Perimenopause

[Lee Jones]

Okay, are there any other 40 somethings going through perimenopause? A month ago I was getting severe hot flashes...about 4-5 an hour! My obgyn put me on Loestrin which was a miracle! It got rid of my hot flashes totally. But I'm finding I have absolutely no energy! I would work out 5-6 days a week for 1-2 hours....now I just want to come home and sleep. It's driving me crazy. I'm already losing some definition. It's very depressing. And I'm not sure if the depressing part is caused by perimenopause either.

 

[workingToBeFit]

A month ago I was having about 6 hot flashes a day (very distracting at work teaching classes, groan!) and several at night. I don't like to take prescription drugs but have gotten rid of the hot flashes and am felling pretty normal again using the herbal and dietary recommendations in the book by Christine Northrup, "The Wisdom of Menopause." Great book, I'd highly recommend it, lots of good advice in there. You are not alone!!!

 

[Aquajock]

Okay, are there any other 40 somethings going through perimenopause? A month ago I was getting severe hot flashes...about 4-5 an hour! My obgyn put me on Loestrin which was a miracle! It got rid of my hot flashes totally. But I'm finding I have absolutely no energy! I would work out 5-6 days a week for 1-2 hours....now I just want to come home and sleep. It's driving me crazy. I'm already losing some definition. It's very depressing. And I'm not sure if the depressing part is caused by perimenopause either.

I'm 48, and although I haven't had the delights you've had in terms of hot flashes (YET), I certainly have other symptoms, including variable ETA of Ye Olde Aunt Flo, the dreaded MLM (the medical abbreviation for "Mid-Life Midriff"), the dreaded TLRF (the medical abbreviation for "Tiresome Little Flab Rolls") (both of which Cathe and Shaun T are helping me to combat), and (wait for it) my ta-tas have gone up a whole cup size, as I noted a couple of years ago in a post entitled (wait for it) "My Cups Runneth Over". Perimenopause has also totally enhanced my love of useless parenthetical asides and run-on sentences.

I've read many times here that others who are working through peri/menopause have thrown more of their workout program over to strength training, as well as paying increased attention to reducing simple carbs from their nutrition program. Would that be of any use to you?

A-Jock

 

[chefling]

Yes, depression can be a symptom of peri-menopause, so is lethargy, apathy, hot flashes, brain fog, weight gain, weight loss and a host of other things.

Before your doctor put you on Loestrin did he take blood test to determine what your serum blood levels were for estradiol, progesterone, testosterone? He may not have as some doctors don't in the beginning due to the flucations but it's a great reference point for the future. To feel good we need to have balanced hormones and the Loestrin could have more of the P or E than you need and is keeping you off balance. Have you been on them long enough to even our if it were the right dose? If it were me, I'd have him test my hormones while taking them to see if the ratio for E to P is good.

That said, I was able to stop the hot flashes with one soy burger a day in the beginning and cutting out all sugar and wine. I'm now post and do take BHRT. It's still a daily struggle to get things balanced and I will still get hot flashes if I have sugar or alcohol. The statement ..growing old isn't for sissies.. is so true. And it happens so quickly. I use to think menopause only happened to old people.

 

[bitmover]

I'm 48 and wondering if I'm just starting it. About a year ago I missed a period, which is very unlike me, so the dr. did a blood test and found the hormones to be non-premenopausal, if that makes sense, but now my cycle is shortening so I'm wondering if maybe it's really starting. I do wake up in sweat in the middle of the night, but that may be because I'm going to bed with more layers on because it seems so cold at night. But, I also have noticed that I am super tired lately -- almost falling asleep at work even. So, maybe.... I'll check that book at the library -- thanks for the pointer!

 

[nancy324]

I've noticed that medication side effects seem to fall into two camps: temporary and permanent. Many medications have side effects that last for a few days or weeks until your body adjusts. It can be confusing because often the information sheets that come with the medication don't differentiate between the side effects that will wear off and the ones that you're really going to have to live with. If the medication has freed you from constant hot flashes I would give it some time. Isn't it better to work out less often for awhile than endure relentless hot flashes? (I've not yet had a hot flash or taken a hormone pill, so I honestly don't know, although I'm sure it won't be long now).

 

[Lee Jones]

Chefling...thanks for the info. I have a follow up appt in a few weeks, so I will ask about the blood test.

 

[snowflakenj02]

I am 45 and have been going through perimenopause for a few years now. When my periods started going to 40-50 days apart and the PMS with mood swings started getting bad, I asked the gyn if I was starting to go through it. She had me take a blood test and told me, no not yet. Last year when the time between periods got to be 90-120 days, the gyn had me go for more blood work, an internal ultrasound, plus some other tests, she finally agreed that I am going through perimenopause. It kind of bummed me out at the time because I didn't think I would be dealing with this at my age, plus the added Osteopenia that I have because of it. I thought I still had a few years before all of this would occur. I am finding that I am having hot flashes, not as bad as other people thank god, am exhausted all the time and cannot sleep straight through the night. It has been over 6 months since TTOM. The only thing that the dr would give me is Fossamax for the Osteopenia and Zoloft fo the mood swings, she would not put me on estrogen. A friend recently suggested that maybe I should seek a wholistic dr and see if maybe they can prescribe something to help. I go back to the gyn in Jan and plan on discussing it again with her. If anyone here has any suggestions, it would be appreciated.

Sharon

 

[Fembot40]

A-Jock, thanks for the great laugh! : )

 

[pgun]

The only thing that the dr would give me is Fossamax for the Osteopenia and Zoloft fo the mood swings, she would not put me on estrogen.
Sharon

Sharon

I work for an oral surgeons office and from what I understand fosamax and actenol can cause problems w/bone healing at least after extractions. They send patients for blood tests before extracting teeth on patients who are taking those medications to see how their bones will heal after the extraction. I would look for more information about this medication if I were you.

Unless you don't plan on having any teeth extracted.

Penny