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  #1   ^
Old Wed, Dec-28-05, 11:49
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is online now
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default Approaching menopause with questions

Hello ladies! Got a few questions.

I'm 47, I realize things change at this age. But some of these changes have got me a bit worried so I figured I'd seek out other opinions. I've started to get cramping between periods, it was actually quite severe this month. Enough so I had to take ibuprofen for it. Sometimes I used to get a sharp, brief pain of the muscle that is used when you pee (or poop), this month I had it worse than ever, it lasted a good 4 days. Made it a little difficult to go to the bathroom! It seems to correspond with ovulation.

Anyone else ever experiene anything like this?
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  #2   ^
Old Thu, Dec-29-05, 05:46
kywoman2's Avatar
kywoman2 kywoman2 is offline
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Posts: 135
 
Plan: low fat, low calorie
Stats: 283/283/175 Female 5'7
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: W. Kentucky
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Sounds like you had better seek medical help. Could always be an infection of sorts. Have been through Menopause with nothing except the stopping of the periods. Guess I was lucky.
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  #3   ^
Old Wed, Feb-08-06, 12:19
MeBLady's Avatar
MeBLady MeBLady is offline
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Posts: 2,296
 
Plan: Maintenance (PPLP)
Stats: 216/131/140 Female 5 feet, 5 inches
BF:48.79/21.19/23
Progress: 112%
Location: Southern California
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
Hello ladies! Got a few questions.

I'm 47, I realize things change at this age. But some of these changes have got me a bit worried so I figured I'd seek out other opinions. I've started to get cramping between periods, it was actually quite severe this month. Enough so I had to take ibuprofen for it. Sometimes I used to get a sharp, brief pain of the muscle that is used when you pee (or poop), this month I had it worse than ever, it lasted a good 4 days. Made it a little difficult to go to the bathroom! It seems to correspond with ovulation.

Anyone else ever experiene anything like this?


I know this post is six weeks old, but I was really glad to see it cause I am experiencing something similar.

I'm only 39....never had any problems with my cycles or reproductive problems in my entire lifetime.

In the past 8 years or so, my TOM has been heavier with increased discomfort, which completely allieviated itself the first month of LCing. Pretty sure that was caused by my obesity and poor nutrician.

However, in the past 4 months, I have been experiencing severe cramping the day before I start my TOM. The minute my flow starts, its gone. This month, it was really bad. All last night and early this morning, I actually felt like I was in labor, my uterus actually felt "hard"....sure enough within an hour of waking, my flow started and the pain/hardness disappeared as quickly as it came.

Also, I have been having some breast tenderness about a week/week and a half before TOM starts. However, in the last four months, the breast tenderness has been replaced by a "fever"....not sure if it is an actual "hot flash" because it lasts for more than a few minutes -- usually an hour or two. I am also more sensitive to temperature as a whole....I tend to get cold or hot easier, but in spurts, again, in that week/week in a half before my TOM.

Sex drive is weird too....its either really high or flat out dead.

TOMs come faithfully every month, always been very regular. However, once in the last four months, it came a few days earlier than normal.

Are this perimenopausal symptoms? Can't seem to find enough consistant information out there -- I fit some symptoms, but not quite specific enough for me to know what I am experiencing.

My mother went into full blown menopause at 46 and was through it by 51 without major difficulties (she had to take hormones briefly). She's nutty all the time tho, LOL, no help from her as far as perimenpausal symptoms.
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  #4   ^
Old Mon, May-08-06, 16:01
quietone quietone is offline
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Posts: 1,271
 
Plan: original 72 Atkins
Stats: 201/177/142 Female 65 inches
BF:44/44/25
Progress: 41%
Location: Northern Virginia
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Just saw this and thought I'd respond.

The pain mid month is from ovulation...don't know why...I've been to the doc about it and there's nothing wrong really...just one of the joys of this time of life.

Sex life up and down: becuase hormones are up and down. Right at ovulation, testoterone is highest...that's the up...then it crashes along with everything else and that's the down.

Plus, it takes forever to build enough because we're producing so much less these days, that this is why our sex drive is down most of the time...not becuase of less estrogen.

Since this is new, you may want to visit the doc just in case. Mine is always on one side...the other side is fine.

I've had cramping for the first time every since entering peri menopause. And the seeming change in actual body temperature the 10 days prior. Tot he point where I actually feel feverish.

Hope this helps...
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  #5   ^
Old Sat, May-13-06, 23:35
LilaCotton's Avatar
LilaCotton LilaCotton is offline
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Posts: 2,472
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 229/205/170 Female 5'6"
BF:I have Body Fat!??
Progress: 41%
Location: Idaho
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Thought I might add some info here I've found helpful. (I've had that cramping during ovulation since I was in my early 30s--great 'natural' birth control! LOL)

If you have pain, especially sharp pain, on one side or the other it could be a cyst. They often tend to break on their own during the menstruation process, but not always.
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  #6   ^
Old Tue, May-16-06, 14:02
MeBLady's Avatar
MeBLady MeBLady is offline
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Posts: 2,296
 
Plan: Maintenance (PPLP)
Stats: 216/131/140 Female 5 feet, 5 inches
BF:48.79/21.19/23
Progress: 112%
Location: Southern California
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Quote:
Originally Posted by quietone
Just saw this and thought I'd respond.

The pain mid month is from ovulation...don't know why...I've been to the doc about it and there's nothing wrong really...just one of the joys of this time of life.

Sex life up and down: becuase hormones are up and down. Right at ovulation, testoterone is highest...that's the up...then it crashes along with everything else and that's the down.

Plus, it takes forever to build enough because we're producing so much less these days, that this is why our sex drive is down most of the time...not becuase of less estrogen.

Since this is new, you may want to visit the doc just in case. Mine is always on one side...the other side is fine.

I've had cramping for the first time every since entering peri menopause. And the seeming change in actual body temperature the 10 days prior. Tot he point where I actually feel feverish.

Hope this helps...


Hee, I didn't think anyone was ever going to respond...its been awhile since I posted my issue.

My pain was different than yours -- mine were really bad menstrual cramps (not distinct to one side) starting a day or two before my cycle.

I did find relief for them -- Rebound exercise stopped the cramping.

However, additional symptoms have continued to appear leaving me little doubt that I have started the change. Exercise/diet has been keeping them "at bay" but its becoming a bigger struggle each month, and this month it hit me mid cycle rather than just the week before TOM. The heck with it, I broke down and tried some natural progesterone cream. Still a bit early to tell, but so far, it has given me relief, and rather immediate relief, of all symptoms.
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  #7   ^
Old Tue, May-16-06, 14:16
nawchem's Avatar
nawchem nawchem is offline
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Plan: No gluten, CAD
Stats: 196.0/158.5/149.0 Female 62
BF:36/29.0/27.3
Progress: 80%
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MeBlady if you can give me any information about the progesterone cream, which one use and the like I would so appreciate it. My dr wants me to go on BC for low progesterone but I was reading that the natural doesn't have the bad side effects. I also read that progesterone can help you lose hip fat, which is where I need to lose.

I am also having ovulation issues and am 44. I started having light bleeding when I ovulate. I get bloated mid month and get cramping pains on one side. The doc said being low in progesterone and high in estrogen makes you produce extra uterine tissue. It happens in about 1:1000 people and is more common in overweight and women with pcos. Getting my hormones in balance is supposed to take care of the problem.
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  #8   ^
Old Tue, May-16-06, 21:49
MeBLady's Avatar
MeBLady MeBLady is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,296
 
Plan: Maintenance (PPLP)
Stats: 216/131/140 Female 5 feet, 5 inches
BF:48.79/21.19/23
Progress: 112%
Location: Southern California
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nawchem
MeBlady if you can give me any information about the progesterone cream, which one use and the like I would so appreciate it. My dr wants me to go on BC for low progesterone but I was reading that the natural doesn't have the bad side effects. I also read that progesterone can help you lose hip fat, which is where I need to lose.

I am also having ovulation issues and am 44. I started having light bleeding when I ovulate. I get bloated mid month and get cramping pains on one side. The doc said being low in progesterone and high in estrogen makes you produce extra uterine tissue. It happens in about 1:1000 people and is more common in overweight and women with pcos. Getting my hormones in balance is supposed to take care of the problem.


I originally got the idea for the cream from my PP plan....they suggest a topical cream claiming it is safer, without side effects, and doesn't prevent you from losing weight. If you are still having periods, progesterone is enough, some post menapausal women may need a topical estrogen cream as well....according to the Eades, as well as several other online resources I have sought out.

I purchased mine at WalMart...Rexall brand.

According to my "research", you want to choose a brand that contains between 400-500 mg. of progesterone per ounce (Rexall has 480). Start by applying a 1/4 teaspoon to the palms of your hands (or a soft area of your body that you don't normally apply another other chemical -- soles of your feet, buttocks), once a day, for 14 days before your TOM is due -- then STOP. Go through your TOM and a week after TOM has ended, start again.

This is the standard dosage that works for most women....you CAN apply up to 1/2 teaspoon twice a day if needed, again only for those 14 days.

I'm only on my third dose, so I can't say for sure that this is going to work for me long term or not....but I will say that the results were flat out immediate. From the time the cream soaked into my skin, I felt tremendous relief of irritation/depression/brain fog/muscle aches/mild cramping. It took another ten minutes to release 3 pounds of water and a size down in jeans. Also gave me a huge energy surge, to a point that I did a second exercise workout out of pure enjoyment. Haven't had a hot flash since I started it either.

Apparently, tho, it can take up to a full cycle before you see maximum results.

This is a remedy for "estrogen dominance"....it could work for you :-)

I searched as many places as I can to find out if this commonly works for perimenopausel women and got a lot of postive testimonials. So far, the women this didn't work for took it through their whole cycles or used more than they were supposed to, which of course contributed to their imbalance.

Sleepiness is a sign that you are taking too much.

Hope this helps, and I am interested in hearing your outcome if you try it! I'm only 7 months in from when my symptoms first started, know it is bound to get worse....I DON'T want to live like this for the next 10 years, and soaking up all the info I can get.

Last edited by MeBLady : Tue, May-16-06 at 22:47.
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  #9   ^
Old Sat, Jul-01-06, 12:26
deirdra's Avatar
deirdra deirdra is offline
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Posts: 4,324
 
Plan: vLC/GF,CF,SF
Stats: 197/136/150 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 130%
Location: Alberta
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I was estrogen dominant but found progesterone cream made my cramps & breast tenderness last longer, so I stopped using it after less than 2 months. The best cure for estrogen dominance is menopause! I am nearly 52 and quickly transitioned from regular periods to none for a year (officially in menopause) in 3 years with minimal symptoms. Everyone I know who used HRT, including my mother & older sister, had more symptoms (but they were not on LC) and it took them >5 years to get past them. I would suggest avoiding hormones unless the symptoms are unbearable; tinkering with one can throw off the others.

My symptoms were reminiscent of when I just started menstruating - PMS, breast tenderness (once for 5 weeks) and cramps. But ibuprophen worked on the cramps (when I was a kid it was not available OTC) and warm baths helped with the breast tenderness. I never had what others describe as "hot" flashes. I did occasionally have warm flushes, but they were after eating/drinking something warm or spicy or if I was majorly upset about something. Taking off a sweater or relaxation dealt with those symptoms.

The good news is that with less estrogen I have found it easier to lose and maintain my weight since my last period (15 months ago). Hope the rest of you are this lucky!

Last edited by deirdra : Sat, Jul-01-06 at 12:37.
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