I am new to the awareness my hormones have played a part in me feeling less than 100% for the past year - I am not using HRT right now.
Things I did before and need to do more of now, lifestyle related:
Eat regularly - I can't afford to skip meals, eat on the run, every few hours I eat something for blood sugar levels.
Hair - I wash it less often and massage my scalp more, seems to help with the changing texture and quality, dry then greasy and sore scalp. I have a great hairdresser that makes me feel 'normal' about the changes, because I miss my hair having bounce and behaving (boo hoo
)
Skin - disaster! Redness caused by heat, blotchy and losing tone, really lost a lot of 'fat' or it's shifted! It wouldn't take on moisture for ages, so I started using less products and added a mineral water spray before moisturiser and to cool my face down when it was 'angry'.
Mindful Breathing - added two sessions into my routine, morning and evening, 10 minutes each time, calming, focussing and letting all the 'worry' go.
Strength - pacing, stopped overdoing things, noticed my energy levels couldn't cope with gardening non stop for hours and pushing myself, so I have changed, I now do everything I ever did but not all at the same time
Specific things that are still challenging but less so:
Sleep: I started not feeling tired at bedtime, I would have to literally wait until I was exhausted to go to sleep, the sleep was unrefreshing. My anxiety was always worse late at night, worrying and then worrying about how my sleep had changed, I was waking with adrenalin surging in the mornings, feeling completely fearful.
Strategies that have helped:
1. I accept that my sleep isn't how I would like it.
2. I let the anxiety happen, detach and try to ignore it.
3. I have various apps on my phone, with music or guided sleep relaxations
4. I no longer expect good sleep and when I get it, it's fantastic.
5. Recently I began night 'sweats', I saw my homeopath, took a remedy and the heat doesn't wake me anymore, it's still there, but low level, the same with the heat in my face.
Anxiety:This is the biggie for me, mostly related to my symptoms that I didn't know where menopause. Why is my skin red? Why do I feel nauseas? Why are my feet freezing? Why have I got a burning sensation on my face in a particular area? Why is my t-zone greasy? Why have I come over with flu like symptoms that have now gone? Why is my nose stuffy and I am sneezing? Why is my face looking different, more lines all of a sudden? Why am I feeling shaky? Why can't I motivate myself? Where has my determination gone?
I was having rising panic, towards the end (before being told menopause) I was having panic attacks, I was trying to overcome something without success. Now, the symptoms are almost gone and I can't tell you whether that is my acceptance of 'change' or because my hormones are balancing or because I increased the following support:
1) Vitamins that I increased: B12, B6, B5, Vitamin E, Magnesium, Vit C with zinc. Probiotics, Vitamin D. Hemp Oil for Omega's
2) Added more protein to my diet (I am a vegetarian), more pulses, wholegrains, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and Hemp Protein. Protein has a calming effect on me.
3) Homeopathy - I have used homeopathy for many years, I have successfully used it to curb anxiety, to get me in a place to more easily accept the natural changes that are happening. I use a qualified homeopath and do not guess myself what remedies to take.
4) I began regular accupuncture last year - I have always been able to 'balance' my body myself and I felt totally unable to do it - after each session ALL my symptoms went away. If I entered the room with a burning face, it was gone, if I entered in a fear state, it was gone, if I entered with pain in my hip, it was gone. Yes, the symptoms returned but not for a good while and only just before my next session (every 4 weeks). No doubt in my mind that the treatment support ME to ride the waves of change and adjust.
5) Excercise hasn't really helped me so far, I usually feel totally exhausted afterwards and I think that has something to do with feeling totally exhausted BEFORE menopause symptoms.
6) Personal focus - I added things into my life that gave me immediate confidence, if I didn't feel 'myself' and didn't fancy doing things I used to do, or felt too tired, I realised that rather than get down about it and give myself a hard time I embarked on several small projects/goals that I could do easily and use as a booster.
Symptoms that have come and gone fleetingly since periods have vanished (for a while or for ever??? I don't know yet) - burning and sense I wanted to go to the toilet. Not sure if bladder or vagina and it was happening at the end of my periods for the last year or so (?) - I increased pelvic floor excercises and now do these a few times a day wherever and whenever, I made sure not to go to the toilet if I had just been etc Increased water intake - symptoms have gone. I have vitamin E oil capsules that I will use if I need to, there is no dryness, so I won't be doing that just yet.
- terrible hip and lower back pain, linked to last period where I also had nausea and cramping. I had a massage and increased my gentle yoga type excercises - I am now aware of the need to move my joints, stretch my muscles and strengthen ligaments more.
All in all the biggest thing I have done is work with the changes, accept them and notice if they are getting worse, sticking around and causing a big problem and if they did I have acted on finding longer term help. So far, things have come and gone for me except for the sleep and anxiety which have been eased a lot by the things I have done.
I am intending to take some herbs for adrenal support - by that I mean a 'tonic', something to support me 'nutritionally' which is what I see herbs as. I will use a qualified practitioner to choose them. I am also going to ask them for herbs to increase moisture in the body as this seems to be the major thing for me with losing hormones, everything is much drier and long term I want to find something to support that (ligaments, skin, hair etc )
I seriously would love to not have this change, it's complicated and effects so many aspects of our bodies and minds, but I am riding the waves and hope to feel a 'new' if not changed me sooner rather than later. Complementary therapies and lifestyle changes are the cornerstone for me at this point.