interesting. I was not one of those girls who looked fwd to my period. First learned about it watching Carrie (!) then when got it thought are you serious? Gotta put up with this forever?
Now in my forties, so painful fibroids and keep putting off surgery as they will go away when done with menopause so looking fwd to it, but I say that now hee!

Surgery in 2003 and the first thought was...why didn't I do it 2 other sort of surgeries ago (which only helped temporarily)!

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I had my period for every race no matter what, so I finally went to the doctor to get an ablation. Unfortunately I not only came back with my first abnormal pap, my biopsy was abnormal and they couldn't perform the ablation. I had to either have a hysterectomy or go on HRT until my biopsies came back normal. I stopped menstuating immediately and loved it...did NOT like the 15 pound weight gain though. I have decreased the dose age and still period free!!!! I do not miss having to change a tampon mid race.....or worse yet...not finding it in your special needs bag because special needs can only have fuel!!!

Ug. Not looking forward to it. Good for you for having a positive outlook though.

A woman I worked with several years ago said that women going through menopause pick one person to hate. Her mother in law picked her. I think my mom picked my dad. He could do no right by her for a few years. I'm still sort of amazed their marriage survived.

I sort of chuckle when it's cold out and see 50-something women in tank tops. My chuckle lessens each year I'm closer to that point though!

! What a funny insight, about picking someone to hate. Unfortunately it does ring a bell!

I guess the smart thing to do is channel it onto the backside of the chick that just passed you :>

Thanks for making me smile!!! I've been through it all with menopause. Now weaning myself off HRT as my new endo told me "you have the testosterone level of a man, and that can't be good!!" haha. Anyone out there come off HRT? and how'd it go? I'm expecting the old crushing fatigue to come back. Any other surprises I've forgot about? BTW I don't miss my period one second!!!

I was glad to see your post, b/c I'm thirsty to hear what other women have to say. It's an interesting outlook but now that I'm on the precipice and have been looking forward to it (due to the elimination of brain shattering hormonal migraines) I now am not so sure I'm that eager for it all to end. I am spending A LOT of time talking with other women and am coming to find out yeah, I might get rid of migraines, periods, and all that other stuff, but I'm going to trade it in for a whole 'nother world of hurt:

sleepless nights (already there) -- you go to bed completely exhausted, certain you will sleep like the dead only to awake @ 3:00 a.m. wide freaking awake (I think someone posted once about how few women were in the 50-54 AG and now that I'm in that group, I can see why. I just feel tired all-the time); night sweats, hot flashes -- oh the description of hot flashes makes me cringe, among a myriad of other things that menopausal women are subject to, like the inevitable weight gain, slowing metabolism, etc.

AND the thing that I find most annoying, per my aunt, whom I rely on for genetic help, her hot flashes lasted until she was in her 60s!!! How effing fair is that???? It's not like, oh, you go one year w/out a period, and you're considered to have gone through menopause, all the idiotic symptoms can stick around well into your 60s, thankyouverymuch.

Don't mean to sound like a Debbie downer, but my previously held "i'm gonna fight this" attitude I think might be foiled by reality.
I am readjusting my attitude and trying to eat better, and work on a new exercise regime but I think I will need to work harder on coping with the inevitable aches and pains and mood swings that are soon to hit me.

Hi Cindy:

One thing on the broken sleep -- if you want a full night's sleep, you can't drink alcohol. Even a single glass. Or at least *I* can't drink even a single glass. Very very :< but I've learned the hard way, and sometimes, after lots of good sleep, will indulge in full knowledge of what I'm in for at 3:00.

I also got custom-made earplugs, to deal with the *snoring* of bedmate, which never bothered me before the big M.

It'll get worse before it gets better, but it DOES get better, and if you can hang in through 50-55, you'll be unbeatable after.

Kiki:
Thanks for that tidbit, which I unfortunately have heard echoed from a couple different women just ahead of me on the meno. track . Well, I was afraid of that. I must say wine is our one vice. Hubster and I, childless as we are (not that that means anything, just that the kidfull we know don't seem to have as much freedom to indulge) that seems to be routine for us, come home, cook up a fine meal, and decompress along with a glass .... I suppose I could just get up even earlier as that's when I do any exercise at all. I mean just skip the whole nighttime routine and go right to bed, heh heh, would eliminate the routine. I have been trying to shake up the after work hamster wheel with some volunteer / class work to break the habitual nature of it all..... <sigh> I'll keep the 50-55 number in mind, I mean, triathlon has certainly taught me to keep on keeping on even when you feel like quitting.

no alcohol here but yeah, 330 or 4am is pretty common here. And regardless of how much sleep I need, once I'm awake, that's it.

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

maybe i'm only saying this because of the cavalier attitude of the psychiatric industry, but aren't any of your doctors willing to prescribe sedatives for you to help you sleep?

Oh, probably they would, but I'm not interested. Don't like taking stuff and I figure it will all sort itself out eventually.

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

I have given serious thought to seeing a doc about prescription sedatives. I will say the OTC stuff has had negative repercussions (the benadryl variants).. . I lie awake and when they do kick in I end up "hungover" the next morning.

Interesting update, I had a massage this weekend and will say I slept like the dead (ok well not totally still got up to pee, LOL) but fell immediately back to sleep, and had an awesome night sleep.

Also have read/talked to a couple ppl about decrease in melatonin (for both sexes as they age) and am going to try 1. mg of melatonin 1 hr. before bedtime to see how it goes.