Women who have lived through and survived the change

[Storm Bay]

How did you manage to do so without being irascible? Okay, this question is more specifically for those of you who, like me, have been surprised to see just how cranky and irritable you have become and how, despite your best efforts, sometimes come across rude. If you're naturally intense then you're even closer to what I'm challenged with. I haven't been called rude for years, but a few times over the past few years I have been told that and what's worse is that I was rude even if I didn't mean to be. There have even been a few times where I knew I was being rude and didn't even care. This is not my normal personality and has definitely come with changes going on with peri-menopause & now menopause. fwiw, I'm not always rude!!!!

 

How can I get back to being friendly all or at least almost all of the time??? I already am on hormone replacement therapy (very much needed, and even the most natural, wholistic person I asked said I should in my situation) and 2 of my dc are now in ps which has reduced my stress level.

Edited March 8, 2012 by Karin

[Remudamom]

It helped me to know why I was crabby. Once I figured it out it wasn't a problem.

[Liz CA]

It does help to know why. There are also other things you can try, i.e Maca, Black Cohosh, etc. These are OTC things for which you don't need to see a doctor. I always think it's worth experimenting a bit to see if you find something that balances things out.

[Bang!Zoom!]

My doctor has prescribed Klonopin for me, 3x a day.

 

What it does is to block the surge of adrenaline that comes along with menopause. When your hormone levels drop, the body goes looking for something to make up for it, and the fastest quickest thing is adrenaline.

 

Klonopin stops it from flooding the body. There are no psychological differences by taking it, no "weird" feeling.

 

Recently I was under a flu and because I won't mix meds, I stopped using it. Holy moly was that ever horrible. Horrible.

 

If you are having outbursts of anger with no particular trigger, I'd ask about it. It took about what..uh..3 months or so for my Dr. & I to come up with the right mix and dose for menopause.

 

What I do now is to use a hormone patch (Vivelle) and Klonopin 3x a day, and because my sleep was so difficult (3 showers a night, restless, couldn't stop "thinking") she prescribed Ambien.

 

The other thing I know throws me off is diet, exercise and contact with the outside world. My diet is a lot cleaner and I'm more religious about vitamins (I copied the formula from Estroven and supplement as it's written) and hydration.

 

I think the body is really sensitive during this time, and it takes a supreme amount of self-discipline to stick to a better routine.

 

For me, salt and starch send me down and cloud my thinking, if I juice for say, 3 days straight I'm four thousand percent better.

 

Environment is a big deal right now also, I am a minimalist by situation, but "losing things" or not having a list drive me right up the wall and frightens those I live with.

 

And honestly, that's not fair. I need to do my part first you know?

 

It takes a long time to figure out your personal body/mental triggers, and then just adapting around those things.

 

I'm still unhappy with the way my body ebbs and flows with the Vivelle, but I remember what I'm like without it. That stuff is a lifesaver personally for me.

 

Without Vivelle, I resemble an Alzheimer patient, really. It's absolutely terrifying at times.

 

My poor guy, he has one entering puberty, and the other going through menopause. :D

[Cindyg]

Effexor.

 

I know a lot of people hate Effexor. Google it, and you will find a lot of bad reviews. For me, it was miraculous.

 

I asked my doctor if there's not anything for relief from hot flashes, and he recommended Effexor, which is an antidepressant At first I was insulted, as if he were insinuating that it was all in my head. And I wasn't depressed, dang it! I was miserable!

 

But one day, when I was nearly mad with hot flashes (and a subtle sick feeling that came with them), I tried the Effexor (a low-dose sample the doctor had given me). I felt better within minutes. Literally. My hot flashes have gone from raging nonstop to only occasionally.

 

It's much easier to be cheerful, flexible, and calm when you don't feel miserable.

[Storm Bay]

Thanks for all the things to think about it. Knowing the cause has helped me control it a lot better, but not enough. I've been pretty good about diet for some time and a lot better about exercise lately which has helped somewhat, but not enough.

 

I hadn't known that about the adrenalin or about that antidepressant. I'm already on medication for acid reflux (that can also come with the change, I think) and am reluctant to try another, but I could mention it to my OB-Gyn who knows a lot more of this stuff than my PCP, of course. I am going to take 1/2 a sleeping pill tonight for the first time in months. I can't take Ambien, but got a different kind last time I was in Canada (1/2 is the prescribed dose, and if I take a whole one I'm spaced out all the next day) because the time change has messed up my sleeping. I have found that progesterone creme helps, too.

 

I'll look into the herbs, too, to see if I can take them; I also have allergies. So much to think about and I'm hoping that something here will work for me to help that much more.