Patty wrote: "Oh wow - I just caught up on this thread. Teri, I want to go to the Women't Coloy...can we leave now?????"

haha...I'm with you!

Oh wow - I just caught up on this thread. Teri, I want to go to the Women't Coloy...can we leave now?????

I think I have the ultimate menopause solution. Read on, ladies: http://derfwadmanor.blogspot.com/2008/04...

Thanks for all the encouragement ladies. Today I have to say I am tired. hehe!!! I won't do much today, maybe just sit and read. :~)

Connie wrote: "Ok, so here's a topic I don't usually talk about but since it's here I thought I might throw you all for a loop. I am 34 years old and I was born with no reproductive system. It was not diagnosed u..."

Connie, I'm so sorry to hear about all the trouble you have had. Are you saying doctors have laughed at you?

Wow, Lisa, look at you! You are obviously very motivated, and I understand it. I don't much like being dependent on people to help me, and I hated being stuck in a chair and stuck in the house, so I got up and about as soon as I could, too. Listen to your body and don't overdo.

I know that small cuts can hurt a lot, particularly when the stomach muscles are involved. I had my gall bladder removed laparascopically last spring, and those four small cuts were pretty damned painful.

Lisa you are doing good. The key is to not do too much too fast. I think walking is great but resting is important too. It took me about 5 days once i was home and i was ready to go. I did have the bikini cut but I did not require any meds when I left the hospital. The day I took the pressure bandage off I wanted to run and jump! :)

Wow Nancy come on over to the Menopause (women's health group) we are talking about lots on there. My thyroid is not responding well either and my symptoms do match up with adrenal fatigue (not failure yet) If you can talk to a Dr who deals in healthy aging I bet you will get further. From some of what I am reading your arthritis and some heart issues can be related. If you are estrogen dominant soy might be supplying more estrogen. I am wondering what your progesterone levels are. They are linked to helping your adrenal to work. Stress IS a huge part but maybe you can get a video of Tai chil (like I am trying right now) to focus on breathing and relaxing. I don't know if any of this is going to help me but the best thing you can do before you go see any medical person is read read read. Get the most current books on aging. I say aging because so many of the menopause books are dated. There are some news ones though. There is diet you can work on (more protein like you said) and exercise dvds you can maybe get from your library to keep the costs down.
Most Dr's out there will not know what you are talking about if you ask about bioidenticals so do some homework and keep talking to other women. I have been working on this myself for almost two years now. Before my hysterectomy and now a little more of a year after. The regular medical community is not ready for women who want answers and options.

KrisT - Thanks for the comments about bio-identical meds. (I am the one who suffered from the endometriosis/adenomyosis.) I had read what I could but of course that was ten years ago. At the time no one said anything about estrogen or progesterone dominance. I might have aggravated things with the black cohosh, but it helped. I still supplement with soy, and that might not be the best either, but I need the extra protein.

Regarding thyroid issues, I was very healthy into my mid 40's, lifted weights, ran 5 mi. every other day, ate well etc. Married late - had two kids in my late 30's who were miracles considering. But I crashed and burned several years ago - HUGE thyroid tumor removed - have another one they are watching, and what I would consider adrenal failure. Yes, I can say stress is a factor, but pretty hard to control right now - elder care issues among many other things. No matter how much synthroid stuff I take, the TSH is low and gets worse the more I take. I am somewhat limited in meds because we are retired military and with two kids in college $$ I don't have much left to pay out of pocket. I have tried the Wilson's temperature stuff and had heart problems from this... Also have arthritis - no cartilage left in the knees. Considering how healthy I used to be, this is very depressing. I would appreciate any input from anyone!

Marsha, thank you for the advice. I been trying to walk a little farther every day and try to do it 2 times a day. Today I almost got to the end of our street. I am excited about that. I am feeling better but things still do hurt inside. I was lucky I didn't have to have the big cut across my stomach. They went in through my belly button which does hurt. I do think everyday is getting a little better.

