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I have been married for 26 years, happily. My body isn't helpful. We've tried your suggestion, it helps, obviously, but the discomfort is still there due to thinning tissue in the lady bits. I am hoping that once I am past it, that won't be an issue anymore. Fortunately it's only a fairly new thing, hopefully it will be a fairly old thing soon!
Yes, I have the thin dry tissue in the Tunnel of Love as well. (My PCP laughs every time I use that expression.) Lube does not help. The thinness makes a transvaginal ultrasound very, very painful -- like thrusting a butcher knife up there. DH was there last time to hold my hand while I screamed. That was when they took a look at the cysts on my left ovary and thought it might be cancer.
My ovaries and Fallopian tubes have been removed now, so no libido at all. I have an appointment with a sexual wellness specialist but she's booked up until October.
I'd take my period back in a second until the end of my life, if it meant I wouldn't have had to suffer through 12 years of hot flash hell.
I started getting hot flashes at 48 and my periods ended at 50. I am now almost 61 and just now they are tapering off but I still get them in lesser frequency and intensity. It's been hellish. I've been on a low dose HRT since I was about 51 and it has helped a bit. A bit.
I'll describe the last 12 years of my life in menopause...
Sleeping just once through the night without interruption of hot flashes is an extremely rare and wonderous occasion. I've woken up in the night yelling at myself. (some very choice words!)
My whole head, neck, chest and face completely drenched with rivers of sweat running down off my nose and chin.
Needing a fan beside my bed to flick on 2-4 times/nightly for years.
Going to a wedding, or other dressy function and having your hairdo wiped out in minutes from a sweaty head and your makeup wiped off dabbing tissues so you don't drip sweat all over the place. Yes, SO unlady like. And your dress gets wet and sticks to you. Panti-hose are a nightmare and you wish you could just sit with your legs wide open to cool off.
Hanging my head out the window of our car in sub zero weather or snow storms. Ah, the relief!
Having sex with hubby and we have a slick film of sweat between us when one hits. I feel like I'm suffocating and want to stop.
Dryness "down there" As my friend described it: "her box was so dry she couldn't stick a pencil in there"
Sometimes I get a horribly ickky feeling body-wide before a flash hits. It is indescribable. Just ickky and about the closest I've come to a panic attack.
Most times I get INTENSE thirst before one. If I don't have a cool drink to slurp down, I feel like I'm going to pass out.
Out fishing on a cold day in a boat with a friend: hat off, jacket off, sweater off, down to a t-shirt, hat on, sweater back on, jacket back on, hat off, jacket off, sweater off, down to a t-shirt, then all back on again. Repeat this about 6 times in 4 hours. I guess I was entertaining him because when we got back to shore he was laughing as he told his wife (my close friend) the story.
The funny thing is, is that I'm often cold when I'm not "hot".
Again, be careful what you wish for. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. I'm a rare case with hot flashes I think, but you don't know until you get them how badly they are going to affect your life. From what I hear and have experienced, it is hereditary, so if your mother had it bad, then you probably will too. I remember my mother yanking at the collar of her shirt when they hit. I do the same and blow down my shirt front. The cool wind feels heavenly. I'd like to stick my whole head into a freezer or better yet, step into a walk-in freezer during the summer. I step out our door in the winter... ah~!
Last edited by gouligann; 06-17-2018 at 02:43 PM..
I am 57 and went without my period for 6 months, Yay! But then I got it last month. I have definitely slowed down though so it should stop soon. I agree, it's a huge PITA. Hot flashes galore......enough already!
I have read that people who go through menopause late tend to live longer....it's like you have a "young body" that doesn't age so quick....
I like that! I read before that average age is 51 to hit menopause. I believe you can say you are finally in menopause 1 year after your last period, so I hit that at 58.
I had a rough landing that lasted several years including once in my late 40's when I just KNEW it was over but alas I was out of progesterone and over loaded on Estrogen and Testosterone instead which caused alternating MONTHS long monsoons and droughts . Had to get that under control first . One day about 3 years ago the progesterone stopped working when it was time to take it and that was my Dr's signal that this really was the end . I was 52 . I started at 12 ( on Valentines Day 1975 of all days ) had 6 children ages 35-17 and one late miscarriage in my late 40's .
I just now have been having some night sweats but all is now strangely quiet .
I was 52, so hang in there. You’ve stood it this long. Please think long and hard before you consider taking hormone replacement for symptoms of menopause. I got an enormous DVT that could have killed me.
I just turned 51 . No more periods , no hot flashes , nothing. It just stopped months ago. I refuse to take hormone therapy, fingers crossed that this will continue.
Mine was over by around age 48. Had a few hot flashes, but nothing too terrible. Took hormone therapy for a VERY short time but went off when they caused some "suspicious" areas on breasts. I did not lose my figure or my libido. Moderate working out and good eating takes care of those things.
well I decided to use the Mirena IUD when I was 42. This IUD is so gentle and it stops your period even if you are not menopausal.
It does not stop the hot flashes however. I was lucky enough I didnt get severe hot flashes and anything like that. It was discomforting but I refused to take any hormones either. what I did was to lose weight. dr say that skinny people suffer less.
Talk to your dr id Mirena is right for you. I know they say you should have had children in order to have it but I dont know why that is e requirement. Maybe you could still have it
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I have definitely slowed down though so it should stop soon. I agree, it's a huge PITA. Hot flashes galore......enough already!
