Menopause.. Grrr

[wendy]

I stopped altogether when I was 58.
Wendy

[p.penn]

Ha ha ha!!! Don't believe everything you are told Sunny B!!

Wendy, that makes me feel much better....thought I was alone trudging through my 50s with no end in sight!

[Sunny B]

Thanks, Wendy, that seems more the age I had expected.

[Mrs Fuzzywig]

I was 45 when the change came apon me. Hot flushes and flooding were the worst symptoms but I starting taking a brilliant herbal prep called Agnus Castus, it was fantastic, no more flooding and hardly any flushes. Within 6 months the flushes had gone and I stopped taking the tablets after 18 months. I used to have a period twice a year after that but it's all stopped now, I'm 53 and consider myself to have got off lightly.

[New to all this]

I haven't gone through it yet (I'm 32) but my mum is currently. She is in her mid 50's and she has been horrendous!

She has had the hot flushes and aches and pains but she hads also been apsolutely awful to be arround. So much so that I stopped talking to her for nearly 12 months. Everything that came out of her mouth was nasty. I really don't know how my dad put up with her.
She wont take HRT as there is a history of osteoporosis in our family and apparently it can make it worse.

On the other hand I work with a lot of older women and they haven't been like this - one didn't even know she had been though the menopause!!!!!!

[Mrs Fuzzywig]

The poor woman, she must be going through hell, she must also be feeling very alone and helpless. When your hormones are messed up it does strange things to you and just can't understand what's going on or rationalise, she may say hurtful things to you but she probably doesn't realise what she's doing and it certainly doesn't mean she doesn't love you. It's so hard to explain what the menopause does to your mind, only those of us who have been through it can truly understand. It would really help your mum if she could talk about how she feels with other women going through the same thing. How long ago did it all start and did she used to suffer with PMT? Please read my previous post and consider getting your mum some Agnus Castus from a health food shop, if I remember rightly I took one tablet twice a day, it takes about 3 months to make a difference but it did work for me and I don't usually take herbal stuff, it's got to be worth a try. Please don't stop talking to her, she needs your love more than ever and the menopause won't go on for the rest of her life, in a few years you will have your old mum back again.

Sending you and your mum hugs and good vibes
Carol-Ann

[wendy]

NO NO
HRT can prevent osteoporosis. That is a major reason for women to take it.
She needs to speak to someone. Get her to have a look at http://www2.netdoctor.co.uk/support_groups/006024.htm

Hopefully they can help.
Wendy

[New to all this]

thanks for that guys - we are talking (just about) now ! I will pass on all the info - she has been like this for about 2 years now but does seem to be turning the corner. I think she is just one of those people that likes to battle through on her own! Me - you've got no chance - I let everyone know what is wrong with me

Think my dad will be named a saint though!!!

[Meanqueen]

You're going to hate me for this, but I never noticed it at all! Don't know when it happened, monthlies went to three monthlies, then six monthlies, then nothing. No awful symptoms like I have been reading about on here, nothing, nowt, zilch, sorry.

Ilona

[wendy]

Rare I think, but very lucky.
Wendy

[hippychick]

Hi ladies I have the odd night sweat & get a bit ratty sometimes but the worst thing for me is my memmory!! I forget my own name sometimes! I can be talking ,then it goes completly blank DURRRGH!.Any body else get the "Seniore" momments Im 56 and not had a show for 2 years (yippee) Corinne

[kate egg]

I can certainly agree there, I sometimes think my brain has been removed and replaced with play-doh

[Mrs Fuzzywig]

Hi Corinne, yes, the old memory goes on holiday for me too, at least you know how old you are, I know I'm fifty something but sometimes I can't remember if it's 53 or 54 and to be honest I don't really care, it's just a number. The biggest problem I have is with nouns, for example, I can describe a pair of slippers but can't remember the name "slippers" so I usually say "could you just pass me my thingies please". This used to worry me somewhat as I was only 45 at the time I first noticed it but then one day I randomly turned on the TV and the Oprah Winfrey (sp) show was on and they were talking about the menopause. The expert was saying how nouns are a big problem with some ladies during the menopause and it was quite normal and not to worry. How relieved I was to hear that and how amazing that it should come up just as I was thinking that I was losing my marbles. It's so nice to come out the other side of the menopause isn't it?

[TEZ PAZ]

Oh Hippychick i can identify with you. I forgot where i lived!!!! I could take you there but forgot the address. I was so scared I thought i was loosing my marbles. Ive forgotten several times what house number i live in and on occaisions i have to go outside to the front door to check.

[kate egg]

OMG I had better not let hubby read this - he already thinks I have lost the plot I sometimes forget my exact age but never forgotten house number etc (yet)