Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Padine on May 18, 2021, 01:37:42 PM
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Is there enough interest to start a new topic thread (or board if that's feasible ?) titled "Postmenopause"? Many of the conversations on the MM board cover topics which I'm now too old for, and I want to compare feelings and thoughts about topics that aren't covered, as most members are too young and not interested.
I have spent a lot of time this month searching for topics being covered or mentioned and it's been a waste of time because the search has come up with nothing. I've been looking in particular for
- how long have you been on HRT for
do you still have the odd hot flush? do these last just a few seconds or varying times?
[/list]what are the best supplements for postmenopausal ladies?
I was thinking mainly about my last point during the last few days. I've been taking the same A Vogel supplement for about 10 years now and feel on an even keel so don't really want to stop it, is there something else others take? What do you think?
Padine x
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Yes, I'd be up for that. After all, it's the next stage and could be useful for others to be prepared for? For me, there can be some quite embarrassing or difficult aspects of postmenopause that have gone unresolved and this age-band we're in might have been quite affected by some of the misinformed theories of twenty years ago. I'm looking forward to hearing others' challenges in postmenopause. It needn't be a time to accept our lot or feel unimportant.
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I'm late 60s
Initially: 10 years ago: I had flushes after my evening bath - like a glow across the back of my neck down to the shoulders
Skin itching continues - deep in the ears, eyes, nostrils as well as continuing with VA treatment
Both DH and I use 'Nivea' cream on our legs and feet every night B4 bed. Due to dry skin.
I have never taken supplements as we have a good diet. What I ought to do is exercise more :-X
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Late 60s, too. You seem able to tolerate a lot of perfumed items, CLKD? You're very lucky. I also admire your regime of frequent Ibuprofen (?) when things get sensitive or urgent from the urethra. I take magnesium for sleep (not sure if it does anything), Curcumin for arthriticy/carpal tunnel issues (it definitely helps a lot!) and Sea Buckthorn for sensitive vulval area and it seems to help, too. I've injected myself with B12 for years to help metabolise energy.
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We have always eaten freshly good foods, goes back years. We had to exercise - 1 car in the family, so we either walked or cycled.
In more recent years I've done less exercise ....... yep, due to regular VA treatment, I can use bubble bath etc..
I have always taken pain relief immediately - as I don't want to feel sick by waiting. It has worked thus far.
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Hi - I'm in ;)
Age 62 and still searching for the right regime.
Wx
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Hi All
Yes, good idea!
Count me in too. Would be interested to share post-meno experiences and how to cope.
I'm c.15 years post-meno, 59, still get night sweats, came off all HRT c.2 years ago.
I take: Multi-vits (no iron), Vit C, Vit D, Magnesium, Fish Oil, B2 Riboflavin (for migraine), Rhodiola (adaptogenic herb) - have experimented with loads of other herbs etc etc.
Obviously we're all different and what works for one won't work for another - still would be good to share.
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Yes, I would be interested in this, having just gone through the menopause at the beginning of the year. I thought that was it as was so well ....... it’s not though is it? Everything has gone wrong all at once and it is so scary, you don’t know which symptom is more important.
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I'm uo for that. Just turned YIKES....70!
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It would be really useful to know the difficulties experienced in this group to see what we might have in common and how we can support each other? I'm on my own so there is no "other" as a reference point.
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Hello ladies.
Count me in!
I am 64 and my last period was in 2010 so definitely post menopausal.
After three years of trying to tough it out I asked for HRT in 2013. I tried various regimes but none ticked all the boxes so in 2019 I came off all HRT. Unfortunately my emotional symptoms ramped up a notch so in December last year I became a patient of Newson Health and I'm now using Oestrogel, Utrogestan and Androfeme. I think you will agree this makes my meno journey 'varied' lol.
Apart from the above I take an anti depressant which I was prescribed originally alongside the HRT and I haven't been brave enough to try and come off it. I also take Levothyroxine for hypothyroidism because my Thyroid decided to go wonky at the end of 2019, plus a low dose anti inflammatory for Ulcerative Colitis which thankfully has been in remission for eight years. The only supplements I take are vitamins D to support my immune system and B12 because I don't eat any animal products.
