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Old 10-01-18, 08:15 AM  
TinaT
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Menopause Sucks! Not Off Topic

I've talked about this before and how I'm in the throws of this lovely season in life. But over the last month it's really gone to the next level. The main area of life being hit hardest is sleep. I can't buy a good nights sleep. So I'm making changes ... again... to what workouts look like for awhile.

Putting my body through any form of AWT just isn't good right now. Even the thought of lifting weights makes me feel tired. So I think I'll rebound for 20 min, nothing crazy, and they use my Classical Stretch Season 9 and 11. That will give appx 45 mins of something good for me, but not taxing/exhausted good.

This year has put me on overload for sure. Feb my mom's Alzheimer diagnosis, daughter married in March, FIL passed in July, and just last week my other daughter suffered a miscarriage. So stress also needs to be dealt with. (stupid cortisol). Anyway, just thought I'd share. I haven't lost any weight recently, but I haven't gained either.

I'm going to try to do this until the first of the year. With the holidays coming, this just might be the best plan to keep me moving and motivated to take care of myself.

Thoughts and suggestions welcomed.
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Old 10-01-18, 08:43 AM  
BunnyHop
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
You're right, menopause does suck!

And cortisol? Don't get me started.

I've got what sorta feels like a constant sense of anxiety, but I'm assuming it's stress hormones doing a number on my nerves. And I wake up so early in the morning! So annoying.

Will see the doc later in the week, so some part of me clings to hope that things will change for the better.

I do take a potassium supplement that my doctor prescribed, and it does help with the exhaustion I used to feel. That's much better, but I'm still dependent on meds for sleep.


I hope you find some answers.
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Old 10-01-18, 08:54 AM  
TinaT
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Thanks Anna, I'm on 5 mg of Melatonin right now. The nurse said I could up it to 10 mg and still be safe. When cortisol is on overload it effects our natural output of melatonin. I might try that tonight.

I just know during the day, I'm a zombie. No energy to do more than I need to. And sometimes not even that.
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Old 10-01-18, 09:11 AM  
beyond.omega
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Join Date: Dec 2006
TinaT, I'm so sorry you are going through this. You might want to look at the book Period Repair Manual, by Lara Briden. This is a book about managing female hormones written by a naturopath. I think there is a section on menopause in this book. I was able to get it from my public library.

I have some ideas about supplementation. If uou sre interested, PM me since supplementation talk is prohibited on VF.
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Old 10-01-18, 09:15 AM  
TinaT
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Quote:
You might want to look at the book Period Repair Manual, by Lara Briden
I'll look into it. Thanks.
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Old 10-01-18, 09:23 AM  
Holly123
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Bioidentical Hormones

I've posted about this before, but do some research on this if your interested. The biggest problem I had was the same as you...absolutely no sleep and intense anxiety. I found a naturopathic M.D. who put me on bioidentical hormones and it fixed everything. I still use them and intend to for the rest of my life. There is a safety difference between the synthetic (Premarin and Prempro, made from horse urine) and bioidentical hormones. Good luck and sorry about all the other bad things going on in your life right now.
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Old 10-01-18, 09:35 AM  
desie
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Canada
You can slightly boost your estrogen levels through diet. I would recommend reading an up-to-date peri-menopause book for ways to help. A year ago, I was not sleeping well and had hot flashes. I haven't had these problems for 8 months now. I would just keep reading and informing yourself on diet. It really helps.
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Old 10-01-18, 09:49 AM  
desie
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Canada
Books I liked:

The Keto Diet by Leanne Vogel - this one has good information in the first 200 pages, and it's a big-size book. I don't have the diet/body obsessions that the author has, but I can still apply the information to make my eating choices even better for myself.

It's Not You, It's Your Hormones: The essential guide for women over 40 to fight fat, fatigue and hormone havoc Paperback – Feb 8 2017
by Nicki Williams - haven't read this yet but I intend to.

The Hormone Cure: Reclaim Balance, Sleep and Sex Drive; Lose Weight; Feel Focused, Vital, and Energized Naturally with the Gottfried Protocol Paperback – Mar 11 2014, by Dr. Sara Gottfried - I read this one first and was able to absorb the information easily. I read a handful more books on the same topic after this one, and felt that they were not written as well, or were skewed too much towards medicating the problems. (For example, the Estrogen window - good info but felt dispirited with the solution of taking pills).

Another one that lays out the info very clearly is Menopause Taylor on you-tube.
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Old 10-01-18, 10:05 AM  
ADoll
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
I’m having the same problem right now- hot flashes, lack of sleep, weight gain, and anxiety. It’s not fun! And working night shift is not helping me in the sleep department.
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Old 10-01-18, 01:42 PM  
BunnyHop
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Melatonin made me a total zombie, and coming off of it was awful.

The past year has been especially rough for a lot of reasons that have nothing to do with hormones, but those are better now so I'm hoping my efforts to improve things will pay off.

So far, the only thing that 'works' for me is to treat self care like a full time job.

This means several hours a day which includes a bit of exercise, yoga, meditation and MELT Method. Honestly I get fed up spending THAT much time every single day doing these things just so I can feel almost normal, and I backslide because something else happens in my life that won't allow for the routine of it all, I can't get it all done and have to start over.

I'm definitely discussing bioidentical hormones with my doctor later in the week.
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