Thanks again for the advice. :~)

Connie thanks so much for sharing your story. I have been so frustrated with finding help for my parts (not only reproductive but also bones and muscle problems) and getting no help but offers for antidepressants and the like, so I sort of know what you feel. I know it can not be the same thing but I can sympathize.

Teri, there is the group on here that Katherine started for Menopause and we have been reading quite a few books on the subject. I tend to look for the newest info out there because even 2-3 years in the past the info out there for us might not be accurate. I am reading lots about bioidential hormones and natural hormone replacement since the old HRT is what is linked to breast cancer and heart disease and bone loss. Oprah just did two shows this month on the topic and had some of the big names on her show.
If you are suffering from fibroids and endometriosis than it is likely that you are estrogen dominant and do not need more estrogen but possibly progesterone to counter act it. Lots to read about including thyroid hormones. i have read some books on anti-aging lately that focus on hormone replacement. (one is called Younger you and I think it is on my book page. Also What your doctor may not tell you about Menopause (or perimenopause is another of his books) The breakthrough book on natural hormone balance by John R Lee MD. He is like a pioneer in the natural progression of our bodies aging, however he died not that long ago but most of his info is spot on. I just found a compounding pharmacy that also stated his products on his website are very good quality.

Anyway as you can see there is lots to read about and much to glean and much to discard. It is up to you to decide if you want a natural approach or a synthetic approach. Just know you need hormones replaced if your own body is not producing them itself.
Come join the Menopause group on goodreads for more info. :)

Kelly Jo wrote: "Where did you get your sanity list you post on your fridge? "

On the internet, where else!
http://www.project-aware.org/Experience/...

Connie, thanks for being so open about something that has to be very difficult for you. I am so sorry you haven't gotten support from the medical community. I appreciate and respect a doctor who is honest enough to say a problem is beyond their knowledge or understanding - either personally or as a profession. Laughing at you is inexcusable. You must grieve the experiences you have been denied. I am glad you have come to some peace with the loss you must feel. You have been born without. Some of us have been surgically fixed or lost function. But we are women and our womanhood is more heart and mind. Thanks for sharing!

Ok, so here's a topic I don't usually talk about but since it's here I thought I might throw you all for a loop. I am 34 years old and I was born with no reproductive system. It was not diagnosed until I was 17. I do not go through that time of the month, so I often wonder if I will go through menopause. I have been to so many dr.s that I don't go anymore. I have been laughed at so many times I just can't do it anymore. I have lost faith in the medical profession, they really don't believe me! Nothing about being a woman is a reality for me. I have accepted this fact a long time ago, but I do worry that my body will change and I won't know it. So I'm glad all of you going through it have somewhere to go and talk it over with others that are going through it too, but at the same time I just wanted to share my story.

Marsha, I requested to join the GR menopause group and I checked out Teri's recommendation for the womentowomen web site. Where did you get your sanity list you post on your fridge?

Feeling like I'm among youngsters, being very post-menopausal here! Regarding surgically induced menopause - technically speaking a hysterectomy doesn't involve the ovaries, which is an oophorectomy. Losing everything surgically is a difficult adjustment on the body. I had a hysterectomy when I was 37, only six months after my second child was delivered Ceasarian. (Yes both were necessary.) I had suffered from fibroids, endometriosis and adenomyosis for many years. It was such a relief when I finally could live life without chronic pain. EVERYTHING was better afterwards. I went back to running etc. -felt awesome. Since the ovaries are still intact, menopause wasn't obvious and didn't happen the way the doctor predicted. I was told that within five years of surgery, my body would figure out something was missing and start shutting down the hormones. I had the blood work periodically, but really didn't go through stuff for another ten years or more. So closer to normal age I guess. The emotional rollercoaster was the worst part for me. I took HRT for a couple years. It did help, but then all the research came out linking it to cardiac issues. My mother had died suddenly of heart related problems, so I decided it was in my best interest to quit. I don't believe you can stereotype any menopause progression as typical. Everyone is different and you need to experiment with what works for you. General lifestyle and overall health certainly affect how you survive. Herbal supplements helped in my case. Black cohosh definitely took the edge off. I too would be happy to answer anything :^)

KrisT wrote: "I think the best thing we can do is try to stay informed and share info that we find. I have been reading about hormone failure (or death) and how most Dr's feel that menopause is only for a short ..."