I feel that I have survived the physical problems of low Oestrogen but the emotional /psychological ones continue to bother me and I am trying to find ways of managing them. I don't recall being this moody as.a teenager but even if I was at least I had the energy to deal with it!
Take care ladies.
K.
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I'm uo for that. Just turned YIKES....70!
;D You'll be used to it by the time you get to my age! (71)
Yes, good idea for a new topic Padine.
JP x
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Great idea Padine, l’m in. 63, 7 years post meno which was non-problematic apart from getting a bit warm, not hot flushes exactly, and the tingling legs and inner vibration which l still get. However, for the last few years, anxiety (particularly health) has been dreadful and something l would dearly love to overcome. I know from this Forum that this is very common in all stages of the meno journey.
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Hi Padine,
Which Avogel supplement do you take out of interest?
Two and a half years post Meno here, just turned 50.
On and off HRT, history of breast cancer and experiencing some grim symptoms, namely anxiety whilst driving a car!
Seriously want to return as a man on in my next life! 😀
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Thank you :thankyou: :foryou: for agreeing we could do with our own space! Postmeno3, that's a very good point about giving others a "heads up"! I would have loved a female family member or close friend to share my worries with, coming from a family of boys I'm kind of on my own! My mother had a hysterectomy at 36 (but I wouldn't have asked her anyway as that would have gone straight to favourite daughter and they would have labelled me with some horrible names - don't need that)
I'm nearly 62 and had my last period at 59. I've been on 3 different HRTs, mainly to stop HF. The 3rd is Tibolone (with tiny amount of testosterone to try and kick start my libido. Sadly it hasn't worked)
Can I talk about loss of libido? This lockdown hasn't helped as Mr+Mrs P have been far too cooped up for healthy living! For me to feel loving, I want/need a partner who doesn't lose his temper so often and be more relaxed around the house. We have lists everywhere. Mr P is a good organiser but there is over organising and interfering with the way, and the speed, at which I do everyday things. Once we get more back to normal, God willing, we can be more independent and the loving feeling may come back :bed: Up until I was 50, I thought sex wouldn't happen at all! How wrong was I. I'm embarrassed talking about this to the young lady GP and no way would I ever mention it to a male GP!!
Kathleen, I realised when I was a teenager that I was feeling moody but now it comes as a complete surprise. No amount of trying to be in a good mood works,and somedays I wish my mouth would clamp shut and I could just wipe the day out.
I'm looking forward to sharing advice, suggestions and sometimes comfort too. Hope you are all keeping warm
:bighug: Padine x
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("Up until I was 50, I thought sex wouldn't happen at all" what I meant to add was most definitely after 60, there would be no hanky-panky! Sorry, senior moment :( )
Blitzen, I was on the Meno support one, with isoflavones and not sure what all else but it made me feel comfortable and no lady-odours. Return as a man? Yes and at least 12" taller too!
Can we think of our own motto as we are a senior age now? Night Owl, you get the prize for having youth on your side! :clapping:
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Does Dr. Newson not have material on postmenopause? I just watched a couple of long videos and am not aware of it being mentioned at all. I do notice in a leaflet of hers that there has been no research done on postmenopause so there is little evidence about how best to support it.
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Ooh yes that would be great. I’m 71 and on 50mcg patch oestrogen only (no womb thank goodness!). Was a latecomer to HRT at 64 and intend to stay on it for the rest of my life. Still get hot flushes at night but have just started oil of evening primrose in the hope that will help. Also take Omega7 sea buckthorn oil, vit B complex and vit D. Night Owl am very interested in Riboflavin which you mention you take for migraine. Has it helped? Have suffered since the age of eight and still get them although they have changed in frequency and severity.
My libido is still the same, unfortunately my husband’s has fallen off a cliff! Can’t bear to think I shall never have sex again but he’s a great husband in every other way so can’t complain!
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Had your libido fallen off before going on HRT, hotmama? Did you have problems getting it prescribed? Age/cancer etc "risks" thrown at you?
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Hotmama, my migraines came back with a vengeance when my periods just stopped.
