Ladies only please - How many of you have started or are going through menopause
By SheliaLee
@SheliaLee (2736)
United States
May 27, 2008 11:03am CST
I have thought in the past that I might be going into this stage of life after I had my hysterectomy in 2001 but every time I have had my hormone levels checked they have always been normal. It has been two or three years since I had them checked last though and I'm thinking it is time to have them checked again. I have been getting hotter than usual and I used to be extremely cold natured, even in summer time. But now even though the hot days are just beginning to get here I'm having a time with the heat. I was sitting in the choir Sunday morning and I thought I was going to pass out because I was so hot. I had on a sleeveless dress, was sitting in a hot robe but under the air conditioner vent in the choir loft and for the life of me I couldn't get cool. After the choir special and the special from our music minister I couldn't stand it any longer. I slipped out, took off my robe, put my book in the choir room and then went and sat on the front pew to listen to the message. Even then it took me until almost the end of the service to cool down enough to be comfortable.
Do you think it is possible I'm starting to go into menopause? Thanks in advance for your responses!!!
7 people like this
9 responses
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
27 May 08
You probably are...
I got hot flashes a bit and all kinds of craziness with my periods. Doc put me on hormones, which helped. But I voluntarily went off them almost 2 years ago. Then this nasty bleeding thing started due to fibroids. Back on hormones. Found an herbal thing that helps with that, so off the hormones again. There are natural things that can help you manage without hormones if you can afford to see a naturopath (most insurances won't cover that).
Good luck!
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
27 May 08
Hi Dawn!! Yes, I have thought about trying some natural remedies if I can find them at a health food store because our insurance wouldn't cover the naturopath. What is the herbal product that you use if you don't mind me asking? Thanks!!!
2 people like this
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
27 May 08
Thanks Dawn!! I appreciate it greatly hon.
2 people like this
@lucy02 (5015)
• United States
27 May 08
Shelia, I am the same age you are and am going through the same thing. Funny thing as I am typing this they are talking about menopause on the Today Show and are saying that Gingko Biloba is helpful (not sure I spelled that right) and soy may be helpful.
2 people like this
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
27 May 08
I'll have to check into that too. How do you get the natural progesterone? Is that in a health food store or do you get it from your doctor? Thanks for your response hon. :-)
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
27 May 08
I think I have been going through menopause also for a very long time. I had my hysterectomy back in 1995. I will be 37 years old this year. I have been very hot here recently and have the air set on 69 degreees and I still sweat. I have had the house 67 degrees at times also and I am still burning up and sweating. It is very possible that we both are going through menopause. I have not been to the doctor since 1995 because I have felt pretty good and we do not have insurance right now and I just cannot afford to do to the doctor either.
2 people like this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
28 May 08
Thank you. I hate it that we do not have insurance but I sure hope to be able to afford it in the near future. I would be willing to try the natural remedies though. If it works, it would be well worht it. I sure hope you can find some good news out and get some help for yourself also. God bless you and take care also.
1 person likes this
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
27 May 08
Bless your heart, we have been in that boat before with no insurance and it is absolutely no fun at all. We have insurance but I just hate to go to the doctor, but with my diabetes I'm going to have to make myself go for my own good. My family doctor can probably check my hormone level too without me having to make two doctor appointments. If you read some of my other responses there are some ladies who are using natural medicine like you can get at health food stores instead of having to get prescription medicine. You might want to try something like that if it isn't too expensive for you. Take care!!!
1 person likes this
@nelly5 (1424)
• United States
27 May 08
Well I don't know how old you are, and really I am not sure if you are starting menopause, but I am sure it is possible that you are. I have heard of women starting to go through menopause as early as in their 30's. I am 32 and I always tell my mom I feel that I am starting b/c I get major hot flashes every so often, she just laughs at me and tells me that I am way too young. I have looked into it and I know that it is possible to start menopause in your 30's...even though it doesn't happen all that much, it is possible. I wish you the best through this changing time. Have a great day!
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
27 May 08
Thanks Nelly!!! Actually I am 47 years old, so I know I'm at the age that I should be starting LOL!! I remember the last time I was this hot natured was when I was pregnant with my son and that was over 15 years ago. The ladies I worked with at the time loved that I was pregnant because they were both hot natured and before I got pregnant I was always freezing!!! They said they wished I had gotten pregnant earlier LOL!!! But after my son was born I went back to being cold natured until just here recently. Thanks so much for your response!!!
