kelly
Generally things have been fine since the tubal but sometimes they just go haywire. It was much nicer when the cycles were 28 days apart for 7 days instead of how they are now every 21 days for 5 days lol. At least I haven't had to go through 3 month cycles for awhile lol. You aren't alone. There are more woman out there that have had this happen to them after they had tubal then people know. It sure isn't something you are warned about before you have the procedure done.

I have no studies to back this up, but frankly I think it's environmental. They are finding girls hitting early puberty more and more. Every day, we are exposed to heaps of chemicals of various sorts from hormones in meat/milk to hormone mimics (endocrine disruptors) in plastics (phthalates and bisphenol-a are a couple in the news), pesticide/herbicide residues (POPs- persistent organic pollutants), and god knows that else.

Even if we eat organic, we swim in a chemical sea and our bodies are exposed to it. Hormones/chemicals have influenced amphibian/fish population sex ratios as well as human sex ratios in the arctic. I fully expect that a few years from now they will "discover" that it is affecting middle aged women as well as young girls. Both groups are at hormonally sensitive times of life. I would be shocked if we were not affected by our environmental chemical load.

hopefuldreamer

Hopefuldreamer
I agree with you 100 % People also wonder why obesity is so rampant and if you think about it if our animals are given growth hormones to make them bigger faster than we eat these animals, doesn't it make sense we will get bigger to? That is why I try to stay away from meats and products with growth hormones and processed food as much as possible. But when you eat out yo don't know what you are getting. It probably has a lot to do with us hitting the change earlier too but that is just my opinion.

Speaking of pre-menapause, I just got a hot flash and it is cold in my office.

The doc told me is was normal to hit real menopause ( not pre menopause ) between 40 and 60. It all depends on the woman and generally runs the same through out a family. My grandmother started menopause at 40 my mother started at 45 so I guess I am pretty normal as far as the real thing lol.

Friends I read this thread with great interest, as a woman in peri-menopause and as a health professional who has seen a great deal of what you are all talking about.
Yes, many women have dramatic changes to their menses after tubals and c-sections. Sometimes this is physical, like pain problems relating to "adhesions" and sometimes altered tissue, leading to endometriosis like problems. But many describe cycle changes, and I don't know of any actual physical cause, but I do know its common, maybe messing around the ovaries affects them somehow.
In my thirties I had a dramatic shift in my periods, they started coming every 23 or 24 days, but were lighter and shorter. Starting right at 40, I began to have one or two cycles are year that were 35-40 day, and then more recently, 4-5 of these long cycles. This year I have actually totally skipped more periods than I have had.
Have had a few hot flashes, helped a lot by drinking a glass of soymilk daily, and other than that, very few symptoms, so I am really happy about this part of menopause.
But the part that makes weight loss harder, and getting more of a "menopot" isn't so easy. I'm not enjoying that part at all.
fatmad, a newbie

Hi, I hope you don't mind me 'butting' in.. but your conversation caught my eye.
I am very frustrated with my Doctor right now!! although, I know it is not her fault... I recently went in and pleaded for help... I turned 40 this year & I too have the erratic periods.. sometimes twice in one month,.. very heavy.. severe fatigue, weight gain, dry skin,... so very moody.. I think I have PMS all the time now... I just feel lousy more than I feel good..and recenty more headaches & anxiety!! to top that off... my hair has thinned out down to nothing... it isn't like balding because I have 'baby like' hair growing.. it is like breaking off... and I have never dyed my hair, and I don't use chemical solutions... My Doctor did labs on hormones and thyroid and OF COURSE it came back normal!!! not that I want it to come back bad... but I am going crazy here. I decided I would start working harder at taking vitamens, exercising, and taking care of me. Lets see if that works... If not I will be bald by 41. Anyone have advice?? anything...

I went for 2 years of having it every two weeks as well. The Doc said it might be fibroids on top of peri-menopause.

Then, I went for over a year with NO period. And now, it's back like it never left. It could have stayed gone! I really didn't miss it!

All I know is that it is super easy to gain weight at this stage in life.
Ind my hips enlarge!

I am 48 and I have to tell you, the menopot is really awful. It started getting really bad for me the last couple of years.

I haven't had a period in over a year, last month. I am happy its gone. But the weight control is no control.

The hot flashes were unbareable but getting better, I just slept with an Ice Pack for year, that really helped.

Once in awhile I feel my face flush during the day, but it goes away fast. I don't dare buy sweaters or turtlenecks, and that just breaks my heart! Will I ever be able to buy sweaters again? Get those arms toned girls, I never thought I would wear sleavless, but when it comes to over heating or sleevless, I chose no sleeaves and fat upper arms wobble away! I didn't care. Now I work with wieghts so they are getting better.

Good luck with this. Get blood tests and take Estroven. ;-)

will Estroven help my thinning hair?????????????

but hairdressers do have some sort of special shampoo that is supposed to help menopausal women with that.

I should get it too.

I will check with my hairdresser. I did get blood tests.. I asked my Doc. to mail me the results ... I just don't have the faith in the Doc's like I used to... seems we have to be our own Doc's anymore...

Have a great day...!

I'm in the same boat, it is so frustrating. I haven't noticed the hair thing, but the skin is much dryer than ever, and the return of hormonal break-outs--oh joy! And the uneven skin tone--I am SO careful now with sunscreen and still uneven freckling and "patches"--my dermo has given me some prescription skin lightening stuff, I think it helps but it is a constant battle since I moved to the West Coast 2 years ago. Just recently found a new larger area on forehead, and any mark, scratch, or acne leftover just doesn't blend back into the normal color anymore....

And the "weight control is no control" thing---so true........

I have for the last two years had 3-4 months no period, and sometimes two in a row, sometimes only 2-3 weeks apart, mostly lighter, but then out of the blue a heavy one, makes it tough to schedule anything....... I am 44 (for a couple of more months anyway!)

Wow, modcat you are doing so great on your weight loss!!! Awesome!!!!

Yeah, don't let the meno get you down, it gets easier as you get older. I am 48~

Same here, and my hair was baby fine and thin to begin with. My hairdresser said it's common and normal and the best way to slow it down is to do scalp massages.