I think the Riboflavin does help, took it years ago and then forgot about it - haven't had a hideous 3-dayer in bed since I've been taking it. Could be worth a try, though as always it is recommended to take for at least 3 months to notice benefit, it "seemed" to be sooner than that for me. Forgot to add earlier that I also take coQ10 for migraine, it is quite expensive though.
I'd eat chopped up toenails if it kept migraine at bay! I had to give up HRT as it worsened migraine, sensitive to the slightest fluctuation, gel and patch both seemed to give spikes. Hey ho, we're all different.
The Migraine Trust mentions Riboflavin and CoQ10:
https://www.migrainetrust.org/living-with-migraine/treatments/supplements-and-herbs/
My libido departed years ago - but it doesn't bother me. Fortunately hub is more or less the same.
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Brilliant idea. I hope the admin/moderators will consider this suggestion.
I'm 63 & but still need support & advice & friendship from my meno buddies.
I'm still on HRT, low dose Femosten & only 1/s tablet a day. Came off it for 3 months in January but the hot flushes, tearfulness all came crushing down on me again.
I now have Lichen Sclerosis thrown into the mix & beginning to feel my age. I've put on 1/2 stone in the last 6 months but it feels more like a stone :'(.
I feel fat, tired & sometimes lonely.
I have a very supportive (8 years younger) husband - who is understanding but it's probably not what he was expecting when we got together over 20 years ago.
Let's hope we can get something going here ladies.
Cazi xx
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Yes, good idea Padine. Happy to compare notes with other postmeno women. :)
1) Age 59, nearly 9 years postmenopause. Didn't start HRT until 3 years post, took it for 2 years, then had a long break. Back on it now 2 years, low dose. Migraine since 18, hypothyroid 27 years, chronic pain.
2) Yes, still have flushes, easily manageable by day but they wreck my nights, being still intense & slow to pass.
3) Supplements: Vit D after testing low, B12 after testing lowish & because hi-fibre, wheat-free, low gluten diet contains little meat. Recently started sea buckthorn for dryness. Probiotics on & off for slow transit (+ natural yoghurt). Took B-group @ RNI for years, ditto lactase (for gastritis), currently having a break from both. Though it felt like the missing piece of the puzzle before peri started, now struggle to tolerate magnesium as too diuretic & worsens my night sweats. Nuisance as it used to help with sleep, gut function, mood & stress. Recently started again, taking just 50mg - a kids' formula, but again seems to be worsening overheating at night so may have to stop.
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Are you all feeling it would be good to have a whole new section (with a bold blue header) just for postmenopause?????
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👍👏 yes postmeno3. I have to admit except for a few months of crying jags, I went through meno without issues. I had also quit smoking at the same time so not sure if my nastiness was due to meno or quitting or both. At 68, got my very 1st UTI with painful urethra. From that point, UTI after UTI. Finally confirmed I had GSM (Genit something or other) or VA is simplier terms. Then HELL broke lose. It has taken almost 2 years to get 80% better and still have discomfort sitting. That's about as simple as it gets. I was refused systemic HRT due to age and extreme hypertension but fortunately Vagifem and Estragyn have certainly been a god send.
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Postmeno, no, my libido hadn’t changed before I went on HRT and I feel a bit cheated that sex is no longer on the menu but have to come to terms with it. I didn’t bother going to my GP about my menopause related symptoms, I went straight to private gynaecologist because I felt I needed as much info as possible and also to spend time discussing it. My mother had breast cancer which is what caused me to delay going on HRT but my symptoms were so bad and after 12 years and with other health problems I felt my life wasn’t worth living. Once my GP received the letter from my private consultant she was happy to prescribe the patch on the NHS.
Thanks for the info on riboflavin and coQ10 Night Owl and I’m so sorry to read that the HRT made your migraines worse. They are horrible and I live in fear of them.
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Yes Padine, that is a good idea and I certainly would be interested, being very definitely postmenopausal (12 years in fact, since 53) and started HRT five years later (put up with some horrendous symptoms till I finally realized that menopause wasn't just going to go away). Until recently I've been really ignorant of most of what's involved in being menopausal and postmenopausal, and still am to a great degree, so a dedicated thread or section would be brilliant.
