barnbum

For those who went on the pill to regulate...how did you know when to go off?

Ninnie

I have to tell you, it will get easier, it just takes time. It has been about 4 years now for me, and I still have a flash about 8 times a day. And I am still hot all the time, but it has gotten better. The not sleeping is what has gotten to me, going to sleep, only to wake up an hour later , and be up from then on. And DH swears that it snows in our bedroom, summer and winter. He has been great though. I still cry for no reason sometimes, but that is also getting better, and I am able to go out shopping without wanting to kill the check-our girl :lol: :lol: All I can say is, "This too shall pass". I have gone through with out taking anything. I had an Aunt and 2 friends who took the hormones, and they all had breast cancer, so i was terrified of taking anything, and now that it is about over, so glad I didn't.

Knot Sew

several ladies that work with my daughter at county clerk...are doing acupuncture and they say its great for all the symptoms...not as expensive as medical Dr either

Olivia's Grammy

I've "pausing" for about 25 years. I think I'm finally over the hot flashes. At least for this week. I've been cold lately. DH wants to know what's wrong with me. So do I :?: :?: :?:

lfw045

I'm done finally. I found that taking B complex stress formula by Sundown vitamins and chewing a lot of ice helped me. I kept ice water with me at all times during that time and it helped a lot. Ran a fan at night even in the winter. I couldn't take the HRT so had to do what I could.

MadQuilter

Poor Pat can relate to that I'm sure. The first time he begged me to close the windows and I yelled at him to put a shirt on (only to realize that he was already in flannel) I realized how out of whack life really was. lol

harrishwhippets

WOOOOW!! Boy do I know about this stuff. My grand mother died at the age of 45, with problems do to a nervous breakdown. My mother had a nervous breakdown 2 months after her hysterectomy, all I remember is her telling us she was going crazy with hot flash's constantly, and no sleep, one day she never got out of bed, never ate, showered, or anything, the doc said she was clinicaly depressed. They did shock therapy and she died a year later of heart problems and never got over her depression. To make this short they never were on hormones. I had been on them for 8 yrs. Twice I have been taken off and twice went to practictioners who do the wholistic stuff, nothing worked, and I became depressed this year. I'm talking hot flashes to the tune of 50 at least a day or 1 every 10 minutes, bloody soaking wet flashes, not the warm fuzzy nice feeling, I was naked for about two months, no sleep for 3 weeks and deeply depressed, also crazy. So finally my doctor realized I'm one of those women who suffer terribly, it was heridetary. They tried sleeping pills, but I was afraid it would be habit forming. I am a woman who never gets sick, except this year, very active and don't take even an asprin. But when I'm off hormones, I turn into a she devil. It's totally debilitating. I begged him to put me back on after I lost almost 6 months of my life. Now I may end up with cancer or heart problems, I know this but I have no choice, and once in a while I have to fight off depression, yesterday was awful, some times I can't get out of bed. I hate this and fight it with all my soul. This is why this site has been my savior cause I can be a part of something, even when I get the uglies. So thanks from the bottom of my heart, for the Quilting Board. It's been my savior....

MollieSue

It sounds like I am very lucky! I've not had a period in a year, and only two the year before. I've had none of the symptoms you all talk about. Other than having a hard time falling back alseep if I get woke up in the middle of the night. DH will occassionally say I'm moody, but I think it's just him. :evil: lol!!!
I'm almost 51 now. When I was in my early 30s, I broke out bawling at work, for no reason. Was just a tad embarassing. :oops: haha. My doctor told me I was in peri-menopause, and put me on Premarin and birth control pills for 6 months, to re-regulate me. Other than that, I've not really had any problems.
Olivia's Gramy, I am always cold too, always have been. And I hate it. I've always had my thyroid (being cold is one of the symtoms)checked, and it's always came back normal. :(
I truly hope you all find something that works for you!!

Harrishwhippets, my heart goes out to you. I'm wishing I had a magic wand to wave for you.....

Iluv2quilt

I'm just starting this phase of life. Missed periods, double periods. My Mom and Grama went through menopause at early ages 38 and 48. My Mom got breast cancer at 50 (maybe they had given her medicine for menopause - I'll have to ask). I didn't know they were related. She is a 35 year survivor with only 2 relapses, one of the first to have a lumpectomy as part of research.

I don't know what I'm in for, and really don't understand why I have to go through it. I know it's a fact of life, but still don't we have enough to endure? I'm a little afraid of it as I already have bipolar illness, I wonder how it will affect me.

bearisgray

I know you all may not believe this, but I was done at 42 (that part is abnormal) - but it just happened.

If anything, I got less erratic emotionally (well, you can imagine how I was "before", I guess).

And my feet are warm more often at night than they used to be. Still need to put the socks on once in a while to get them warmed up. Other times I have them sticking outside the covers.

Occasionally got a warm flash - take the jacket off - put the jacket/sweater on kind of thing. That still happens (years later)

So I don't think being miserable is always a "necessary" part of menopause. But maybe in one area of life "I got lucky"