Hello everyone,
first of, I'm really glad I found this forum as honestly speaking, I am bit lost and frustrated concerning menopause and all things coming with it.
As for me, I'm 45, and until about 6 months ago, I had a super puctual natural cycle (I never took the pill, or well, I tried it for a few months when I was 23 but my body didn't tolerate it very well). I also never had any other problems, 28-32 day cycle, normal to rather lighter bleeding, never any cramps, nothing.
I am slim and sporty, I don't smoke or drink, and I am altogether rather healthy. I don't even get colds when everyone around me is sniffling and coughing, I think the last time I had a cold was about 5 years ago.
So, that was that, until spring this year. So, suddenly my cycle went irregular. It was around 50 days nothing, then bleeding but with lots of mucous pieces in it. (do other women experience that too? My gyn said nothing to worry about (and my last checkup and ultrasound very totally fine) but it still irritates me seeing all these partly huge pieces...
Anyways, the next cycle was only 18 days...the one after normal with around 30, then again tow rather long ones over 45 days.
I know that's a normal sign of menopause but it came so sudden and with it (and that's my main problem) every month a new other symptom that comes and goes.
I don't even know where to start, one month it's tense breasts for 14 days, the next it's feeling constipated for no diet reason for two weeks, then it's suddenly gone again, then it's extreme mood swings with deep sadness or out of the blue anger. Then it's joint pains, then they are gone again. I also had slight nausea in every cycle for the first five days of the new cycle for no apparent reason. I was annoyed by all this but I could cope, also with the fact that my migraines ( I've been a heavy migrains sufferer since my late teens and it runs in the family... I mean severe migrain with attacks triggered by too much light on my eyes, which can cause stroke-like symptoms like half the head or tongue being paralysed apart from extreme head aches) tend to come more often again compared to the past 20 years where I had it in check quite well and was down to maybe one rather light attack in 2 months, - now it's every month for 5-6 days and more severe again.
But last month yet another symptom appeared and again out of the blue. Of course I read about vaginal dryness but is it normal this happens so suddenly, like from one day to the other when I never had any issues in that direction? Since November I have a steady feeling of uncomfort, and it's not itching, it's more like a steady soft burning and it's rather on the outside than on the inside. (nothing so actually see outside nowhere, no redness, no obvious dry skin, nothing) And, it's not just located in the front, that strange outside burning sensation goes from the front to the whole back if you know what I mean? Everything back and front feels like burning and dry and uncomfortable. Is that normal? Is it normal that it is not just the vaginal area but the rest too? (and also in the back, it's just the outside skin, no problems passing stool, no bleeding, no piles or anything, everything looks normal too).
And also this is not consistent, it's there for two weeks in a row really bothering me all day through, or in the gym especially. Then it's completey gone again for a week or even two, then it returns from one day to the other. Does anyone have any tips for me concerning this?
I have tried vaginal gels for moisture and they sooth it a little, also washing with only lukewarm water or just a special wahing gel for menopausal issues. It won't go away.
I guess I don't have to add that my libido has been down the drain too for the past months and now as everything down there feels so uncomfortable and sore I can't even think of anything like a touch, let alone more.
I have another appointment with my gyn in January but would be grateful for some tips or just hearing that this all falls under 'normal' for menopausal symptoms.
Well so, that's me and what to know about me, I'd be glad to hear of others and their experiences - meanwhile, have a great evening wherever you are =)