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[grumpyandIknowit]

Hello Everyone - I am so pleased to be on this forum I have dipped in and out just reading the posts for years and thinking "so me duck I am normal" (well almost) but recently I have been feeling Pants, (think thats the modern word for crap) so thought I must register and become part of the sisterhood and hopefully get me some help....PLEASE.  At the age of 38 my periods became very weird, and that went on for 10 years but as I'm a bit pragmatic I assumed it could be the start of Madmenno so just carried on, then when I reached 52  my periods went into overdrive and went on for months, went to see the Dr (I have WCS White Coat Syndrome) so that was an effort in itself, anyway was told it could be that my Coil had got stuck and my body was trying to get rid of it - eventually it did, then my periods came and went on an alarmingly strange basis. Firstly the only real symptom I had was anxiety but plucked up courage to see the Dr again and was given Citalopram (think I've got it right) and that really helped and was on that for a few months, but apart from the cruel and crippling anxiety and panic attacks those were the only real symptoms I got. I am now 56 (soon to be 57) and for the past 6 months, I have had the fanny problems, itchy, soreness, the odd hot flush, crippling joint pain (usually subsides but seems to stay in my elbow) tingly, itchy muscles, teenage puberty skin and worst of all the anxiety and panic attacks have reared their head again, dreadful feelings of impending death and reduced mortality.......................it is driving me mad. I keep adding on a few years and seeing who has died aged 60 + thinking I've only got three years, so can I go to sleep just in case I don't wake up? I google celebrities and see some of them are in their 60's, Dawn French  and Linda Lusardi are a year younger than me, Kim Basinger is 3 years older than me, Helen Mirren is nearly 10 years older..........Jo Brand I think is almost the same age - do they, did they have the same thoughts and feelings?  So does anyone know if I am getting these symptoms because its signalling the final depletion of my hormones and is that why I am feeling so BAD?? Do all those feelings subside when the hormones eventually GO? Is 60 REALLY old - does it signal the end of my life? Can someone help me, can I buy something over the counter to help/ Sorry for all this.....I live in a remote place, work from home, have no friends...sad really...... I should point out that when I hit 55 I was fine, then again at 56 but now its spiralling to 57...not so good

[KatieLiz]

How long is a piece of string? 

Sorry you're feeling so bad it sounds like you need a serious dose of estrogen!  I would see your GP asap and if there are no medical reasons why you shouldn't take HRT, then I would get started straight away!

HRT can clear up so many symptoms, its amazing how ill you can feel when your hormones are imbalanced or depleting.

Good Luck x

[honeybun]

Welcome on board......you have just listed a good few meno symptoms. . I would think a trip to your GP would help. There really is no need to suffer so much. Some of us have health anxiety and feelings of doom but either AD's and or HRT could help.

It's a bloody awful time but it will pass.....I would think most of the celebrities that you mention will be on  HRT.

Honeyb
X

[Evenstar]

Hello. Reassuring to know that I'm not the only one that works out ages in the middle of the night Welcome xxxx

[CLKD]

  until last Tuesday I had thought I had got 'away with it' without problems  (see my thread on bladder problems).  It got me wondering whether meno ever ends.  I thought that once my periods had stopped (2002) and I hadn't had many symptoms: apart from intense itchy insteps when in the bath each evening and itching across my bra line every night: that I was going to be OK ......... which has stopped in the last 2/3 years ..........

Browse round, join in.  I take Citalopram and a Beta-blocka every night.  I have waffled on about that too  .

Make a list of your symptoms and see either your GP or Practice Nurse.  How remote is remote?  Give us a clue 

[pixie]

    You will find this a great support. X

[grumpyandIknowit]

Hello and VERY many thanks for taking the time to reply to my thread. I shall read them all again and again and take heart there are some nice and very helpful people out there. Also I know that HRT is probably the way to go but are there any over the counter remedies, read about a few: Menno, Rhod (something or other) as I will need something to go to the Docs - I haven't been near them for years..........irrational I know

Pixie - Thanks and Yes you are right x

CLKD - Read most of your posts you are a very wise and informed Lady! As for remote - Anglesey........

Evenstar - Know how you feel, but it some strange way it always helps when you find glam celebrities are years older than you! Used to believe that Age was just a number so the Menopause has a lot to answer for...... and as someone said I am 56 years young till August NOT 56 years old and I am using that as my MANTRA.......!

Honeybun - You're right, I just would like to see if there is anything over the counter first as I will need something to get me to the Drs first as i have an irrational fear of them.....

KatieLiz - Yes you are completely right - if only I could just "drop" in instead of having to make an appointment, plus they are new Dr's as we have recently moved so working up to that one

But THANKS everyone

[CLKD]

Anglesey is only half remote    .......... do you have a GP on the Island or do you need to travel to Bangor?

