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 another post here and am finding it very comforting knowing every body else on the menopause site are confirming my symptoms, but what i need to know is will this ever end? or will I be forever changed! I have so many symptoms all most too many to count. I have to be on Xanax times two a day at this point. and hate taking them but they have leveled me out somewhat. Back when this first started for me i would panic I did not feel like this was normal, another words I would act out, like throw things and swore I wanted to go to the mental hospital, my husband refused to take me, but for about 6 months I was so out of control that I was really scared that I might do something to myself. I knew deep inside i would not but I felt like no one was helping me. Before i was put on Xanax I would scream at my family that something was terribly wrong, that I did not know what it was but something was wrong. I since have been on Xanax for about a year and am coping, but nothing is the same. I do see a mental health care professional but really I feel like even my body chemistry is different, i,e the change. I used to have a few hot flashes but since the Xanax don't notice them. When I sleep at night I notice a heaviness in between my breasts and burning throughout my stomach area and don't know what that is, but scary!! my arms will go to sleep and also my hands. I get tingling through out my body and even in my head. I have tinnitus and When this all stated I think that one symptom alone freaked me out the most because the ringing would get so loud that it sounded like it was in my head, very weird. My doctor wants me to take a low dose birth control for the peri menopause but I am having a hard time trusting these doctors. I also have high blood pressure, which makes it worse. My skin looks wrinkled, like thin skinny lines all up and down my arms, I just wondering will this go away or is this it!! The anxiety and depression is very bad and I heard some women talk about the tremors I don't know if that what i have or what. I know the Xanax helps with that, but I don't function very well I don't drive right now and also don't go any where, mostly to my doctors app. I do notice I feel guilty about past things that I've did and feel horrible thinking about them. Will this every get better, does any one really even know?
enchanting123
I am with you vicki...and I am in the same situation, but I don't have answers for you or for myself. It would be nice to know if this will go back to normal or whatever normal is. I am afraid I gonna break things too, specially the phone, I could twist that thing in half and most of the time I just let it ring, if somebody has something to say they will leave a message otherwise I guess they just don't get an answer. lol I hope and pray that this crazy ride is not too long, because it is not a fun ride at all. Have a great Sunday. Peace and Love.
JeanneA
I agree with enchantin, I am in the same situation and also don't have an answers I'm afraid. In my case the doctor has recently put me on amitrityline, and anti-depressant. I take 60 mg at nights and I now only wake up once, I feel better in the mornings also. I do get a lot of hot flashes during the day, some days are worse than others. We are all here for each other, to give each other support. Sending hugs to you (( ))
deleted_user
I found out three years ago that I was in menopause. At first I felt weird. I had a myriad of symptoms. Anxiety, fatigue, ringing ears, moodiness, and too many other symptoms to mention. I felt like I was going crazy. Went on Prempro for a while. Then tried bioidentical hormones for quite some time. It's been three years and Im off hormones and am leveling out somewhat. I still have some foggy thinking. I am postmenopausal and will never be the same as when I had full estrogen. Menopause changes your body's chemistry and you do feel different but I think the worst symptoms do level out as your body adjusts to not having estrogen. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Judy
denymckusker
Your post reads very similar to 1 I would post. I won't ever be the same as I was. I have come to terms with that. What I struggle with every day is can I live with what my new normal has to offer. I still don't know the answer to that. I'm still here. I take Xanax for sleep along with Ambien. I also have Tinnitus. The Tinnitus started about the same time I was blindsided by Peri. Living with Tinnitus keeps me on the edge! I was put on a low dose BSP a few years to stop my erratic and painful periods. It stopped them. Overnight my skin turned into this weird, thin old lady looking crap. Still does. My Dr. (Psych) has me on high doses of Gabapentin for the tremors/vibrations. It helps alot. They still lurk. I take Nortryptiline for pain. It works. I also take Lithium to keep my moods in check. I don't think I am Bi-polar? You gotta do whatever you gotta do to help you survive this ride. We can only hope that what we find on the other side is doable. I don't think I will ever say LIFE IS GREAT again but I suspect it will be doable. At 1 point I BEGGED my family to help me figure out what was wrong with me. They didn't have to take me to the Mental Hospital. I managed to do that all by myself. I didn't mind it in there because it was the most normal I felt in a long time. You take care and just know we are all here for you! Deny
vickicrouch2
Thanks ladies for just being here for me!! I feel like some one is really hearing me when I post and you kind ladies post back!! I feel blessed just to have this site at this point. I really only have one friend and feel blessed to have her as well!! My wish is that all of us get through this as soon as possible.
