I posted this on another part of the Forum initially, so apologies if you've read it before.
I turned 50 last September. I have two children (11 and 17). My periods starting going haywire in August 2009, gradually getting lighter and further apart. I haven't had a proper period now for a year, if not longer. Since Christmas I've had terrible night sweats and many hot flushes during the day. The night sweats came as quite a shock and made me feel quite ill at first. I've now got used to them, but still hate them! A friend recommended soya isoflavone supplements and I try to remember to take one a day. I think it is helping. I don't want to go down the HRT route, partly because I reacted so badly to The Pill (and tried many different sorts) and partly because my aunt died of breast cancer and was convinced HRT was the cause. I love running and try to go twice a week. I think exercise helps my symptoms, but I get this debilitating lack of motivation and lethargy, which isn't conducive to getting off my backside and doing something! I get more tired than usual and this may be because my sleep is interrupted most nights. I want to get through the menopause as naturally as possible, but it is hard. I suddenly feel old. I've always looked younger than my years, but I think I suddenly look my age!! I'm rapidly going grey, for a start!! Oh, and I suffer with terrible spots! Worse than when I was a teenager. I'm quite vain, so I struggle with this. I hate going to the doctors for anything and haven't been to see my GP for the best part of 12 months (and that was for something very minor). I missed my smear test last year, too. I booked an appointment to see my favourite doctor for tomorrow about my menopausal symptoms, then panicked and cancelled it this morning!! I wish local hospitals or clinics did a drop-in clinic for menopausal women... something casual, relaxed and where we could share our experiences. I've had a bad day today and spent most of it sitting on my backside in the living room, watching TV and playing about on my laptop!! I feel disgusted with myself. I've always been such a get-up-and-go type person!