[grumpyandIknowit]

Well thats a matter of opinion  we moved here because it was the only place we could find where we could get a Nursing Home which we could afford for my late MIL - however we had only been  here for 3 months and she trotted off to the Blue Yonder!
Now it would appear we are a bit stuck, most of the folk are nice, but my husband is self employed and as soon as some of the locals hear he hasn't got "the" accent they aren't interested! Really hard work.
My husband signed up with the local Drs (I don't know where it is) and its a good job he did as he started to have real pain in his legs and difficulty breathing and it was found he had DVT/PE/ Enlarged Liver/Spleen the works, the local Ysbty Gwynedd were wonderful, he has to go now for regular INR checks as he will be on Warfarin for the rest of his life.
Me, I'm useless, I have a really irrational fear of the Dr's and I havent been to see one for over 6 years (she was the one who gave me Citalpram) all she wanted to do was force me into having a smear and as it was 12 years then since my last one and I haven't had sex for 9 years, I couldn't see the point and neither could she so she left me alone, but I never went back just in case she started to pressure me again - and thats how it is.
Problem is that me and the OH have always worked together, I have no friends here as its 100+ miles where we used to live, family (whats left) is 80+ miles away, dont drive, so all I have to do is reflect on my mortality and how much longer I might live which I know is stupid as folk are living till their 90's now - but BOY do I feel pathetic!
I am going to have to conquer this - I know it, thats why I am interetsed in something over the counter to make me brave enough to make an appointment as I  know its only the ruddy menopause that has made me so bloody morbid and anxious....hows your underparts anyway?  Oh and Anglesey isn't really that bad.............

[CLKD]

My sister lives on Anglesey - so how bad is bad    .  My B in L worked at Ysbty Gwynedd  ........ the Island is too flat for me.  Prefer the Cambrian coast myself.

You could make a list of how you feel and have a chat with the GP.  A lot could have happened in the Surgery during those years  .  If you book a double appt either with the GP or Practice Nurse, they don't bite tha knows .......... you don't have to take anything unless you are comfortable and understand what has been suggested: if not, go back and say "I was in a bit of a tizz last time, could you remind me of what you suggested?'. 

There you are worrying about your mortality yet you won't go to the GP  .  A smear test is important! and there are new ways of taking the sample these days, again your Practice Nurse will explain.  Whether or not you are in an intimate relationship, we need to keep that area (which is easily forgotten) up to date with our smears.  What is the worst that can happen?  Having an in-depth chat first and explaining that you have extreme worries helps the Nursing Staff deal with those worries.  If I lived closer  . 

What skill-base does your husband have?  You are in the North and they are more Welsh than the middle where I worked.  They do prefer people to have Welsh as a first language ..........

My underparts are  - right this moment, itchy

[grumpyandIknowit]

No argument - you are perfectly right. Just need to gear myself up - strange thing is I used to work at a Family Planning Clinic and was well used to legs akimbo, but have absolutely no idea why I'm this way now - sorry Yes I do its the ruddy menopause - , but when I work myself up to make an appointment it all just goes haywire. I think if I could find somewhere where they did it and gave me the results the same day I'd be okay but I bet that doesn't exist!
On a different note does your Sis like Anglesey? Maybe I haven't lived here long enough but, Yes it is ruddy flat and I think that could be part of the problem and maybe part of it is HAVING to live here in order to afford Nursing Home costs which in the end we didn't need to - for long, that is!
My old man is a bench joiner and character window conservationist - in short he makes old sash and domed/arched windows for period properties.
As for undercarriage then I have had a bout of that itchiness (but not the rest) and the only thing that worked was a cream that contained a small amount of Tea Tree oil, it was deliciously cooling and stopped the itch almost immediately think it was from Nelsons. Got to be honest it did sting very slightly to begin with but then felt MUCH better.........
Thanks for replying - much appreciated................

[CLKD]

Has he tried working for the National Trust or one of the Heritage Charities?  I think it is 'house building live' or something in London soon, with Kevin McCloud.  It is probably a very specialised area of skills ..........

I think they like living there, he is Welsh, she's English the family are bi-lingual.  Maybe you have too much knowledge  and the 'what ifs' begin.  However: how would you advise a neighbour? 

[Limpy]

Hi GrumpyandIknowit,

I live in North Wales, Conwy Valley.
Our neighbours here are really Welsh.
They are nice and speak to us in English, but you can tell they have to think of the words, they aren't being awkward.

We do our meat and Veg shopping in a local town,  it's a nice social event (yes food shopping). The shop owners and other shoppers are welsh, but we seem to get on ok. However, when we first arrived, there was quite a lot of having to wait for welsh speakers to be served. It took some time before we got served when we came in, give it time. Are there shops near to where you live, that you could wander into?

Also, as CLKD says, do go and speak to your GP practice, a smear test is important, irrespective of state of lustful activity. It just is!

Hope you feel a bit better in yourself soon.

[CLKD]

Oh the serving of Welsh speakers first  and the changing from English into Welsh when a visitor arrived  ........

Could you send an e-mail of queries to your GP Practice initially?

[Limpy]

CLKD - I think Grumpyandiknowit (herein known as grumpyaiki)
may need to sign in at a GP practice before emailing.
Well we do here, and it's not a million miles away from grumpyaiki.