2 people like this
@ruby222 (4847)
•
27 May 08
Hi Sheila..maybe it is the menopause.I think sometimes its quite difficult to tell!!..I started my menopause at around forty eight,and in all honesty i thought maybe i had just missed periods because i was stressed or something...hubby made me o a pregnancy test after a while because he wasnt convinced that it was the menopause..but it was negative.The signs and symptoms werent there in as much for me...and before i knew it I think that it had come and gone.I hope that yours is relatively trouble free..and that maybe your hot flushes will go as quickly as they have come...and then it will all be over quickly for you too!!
2 people like this
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
27 May 08
Bless your heart!!! I appreciate that. I have had the levels checked so many times thinking I really was, I'm tired of wondering about it. If I am I hope, like you too, that it happens fast. Thanks so much for responding!!!
1 person likes this
@sun2day (1062)
• Virgin Islands (U.S.)
27 May 08
It sounds like you are just entering that stage. I started at about 53, and those hot flashes were not easy. My working area would be nice and cool and the water would be dripping off me, and I was always feeling hot when everyone around me would be feeling fine.
It just disappeared and I never took hormone therapy.
Some folks go through it without even noticing any changes.
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
27 May 08
Well I have heard of perimenopause and then the actual menopause stage, so if I'm not in menopause maybe it is the first one. Lord only knows, LOL!!! It sure is hard being a woman isn't? I couldn't help but laugh at my husband the other day. He said "I would NEVER want to be a woman!!!" They couldn't handle it could they Ha! Ha!! Thanks for responding hon. :-)
1 person likes this
@terri0824 (5203)
• United States
27 May 08
You could very well be entering this stage of life. For me I know that I have entered this stage of life. What I have found to help me is by taking a garlic supplement. I also stumbled upon the fact that multi-vitamin with iron in it caused me to have hot flashes as well. When we get to be this age we don't need the iron that we once did. I think a lot of women may miss this one that this is the reason for causing hot flashes. I started a discussion awhile back on my remedies for hot flashes, and there was some other helpful tips offered there as well. Here's the link to the discussion so that you might be able to find some more helpful tips.
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1398657.aspx
2 people like this
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
27 May 08
Thanks Terri, I'll definitely look at your link. I know that being 47 I'm at the age of starting if not past, because most women that I have read about have already started into menopause by now. I know my diabetes doctor checked my hormone level the last time and he said that considering I had had a hysterectomy that my hormone levels were the best he had seen in a long time, but that was at least two years ago and I haven't had the levels checked since then.
@sunkissed (4330)
• United States
27 May 08
Yes, it is possiable that you are starting o go through menopause. It does sound to me like you indeed are having hot flashes. They are no fun. I started going through it when i was in my early 30's.My hair will be wringing wet with sweat.I did have a complete hysterectomy when I was 34 years old.I do not wish these hot flashs on any one.
2 people like this
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
27 May 08
Hi there!! When I had my hysterectomy they left my ovaries in. That may be why I haven't started any earlier, but I'm beginning to think it is kicking in now. I'll only know for sure, I guess, if I get an appointment to have the levels checked again. I have seen my mother and mother-in-law have hot flashes before where they were broke out in a sweat also. I sure don't look forward to those and if they were any worse than the way I felt Sunday it is really going to be rough, but I'll just have to deal with them the best way I can. My poor husband will probably get the worst end of the deal if he gets cool during the night and needs the cover and I'm kicking it off LOL!!! Thanks so much for your response!!
1 person likes this
@thebeaddoodler (4262)
• Lubbock, Texas
28 May 08
Women enter menopause at various ages, depending on their unique physical make-up. Many times the hormones fluctuate wildly and you have hot flashes, but when you go to the Dr. and have the levels tested the reading is normal. Then you get home and experience the hot flashes and possible other symptoms of menopause.
I have a friend that started experiencing short periods of extreme depression, started to doubt her judgment on everything, and occasionally had hot flashes. I told her she was starting through menopause, but her Dr. told her for 2 more years that her hormone levels were normal!
1 person likes this
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
28 May 08
Wow!! I get short period of depression myself and just want to cry when I have absolutely no reason to. Sometimes I think that doctors just guess at your problem when they have no idea what it is about, especially men doctors. I have started seeing the lady CRNP at my gyn doctor because she certainly takes extra time with me and really wants to seem to find out what is going on. My husband said the other day "Man, I would never want to be a woman1!!" I had to laugh because, living with him like I do, I know he would never survive it LOL!!! Thanks so much!!!