JeanneA
Hi Vikki I'm also so pleased I have this site and have friends like you (( )) Us ladies have to stick together. Take care my friend.
deleted_user
Hello Vicki! I hope today is a good day for you.. I too can totally relate to your story. I been going through it 7 years now. I think that is way to long. I still am waiting for the actual menopause. I been dealing with all sorts of symtoms and a lot of what your talking about. It has been very scary to go from being a happy motivated person to someone you don't recognize. Trying to get support from my husband well he tries but I think he is just plain tired of me always complaining. I sure hope its better for us post menopause. My mom keeps telling me it will get better when the hormones level out. However she did not go this as bad as me at all. Maybe its because I did fertility drugs to get pregnant. I don't know. I am there for you. I think this is a great support site. I just can;t understand with all the advances in medicne that we dont have more for us struggling menopausal women. There should be loads of support groups.
vickicrouch2
Hi ticham. yes there should be a lot more sites. I am still in the midst of this crap with no end in sight. I think menopause makes every thing worse!! another words what ever issues you may have had just magnifies every thing to the 10th degree. I have so many different health issues I don't know which is causing which. What a mess. I hope you are doing well and keep posting. it seems this site might be the only one that really seems to be thriving right now. Take care and lets just keep posting and hope for the best!
hotmom1
I think that we have to move forward and create a new "normal" After 2 years of menopause, had a hyst , I have stopped trying to get back to where I was. I joined an exercise class, stopped eating sugar, gave myself permission to be who I am and now I am much happier for it. I have hot flashes and memory issues, gained about 5 pounds and lost my oomph for a while. Now, I feel better than ever. It really is a mind set. Be kind to yourself! Good luck to all.
deleted_user
Hello Vicki, I hope you are having a good day today. I just want to encourage you and let you know that you are not alone. We are all going through this and some of us symptoms are worse than others. I can relate to everything you are saying because have been there. I am in menopause over two years now and at one point I had so many symptoms it was unbelievable. I think I would never feel better and be normal again. I had anxiety depression, numbness, tingling, crawly skin, insomnia, fatigue, electric shocks in my head and fuzzy feeling. The list goes on. In the beginning I was so scared because i didn't know what was happening to my body. The symptoms was just too much until I come across this site and realized that so many women was going throught the same thing. This site has really helped me to accept what was going on in my body. I was on Xanax for the anxiety and to help me sleep. I was also on an antidepression. They help me a little but not much so I stopped taking them. I tried different herbal supplements but nothing helped. Getting back to work has helped me stay focused and keep my mind occupied. Was out of work for awhile and that did not helped. At one point the symptoms was so severe I was afraid to go back to work because I didn't think I could function. My memory and concentration level was so bad. In the beginning it was bad but getting to do what I really love to do has helped me to stay focussed. My job is very stressful and tiring so when I am finished I am so tired I sleep very well without taking anything. I cannot say that I am back to normal because I am not. Still get a lot of the symptoms but I just learn to deal with them and hope and pray that they will pass. When they get too overwhelming I don't overdo it. The important thing is when the symptoms comes on try, not to panic and remember it's the hormones doing this and other are going through the same thing. I know its hard and I do hope that this gets better for you and all of us. Whatever helps your symptoms continue with it. Keep reading the post because this will give a lot of reassurance that you are not alone.
deleted_user
wow-so gal i was directed to this site so apologies for the belated post; vicki-SO feel your pain; i do understand this is the 'new normal' and i WANT to be on the other side so man does it suck to be in this limbo land..3 years for me & seems to have worsened these past few months; have done many of the things i see here with little to no comfort & am about to give up...going to try some pm phtogyn next; trying to find a therapist who deals mainly with this type of women issue but not having any luck-group therapy would be great too but run by a professional..oy-see one of my side effects is i am ALL over the place! just try & remember self care, support from friends/family, give yourself permission to just veg; be kind to yourselves ladies!
enchanting123
I agree with jomama7 and somebody else said it too, we need to be kind to ourselves, and create a new normal, we are just not 30 or 20 any more and our bodies don't feel like that either. I am dealing with another period (after just 21 days) had a three month break from it, but I guess this can be a long road, so I just deal with each day and try to be happy. Peace and Love ladies.
deleted_user
Hello Vicki, I just want you to know I been wondering the same thing. After going through this 7 years. Only to be confirmed through blood work about a year that it is perimenopause.Still waiting for menopause. I hear women that have only been in it 2-3 years. Well try 7 and still dealing with it. i have too many symtoms to mention. I feel like I am better than when I started but my life has been changed because anxiety and migraines etc cause hold me back. I can only hope and pray that it will level out like other women on here have posted. Hugs to you Vicki. I know how rough this is.
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