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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Women's Health
/ Menopause Support Group

the damn hypothalmus

MKal
MKal
I saw a part of a documentary on The Brain the other night which said that the hypothalmus, which of course is the part of the brain that regulates our body temperature, also regulates our sleep and eating patterns! Since this is highly affected by menopause, thus causing us to have hot flashes, that is also the cause of our consequent imsomnia AND eating disorders during this transitional time in our lives.
Not that I have a cut-and-dried answer to easing these symptoms, but it helps (me, at least) to know where the trouble with sleeping and eating comes from.
Now if I can just figure out what causes the itching and the doomsday thoughts...
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hmmm, my mechanic's pretty good with fixing regulators and thermostats on our cars. Wonder if he'd take a crack at my hypothalumus. Wait, that sounded kinda dirty, didn't it. It wasn't meant to be , believe me, my lack of libido can only muster up enough sex drive for my husband.....and even my sweet man can't figure out how to fix the control mechanisms on this broad to get to overheat!
momshere
momshere
I WONDER WHY MY GYN HASN'T TOLD ME ABOUT THIS HYPO WHAT EVER!!!! THE HYPO PART REMINDS ME OF HIPPO , WHICH I FEEL LIKE WHEN I AM SOO BLOATED. THANKS MKAL FOR THE INFO, I WILL BE SURE TO ASK MY FELLOW GYN ABOUT THIS. THIS IS WHY I LOVE THIS SITE SO MUCH, WE LEARN NEW THINGS ALMOST DAILY. THANKS FOR THE INFO. GOD BLESS!!!
aeris7
aeris7
I recently re-joined this group and glad I did! I saw this post and it caught my eye because I have terrible trouble getting to sleep (takes hours) and diminished appetite. Sex drive is gone too. I am in the heart of menopause (no period in 1 1/2 years). Very few hot flashes but many moment of the "blues" feeling. I wondered if anyone had any ideas. I already take quite a few vitamins and nothing has been effective thus far. Thanks!
sdwill
sdwill
The doomsday thoughts I hate! It never even crossed my mind before, but now I am constantly thinking about sickness, dying, and the terrible things that can happen to my children.
aeris7
aeris7
Yes! Same here! I am thinking of trying St. John's Wort although it has never worked in the past.
Seashells1
Seashells1
I work in a finance department...right now, doomsday thoughts are rampant, not just hormonal.

You know, they used to do lobotomy's, any chance they could just remove that part of our brains...leave the wit, the intelligence, the sex drive, and get rid of all the gray matter that our hormones messes up?