Kris, where did you read about this? I have a friend who is in her early 40s and hasn't had a period in 2 years. Her doctors told her she won't get one again and she's trying to understand it -- she feels too young to be in this place, but they told her the necessary hormones are gone and won't come back. It would be good if she could read something about it.

Kelly Jo, you're so right about having lost the cultural woman connections. My girlfriends and my sisters have discussed menopause and pre-menopause, but our moms didn't talk about it. My mom had a hysterectomy in her late forties like I did, and so she didn't go through menopause naturally either. Not that she would have talked to me about it anyway! I was looking forward (sort of) to going through menopause naturally and drug-free, and being able to share my knowledge with younger women, but that didn't work out so well for me.

There is a menopause group here on GR that you might find helpful if you're looking for reading material.
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1318...

Personally, I have a print-out on my fridge of all the possible menopause symptoms, and I refer to it when I start thinking I'm dying or losing my mind. I usually find what I'm feeling on it!

Hi, Lisa, my hysterectomy was six years ago next Earth Day. There's a lot of pain for a while, depending on your age and how it was done (mine was abdominal and I assume there's less pain when you don't have a huge incision all across your stomach). You really need to baby yourself, hug that pillow, and don't be afraid to ask for help.

On the other hand, even when it hurts, get up, walk around, and do what you can for yourself, because you do need to push yourself just a little to help the healing. I think you'll learn what you're capable of, and when to just sit in a chair and let people do things for you.

I hope that was helpful and not too contradictory! Ask me anything you want and if it's too personal, feel free to message me.

I get the hot flashes here in Alaska, where -10 feels pretty good and -20 feels perfect and I am running around in a windbreaker and a t-shirt and still sweating.

Hi Ladies, I'm so glad we're talking about this! I think it's good to have a group of women to talk to, because I believe we've lost the women-connections in our culture. How many of us can get good information from our Mothers about these issues? Not me, for one, they all recommend drugs!

I turn 40 this year and I've recently seen awful night sweats, serious forgetfulness, and other things that people claim relate to menopause. I'd love a good book recommendation. I looked at C. Northrup's book and like other readers, it didn't seem to fit my situation.

Hey Marsha when was your hysterctomy? How long were you in pain afterwards? I just had one this past Wednesday.

Kathrynn wrote: "Saw this topic when I clicked on "The Wisdom of Menopause" book and have been contemplating building a group for this very thing.

I'm in the process of re-reading "The Wisdom of Menopause" and the..."

I'm in!

Saw this topic when I clicked on "The Wisdom of Menopause" book and have been contemplating building a group for this very thing.

I'm in the process of re-reading "The Wisdom of Menopause" and the plethora of books "out there" on this subject has been overwhelming. The controversy surrounding HRTs or not, herbal treatments, etc. Geeze! Can make a girl get gray hair if she doesn't have it already.

I've just built a group and a few shelves on this because thought "we" needed a place to go to discuss what has or has not worked. What books we liked or thought were a bunch of bull. What did your doctor do for you, or not do? Stuff.

I've been out on the Internet, lurking, seeking more current info and seemed like a few posts here a few posts there, many unanswered. Frustrating.

Here's the group on GRs, if you are interested. ;-)

I think the best thing we can do is try to stay informed and share info that we find. I have been reading about hormone failure (or death) and how most Dr's feel that menopause is only for a short period in a womans life but once the hormones are no longer produced they never come back so you are in the state of no hormone unless you replace it with whatever you choose...but for the rest of your life. Those who don't it was said felt they spend 10 years or more getting used to feeling bad or however you feel and so they just went off the replacement and lived with it. I don't want to do that. I hope there is a way to be more proactive. I will keep reading on and hope to find what I am looking for.

Marsha wrote: "Hate the doctors who overprescribe the drugs the pharm companies are selling, and hate the doctor who didn't listen to you and made you afraid to complain until someone DID listen to you. I'm sorr..."

