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[dangermouse]

I think the physical side can be too much so switching to a different type of role can help.

In terms of performance, I've sat through many meetings (which I can't leave or be replaced for as would make them inquorate) feeling dizzy, nauseous like I'm on a boat and extremely physically anxious. However, I always get through them and tell anyone who notices and asks (mainly men!) that it's hormonal migraine. When I look around the room through I can see others struggling too, many have health or emotional issues to some extent, some young women have awful periods too, as we're all human. I found that helpful so I didn't feel alone and when the meetings over you feel relieved and reminded by that you can cope.

I think the thought of not being able to cope is much worse so try to find something that you can physically cope with and then be open to your colleagues on your bad days.

I suspect there will be a lot more positions opening up to work from home in the future which makes it all the easier when dealing with unknown hormonal moments you can't plan for!

[Salad]

Salad, how bad were your symptoms? It must have been unbearable if you had to take HRT.   How soon did you see an improvement?  Were you perimenopausal, going through the menopause or in postmenopause when you started HRT?

I was two years post Total Abdominal Hysterectomy.
Sleep problems - not getting to sleep and then waking every 2 hours.
Sweat running down my face, back of the neck and knees every twenty minutes in the day. Not great when you?re trying to teach or do 1-1's with students.
Infrequent headaches that made me vomit. Aching muscles and joint pain, dizziness, brain fog, fatigue, palpitations, swollen lymph nodes, tinnitus, hair shedding and flat mood.
It was miserable. Started HRT and had relief within a couple of weeks. Not easy finding the right one or the right dose, but I did feel better. My GP was amazing, but I was referred to a Menopause Clinic when she had reached the end of her advice.
I'm currently on Estradot 200 mcg patches (2x100mcg) which are prescribed by the Specialist, but my GP does my repeat prescriptions.
I really couldn't survive without it 

[CLKD]

Morning Salad 

[Taz2]

Hi Taz,

I see what you're saying but, to me, if someone has to leave their job just because of the menopause, it quite serious.  This goes to show that it has the potential of ruining somebody's life.  I believe I'm perimenopausal at the moment because, I've struggled with a few symptoms since 2018 and I haven't had a period since January this year.  It could be that I have already entered the menopause and I can't wait for it to be over.  I am currently taking supplements and I have decided that if it gets worse I will use HRT as a last resort.

I'm glad that you are keeping HRT as an option. I left it quite late before I "gave in" as I saw it, wrongly, then and it took quite a while before I felt more like my old self. Of course 13 years ago there seemed to be less known about the way oestrogen can help us throughout our lives.

When you say you can't wait for it to be over I'm not sure which part you mean? I began to experience differences in my periods at around the age of 51 and for the next two years they were either months apart (9 months on one occasion) or a couple of weeks apart. They were light sometimes and heavy the next few times and then nothing again. By the age of 53 when the hot sweats became unbearable I was still experiencing a period every couple of months. This is when I began HRT as I was having to take clothes into work so that I could change at lunchtime out of sweaty bra, knickers and even socks. I have no idea when my periods would have stopped naturally but I do know that there are members on here who found that symptoms became more problematic once periods stopped.  In hindsight I believe that the longer you can keep your periods the better as this means that you do have at least some degree of oestrogen circulating. I can appreciate that periods are a nuisance though but I never realised how much the rest of the body reacts to low oestrogen. Like a lot of us I just thought menopause meant no more periods (hooray) and  few hot "moments". I didn't realise the effect it would have on my sexual response and libido and also the effects on vaginal tissue/bladder etc. Sorry, waffling on there!!

Taz x

[Salad]

Morning Salad 

Hi CLKD  (often wondered what that stands for  )
Didn't have a chance to look in earlier, it's been one of those days   

[CLKD]

You'll be wondering for a while ;-)

I've had a bitty day too 

[sheila99]

Oh, do tell. I wondered too...