Without mentioning the following two things: 1) You stop getting your period; 2) No more concerns about birth control.
See, I know I'm perimenopausal and I've been dreading this for uh, a few years now (not obsessively but it's been one of those things that I knew was an inevitability and I was just not looking forward to it). I've Googled it and Googled it and the ONLY things I've been able to find that's GOOD about menopause is the period and birth control thing (and since most women lose their libido anyway that's just a cruel irony).
To be honest I don't really mind my period all that much, so I get crampy but it kind of gives me an excuse to be nice to myself (and get a little pampering) guilt free, if you know what I mean and as for birth control -- I'm happily married and monogamous and my partner had a vasectomy before I ever met him so that's a non issue. I mean, it seems like I finally get my head screwed on the way I want it to be and my body decides it's time to check out.
All I can think is why can't we age like Benjamin Button, seriously.
From my perspective, I've had problems sleeping since my early 30s, my libido hasn't been where I'd like it to be for a while now and I'm ALREADY fat and having trouble losing weight so I just feel totally screwed now. Is there even one good thing about menopause?!?
I went into menopause surgically 3 years ago. Here are the positives that I have experienced.
I don't have to shave my underarms nearly as often.
My hair doesnt get oily looking until I've missed showering 2 days in a row.
My face doesn't get an oily shine until late, late at night.
My emotions don't run as hot and cold.
I stay warmer; I used to always be cold.
I went into menopause surgically 3 years ago. Here are the positives that I have experienced.
I don't have to shave my underarms nearly as often.
My hair doesnt get oily looking until I've missed showering 2 days in a row.
My face doesn't get an oily shine until late, late at night.
My emotions don't run as hot and cold.
I stay warmer; I used to always be cold.
Thanks for your input, newleaf! At least it's something and I appreciate that!!!
Now the unfortunate part for me: I'm one of those weird broads who has always been warm (in fact, our thermostat is set at 59 in the winter) and my skin and hair have always been bone dry. When I was younger my emotions used to run hot and cold and now I miss that -- at least then I was passionate. Now I'm either apathetic or flat out depressed.
I think it's time I start looking for an HRT doctor ...
My hair doesnt get oily looking until I've missed showering 2 days in a row.
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Ooooh; I will love that. I dislike my hair a great deal. It is thinnish, super straight and I have to wash it daily; otherwise it looks like an oily mess -- What is interesting; I don't have an oily skin; my face has perfect balance and the rest of the body gets drier more south it goes...so my daily showers make my legs flake. But my hair... ...to make my hair look good; I have to blowdry it, mousse it, use rollers and tease it...it gets tiring to do each day...so if I could go two days; that would be bliss!!
Sorry I don't have anything to add. I think I still have a good 6-8 years before the big M, based on my sister and mum. But thanks for asking this question, I'll look forward to all answers and input!!
I look forward to reading more replies too, thanks for your input newleaf!
As I have written on other threads, I'll be in surgical menopause too in the next year and I will be 38 at that point. Just trying to have a baby first!
I won't be able to do any type of hormone replacement as my cancer is estrogen dependent and that scares me (and my doctor!). I don't know how people manage it without hormone replacement?
I was on high doses of progesterone for the last 6 months and I experienced a bit of the symptoms like ReNew me has been dealing with---no libido at all, dead emotions, dry skin (which I did love compared to the mess I had before), and always cold (but that could be my diet too). But in a weird way, I never ever felt better in my life. I think the excess estrogen I had in my body made me a basket case of emotions that I thought was just my personality. Now that I'm off the meds, the estrogen surge is killing me! I have had TOM for 7 days now but had spotting for 2 weeks before that and my skin is all broken out. No idea if my libido will come back but I kinda need it to for baby making! I'm doing in-vitro but would love to conceive naturally if my body is up for it!
This board is such a wealth of information. I don't know what I'd do without all of you, weightloss-wise and life-wise!
Elvis I don't do any HRT and for me it's been manageable. While the drs all say I can take it, I don't see why I would go through all the surgery I have had to reduce my cancer risk, to then add any risk back in. Lots of people choose otherwise, though.
Well, after I created this thread I did a little more research. I'm a big herbal fan and I'd already been taking red clover and had been using progesterone cream for the past week or so and I was not happy.
Picked up an herb named damiana and so far I'm liking it (can't be 100% sure for a few weeks but I haven't had a hot flash in almost 24 hours). Also picked up a phytoestrogen cream which I expect to be supportive, too, but I definitely noticed a huge difference a couple hours after taking the damiana which is not estrogenic so that might be something those of you who can't take estrogen might want to look into.
How about living long enough to go through it? Don't mean to be morose, but with everything going on in the world, I'm just happy to BE--menopause and all!
Can Anyone Tell Me of Any Benefits of Menopause?
...to make my hair look good; I have to blowdry it, mousse it, use rollers and tease it...it gets tiring to do each day...so if I could go two days; that would be bliss!!
