I take Ambien and always feel a bit cloudy the next morning for a few hours. My doctor said this is a normal side effect. I don't have the dizziness or lightheadedness that you mention. Have you asked your doctor?

gnorris51,

Thank God you came onto this discussion group. I too am having lightheadedness and lost of balance on some days. I am also very tired and have anxiety. I am taking Klonopin for my anxiety which I take now only at night to get to sleep. I too don't feel like myself and I want that person back. I'm going to see a Wellness doctor that deal in natural healing, so hopefully when I get back from seeing him, I might have some answers on what we can do. Hang in there, we are all in the same pool together and drowning most of the time, but better days have to come (that's what my mother keeps telling me). Check out the 35 symptoms of menopause list that I know I have about most of them. You are not alone

DebbT

so glad i joined this site thanks frieds4 i feel like this too light headed and headaches evryday taken 50 panadols over a period of time now i need another box plus stress in my life doesnt help i feel very tired and cant be bothered some times

Hello, just joined this forum as well. This has been my main irritating symptom, the off balance, lightheaded feeling. Been going on a year now, I have read it is a sign of menopause, but I am not sure if it is progesterone or estrogen, as I am low in both right now, and still searching for how to supplement safely.

Could it be time to have your female hormones tested again for signs of excess or depletion? This is something I can't wait to get figured out. Good luck

I'm perimeno and get dizzy alot (And not from all the peroxide on my hair..ha)I know it's all hormonal, but gee! I thought vertigo only happen to old people! It'll happen anywhere, anytime. In a store, I'll stumble and I'm sure some people may trhink I've been hittin' the gin! Around friends, I just say, "Whoa, head rush!". Don't want em to think of me as a old crone.And as far as fatigue, I can fall asleep anywhere, anytime, some days. I actually (embarassing) fell asleep in the movie theatre. I woke up to a "snort", obviously was startin' to snore. My husband giggled, I just about died! ha. You're not alone in this craziness. It reminds me of a "All in the Family" skit where Edith was all tweaky and found out she was going into menopause. I feel like Edith some days. But my hubby better NEVER say what Archie did," Ya got 5 minutes to get over it!". ha!

For three days now I have been getting light heades and dizzy and I can fall asleep at a drop of a dime. I honestly feel like I did when I was prego. This SUCKS! I was just talking to my husband on the phone and I actually fell asleep on him. I feel so embarassed. This is the time I usually start my per. but have not had one since March but every months end is the worst for me. I have a 9 yr. old that wants to do so much but I can't even hang anymore. I feel worthless right now. My anxiety has calmed down a lot with help from the Zoloft but I take that at night so I know that is not what is making me feel this way. I don't feel hungry for anything but want to eat everything. Well sista you are not alone. We are all on the same roller coaster ride together.

YOUR NOT ALONE HERE. I AM PERIMENO AND THE SYMPTOMS YOU DESCRIBE I HAVE THEM ALL. THE DIZZINESS IS SORT OF SCAREY, BUT IT COMES AND GOES REAL FAST WHEN IT HAPPENS. THE FATIGUE IS WHAT I DISLIKE THE MOST. SOMEDAYS I HAVE TO TALK TO MYSELF TO KEEP GOING. I LOVE TO KEEP ACTIVE SO I FIND MYSELF FIGHTING IT. THE ANXIETY I HAD BEFORE THE MENO, BUT THE 2 TOGETHER ARE PURE HELL SOMETIMES. I DO NOTICE THAT SOME MONTHS ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS. I PRAY FOR THOSE GOOD MONTHS, LOL!!! STAY STRONG, THIS IS SUPPOSE TO PASS SOMEDAY:) OH YES I ALSO HAVE AMBIEN, BUT I FEEL DISCONNECTED THE NEXT DAY SO I TRY AND A VOID IT IF POSSIBLE. MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU, GOD BLESS!!!

What all of you have posted describes me perfectly. I do not take a sleep aide, but I do take Xanax XR for anxiety.

It helps to know that I am not alone in this. There have been times when I thought I was slowly going crazy.

I get the dizziness as well. Feel kinda like I just got off of a fair ride. I find myself constantly bumping into things. Just another thing to endure.

I'm 53 and I still get the light headedness, especially when I walk upstairs. I've never had the dizziness, but the light headedness was scary enough. I first thought it was low blood pressure or low iron because I often get anemic if I am not watching what I eat, but from what I've read the light headedness can be just plain 'ole menopause. Go figure...

