Turning 50...

[Janet]

...ain't so nifty. No, I usually do not say ain't, but I don't usually turn 50, either. For the past week or so I've felt like Linda Blair. What a gift I got this year, menopause. Today some guy yelled at me hanging out of the window of his truck, telling me to SLOW DOWN! (I was at a stop sign, just starting up again -- not speeding.) As soon as he did that, the new demons that are occupying my body screamed right back at the guy, BLEEP BLEEP! If he had stopped, I probably would have gotten into a fist fight -- something I never would have entertained the thought of, until now. After my near altercation, I ran right out to WalMart today, bought Black Cohosh, and everything I could get my hands on that had something to do with menopause. I honestly can't stand myself another minute. I sure hope this stuff works. I'm sure my family is hoping the same thing.

If you're a man reading this, sorry. But if you've been around one of us, you probably already know what I'm talking about, unfortunately.

Janet

[Janet]

Thanks, Everyone, for your suggestions and encouragement.  It's always so comforting to know you're not alone.My children gave me the best gift I could ever ask for.  They found pictures from when they were babies and then growing up, scanned them all onto the computer, made a video from them, set to a beautiful song by Taylor Swift.  I no longer give a damn that I'm 50.  My children made my day and my life so worthwhile.  I must have done something right.  Now instead of being a raving lunatic, I'm mush.
Janet

[Tricia McLaughlin]

Janet,

As everyone else has said, it does get better. My ex-BH and I were driving from Alabama down to Biloxi to do some gambling. It was in the middle of January quite a number of years ago. I was driving. One minute I was yelling to put the heat on, the next to turn it off. I thought I was getting the flu. NADA

THEN it hit me, is this what they call a hot flash? BS on the word, flash. It last five to seven minutes. It does get better.

I agree with Judy on the six days. I'd rather have five or six days a month of a pain in the butt than this full time.

Hang in there,
Tricia

[Jennie Ann]

Having made it through menopause in one piece, I wanted to let you know that this will pass.

Not everybody can get through menopause without taking prescription meds, but I was fortunate that I didn't have to go that route. I did have the night sweats when I was sleeping, mainly just moisture around the back of my neck most times. It did wake me up, though.

Two things I had to really watch during this time were caffeine intake and sleep deprivation. It is so important to get sleep. Being sleep deprived only exascerbates the menopause symptoms, especially the mood swings. As well, limit your caffeine intake.

Mine lasted about five years but was never intense, although there were some times that, because of my mood swings, I felt I should stay home and not go out in public with my sharp tongue. LOL

[Cindy Bennett]

Hey, been there, done that so can commiserate with you, Janet. Along with the black cohosh, something that has really helped me with night sweats is a Chillow. You place it in your pillow case along with your pillow and when you start feeling hot, you just flip over your pillow and it is nice and cool. For me it just stops the heat and I can go right back to sleep. It will stay cool for a long time.

[Judy]

Yeah, I'm 49 3/4. I hear ya. "What happened to 28 days? That was just six days!!" Maybe you're further along than, I dunno. I've had very few hot flashes, thank goodness. But I do remember when my husband and I got stuck in our car behind a plasterer (yep, a guy why lays plaster) in a parking garage and he miff'd me off, I honked my horn and "suggested" he move his truck, only to get back a F- Y- B-, well, that was all it took and my "new" husband finally realized who he married. Let's just say it wasn't pretty.