81 replies to this topic

[Mara]

Yes, that one. Men, you might want to pass this one by.

At age 44, the baby factory is finally getting the message that I'm not going to cave to its monthly suggestions that I reproduce.

And I am loving it thus far.  So far the most inconveniencing symptoms have been a few night sweats (where I wake up drenched and freezing and have to change all my clothes).  But I'll take those over the monthly uterine complaints.  Have not had a period in 7 weeks and I am delighted with this (though the last couple I've had have made me wonder if I might be exsanguinating out my hoo-hah).  Skin has dried up from its lifelong annoying greasiness as well.

If I follow the same pattern as my mom, I'm good.  Hers was a non-event; she said she didn't even have hot flashes, which sort of disappointed her since she's always cold.

Thus far I am not seeing a downside at all to menopause, though I know I'll have to be a tad more vigilant about keeping up calcium and vit. D levels.  My reproductive system has never been anything but a major nuisance to me.

[mstmompj]

I am 45, and things are increasingly working in this direction for me as well.  I am looking forward to it all being said and done, but for now the roller coaster is a bit of an inconvenience.  Last cycle was only 19 days (and ovulatory) but the previous two cycles were anovulatory, and this year I've had 120 day and 70 cycles thrown in there (one ovulatory and one not). Luckily, I chart my cycles (symptothermal method) and have for 20 years, so I'm not totally flying blind.  I'm guesstimating I've got another 1-2 years left, and it will be fun not to have to think about avoiding pregnancy any more.  The one thing I will miss are those days of the month I fondly think of as "Alex Lifeson days"--you know, the opposite of the days when Aunt Flo comes to town, and I seem to develop a one-track mind, sometimes to my husband's benefit  ;-) .

[Sheldon Cooper]

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

Sheldon Cooper, on 25 November 2012 - 10:15 PM, said:

You know, Sheldon...

Mara, on 24 November 2012 - 11:41 AM, said:

...Men, you might want to pass this one by.

...Some good advice there, at least in your case.

[Sheldon Cooper]

1-0-0-1-0-0-1, on 25 November 2012 - 10:22 PM, said:

Sheldon Cooper, on 25 November 2012 - 10:15 PM, said:

You know, Sheldon...

Mara, on 24 November 2012 - 11:41 AM, said:

...Men, you might want to pass this one by.

...Some good advice there, at least in your case.

In my defense, I posted that gif right after reading that sentence.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

Sheldon Cooper, on 25 November 2012 - 10:23 PM, said:

1-0-0-1-0-0-1, on 25 November 2012 - 10:22 PM, said:

Sheldon Cooper, on 25 November 2012 - 10:15 PM, said:

You know, Sheldon...

Mara, on 24 November 2012 - 11:41 AM, said:

...Men, you might want to pass this one by.

...Some good advice there, at least in your case.

In my defense, I posted that gif right after reading that sentence.

Well still, as much as I love that "Family Guy" scene, I don't know why you posted it HERE. But that could be me just not getting the joke?

[Sheldon Cooper]

1-0-0-1-0-0-1, on 26 November 2012 - 12:19 AM, said:

Sheldon Cooper, on 25 November 2012 - 10:23 PM, said:

1-0-0-1-0-0-1, on 25 November 2012 - 10:22 PM, said:

Sheldon Cooper, on 25 November 2012 - 10:15 PM, said:

You know, Sheldon...

Mara, on 24 November 2012 - 11:41 AM, said:

...Men, you might want to pass this one by.

...Some good advice there, at least in your case.

In my defense, I posted that gif right after reading that sentence.

Well still, as much as I love that "Family Guy" scene, I don't know why you posted it HERE. But that could be me just not getting the joke?

Because the Kool-Aid guy realizes he should not have busted through the wall and slowly backs out...I realized I shold not have clicked on this thread, and slowly backed out...

[gangsterfurious]

Haha. I thought the Kool-Aid guy was a metaphor for menopause. Oopsie.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

Sheldon Cooper, on 26 November 2012 - 12:26 AM, said:

1-0-0-1-0-0-1, on 26 November 2012 - 12:19 AM, said:

Sheldon Cooper, on 25 November 2012 - 10:23 PM, said:

1-0-0-1-0-0-1, on 25 November 2012 - 10:22 PM, said:

Sheldon Cooper, on 25 November 2012 - 10:15 PM, said:

You know, Sheldon...