I've been having the same thing for the last 6months. How are you doing now? I feel like I'm on a boat but I'm not, okay when sitting still most days but try and do anything and bam its there. Please read my journal and you can see... Hugs to you

Hi Ladies,
Having your hormones tested through use of a saliva test through a bio-identical doctor is what I did. My doctor checked estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, DHEA, Cortisol, and she also did bloodwork for Vitamin D. I was "ok" with estrogen meaning it was okay for the postmenopausal range which isnt where your estrogen is when you arent in meno. My progesterone tanked. I had very little. I was low on DHEA and Cortisol both and my Vitamin D was very low. I was glad to be tested because then the doctor knew what I actually needed and didnt give me what I didnt need. So, I was considered estrogen dominant and I use progesterone cream. I find it definitely helps with my hot flushes at night, it helps with sleep naturally, I am more calm, and the fatigue is gone. Has made a difference. Its not magic but I feel better. Checking your Vitamin D has a lot to do with depression. If you are deficient you can feel that way. I started taking 50,000 IU 2 x week for 8 wks then went down to 50,000 IU once a week thereafter. It has helped with the depression in menoapause. I just think its good to know where you are at hormone wise so you can give yourself what you need instead of being put on a pill that is a one size fits all dose. We are all unique in our own bodies. That's like saying one size of pants fits every woman and we all know that isnt true LOL! Im on 200 mg of progesterone cream at night. The Vitamin D dose I take has to be done through a doctor because you cant buy that dose over the counter. My primary keeps telling me it will get better. She says it kind of creeps up on you and one day you realize you feel better than you did. I take Klonopin ( a half of a 5 mg) and I take Amitriptyline for sleep at night. It's a small dose of 10 mg and it has a histamine effect and keeps me asleep. I took Ambien for a long time and just dont feel its good to take that for longer than 2-3 weeks over the long term because it can make you sleep walk and sleep eat and sleep drive and it loses its effectiveness after a time and it wont keep you asleep. I took it for 8 yrs and decided to get off of it after developing ringing ears in menopause.

A side note ladies....be careful if you are in menopause not to take dizziness or nausea too lightly if it gets bad. The reason I say this is I just recently found out I had two mini strokes just two and a half years after entering menopause. An MRI for something else showed two very small aneurysms in the internal carotid artery indicating two mini strokes. I also have microvascular disease. I am now on a full strength aspirin daily to thin the blood. Didnt even occur to me that would happen to me. But in menopause the lack of hormones can cause vascular changes, can cause mini strokes, and increase cardiovascular (heart) disease, increase your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol. So, even though menopause can cause lightheadedness and dizziness be aware of the indicators for stroke. If you have a loss of coordination or balance, slurred speech, dizziness, remember STR which stands for Smile, Talk, Raise your arms. If you cant do these three things it is imperative you get to the hospital. Look at Sen. Kirk who just went to the hospital at 52 with dizziness over the weekend. He had a pretty bad stroke but it didnt affect the side of his brain that controls speech and thought, thank God. So much happens to us in menopause and I just dont want what happened to me happen to you, but many people who've had mini strokes dont even know it.

P.S. The STR I mentioned in my post (smile, talk, raise your arms is indicative of an actual stroke and is usually accompanied by a severe sudden onset of headache out of nowhere.

I just had a period and today I've started feeling lightheaded and dizzy. There seems to be a fair amount of pressure in my head and my ears are ringing, too. I am 49, going to be 50 in January 2013. My mom had me when she was 41 and had her meopause in her early 50s. My period started when I was 13. I had a baby at 22 years old in 1985. I didn't nurse as I gave her up for adoption. I was single at the time and unable to handle raising a child. I've got other health issues such as a deterioration in my spine in the lower lumbar region and upper mid back region. I've also got varicose veins in my legs and easily cramp in my legs and feet. My feet are almost always cold, too. It's hereditary in my family to have poor circulation. I take Amiltryptilene for my back pain. It does make me drowsy but never lightheaded. My periods have been shorter with a couple very heavy days and at times I get vaginal pain and it hurts like all get out to insert a tampon. So, those are basically my symptoms.

Some days I get very tired. Other days Im lightheaded and woozy. I just take it one day at a time. Some days are better than others and I just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Judy