As for supplements, went down the road of trying all sorts of things, from Primrose oil, to Pine Bark and Grape Seed extract, to vitamin E, to Magnesium, to Adrenalcare amongst others, and now fish oil - for various bits of postmenopausal ailments. None of them made one iota of difference and in the end I got fed up of chucking things down my throat when there seemed no appreciable benefit to be had. Once I've finished the fish oil that will stop too.
And yes, I still get hot flushes - though much diminished since the sheets soaking wet waking up roasting twenty times a night days. These days they are usually caused by a (slight) change in body temperature, either via shower/bath, or having a hot drink, or external temperature changes and luckily only last twenty minutes or so, and aren't that bad that throwing off a few layers of clothes, throwing open the doors and windows and using a hand held fan don't help. I use an air conditioner when I come out of the shower though as if I don't I end up hot flushing for quite a long time, and using a hairdryer now makes that even worse.
Looking forward to seeing a sticky or even a separate section. Thanks for the interest.
LL
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Yes it's a really good idea, be happy to share notes with other post members.
I'm 61, and have been post menopausal for 4 yrs now. I've never had hrt, although looking back on the last 15 yrs, I should be on it. Through peri, I was really suffering with Anxiety, internal shakes, bowel and digestive issues, bladder problems , the list goes on. I had loads of tests, which all came back normal, so the DR decided I had anxiety, and gave me Propranolol. The words Peri Menopause were never mentioned, and before I found this site, I had never heard of Peri menopause! Moving forward to the present, I'm still on Propranolol, it does help the anxiety, but not the hot flushes, or the light headedness I get sometimes, I have zero intolerance towards my oh, and lack of libido, and the list goes on.
So yes it will be lovely to share our stories xx
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Yes think this would be a great idea
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Happy to join too and to share thoughts and experiences with other members. I'm late 60's and began hrt about 12 years ago and have continued on it since, apart from a couple of enforced breaks due to bleeding.
Happily tests and scans showed no underlying issues and l was able to return to hrt; Am now on Femoston conti and Ovestin ( as and when needed) but only got the Ovestin as V. A went undiagnosed and l kept being treated for cystitis. I had to request it myself eventually ( after reading up on here) and this is keeping me reasonably comfortable. I do still have to go through the process of stating that l want to stay on hrt each time l have a new prescription but l quote the NICE guidelines and insist for me the advantages outweigh the risks.
I don't understand how Drs can think that we are going to 'get over' meno because we have reached a certain age! For many women untreated symptoms are lifelong and the casual prescribing of antidepressants for what is a hormonal issue is wrong on so many levels.
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Hi there
I'm no lady but I'm most definitely post-menopause being late 60s!
I started HRT in late peri (aged 53)when hot flushes and night sweats became unbearable and incompatible with full-time working and have been taking it ever since apart from 3 months 10 years ago when I stopped.
They (patches) stopped all flushes and sweats pretty quickly as well as my hotty spotty face (?Menopausal acne?). The only time that the flushes returned was when I stopped and also when I restarted I took a lower dose which worked for a while but when the flushes returned i went back to the old dose. Also a couple of years back I changed to gel and the flushes/sweats began to return, so rather than try to tweak I went back to what I knew worked.
Six years ago I started testosterone (pea-sized blob) for low libido and that also helped muscle aches and pains though these have returned recently to some extent probably due to age related hormonal decline (?).
I also use Vagifem and estriol cream for VA (or GSM!).
I take supplements only minimally as it's best to get as much as you can from diet - unless this is difficult due eg to conditions which limit absorption. I knock back the odd spoonful of cod liver oil during winter months when vit D stores may be running low but get out into the sunshine (what sunshine?!) as much as I can all year round. In winter also pop the odd vit C pill now and again and sometimes have a glug of iron tonic because the HRT I take is cyclical so still get a bleed. (I don't really think I'm low on iron though.).
Plenty of exercise is also very important so I try to do lots of walking and fitness classes when they're running (currently online).
I do get migraines which are a right pain but I'm not sure what the cause is - often on the progesterone part of my cycle so that's probably it....
Other than that fingers crossed I am healthy - I get all the screenings that are offered.
