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.

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Physical symptoms & emotional stability

MKal
MKal
I continue to wonder how much of my physical condition affects my emotional stability. I know that when I physically FEEL fine, I'm usually emotionally okay, too. However, when I wake up in the a.m.and I feel that pain in my left side and my GI tract is rolling, and I feel those waves of clamminess, it's followed fast by anxiety (Will this be one of Those Days?) If the physical symptoms continue and/or get worse, I can lose emotional stability, sometimes mental, too (everything gets scary and the house suddenly seems foreboding). I get tremors and am prone to epileptic seizures. SOMEtimes I can talk myself into not falling too far into the abyss, but sometimes I can't do it.
Perhaps if someone knows how much of this mental and emotional instability is physiological vs a direct symptom, they could comment.
momshere
momshere
MKAL, FOR MYSELF I ALWAYS HAVE THE SYMPTOMS, THAT THEN GO FOR MY MENTAL BEING. THE SYMPTOMS OVERWHELM ME PHYSICALY AND MENTALY. THIS HAS ONLY PROGRESSED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. I AM HOPING THAT ALL OF THIS SUBSIDES SOON. BUT I THINK I AM IN THIS PROCESS OF LIFE FOR THE LONG HAUL. IT WILL BE DONE WHEN ITS DONE, AND THAT PISSES ME OFF. TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi MKal, to me the mental/emotional is worse than the physical symptoms. They say anxiety is an emotional illness that causes physical symptoms. I've always considered myself to be a very strong person, but the anxiety stuff really knocks me down. It sure is no fun to not feel like yourself, and then when others around you can tell you are acting different and call you on it, it just makes it worse. To me anyway ....
I can honestly say, with this menopausal stuff, I have gotten A LOT of things off my chest that needed to be said... LOL So, it does have it's benefits, I guess.
Hang in there. US WOMEN ARE PRETTY TOUGH COOKIES.. I can totally relate to what you're going through and as momshere says, it pisses me off to no end, but we live from day to day and somehow get through it. That shows how we CAN overcome this.
deleted_user
deleted_user
The emotional/anxiety/concentration have been the worst for me. When the pain level is up these get worse. Getting good sleep helps me.
MKal
MKal
Thanks for responding! I'm finding that since menopause attacks you physically, mentally, and emotionally, that leaves nothing to ground you at a time when you need it the most (if any of you are lucky enough to have any female support actually there with you, they are worth their weight in gold; I know this because I have none). I just went through another Bad Episode, usually consisting of one day of staying in bed holding my abdomen and crying, followed by one to three days of physically not-so-bad, but bad enough to be worn down mentally and emotionally. As I regain my stability, I'm trying to reprogram myself to react differently whenever I get hit by a wave of That Feeling (a combination of sudden severe stomach/intestinal upset, clamminess,fatigue, dizziness, sometimes shortness of breath). This usually brings on immediate anxiety, anger, and frustatration to the point of tears; will I have to stop what I'm doing and go lay down? Will I have to cancel plans and/or chores that needed to be done two days ago? And just the fact that I'm TRYING to live my life and get things going as well as enjoy my family, only to have to stop and be miserable for who knows how long...well, like I said, anger and frustration.
So yesterday, I was out with my husband and after we picked up the little one from camp, and we went out for dinner. All during the day, I kept getting That Feeling. When I did, I just sat down and closed my eyes, and tried to ride it out without getting mad or upset. It wasn't easy, but I'm glad to say I was somewhat successful.
This is especially good because I don't know how long this is going to last (another 5-10 years?), so That Feeling,along with the periodic Bad Episodes, may be a part of my life for quite a while.
Saw part of a documentary on a 10-yr old who has a bone condition where his bones fuse and grow disproportionately. But he was out there trying to play soccer while waddling around on twisted legs. During halftime, he had to sit down and cry while his mother offered pain killers. Then he got up and went back to the game.
I'm sure he didn't ask for that life, and often thinks it's unfair. And I know that someday, I will be over what I'm going through, while that kid has a lifetime of pain, hospitals, medication, and therapy.
If he can get up and get back in the game, then so can I.
Thanks for listening.