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menopause
I am 39 and will be turning 40 in June, I've been having irregular periods, but two months ago I did not have my periods. I'm also experiencing hot flushes which I find very disturbing. For the past two months, I've been having period pains but no periods. please help
Greenlydia you are awesome! You've provided good info and a very optimistic look at this challenge called menopause. I am 47 and I just started to get the cramps although I've missed my period for the last 2 month. The cramps are pretty bad considering that I've never experienced them before during my period, I must say I've been pretty lucky. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It helped a lot.
You have provided Colleen with a very informative and inspirational response. I want to thank you for also providing me with some much needed information as well. You have answered some of my questions in this response. Thank you.
Hi Colleen
I think you are simply transitioning into perimenopause. Your symptoms describe it perfectly. I had the same symptoms in my early 40's and went to my OB/GYN as I thought it was a bit too early for menopause. She took a blood sample which confirmed her dx.
I'd guess for at least the next two years I felt like I was on a menstrual roller coaster. I never knew when..........or if, my period was coming. I'd get all the pre-period symptoms but no period. The next month I'd get no symptoms and have a real gully-washer period, going through a box of tampons a day and wondering if I needed a blood transfusion! I'd wake up sweating some nights, but that was also a real hit or miss symptom. Sometimes I'd be talking to someone and suddenly feel extremely hot and feel my face flushing. They'd ask if I was OK, but at first I didn't know what to tell them. I began to get horrid cramps, which I'd never had before, and maybe I'd have a period, maybe not. Some months I only spotted and then I'd skip two months and have a small period, then a week later I'd have another. Sometimes I had 3 periods in one month. It was really a crazy time. Then I hit true menopause which is when you've gone an entire year without a period. Lordy, the night sweats and hot flashes were unbelievable. I wake up so hot, it felt like I was on fire and I'd toss all the blankets off..........then because I'd also been sweating buckets, I'd soon get chilled to the bone and back would come the blankets. This would sometimes go on all night and I was exhausted. My husband tried to be very understanding and supportive, but it was beginning to disturb his sleep. He'd often go sleep in a spare room.
OK............I'm getting carried away with this. What you are experiencing is perfectly normal, but I still advise seeing your GYN to confirm the perimenopause. The hot flushes are not fun, often terribly embarrassing but they are also perfectly normal. It's just your hormones going a tad insane and taking you along for the ride. There is no set timetable for how long each stage will last. If your mother is still living, you can ask how her menopause was, mother's and daughter's are often very similar.
Anyway............there is nothing to be scared of. This is a very natural part of a womans life and it WILL eventually come to an end...........sooner or later. I am 10 years post-menopausal and I still get the odd hot flash and night sweat. Nothing like before, but that is also quite common.
You will be asked by your doctor if you want to go on hormones to help with the symptoms. My advice is to begin doing a great deal of research on this subject. I decided after a great deal of reading and talking to other women not to go that route. There are downsides that I didn't like. I believed this was a natural phase, just as starting our periods was a natural phase.........we didn't run for hormones to fix our terrible cramps and moods back then because it was a "natural" part of growing up. This is a natural part of growing older. There are some women who suffer dreadfully and for them I can understand taking some hormones just to live a normal life. This will be something you and your GYN will discuss, I just urge you to educate yourself and not blindly take pills your doctor hands you.
Menopause IS the "change of life." And if you allow it, it is a wonderful and very liberating change. Attitude and education are a great part of this change.You can fight it or you can embrace it.
I wish you the best as you embark on another of life's journies.
(And welcome to the "Crone Club!")
Peace
Greenlydia
I think you are simply transitioning into perimenopause. Your symptoms describe it perfectly. I had the same symptoms in my early 40's and went to my OB/GYN as I thought it was a bit too early for menopause. She took a blood sample which confirmed her dx.
I'd guess for at least the next two years I felt like I was on a menstrual roller coaster. I never knew when..........or if, my period was coming. I'd get all the pre-period symptoms but no period. The next month I'd get no symptoms and have a real gully-washer period, going through a box of tampons a day and wondering if I needed a blood transfusion! I'd wake up sweating some nights, but that was also a real hit or miss symptom. Sometimes I'd be talking to someone and suddenly feel extremely hot and feel my face flushing. They'd ask if I was OK, but at first I didn't know what to tell them. I began to get horrid cramps, which I'd never had before, and maybe I'd have a period, maybe not. Some months I only spotted and then I'd skip two months and have a small period, then a week later I'd have another. Sometimes I had 3 periods in one month. It was really a crazy time. Then I hit true menopause which is when you've gone an entire year without a period. Lordy, the night sweats and hot flashes were unbelievable. I wake up so hot, it felt like I was on fire and I'd toss all the blankets off..........then because I'd also been sweating buckets, I'd soon get chilled to the bone and back would come the blankets. This would sometimes go on all night and I was exhausted. My husband tried to be very understanding and supportive, but it was beginning to disturb his sleep. He'd often go sleep in a spare room.
OK............I'm getting carried away with this. What you are experiencing is perfectly normal, but I still advise seeing your GYN to confirm the perimenopause. The hot flushes are not fun, often terribly embarrassing but they are also perfectly normal. It's just your hormones going a tad insane and taking you along for the ride. There is no set timetable for how long each stage will last. If your mother is still living, you can ask how her menopause was, mother's and daughter's are often very similar.
Anyway............there is nothing to be scared of. This is a very natural part of a womans life and it WILL eventually come to an end...........sooner or later. I am 10 years post-menopausal and I still get the odd hot flash and night sweat. Nothing like before, but that is also quite common.
You will be asked by your doctor if you want to go on hormones to help with the symptoms. My advice is to begin doing a great deal of research on this subject. I decided after a great deal of reading and talking to other women not to go that route. There are downsides that I didn't like. I believed this was a natural phase, just as starting our periods was a natural phase.........we didn't run for hormones to fix our terrible cramps and moods back then because it was a "natural" part of growing up. This is a natural part of growing older. There are some women who suffer dreadfully and for them I can understand taking some hormones just to live a normal life. This will be something you and your GYN will discuss, I just urge you to educate yourself and not blindly take pills your doctor hands you.
Menopause IS the "change of life." And if you allow it, it is a wonderful and very liberating change. Attitude and education are a great part of this change.You can fight it or you can embrace it.
I wish you the best as you embark on another of life's journies.
(And welcome to the "Crone Club!")
Peace
Greenlydia
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