Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Sarah Stone]

Hi everyone,

I'm sooo relieved to have found other menopause sufferers with which to talk to - other people so just don't get it do they?

I started perimenopausal at the age of 36 (6 years ago) had major swings of period flow from nothing for months on end of flooding in 30 minutes :~

I ended up having the Merina coil fitted to control the stupidly heavy periods and was in heaven for about 4 years until menopause symptoms started creeping in.

Looking back at aged 36 I also now realise that I started major palipitations then too and was diagnosed with an ectopic heart rate out of the blue - hmm I've since read this is a menopause symptom.

Cutting out caffeine sorted that one straight away (tip 1! )

Then about 2 years ago I started getting medium hot flushes several times an hour all day and all night long - sleeping was nigh on impossible, it was hellish! I read up on stuff and tried the Lady Care Magnet. 1 year of no hot flushes - heaven again (tip 2)

A year later they started up again - I was gutted, they weren't nearly as bad but I wasn't going to stand for it without doing anything lol!

I gave up sugar and had 2 months solid with no symptoms and the energy of a 5 year old - it was AWESOME! I'd get to 8pm having done all the after dinner stuff (got twin 12 year olds!) and had heaps of energy left and I'd want to do gardening or vacuuming or something - quite bizarre! I thought that sort of energy had long since gone!

Then the hot flushes started up AGAIN! What I'd now figured was that when you take something that makes your symptoms go away all that thing does is get rid of, say, 10% or 20% of all the symptoms that you might ever get. So when they come back it's NOT that the thing doesn't work any more, or your body's got used to it or something, it's presumably (and I'm no expert here!) that your estrogen, or something, has dropped (again) and you need something else to combat them.

To cut the rest of the story short as soon as mine come back again I add something else in that gets rid of them. My list sounds awful now but if by doing all these things I can (more or less) sleep and hence function 'normally' then I'm well prepared to do them. If I stopped doing them all I'd be a gibbering wreck within a week with 24 hot flushes and all the side effects mentally that would accompany that - {shudder}!

So I now 1) wear the magnet 2) am caffeine, alcohol and sugar free (see the site 'I Quit Sugar' - don't attempt this based on what you currently know as it won't work!) 3) take soya tablets 3) take 1/2 dessert spoon of flax seed powder with my cereal 4) take evening primrose oil...

PHEW! Big post for my first one, sorry, but there's a lot of really useful info in there I hope it blesses at least one person XXXX

[SadLynda]

Hi Sarah
   what great info.  Might look into the magnet after all.  I have recently cut out caffine and have totally improved my diet all round.

thanks for sharing, great read.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Sarah Stone and welcome to MM
Do read up all the info on this site - particularly the section on early menopause. I had the same thing happen to me and was fortunately advised to start HRT in my late 30s which has protected my heart and bones.  I am now 59 and still using some hormones to keep me healthy.
Interesting to hear all the things you have tried but what you are describing is typical for the peri menopause stage. Sadly many women try all sorts of things that seem to help in the short term and some strategies may have a small effect but what is usually happening is that your hormone levels are fluctuating and can give the impression that remedies etc. are working.  It is important to adopt some good diet and exercise but if you are oestrogen deficient your doctor should prescribe some Oestrogen alongside you Mirena as this is the correct treatment for you.   If you have the Mirena I doubt you know whether you are still getting natural periods and also whether your oestrogen levels are in the normal range. I would strongly suggest that you get your oestrogen levels checked as you are still young (I calculate you must be 42? ) and if you are oestrogen deficient so young you could get long term issues for your heart, bones, bladder etc.
With the Mirena in place you could simply add some oestrogen as gel or patch and this would give you the consistency in symptom control as well as reducing your risks in the long term.  Premature menopause (before the age of 45) can have serious long term consequences so treatment with HRT is important - I think it could transform the way you feel.
You might want to look at another website that is appropriate for you:  www.daisynetwork.org.uk
Do keep posting.  Dg xxx 

[CLKD]

 

keeping a food/mood diary helps some ladies - they can look back and see exactly when symptoms started to change ….. do let us know!

[Louisa]

I have a magnetic bracelet, which I have not worn for about 2/3 years, would wearing this help me with this awful anxiety and palpitations?  Also would it help me sleep better?
I'm trying to be positive but it's very difficult.

ps, is there a specific arm I should wear it on?

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

Sarah Stone - It would be great to hear how you are doing since your first post.

Louisa -   It totally sympathise with how you are feeling. There may be more information in the Alternatives Section about the magnet and why not give it a try. I am also struggling to be positive atm, this whole business is so exhausting isn't t!

Take care and sending hugs.

K.

[Louisa]

Hello ladies.

Sarah Stone - It would be great to hear how you are doing since your first post.

Louisa -   It totally sympathise with how you are feeling. There may be more information in the Alternatives Section about the magnet and why not give it a try. I am also struggling to be positive atm, this whole business is so exhausting isn't t!

Take care and sending hugs.

K.

I've just put the bracelet on and will now go straight to the Alternatives Section, thanks Kathleen.  It makes such a difference when other understand how we are all feeling.

[Kathleen]

Hello Louisa.

You are welcome. I agree, feeling truly understood is such a relief and that in itself helps us feel better.

Wishing you well and keep us updated.

K.

[Sunnydays]

Sarah just read your post (don't know how I missed it in September) really great to hear your approach and I can see the rationale for it. I agree about caffeine and I think I should reduce the sugar in my diet. I've had flax seeds with my porridge for years now and I think that has helped too.  How's it going 3 months on?

[Smokey]

I agree a great post, I've given up most foods with sugar in including orange juice and chocolate.

If only I could do the same with my ms !  I don't get many symptoms mainly extreme exhaustion feelings,which at the moment seem to appear more and more often.