Menopause Support Group
Menopause is the physiological cessation of menstrual cycles associated with advancing age. It normally occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, when the body begins to slow and stop the production of eggs, estrogen and progesterone production decreases, and menstruation diminishes, eventually stopping altogether.
I have been on this site for quite a while now, and maybe I missed this. I looked at the list of 34 symptoms, and have many of them. For the past couple of months, the brain fog has been incredible. My last period was May 2009, so I have been in menopause for quite awhile.
Here is my "new" symptom...although I have had vertigo and dizziness for awhile and have had brain surgery for an unrelated illness.
For the past couple of months I feel out of it and lightheaded. I can't seem to think of words I want to say, and I feel like I am in a brain fog. I am more tired than usual, but I also have hypothyroidism. Could this be a combination of all of it: menopause, hypothyroid, and my vertigo that remains from my brain surgery? I don't feel "with it" at work, which is tough because I teach high school. I also avoid going to the store without my husband very often because I get so light headed and my whole body aches all the time. I feel like I am a mess. I have no interest in most things that I used to enjoy, and that includes sex. My husband says "I have to wait till the person who has the key to the gate to unlock it before I ever get sex"...but he is being patient.
Any help on what I might be able to do for any of this? I used to feel like a bright intelligent woman, but I feel like a mess right now! HELP!
Here is my "new" symptom...although I have had vertigo and dizziness for awhile and have had brain surgery for an unrelated illness.
For the past couple of months I feel out of it and lightheaded. I can't seem to think of words I want to say, and I feel like I am in a brain fog. I am more tired than usual, but I also have hypothyroidism. Could this be a combination of all of it: menopause, hypothyroid, and my vertigo that remains from my brain surgery? I don't feel "with it" at work, which is tough because I teach high school. I also avoid going to the store without my husband very often because I get so light headed and my whole body aches all the time. I feel like I am a mess. I have no interest in most things that I used to enjoy, and that includes sex. My husband says "I have to wait till the person who has the key to the gate to unlock it before I ever get sex"...but he is being patient.
Any help on what I might be able to do for any of this? I used to feel like a bright intelligent woman, but I feel like a mess right now! HELP!
Estrogen controls over 400 things in our body. When it gets depleted, the body & mind really suffer. And there is a window of opportunity to start estrogen, because after a certain length of time the estrogen receptors can atrophy and die.
For in-depth reading, I recommend Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D.'s book entitled "Screaming to be Heard." She explains that for optimum bone/brain/heart health you should get your estradiol (serum) levels over 100 pg/ml. Lower than that and your body systems suffer. Website is herplace.com
Another good book is "Outliving Your Ovaries" by MArina Johnson, M.D. She is an endocrinologist. Both books are available on amazon. She also has articles to read on her website and videos to view (drmarinajohnson.com).
Diana Schwarzbein, M.D. (an endocrinologist made famous by having Suzanne Somers as a previous patient) has a website called menopausepower.com where you can sign up for free downloads called Menopause Minutes.
If you are not on estrogen yet, the best way is to first start estrogen only before adding in any type of progesterone or progestin (if you have a uterus). And have frequent estradiol blood levels (not saliva, they are not accurate) to get to optimum levels for you.
For thyroid patients, it is probably better to do transdermal type of estrogen because taken orally the estrogen can further decrease your thyroid function.
There are many type of bioidentical forms of estradiol available by prescription at any CVS, Walmart PHarmacy, etc.
The public has this idea that bioidenticals only come from compounding pharmacies. This is not true. Compounding pharmacies can make it in certain amounts, but the estradiol is the same as in some products made by pharmaceutical companies. By using readily available pharmaceutically made ones your insurance will probably pay for it as well.
Products such as Patches (minivelle, vivelle-dot, alora, climara) are all bioidentical (meaning our body sees them as a match for what our ovaries used to make).
Sprays such as Evamist are also bioidentical. www.evamist.com
Gels that are bioidentical (estrogel, divigel, elestrin) are also bioidentical. www.elestrin.com, www.divigel.com, www.elestrin.com
When looking at the products website (do your homework on this before going to doctor's office), click on the Prescribing Information tabs and look at the average pg/ml serum levels. This will show you how strong or weak the product is.