Re a separate section. The only thing about having a sticky thread I do find eg I rarely read them even though someone might have just posted anew. Also the fact they are long running means that individual topics get lost in the thread so would involve reading it all through - but some may find that useful?
If you have a completely separate section - where would you post about different HRT regimes which are applicable to both? Or studies etc? Not sure really but I do understand the thoughts behind it!
Anyway I will go with the flow....
Hurdity x
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If you have a completely separate section - where would you post about different HRT regimes which are applicable to both? Or studies etc? Not sure really but I do understand the thoughts behind it!
Hurdity x
Hurdity, as you well know, very few HRT regimes are applicable to both peri and post, so can't see how that would be an issue.
Most post meno women find a sequi bleed unacceptable.
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Hi Hurdity, lovely to 'see' you again, l haven't posted on here for a while but was prompted to do so after watching Davina's television programme, and feeling a renewed wish to to champion the rights of older women who want to stay on hrt! We are the same age l remember and l'm interested to see that 6 years on you are still using testosterone, which is something l now really want to try... however l feel pretty sure my G. P will not agree so l don't hold out much hope and may have to go down the private route. Is your G. P quite happy to prescribe or have you had any opposition?
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I'll join, 64 and post menopausal 10 years. Have nothing significant to report peri menopause, had anxiety and palpatations for a while but due to little knowledge on the subject didn't relate this to menopause at the time. Started with severe atrophy 6 years ago, prolapse and Lichens sclerosus, all now under control thanks to therapy, local estrogens and Dermovate cream.
Noticed this year I've started waking up in the night somtimes with my chest and neck wet through, is this night sweats, if so strange im getting them now after all this time?
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I’ll join too , been on hrt for 14 years post hysterectomy. Always looking for anything new or interesting re hrt as know I’ll be on it for life. Still get palpitations at some point in day and if I am even a day late with patches get hot flushes so very sensitive to oestrogen. Interested in Lenzetto .
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Physical intimacy feels like quite a worthwhile aspect to explore for this group? Its loss, acceptance, challenges etc etc; so easily lost in amongst just searching practically for what helps. I'm really curious about how we all deal with something important like this; how, holistically, we attend to our needs to include the emotional and physical. This is where a separate section could also be useful as these postmenopausal dynamics feel quite different and trawling through a general section may not feel as specifically helpful or supportive?
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Hi everyone - a place to share post meno sounds great.
For me menopause @ 56 in 2013 - then sequential periods on elleste conti for a year or so. Abandoned hrt then, as I felt it made me worse - progesterone element was always tricky for me.
For two years did ok and saw a lovely herbalist but when I was hit by extreme depression/anxiety the herbs were not enough ... I tried a variety of patches then which were ok initially but then I seemed to get worse on each of them. Anxiety depression was my big thing - hideous.
In the end I began femoston conti after getting advice on here. This was the one hrt I could say helped my mood but the higher dose (still low dose,) made me tired and the lower very low dose caused diarrhoea and my digestion went haywire. I veered between the two and was coping with trying to support my Mum who was suffering with Parkinson's (she died in late 2016).
A health drama with my husband triggered a peak of anxiety that was difficult to manage. I had two (!) counselling sessions via my gp.
I always felt my mood was underpinned by my wobbling hormones which left me thin skinned and struggling to cope with crisis. I rejected antidepressants and tried to balance my hormones and my life ha ha!
Flushes - I had just a handful in this whole time.
They were big memorable ones!
Late last year I missed a few tabs which triggered post menopause bleed closely followed by scan and hysteroscopy and happily benign (8.2mm lining). I decided to see how I did without the hrt.
20 weeks on I'm doing ok. Energy is much better. I do feel I am thin skinned at times and struggle to cope with crises.
I used to use magnesium citrate to help with sleep and it worked well.
I have lately tried a calcium, mag, zinc powder but find it makes me low (slow ..) Anyway after a week of poor sleep I have used an antihistamine for 3 nights and would seem to be back into a sleep cycle.
I use Vit D a few days a week.
I take uva ursi tincture if I feel a uti coming on.
I use olive and bee and silk and vagifem 2/7 but need it a bit more frequently.
