I am so thankful for this little area of Amity's. A great place to discuss those things that some mama's wont understand yet. A place to share studies and research to help us through the transition. The health risks that come with being a crone need to be addressed. I am sad that many women aren't free to discuss this but jsut get dubbed a ***** because she is menopausal.

Thank you Jo and Brian for this little area. It won't be the most popular, but hopefully by the time many mama's get to this stage, we will be able to support others very clearly with what we have learned from ourselves.

:bow: Thank you:)

:waving:

http://www.purplepixelations.com/karensemotes/friends.gifhttp://www.purplepixelations.com/karensemotes/flowers.gif

yay, a place for us older Mamas :)

I'll be 45 in 52 days and am proud of each and every wrinkle and stretch mark!

I just turned 35 a few weeks ago, and I have been thinking a lot about peri-menopause.

I am very glad to see this new forum!

Well, I guess I'll join you.
I'm 46 and not yet menopausal but it is bound to come my way.

Mari, Awesome. i had no idea you were 46. I had this image of a 32 year old for some reason.

I am so glad to see you mama's here.

forgot to add, i just turned 41 a few days ago :)

I'm 41 and my doctor has already talked to me about perimenopause cuz it runs in my family :)

I'm 33, but seem to be perimenopausal. So here I am. :)
:hug:

I will be 33 in 4 days and id be interested in what others have to say since my grandmother and my mother(and sisters) all hit menopause fairly early. And even if I dont hit it early like them its still something i will eventually go through so its no time like the present to start to prepare(both me and my dh).

...39....

i am glad to see such a great group here already!!! :heart:

-38- for me

Hi, I'm 51 yrs old. I may be a grandmama but I'm still a mom for my two kids. I went through forced menopause back in May, due to med. problems. The doc never told me that I would have worse hot flashes ( I call tham power surges) after the surgury than I was having before. Have any of you had this problem and what did you do about them? I can't use HRT bec. of the health problems that I have so don't know what to do with myself. Any insight would be appreciated.

This is great and such perfect timining. I am 45 for a few more months ;) and believe I am in the very beginning stages of menopause. I am definitely going to need somebody to lean on if it keeps us like it is now! LOL!

I am so happy to see such a diverse group.
I was actually reading last night about women that have early menopause. It can also run in families.

Gaga, as far as hot flashes, it is assumed the lack of estrogen is causing it. You say you cannot take it. Has the doctor explained why?

The reason I ask is that if you have a uterus, you would need a full HRT with estrogen and pregesterone to shed that built up lining.

If you do not have a uterus, estrogen is all you would need.

If there is a risk of breast cancer and other female cancers, then they do also recommend NO HRT or ERT. Suzanne Somers however, even though she had breast cancer, refuses to let go of her HRT so who knows.

Black Cohosh is the herb of choice for flashes. Vitamin B as well.

Here is the Hot Flash Cocktail recipe from hyster sisters
Hot Flash Cocktail
400 IU vitamin e (mixed d-tocopherols)
500-600 mg calcium citrate with 400 IU vitamin d
200 mg magnesium citrate
500 mg vitamin c with bioflavonoids
Omega-3 fatty acids (equivalent of 360 mg DHA & 240 mg EPA)


There is also a vaginal cream of estrogen to keep the vaginal tissues supple and bring soem moisture back to it. This estrogen has a very low system effect, but enough to where it could help.

I cannot remember the name of it for sure, but it is prescription.

I am considering this actually. So far my battle is dryness mostly. I made a balm that is great for that. BUT, in my case, radiation will cause adhesions in the vaginal area. YUCK!
The course of action is sex 3 times a week to avoid this. So I think estrogen cream may be good.
I also don't have hot flashes majorly all the time. I get them some days and they can last a long time, but they are not major at this time.

I do wake up every night tho. That is another symptom I have mostly. AS well as some days I am completely in a fog and that makes me feel depressed.

My teeth already are sensitive too.

I have my 1st pap after this whole ordeal coming in a week and half and I will be addressing this vaginal cream product. Maybe I will have more info on it from this appt.

I'm signing up here too so that after the hysterectomy I will have somewhere to go (hystersisters confuses the heck outta me. lol).

Not sure when the operation will be but I would love to have it done and over with next month. It's being done because of endometriosis problems, severe cramping, and the fact that me having more babies could be life threatening for either of us (because of my lack of organs and all the meds I take are not good).

I already get hot flashes, dizzyness, and mood swings so I'm ready for all the rest! lol

Oh and I look like the "baby" of the group at 31yo. :)

:bow: I love Hyster Sisters, but it confuses the heck out of me! It used to be more of a board like Amity's, but now it just goes all over the place. I feel like I should go over there to offer my support to the ladies who are facing some of the choices and difficulties I had to go through. However, I usually just go there nowdays if I have a very specific question.

Like, the PROGESTERONE question. :smirk: I first had my uterus removed and 1 1/2 years later, the ovaries. I didn't take anything after the first hyst. But the second they removed my ovaries, I was put on Vivelle Dot (estrogen patch). And I have tried Progesterone in several different forms, but it always sends me in nonstop crying jags.

I've posted on the main board about the medication issues, etc., but I'm pretty much down to nothing but Synthroid and estrogen now. The kinesiologist I'm seing says that it is too late to ever try to go without the Synthroid (I started it in 1998), and I need the estrogen to replace what my body isn't making anymore, but he thinks we can start moving to a more natural/nutritional support for supporting my body in a balanced state that won't need the addition of any more estrogen. Did that make sense?

I am super-psyched that this board is here!! I hope I didn't just hijack a thread. :eek: I'm just really revved that there is finally a *niche* for another kind of Amity Mama. Although always happy to hear of others' pregnancies and birth stories, it's kinda hard not to put a ticker under my signature with little flowers and a timeline since it started until now ... with the heading "couldn't get pregnant if I tried!" Uh, I digressed ... Seriously, I have dreams at least one night a week where I'm pregnant, but I don't have anywhere to "keep" the baby.

Glad to find this section. :bow: I'm 42. I had my first child in 1985 (he's 21 now) and my second child in 2000 (she's 6). There were miscarriages in between and miscarriages after ... which led to the hysterectomy and later the ooprh-omy (whatever it is) and the sudden menopause. It feels like my growth has been stunted or something.

Thanks for letting me ramble. :o

Ramble on Mary...that is what this board is for. It is not the easiest thing especially when medical issues take our body parts away. Please pop in over here when you need to.
Even though it is quiet, it will get seen.

Jo, I can't beleive you are only 31. I am so sorry you have been through so much at such a young age. You are so strong.