every 3 hours ::).
Horlicks - :beaurk: ;D. I think maybe you should be referred to a sleep clinic so that you get a true picture of your bed-time habits.
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CLKD - yes I know about the floppy muscles and dry skin. It's horrific. I don't understand how anyone can deal with it. I never thought I'd have to - thought I'd be on HRT for life and much more in control of my body and fitness. It's like an alien has taken over!! I'm scared...
Thanks for the tips re blood sugar and sleep clinic. That's a good idea. xxx
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Just a thought as I didn't ask - have you tried Testosterone? It can help with all of these issues. That's my next port of call, even if I have to go privately as I was VERY surprised how hard it is to get even from my Consultant! :o
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Hi Tempest, yes I've tried T. Only good when E was working for me. xx
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Gosh edelweis I thought I had an over active adrenaline switch! At least I get some sleep though after 3 this morning it was just on and off punctuated with anxious. I spend all day feeling spaced out or anxious or weepy. No guessing which. I've just put a picture of me and my mum and sister on social media as we had a photoshoot. It's great (no wrinkles) but I looked and thought wow. Behind that smile is a whole different person. So today im at a 3 🙁
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edelweiss - I'm a glass half-full person so 8-9 most days sometimes 10. When I get a migraine - then those three to four days - I'm a 4-5, but times of 2-3.
Low blood sugar - you would know if you get episodes of these - the feeling is unmistakeable. You go from a little bit hungry to sweaty, shaky, irritable and desperate for sugar within a short space of time and especially if exercising. The feeling is only relieved by sugar and then carbs. Your blood sugar reading would probably be on the lowest end of normal if this occurred. It can be brought on by having too much sugar and carb rich food in your diet leading to insulin resistance - but as Tempest says this is also associated with certain conditions. I get it in the mornings if I don't have enough breakfast. Some people are prone to it.
Sorry to hear you are not feeling good so hope you manage to find a solution or treatment or lifestyle that improves things. Sorry I don't know where in menopause you are or what HRT if any you use/have used?
Hurdity x
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Hi Hurdity, thank you. Ah yes, I recognise that feeling from when I have exercised without enough to eat. I remember it well. Haven't had it since I've felt ill over last 4 months.
I started estrogel 4 years ago when I was in peri, late 40s. Worked incredibly well. I was a glass half-full, 9 out of 10 person then too!
Then it stopped working.
Well-known popular gynae said tachyphylaxis. It's because I've developed resistance to exogenous estrogen. I've read the papers on Studd's site. But was told tachyphylaxis didn't need to be supraphysiological levels. Dictionary definition of tachy being 'repeated exposure to a drug leading rapidly to weakened pharmacological response'.
Thyroid, fine.
Tested for adrenal tumour, fine.
MRI, fine.
Tested Prolactin, fine.
Tried upping and downing E. No improvement.
Since estrogel stopped working I've tried lots of preparations. Estrodot, Prempak, Sandrena, with Testim, Utro, Provera, ADs, CBT, Acupuncture, exercise and diet, herbs.
Nothing has helped. Feel incredibly ill.
Are there no long timers who've come through similar and now feel better? x
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When I cast my mind back to 2012 I'm much better now but I can't always shake off this social anxiety, but saying that there's improvement and I am thinking a lot of it is to do with who I am around, I'm generally less anxious around nice people so I assume now it's a lack of self confidence around very strong characters
I'm a forever optimist but a realistic too
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Grrrrr! Me too, Rockhopper! >:(
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Oh Rockhopper, I can totally relate... I feel completely and utterly robbed too.
I'm really sorry you feel so bad. I wish I could help. If wishing would make people feel better we'd all be feeling fabulous.
But you are taking HRT and that is making you feel better? So were you a 0 out of 10 before?
You still SOUND like a strong, sassy female to me, even if you don't feel it.
Your comment about celebrities - yes! But they are all *up to here* with added estrogen, right? I saw one of them (American actress now based UK) in a cafe near me the other day. She did look amazing and beautiful. I was having a massive meno anxiety attack panic dizzy spell freak out at the time (cos even tho taking HRT, mine's not working now).
You made me smile about the trolling - and believe me that's no mean feat at the moment. Thank you.
I hope you feel like the real you again very soon xxx
xxx