Mara, on 24 November 2012 - 11:41 AM, said:

...Men, you might want to pass this one by.

...Some good advice there, at least in your case.

In my defense, I posted that gif right after reading that sentence.

Well still, as much as I love that "Family Guy" scene, I don't know why you posted it HERE. But that could be me just not getting the joke?

Because the Kool-Aid guy realizes he should not have busted through the wall and slowly backs out...I realized I shold not have clicked on this thread, and slowly backed out...

You know, now that you explained it, that was actually a good joke for this thread.

Mara, sorry we disrupted your thread.

[Babycat]

My mother died at the age of 55, having not, to my knowledge, ever having hot flushes. I have no idea if I'll experience this.

[treeduck]

I thought "the change" happened when they take the make-up off...

[Mara]

treeduck, on 26 November 2012 - 05:12 PM, said:

I thought "the change" happened when they take the make-up off...

I wear rather little of that anyway!

Supposedly we get bitchy (-er).  I haven't been any more cranky than usual, though!  Night sweat last night sucked, however.  I went to bed all snuggly warm in my sweats and woke up at 3:30 soaked and chilled.    Had to get up, towel off, change clothes.  Wore a short-sleeved tee and really was kind of uncomfortable for the rest of the night.

[rushfanforever!]

Babycat, on 26 November 2012 - 02:53 PM, said:

My mother died at the age of 55, having not, to my knowledge, ever having hot flushes. I have no idea if I'll experience this.

So sorry to hear that Babycat!  

The fun for me has just recently started at age 45!  Had my first bad night sweat and hot flash last week; woke up soaked and freezing after I was hot as hell before falling asleep?!  I felt I was in a sauna! Had to change the sheets at 4 am!  My monthly cycles have become unpredictable as it comes for 2-3 days disappears and reappears several days later.  Very annoying!  Never used Super Plus-sized tampons before either? ( I know gross...)  Weird, how the flow changes.   Hubby says my mood has definately changed to "Bitchy" as well!  Not sure what's worse at this point, PMS or menopause?




Sorry Ducky, you have no idea what we "chicks" go through....nice try with the makeup bit!    

Edited by rushfanforever!, 27 November 2012 - 05:42 AM.

[gangsterfurious]

Ugh I hope I get to retire before I'm 50 I don't think I can handle this nonsense and a full-time job.

[mstmompj]

rushfanforever!, on 27 November 2012 - 02:05 AM, said:

  Hubby says my mood has definately changed to "Bitchy" as well!  Not sure what's worse at this point, PMS or menopause?

Hey, you should try premenopause while taking high doses of prednisone for six months!  Talk about "The pools of poison, the scarlet mists that spill over into rage."  The dh was pretty glad when I finally got to stop taking that mess.

Also fun: premenopausal mama mixed with mouthy, hormonal 15yo teen daughter.  I guess I should have had her when I was younger.  

[librarian]

Peri or premen is no fun and it's unfortunate that most women don't know about it until they're in it.
I take it one day at a time. That's all I can do.

[Janie]

I am SO not enjoying the fact that this is right around the corner for me, I'm sure. About six months ago I had to make a special trip to my OB/GYN to ask her about, um, changes that were happening. She said that all the changes were normal changes but I know that they are the first signs of more intense changes to happen. All of a sudden, I was experiencing cramps which I had never had, ever. Those are not fun. And I would get a downright debilitating migraine that would last for two days. Nothing would touch the pain and the dr said it was because of a sharp, rapid decrease in hormones. Again, had never experienced that before. She joked a little saying that quite a few women find that they need to go on the birth control pill to control all these changes that we experience before menopause kicks in. I have to say, the bc pills have worked wonders. Things are back on a timely *cough* track, no more headaches, no more cramps.

What I dislike most, is thinking that when menopause does happen, I'm going to feel like less of a woman. If that makes sense. It means I'm getting old and I'm not digging that feeling.

[Babycat]

rushfanforever!, on 27 November 2012 - 02:05 AM, said:

Babycat, on 26 November 2012 - 02:53 PM, said:

My mother died at the age of 55, having not, to my knowledge, ever having hot flushes. I have no idea if I'll experience this.