Mild uterine prolapse since 2013 - need to be more vigilant with kegels.
Currently overweight and need to lose over a stone.
Sorry its too long but like everyone it's a long story!! Well done if you made it to the end! Xx
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Just bumping this up. Padine, any more thoughts? It feels an important issue you were raising to initiate the thread.....900 views nearly!!!!!
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Dr Currie has no objections to this.
I see members would be interested in discussing sexual/intimate issues which are usually in the Private Lives board for members only.
A post-meno board couldn't be just for members as it would deprive guests from accessing information.
I expect some members will post haphazardly all over the forum as usual...
Can anyone see any potential pitfalls?
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I'm late peri so I have a foot in both camps. I wouldn't want to miss the post meno threads and I suspect other members wouldn't either. IMO the number of forums would be better pruned rather than expanded for the following reason. I normally use the 'unread posts' option but sometimes this seems to lose everything and sometimes I want to reread something I've seen earlier. I find trawling through all the forums a bit of a pain as it's so time consuming. But that's the only negative I can think of.
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I can't see any pitfalls as it would be an immediate go-to reference point for those in postmeno and a fact-finding resource for those approaching? I, too, find trawling old posts in a search quite demanding and maybe this new section could eliminate that? I don't think it should be an exclusive section, necessarily, but open to all?
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Just bumping this up. So easy to lose momentum with the rate of topics and concerns coming in.
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Hello,
I think I am also postmeno as I haven't had a bleed since January 2020 and will be 51 in October this year. I am not on HRT.
The psychological/emotional issues that we get are horrendous. I'm bothered by these most but I really do hope that they will tail off and eventually go away. I am not clinically depressed or have an anxiety disorder. I've had a full thyroid function test and everything is fine. I would have thought that these are only problematic in peri but they seem to linger well past the menopause. The annoying thing is not knowing how long this is going to go on for. Sometimes I wonder if it's because my oestrogen level is still dropping. At this stage in the menopause there
cannot be much fluctuation unlike in peri. I did a blood test back in February this year and my oestrogen level was 586 pmol . I believe it should be in the region of 100 pmol in postmeno. Do any of you, postmeno ladies who are not on HRT, have higher levels than this?
Thanks
Karine
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Sorry, I've just realised that my post was slightly irrelevant as you are all talking about a section for postmeno ladies. But I am particularly interested in your postmeno experience with psychological symptoms and oestrogen levels for those of you who are not on HRT.
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Bump......nearly 2000 views!
💚
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I would love to have a seperate thread/board for postmenopause.
I have just spent ages looking at threads that may be relavent to me but aren't beacause the ladies commenting were mostly peri...
It also took me ages to find this thread!
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Dr. Currie is agreeable to it. Whilst it's useful to have an overview of all the stages, I think postmeno can get sidelined generally and there are some issues which are unique and others different and important?
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I would like a separate board for the post-menopausal specifically, as it would seem do others. I see Dr Currie has no objections. Would it be possible for this to be set up?
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Hi Haydo et al,
I think it would be great if those interested approached Emma. This thread went dormant for a while and some of the momentum was lost. Way back, I approached Emma and she said Dr. Currie had no objections or was in favour or words to that effect. So, I think it's just going to be a case of reminders and then it getting set up? I'll start a new thread and maybe folk could contact Emma from that point. 🤞
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BOUNCE
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Great idea! I am six years into my post menopause and on bioidentical HRT (excluding testosterone). I now have abnormally high testosterone levels (don't know why, neither does my endocrinologist) and there seems to be very little out there on why testosterone levels can become volatile after menopause and what to do about it.
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We're running a poll so members can vote to decide if the forum should have a new Postmenopause board.
Vote here
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,59854.0.html
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I’m in❤️❤️
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Copied & posted from the other ongoing topic:
I've voted a yay from me - just a thought though ::)...... you must be a member to vote. Which I do understand of course but there could be a lot more yes votes if it was an open ballot :-\ :-\
I really hope this goes forward. It could really promote the Menopause Matters team as the number one website for ALL menopause woman who need advice, help & support.
Keep supporting girls - Love Cazikins xx :cat48: :cat48: :cat48: