Do these sound like menopause symptoms to you?

[Laura Corin]

I had mild physical menopause symptoms three years ago. They mostly went away with topical medication and extra exercise. Blood tests six months apart put me at menopause. ETA I had no psychological symptoms at that time.

 

My mum moved in with us twenty months ago, but things settled down over a year ago. One family member had a health crisis a year ago but is doing better now. I changed job in June - the new job is challenging but shouldn't be excessively stressful.

 

And yet I'm rigid with stress, sleeping badly and for the last few days can't stop crying. This isn't helped, I'm sure, by an injury preventing exercise for the last month - I'm hoping to start up again next week.

 

Anyway: three years after menopause, I'm stressed, sleepless, anxious and tearful. Menopause still or something else? I just came back from a lovely holiday, but even in the mountains I didn't fully relax.

Edited October 9, 2017 by Laura Corin

[Guest]

I'm not on the other side of it yet, but that jibes with what I've heard other ladies say. (((Hugs)))

[wintermom]

Could be a combination of menopause symptoms being stronger, and inactivity. I get really antsy and depressed when I can't be active.   Hopefully getting back to your regular physical activity will help you out a lot.

[Barb_]

I'm sorry, Laura. It sounds to me like generalized anxiety or maybe mild clinical depression brought on by stress and exacerbated by hormones, not strictly menopause. I could be wrong because you're further down the path. Are you planning to see a doctor?

[Laura Corin]

I'm sorry, Laura. It sounds to me like generalized anxiety or maybe mild clinical depression brought on by stress and exacerbated by hormones, not strictly menopause. I could be wrong because you're further down the path. Are you planning to see a doctor?

My plan is to start yoga this week, begin some gentle running next weekend, then see the doctor if things don't start to improve. I can't afford to lose this job - I'm still on probation, and this is the only big local employer.

[Barb_]

My plan is to start yoga this week, begin some gentle running next weekend, then see the doctor if things don't start to improve. I can't afford to lose this job - I'm still on probation, and this is the only big local employer.

Check in later this week and post if you see any improvement.

[Sandwalker]

My plan is to start yoga this week, begin some gentle running next weekend, then see the doctor if things don't start to improve. I can't afford to lose this job - I'm still on probation, and this is the only big local employer.

Ypga is a great idea. Maybe meditate a bit after your yoga practice?

 

If you don't mind supplements, vitamin D3 ~1000 mg and B12 (dosage depends on type, but one tiny pill) in the morning and ~400mg of magnesium at bedtime would be inexpensive, might help, and with no real downside.

[Guest]

I think, in addition to yoga, I'd add a daily dose of St. Johns Wort. If you like tea, try chamomile at bedtime.

[Laura Corin]

Ypga is a great idea. Maybe meditate a bit after your yoga practice?

 

If you don't mind supplements, vitamin D3 ~1000 mg and B12 (dosage depends on type, but one tiny pill) in the morning and ~400mg of magnesium at bedtime would be inexpensive, might help, and with no real downside.

I meditate daily but it's not doing the trick at present. I just restarted vitamin d3 for the winter and I'll look into the others.

[Laura Corin]

I think, in addition to yoga, I'd add a daily dose of St. Johns Wort. If you like tea, try chamomile at bedtime.

I drink camomile in the morning. It makes me pee in the night if I have it at bedtime. I'll look into St Johns wort.

[Sandwalker]

I meditate daily but it's not doing the trick at present. I just restarted vitamin d3 for the winter and I'll look into the others.

This is long, but maybe fall asleep to this, or just listen to part of it? It has certain biurnal beats that are calming to the brain. There are lots like this online.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VonjHM0tlXo

[Annie G]

It sounds like how I felt earlier this year when I was stressed. It made me mad because it wasn't the worst stress I've been under and yet for some reason it just knocked me on my butt.  I was also not able to exercise and I'm sure that contributed because that's my way to work off frustration. 

 

But yeah...I wasn't sleeping well, I was teary, anxious, and just not functioning well.  Bonus: I am a stress eater so I was eating too many carbs which was NOT a good thing to do. 

 

Do you think that your newish job might be causing you stress?

 

I hope you feel more like yourself soon. 

Edited October 9, 2017 by Annie G

[Starr]

I felt so much better when I was on a low dose of estrogen. I slept better, was less anxious and tolerated warmer temperatures better. Eventually I had to go off of it and I still don't sleep great but things seem to have eased over the years. Talk with your doctor and see if you can try something for six months?? Wishing you well. Life just doesn't get easier.  :grouphug:

[Seasider]

I'm sorry, Laura. It sounds to me like generalized anxiety or maybe mild clinical depression brought on by stress and exacerbated by hormones, not strictly menopause. I could be wrong because you're further down the path. Are you planning to see a doctor?

I'm kind of thinking the same thing. And even though you are settled with your mom being there, I imagine it changes the atmosphere. Perhaps I'm just speaking from my own perspective, but there's that overhanging sense of responsibility- not necessarily a bad thing, but what I mean is that it (your responsibility for her as she ages further) is another item on your subconscious to-do list, if that makes any sense.

[gaillardia]

Here's my weird/not weird thing as I've gone through mpause: I would have a crying jag or feel very tearful and upset, then I would have a hot flash, sweating, then I'd feel better. However, my dd told me that is an anxiety symptom. I don't really have much in the way of crying jags and hot flashes too much anymore.

[madteaparty]

I don't know*, it seems like PMS to me. Which is worse when even a few pounds overweight (in my case).

I want to know the topical thing that make the menopause go away.

*late thirties

Edited October 9, 2017 by madteaparty

[Amy in NH]

I don't know*, it seems like PMS to me. Which is worse when even a few pounds overweight (in my case).

I want to know the topical thing that make the menopause go away.

*late thirties

Progesterone cream

[Laura Corin]

I don't know*, it seems like PMS to me. Which is worse when even a few pounds overweight (in my case).

I want to know the topical thing that make the menopause go away.

*late thirties

Just hormonal vaginal pessaries for dryness only. Edited October 9, 2017 by Laura Corin

[Liz CA]

I meditate daily but it's not doing the trick at present. I just restarted vitamin d3 for the winter and I'll look into the others.

 

Agree with the magnesium suggestion. Find a good brand. Here in US, Jigsaw works fairly well for me.

Can you take walks by yourself and consciously try to relax by being aware of your shoulders, hands, and respiration?

You may also be low on progesterone. Can you take a saliva test and supplement if necessary?

 

ETA: Sounds like a lot of life changes recently. May not seem very drastic to you individually but there is a scale-like measurement on life changes that illustrate various life events and associated stresses typically experienced. Having another adult move in with you, a health crisis and a job change are ALL pretty big things. Taken together they are major - like an accumulating effect.

Specific relaxation techniques, focus on healthy nutrition, check if hormones need to be supplemented all sound like a good plan and keep monitoring yourself to see if the tendency is toward improving or not.

Edited October 9, 2017 by Liz CA

[Laura Corin]

Thanks, everyone.  I think that the idea of stress on stress, with no one big problem but too large an overall load sounds likely.  I am pretty good at self-care (exercise, good food, meditation, singing in a choir) but I'm not getting out from under this.  Thinking it through:

 

- I don't like my mother living with us.  That's the truth.  There are the practical tasks,  but mostly I feel the pressure of her personality.  She isn't likely to move out until she needs to go to a retirement home, which we won't be broaching yet

- I still worry a lot about the family member who wasn't well before

- Hobbes is in his last year at school and applying for universities - he needs a lot of help with organisation

- I was knocked sideways by how difficult it was changing jobs and how much I hated the uncertainty of the first couple of months

- I am still working on the last few bits of bureaucracy relating to sale of my mother's house and her move up here (this week her motorbike will be legally scrapped, all being well)

- We are probably selling our rental property in London and buying locally - this is a good move in all kinds of ways, but it means that Husband is very tied up with that (he's in London this week)

- I want my life to be simpler but it's just not going to happen.

 

I have a yoga class booked for tomorrow night and I plan to start Couch to 5K Zombies Run on Saturday (I graduated from C25K a few months ago, but I want to get back into running in a safe and gradual way).  I'll walk the dog each night this week.  And then I'll see where I am.  I'll also look into supplements, etc.

 

Thanks again.