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Women of a certain age...
When I say a certain age, the age can be from 35+ depending on your personal circumstances.
I wanted to start a thread mainly for help, discussion, tips for peri and post menopause.
Did you know that the symptoms can be similar to anxiety and anxiety can be one of the symptoms.
Did you know that menopausal symptoms can last for years? Did you know that there are symptoms that you wouldn't think could be related to hormonal change such as...
A sudden pain (especially under the breast bone)
Unexplained itching
Dropping things
Bumping into things
Forgetting what you were going to say
Sudden headrush
Fatigue
Achy joints (especially wrists and lower back)
Insomnia
Hot flushes
Tearful for no particular reason
Loss of patience
Not wanting to be in crowds
Weight gain
Unexplained smells or a change in smell
Crawling feeling on the legs
Change in taste
A feeling of falling forward
Thinking there's someone in the room when there isn't
Forgetting where you put stuff
Urgency for the loo
Digestive issues
Blurry eyesight / straining eyesight
Tripping over nothing
Not wanting to socialise
Lack of sex drive
Fear for no reason....
The list is endless. Anyone familiar with any of these symptoms? So often we are diagnosed with anxiety when menopause can actually be to blame for some of the symptoms.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
I would love to be the part of the group, I think it is wonderful idea!
Female, white, 62 years of age, one son, married.
Lana
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Re: Women of a certain age...
46 here, I basically need someone to tell me on loop that my weird periods aren't a sign that I'm dying.
In return I can offer cheerleading, cat photos and easy recipes.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
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Re: Women of a certain age...
BlueIris, your weird periods are not anything to worry about. It's all down to hormones. x
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I'm 40 and I get all of these any more! Heart palpitations is another one that is super common from hormonal change. So much fun being a lady.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Me too!!! 49 now and the relentless anxiety took off when I was 41! It’s been a decade of fear, with a few months of calm in between each flare up.
Feeling many of these symptoms but the mood swings and sleeping through the night are terrible. Have been dealing with one sided intermittent breast pain for 5 months now and not sure if this is a peri symptom or not!!!!!
Thanks for starting this post!
Sel
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Re: Women of a certain age...
I'm 50 and anxiety started around mid 30's for me. Now I get morning sickness type nausea, adrenaline rushes ( especially at around 4am and then hard to get back to sleep), other gut issues, headaches ( worst was daily headaches for 4 months straight), still a lot of anxiety and don't socialize except with my family. Periods are still fairly regular but have been heavy for last 10 years (maybe more ? forgotten haha). Brain fog....do stupid things at times like try to put wrong lid on container, you know the usual brain fart type issues LOL. Mind you hubby does that too.
Fun times :yesyes:
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Re: Women of a certain age...
I'm 56 and on HRT, very familiar with all of the symptoms. To be honest the physical symptoms were easier than the emotional ones. One minute I would be furious about something the next uncontrollable crying with no idea why I'd been furious. HRT has helped but it's still a bit of a roller coaster.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
I would definitely join I’m 59 and thought it was all behind me but unfortunately not
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Well this is a good idea for a thread; thanks for starting it Carnation. I haven’t had a period in over a year, but still get ‘period pains’ as if I’m about to come on. Also still feel there’s lots of hormones circulating around. Anyone else?
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Darwin, yes! You can still get the emotional and physical feelings at that time of the month even though you don't get the physical period. The tummy bloating, the irritability, feeling tearful. It's not a case of just stopping because there is hormone adjustment and your body has been used to a monthly cycle.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Smogie, apparently you can get menopausal symptoms for many years after you have stopped your periods.
Everyone is different but up to 20 years is not unheard of.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Catkins, the emotional ride can be as confusing to us as it is to others.
One minute you may be irritated for no particular reason. It might be a case of snapping with your o/h, maybe even over something years ago or something simple like not putting something. The next minute you could be tearful, then it's all back to normal and everyone's wondering what it is all about. :shrug:
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Alpacagirl, sleep was a big change for me.
I used to sleep right through the night. Now I wake up in the early hours of the morning, maybe 2am,3am 4am,sometimes all three. It's weird.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Sel123, that under the breast pain I've had several times over a ten year period. It doesn't come on if I'm lifting or doing a hard task, it might just be a simple movement and I think "what's all that about?" Then I found out it was menopausal related. Although it wouldn't hurt to get it checked out with a GP for peace of mind. I've only just found out that it is listed as a menopausal symptom. I thought I'd pulled a muscle, it's that painful.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Erin, it is confusing if someone has been diagnosed with anxiety and you have menopausal to go through at the same time. Which one is which? That's why I wanted to start this thread because maybe some of those anxiety symptoms are actually us women going through the change.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
I'm definitely finding it harder to keep a lid on my anxiety this past year or so.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Then it could well be menopause in the mix BlueIris.
