Sorry - I messed up on the brand of creams. They are from Emerita!

I’m 48, I’ve had one to two periods a year for the last 5 years. The hormone levels finally show in blood work that menopause is here. Mood swings are terrible. I have my husband left and no one else. I’m pushing people away and I don’t know why.
Pepper1 you aren’t alone, I’ve gained the weight too just as I started loosing it. And hot flashes too that doctors blamed on codeine withdrawal for spinal surgery.. I’ve cried for the last 2 weeks strait, the wrong words come out of my mouth...........I’ve been home on sick leave for 5 years for spinal disease now this. I hope to find people that understand.

Hi ladies. Im just joining too. Turned 50 in july. As of this past September i had just 3 periods in the past year. Now they are every month.......with a vengeance

I love how you're keeping some humor girl. Im soooooo struggling to do the same. Kudos to you

tlynn so sorry for your troubles love. You cant shut people out though. Menopause already holds a strange degree of loneliness. Reach out. Hugs to you

Hey Grumplady! Oh no - you poor woman! I feel you. Actually, I settled on the screen name "Pepper1" because I'm hot (and not in the way I want to be) and bitchy as heck. Luckily, my sweet man and son are very patient and are a huge help. I realize not everyone has that in their lives, so I don't take it for granted! Let me know if you all need virtual hugs and encouragement. I'll send them!!

tlynn - hang in there. You have a lot on your plate. I know it seems very overworn but really - take care of yourself. People really have to understand that this really tough stuff and you have quite a bit on top of it to deal with. You aren't alone, okay? Reach out and we'll help you as much as we can to provide an opportunity to vent, laugh, and cry if you feel comfortable doing so. No pressure!

And I admit that I am vain, so the weight gain is killing me! LOL! I guess this will be an opportunity for me to learn to love what I have!

HI ladies - I'm 50 now, and started into menopause in 2010, coincidentally the year my partner went into serious depression, and disability, and changed our lives in other ways way beyond my control. I don't really suffer symptoms, except for the odd hot flash, which I've learned to live with, but I don't have ANY inclination towards my partner physically anymore. don't know whether its emotionally because of the infidelity, and the time he left me for 9 months, of its is hormonal - but I can't see my life without him, I'm too old to be single again, and he's sort of accepted he screwed up now, and we just don't do it. I don't want anything to do with sex, we cuddle, we kiss, (sort of that died when he told me I had bad breath years ago), we sleep together, and hold hands on the couch, I love him, and I love our life, and I couldn't be without him, but its a way different life that I signed on for, and I'm sure there's others like me out there.

Hi, redloui. I am sorry to hear the struggles you have had to face. It's hard. But you are definitely not alone. The hardest thing is realizing that nothing is permanent in this life. There will be new "normals" throughout our lives if we are lucky enough to live long ones.

Not to make light of anything, but I now snore like a monster (which started last year when I stopped having my periods), so talk about unsexy! LOL! My guy and I have to sleep in separate rooms because of it, but we do cuddle before I go to my room and in the morning when we get up, he comes in my room and gets into bed with me to hold and kiss me.

I guess the bottom line is that life changes, and there are shifts. This is now the new normal for me - at least for now, but that will shift too.

And it sounds like you have the cuddling down pat! That helps the soul and is more intimate than sex sometimes!