So sorry to hear that Babycat!  

The fun for me has just recently started at age 45!  Had my first bad night sweat and hot flash last week; woke up soaked and freezing after I was hot as hell before falling asleep?!  I felt I was in a sauna! Had to change the sheets at 4 am!  My monthly cycles have become unpredictable as it comes for 2-3 days disappears and reappears several days later.  Very annoying!  Never used Super Plus-sized tampons before either? ( I know gross...)  Weird, how the flow changes.   Hubby says my mood has definately changed to "Bitchy" as well!  Not sure what's worse at this point, PMS or menopause?




Sorry Ducky, you have no idea what we "chicks" go through....nice try with the makeup bit!    

Thanks, rushfanforever - and a    in your direction too. My mother would've been 72 this year...
As for my, um, monthly thingies - I don't know whether I'm coming or going with them: disappears for nearly 6 months, then hurts like a b@st@rd for days, then goes again... Once a whole year had gone past..!  
Re PMS or menopause - PMS, I think.
And Duck - great bit about the makeup..!  

[Mara]

Janie, on 27 November 2012 - 12:47 PM, said:

I am SO not enjoying the fact that this is right around the corner for me, I'm sure. About six months ago I had to make a special trip to my OB/GYN to ask her about, um, changes that were happening. She said that all the changes were normal changes but I know that they are the first signs of more intense changes to happen. All of a sudden, I was experiencing cramps which I had never had, ever. Those are not fun. And I would get a downright debilitating migraine that would last for two days. Nothing would touch the pain and the dr said it was because of a sharp, rapid decrease in hormones. Again, had never experienced that before. She joked a little saying that quite a few women find that they need to go on the birth control pill to control all these changes that we experience before menopause kicks in. I have to say, the bc pills have worked wonders. Things are back on a timely *cough* track, no more headaches, no more cramps.

What I dislike most, is thinking that when menopause does happen, I'm going to feel like less of a woman. If that makes sense. It means I'm getting old and I'm not digging that feeling.

Think of the money you'll save on tampons!  I always resent spending money on those things - I've always harbored an intense hatred of my uterus and its ways of managing to interfere with fun stuff like vacations and concerts.  And no more digging through your handbag to grab your wallet or whatever and having a big old supersize plug fall out on the restaurant table in front of everyone.

You will be liberated, not old.

[Janie]

Mara, on 27 November 2012 - 07:36 PM, said:

Janie, on 27 November 2012 - 12:47 PM, said:

I am SO not enjoying the fact that this is right around the corner for me, I'm sure. About six months ago I had to make a special trip to my OB/GYN to ask her about, um, changes that were happening. She said that all the changes were normal changes but I know that they are the first signs of more intense changes to happen. All of a sudden, I was experiencing cramps which I had never had, ever. Those are not fun. And I would get a downright debilitating migraine that would last for two days. Nothing would touch the pain and the dr said it was because of a sharp, rapid decrease in hormones. Again, had never experienced that before. She joked a little saying that quite a few women find that they need to go on the birth control pill to control all these changes that we experience before menopause kicks in. I have to say, the bc pills have worked wonders. Things are back on a timely *cough* track, no more headaches, no more cramps.

What I dislike most, is thinking that when menopause does happen, I'm going to feel like less of a woman. If that makes sense. It means I'm getting old and I'm not digging that feeling.

Think of the money you'll save on tampons!  I always resent spending money on those things - I've always harbored an intense hatred of my uterus and its ways of managing to interfere with fun stuff like vacations and concerts.  And no more digging through your handbag to grab your wallet or whatever and having a big old supersize plug fall out on the restaurant table in front of everyone.

You will be liberated, not old.

I'd rather spend money on super-chic tampons than look forward to broken hips, realizing the fear in "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up," tapioca and bingo. Ok, I actually am looking forward to bingo.

Another good thing about bc pills though is that you can plan it out so that you don't have a period. If you keep taking the active pills constantly (in a pack, you have three weeks of active pills and one week of sugar pills which is when you would normally have your period) then you can skip having a period for as long as you want. So, you can go on vacation, concerts, etc without having to worry about having a period.