I've been studying this for sometime and I sort of had a light bulb moment. And it's so easy to blame everything on anxiety. I was amazed to learn the parallels between menopause and anxiety.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Bloody hell I really was unaware of this fact I thought when I was done I was done did the idea of a group get off the ground x
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Alpacagirl I get those adrenaline surges early hours they’re horrible again it’s hard to tell what’s what
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Re: Women of a certain age...
I think we already have one smogie :yesyes:
I'll be posting more bits soon...
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Carnation
Erin, it is confusing if someone has been diagnosed with anxiety and you have menopausal to go through at the same time. Which one is which? That's why I wanted to start this thread because maybe some of those anxiety symptoms are actually us women going through the change.
Yes, for sure! There is so much overlap! And, I had a hysterectomy two years ago (still have working ovaries), which just adds to the mystery because I never have any idea where I am or should be in my cycle. It's just chaos!
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Where do I find the group or is it just posts on here?
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Re: Women of a certain age...
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Erin, one of the symptoms of the menopausal stage can be anxiety.
I was surprised my GP didn't even mention this when I was being diagnosed with general anxiety.
I'm wondering if GPs cover this at all in any of their practices.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Nothing was mentioned to me either about anxiety, I had to do my own research, but back then mental health wasn’t in the headlines like it is now x
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Re: Women of a certain age...
It should be mentioned YNWA.
Menopause is no easy ride.
Changes in the body, hormones, monthly cycle all over the place, unexplained feelings and emotions. Changes to our appearance, the way we feel.
I can't help thinking that some diagnoses of anxiety disorder are confused with the menopause.
I mean literally, so many people have anxiety these days and I know full well it exists, but maybe the increase (in women) is partly, even wholly down to the menopause or it adds to it.
Take those hot flushes and night sweats, anxiety or menopause? How can we tell the difference.
Becoming tearful or anger rages. Hormone change?
I don't understand why the menopause isn't put out there more, I mean, we all have to go through it. :shrug:
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Exactly Carnation, I agree, although I did have anxiety way before the menopause but wasn’t sure if meno was complicating things.
I remember right at the beginning I had to go see a gynaecologist for a few tests to make sure it was the menopause causing symptoms..(not anxiety) .....HE...turned to me and said it’s JUST the menopause, go home and enjoy it...
What the heck was that supposed to mean and would he have said that if it was men that had to go through it....
Not one word of explanation of what I could expect or not to be alarmed if this or that happens...
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Re: Women of a certain age...
That doesn't surprise me YNWA.
I think if you already have anxiety issues, the menopause can definitely make it worse for numerous reasons..
Unexplained feelings. I remember having incredibly itchy legs. I'm not saying everyone gets this symptom but it's up there on the list.
I also get a bit miffed when I've read or heard it lasts a couple of years. Maybe for some, but it can go on much longer than that.
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I get the itching, not just my legs but all over. Thankfully it comes and goes these days.
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I get, ahh, intimate itching. It's horrible.
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I also had to stop wearing any clothes made from polyester, viscose or nylon.
Natural fabrics only.
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Yes me too, itching and dry skin. Have dandruff again for the first time in ages. My GP is going through menopause so she's at least a bit sympathetic but even she didn't link anxiety and perimenopause ( I think that's a common thing with a lot of GPs they just pop diseases into little boxes and treat them individually instead of looking at the overall picture. Maybe it's what they have to do being under time pressure). It was only when I said to her that my anxiety is probably worse due to my hormones that she said " yes that certainly happens to a lot of women". She pretty much said a lot of previous conditions (emotional and physical) can get amplified during menopause. So things like IBS, headaches/migraines, anxiety can all get worse at that time. Also food sensitivities can get worse or pop up for the first time. My gut has decided chocolate is not a good thing anymore and the consequences are a bit brutal LOL. On the up side I'm trimming down because I can't the volume of chocolate I used to :D. That's a silver lining right ?
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Re: Women of a certain age...
I'm the same with chocolate.
Actually my tastes have changed and extra tummy weight,even slimming down, its still there!
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Anyone's taste changed?
Or find some things taste / smell funny?
Food cravings?
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Baked beans, I can't stand them anymore, they make me nauseous. :wacko:
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My tastes haven't changed so much to be honest, but what I can and can't eat has. That might be more connected with acid though, I used to be able to drink gallons of fresh juice, now it's a big no, no, the discomfort afterwards isn't worth it.
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Re: Women of a certain age...
Did your acid situation come later in life catkins, because mine did and the same with my mum.
I literally could eat anything in my youth.
Interestingly, my dad could eat or drink anything at all, even in his 80s.