Marsha, my response as well! It is so funny. We have to just embrace it and it does have its upside too. I found the crankiness (dare I say bitchiness) the worse symptom to deal with, but I think I am learning to deal with the mood swings.

Viva la Woman!

Katie wrote: "I think I am starting menopause.. it is scary especially as I don't have a gyn that I like. I go to one for a yearly exam but he is really a baby doctor.. there are just few choices here.

I had..."

Laura, I read somewhere that you are not officially in menopause until you dont have your period for one full year, so you may be experiencing all the pre-menopause stuff we hear so much about.

I am so surprised that more gyn. have not specialized in menopausal medicine.

I blame just about everything on it from the craving for chocolate to the pain in my little toe.

No hot flashes yet! Thank goodness.

Hystersisters.com is great. It helped me quite a lot before and after my hysterectomy.

I think that Woman to woman site will send you email newsletters. I am pretty sure that is the one I signed up for recently. I think there is another site that a friend told me about called Hystersisters.

I had the same thing done last year Teri. I keep waiting for the shoe to drop and to wake up with all kinds of symptoms. I think because of the estrogen dominance in me I have made it a little over a year with no real problems so far. I have experimented with some fermented soy products but learned to stay away from soy as to not to add more estrogen. That was one of my recent learning experiences. I thought soy was supposed to be so great but after eating or drinking it I would break out in a light sweat until I figured out that it was adding too much estrogen to my already high level. We will see if that comes down eventually.
I can't even tell you about all my struggles before the complete. I could not work, I could not leave the house or really the bathroom for most of the month. Ugh that was so awful. I feel like a different person now. I can go anywhere and I don't have to have a suitcase to carry 'those' items anymore (and I do mean suitcase)! ;P

Yeah, thanks for that Teri!

I think its kind of funny that some people go thru the change and don't even notice, and others really really struggle w/it. I'm a struggler. So anything I can do to help someone else head some of this $h!t off at the pass, I will do !

Good luck w/it Katie. I had that in August or July - pretty much had my pd. the whole month, just real light. When my GYN tripled my progesterone dosage tho, it took care of it right quick. I think I only upped the dose for like 10 days before it came back again (I have a much shorter cycle now), and it only hung out for 5 days (like the old days - I used to ALWAYS be 28 day cycle, 5 days red - pill or no pill). It was heavier bleeding than before, but not what anyone else would call heavy for sure. Just more like normal. Then it was gone. She said it would fix that and it didn't even take much time!

The thing I really would emphasize is adjusting the hormones, esp. via the bio-identical way, is not a quick fix. But it is so so so nice feeling more and more like a human being! So I highly recommend it.

Thanks for that information Teri.. I will definately check out the web site!

I have found the womentowomen.com website to be so helpful. They have a clinic up in Maine which I know many of us don't have access to, but you can get lots of info at their website and at home. They have information there about bio-identical hormones (I know Oprah show will be doing a segment on this in January), sections on menopause and peri-menopause, thyroid, etc. I had a complete hysterectomy a few years ago (meaning they took everything but the ovaries) so I'm still ovulating but no period (which is kind of interesting because I still get PMS, just no "M" afterwards.

I completely agree that medical doctors know almost nothing about non-prescription alternatives or often even the most up-to-date info on treatments and thinking. Scary isn't it?

I think I am starting menopause.. it is scary especially as I don't have a gyn that I like. I go to one for a yearly exam but he is really a baby doctor.. there are just few choices here.

I had my period for almost the entire month of Oct and not since then... makes me think that I should go and see the DR.. I would love recommendations for books!
Thanks for starting this thread Laura

I am so hoping other chicks will join in this discussion. I read somewhere that many people are choosing to get medical advice options from other web friends rather than waste time and money seeking out (basically interviewing) Dr's that might or might not be in the know or listen to what you have to say. Who has time for that?? to me other women are a much better source. Not defineative mind you but at least good at brainstorming.
I had an H last year after many years of suffering but so far no symptoms of 'the change'. Not sure what to expect.