Our thyroid and ovaries have a feedback loop. Meaning there are estrogen receptors on the thyroid and vice-versa. When our estrogen levels get low, then the thyroid gets off (as in the case of hashimoto's for instance).
Many women in surgical menopause with removal of ovaries, for example, suddenly find themselves hypothyroid.
I would think that you could but make sure you check with your neurologist regarding your symptoms (which may also be something else besides menopause) and implementing HRT (if you choose to start this). My gyn is the one who prescribes my hormone stuff. My endocrinologist doesn't do female hormones, just thyroid and diabetes stuff stuff.
Good for you for seeing your doctor and being proactive on your health! Timely intervention is crucial.
Since you have been post-menopausal for a few years, it is good that he is starting you low (Evamist is considered a low-dose estrogen, as the levels never get as high as say the strongest patch).
The estrogen receptors can atrophy with reduced estrogen, BUT before they die off completely, they can be "gently nudged awake" by small doses of estrogen. And then larger doses can be added in as your body "awakens" it's receptors.
It is easier to do it this way (like with the Evamist) then to go gung-ho and slap on the strongest patch if you have been estrogen deficient for years. It just depends on your body.
From www. evamist.com
1 spray c/avg : 19.6 pg/ml
2 sprays c/avg: 30.7 pg/ml
3 sprays c/avg: 30.9 pg/ml
As you can see, 3 sprays do not really give you much more than 2 sprays.
Give it a try! I use Evamist, but in conjunction with other estrogens (I just got off a birth control pill recently).
I have a female doctor in her 40's who uses Evamist, also (she does 3 sprays a day, 2 in the morning, and 1 before bed) as she says without it she is a scatter-brained mess. She is still perimenopausal and said the birth control pills are NOT her friend..lol!
It sprays on your inner arm, dries in a few minutes. Make sure that part of your arm does not touch your pets/kids/other people, etc.
It should start perking you up quickly! Google reviews on Evamist. They are all very favorable.
I hope you start feeling better soon!
We ALL deserve to feel like we used to.
It is covered by most health insurances (unlike compounded estrogen products which are usually NOT covered).
Some people spray in the morning, some in the morning and night, or some just do it at night.
The evamist website has a coupon on it, also, but it is only for $10 or so, I think.
And don't worry if you start getting hot flashes in the beginning! Any time the body goes through estrogen fluctuations (whether increasing or decreasing) you can get hot flashes initially.
It is so low-dose, it won't cause you any nausea or big bloating (like the pills taken orally can).
And it will increase your blood flow to your brain and all body parts, by opening up the vascular system.
When my estrogen is low, I can't think, I can't spell, I am clumsy, crying, dizzy, anxious, and everything hurts! The brain fog is the scariest part for me. It will go back to normal when your estrogen levels get raised.
You may notice a difference (albeit a small one) within days. Within a few weeks, you should really feel much better, and sleep well (if this has been a problem for you).
And your mood will improve as estrogen helps your body make serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
And don't get discouraged it you don't see instant results. Evamist is a very low dose product, but it really helps. I usually always include it with whatever else I am using.
I am using the Femring along with the Evamist. The FEMRING is an estradiol ring inserted into the vagina for 3 months. It gives you about 80 pg/ml. I need more estrogen than that, so I use EVamist with it. Just started the Femring a few days ago. The thing looked huge in the package but it did fit okay and you don't even feel it. It is also bioidentical. Just another of the options out there! Gives you a nice steady dose of estrogen like our ovaries did.
Better safe than sorry. Thus happened to me a few yrs ago, when I used this Estrace (Estradiol) Vaginal Cream. I didn't do what I have suggested you do, but I need to, because I am starting to use it in a tiny dose, once a week, again. I just cant take the lack of Estrogen!
I think we should both make Dr appts regsrding these questions. Does the Evamist also contain Progesterone? I dont take the Patch because my Mom had Breast Cancer, but my Dr said she thought the Estrace cream was more safe, since it isn't supposed to get into the blood stream to much, but I can rly feel a difference once I use it, and it did make me spot that one time, a few years back, and then I quit using it all together.
Now I am on it again, and terrified of getting Cancer :(
But I started peeing in my pants, I needed the estrogen, to strengthen the whole she-bang down there