Hate the doctors who overprescribe the drugs the pharm companies are selling, and hate the doctor who didn't listen to you and made you afraid to complain until someone DID listen to you. I'm sorry you had to go through that. Jeez, I've heard of women starting menopause in their 30s. It's ridiculous your doctor hadn't.

I have a list of the symptoms of menopause on my fridge. It's LONG! Every time I think I'm going crazy or dying of some mysterious illness, I look for the particular symptom in question, find it, and say, oh well, it's menopause again, guess I'd better just deal with it.

My problem was I had the symptoms beginning at age 35. At 36, I went to the Dr (a regular dr, not GYN) and she said "No it can't be pre-menopause, you're too young". So it took me several years to get up the courage to finally have the bloodwork done, which proved me right, but the first Dr. still was "not convinced". So I finally went to a GYN who got it straight. First Dr. wanted to put me on Zoloft. And 2 other women I know, both w/menopause symptoms, were also told in the past couple months that they needed Zoloft too.

I hate pharmaceutical companies!

I guess I've been really lucky with my doctor, since she's never tried to talk me into HRT. She's two years older than me and through the many years I've known her everything I've gone through, she's gone through ahead of me (even non-gyn things like tendinitis!) and has given me good advice.

But believe me, Laura, I'd never minimize the effect menopause has on your entire life, especially your marriage! We all get through it in our own ways and any advice and help is great, no matter where it comes from. I had done my research and was all prepared to be the Menopause Queen and embrace my Crone, all the natural way. Then my plans got changed when I had to have a hysterectomy, and that accelerated everything. The slow passage I'd planned turned into more of a jog!

Speaking of crones, I can recommend "In Praise of the Crone: A Celebration of Feminine Maturity" by Dorothy Morrison. It's a combination of spiritual and practical advice. It's pretty new agey / Earth Mother-y / Goddess-y, so if that sort of thing doesn't appeal, give it a miss.

Laura, that is really what I find too. Even a woman Dr in her 40's (my newest one) who you would think just by default would be modern in her thinking and not choose pharmaceuticals first doesn't. My Dr's have really disappointed me when I ask for any of this kind of help that i know it is really in our own hands. I am frustrated by the healthcare, wellness care ...well the whole shibang really but that is a whole other book!
I also look through most of the books to what pertains to me, thyroid issues, weight gain hormones etc. Take what you need and dump the rest from these books but I am so happy to find books with my way of thinking in them.

I don't get that impression from it, Marsha, but I've really just mostly skimmed to get to the parts that interest me. She mentions that she went through a divorce, and also how menopause can affect your marriage (and I've found that to be the case for me too). I find lots of good information if you're a person like me who does not believe in the pharmaceutical answer to everything. I prefer the natural answer. The problem is that in my experience doctors only seem to really know how to treat issues w/pharmaceuticals, and if you don't want to go that route, they can't help you.

The Northrup book was highly recommended to me, but it just didn't relate to my life. She seemed to blame so many of the problems of menopause on outside sources and one's general unhappiness that I didn't find it useful. It's been a while since I read it, but the one strong impression I remember of it is that she seemed to think a lot of menopausal problems could be solved by getting a divorce!

Yes I saw her on Oprah I think then I went and found a book by her. Not sure if it was that one but it was on the same subject. I am reading one now that is by Suzanne Somers, she also talks of bio-identical hormones and things to do outside the horse urine option. I am not ready yet for any of this but want to read up and have some idea of what I want to do when the time comes. I think better health now might prevent some of the nastiness...who knows.

Got it from the library. It really is great! She is a GYN, and she explains things so wonderfully and simply AND includes things that are healthy like bio-identical hormones, acupuncture, herbs, etc. to help w/various symptoms. This book is terrific!

I'm wondering if anyone out there has read books about menopause or pre-menopause that really helped them. I recently found a book called The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change by Christiane Northrup.

I've only browsed the table of contents on Amazon so far, but it looks terrific! It even talks about how your marriage is affected, sex life, various aches and pains and what they mean, etc. I'll be getting it from the library later on today.

Wondered if anyone could suggest anything else. And fiction books are also welcome!