For a year, my periods came very sporadically… sometimes 3 weeks, sometimes 4, and once even 7 weeks. They were very light, and barely noticeable, kinda liked it in comparison to the past heavy flows. Anyway, at my yearly check up, in March 2009, I mentioned this to my doctor, who suggested progesterone to clear out the uterus in one or two sweeps and be done… Sounds wonderful I said!
So, for 7 days I took this miracle pill. By day 3, I fought myself all night at work, NOT to come home and cut my husband’s body part off! To avoid any accidents with him, I immediately went to bed and stayed there for 12 hours. He thought I was mad at him, so stayed clear. Good thing, too, for this was the worst PMS I have ever had in my whole life! By day 5, the cramping and bloating started. I could barely stand straight, and wanted to cry, from the pain. Then the flow started. What had been very gentle and barely there, was more of a medium which lasted 3 days, each of 2 months.
Eight months later, I am still having regularly timed periods… granted they are back to very light and only 1 1/2 – 2 days again, but now without the cramping, bloating, and uncontrollable urges of hurting my husband where it counts. My warning, is STOP AND THINK! How were your PMS days years ago? Seriously think about that and who you may hurt in the process. Thankfully, I could sleep and stay away from the danger. Equally, thankful my husband knows to stay away when I seem angry. It was a couple days later before I could even tell him what had been going on that day. He was glad he left me alone. 
Anyway, Please! Do yourself and others a favor and really consider all the possibilities here BEFORE finding out first hand like I did. My doctor had no idea this would happen, or he wouldn’t have suggested it. It’s almost over, and for some of you, it has been. Good Luck to you, and may you be richly blessed.
ReginaLove, that is SO great to hear! As for soy, it may help with menopause symptoms -- it it controversial. The best way to use soy is in the form of whole fermented soy foods (miso, tempeh, tamari and natto). Non-fermented soy foods such as soy mi
Agreed. I never thought I was vain until I had a mastectomy at age 39. I was devastated and told the doc I wanted to wake up with implants. Now at age 60, I am lopsided and wondering if I was just avoiding the inevitable. You get what you get and you
Sounds very interesting.
Spike, you are awesome! Love your perspective, thanks for sharing.
I’m almost 51 and in the throes of it all. I skip periods, go longer between them, full blown PMS much of the time, night hot flashes, sleep deprivation, mood swings, weight gain, unwanted hair in all the wrong placesetc. YOu name it — I have it.
But I am determined–determined I say — to get thru this without drugs, without hormones, without anything. Menopause is a natural state, and I want to go thru it as natured intended.
Pissed off and violent.
Seriously–it hasn’t been that bad. ALl the side effects I mentioned are there, just luckily not all of them at the same time. I just keep saying to myself “Endure. This too will pass. ANd if it doesnt, you have a well stocked wine cellar to get you thru the worst of it.”
Cheers~!
I keep waiting to feel better before I go crazy!! Right now I am having some kind of muscular problems. I have fibromyalgia, but have never had an attack this bad. I don’t know if this is part of fibro or menopause or something new. Symptoms are similar to MS or Lupus or other things. The pain is so bad that I take a different pain pill about every hour. Most Drs don’t know anything, so I usually don’t go. Any ideas?
You may want to post that as a separate question… I am unfamiliar with any pains through menopause, except the normal period types. Possibly, the hormone change for menopause is disrupting the fibromyalgia.
Another thought would be to turn toward proper food compatibility… for newsletter and more information on the subject, check out http://greattastenopain.com/great.asp
People are being healed from many different things, including arthritis and alzhimers (sp?)
God luck and take care
The natural state of our bodies, is bad…. unless you only eat organic home grown and home cooked foods. All the hormones put into the foods out there, along with all the chemicals to preserve them longer, are reaking havic on our systems. What used to be a natural time, is now complicated with a variety of unnaturals.
To curb the mood swings, try meditation. It is a great way to calm the mind and help your focus.
Vit E is a natural that will allow you to cope with hotflashes… 400IU in the am, and if needed 400 IU in the pm. If severe enough hotflashes occur, vit E can be upped to 800 twice per day. For more input on hotflashes, see the post on them at http://www.vibrantnation.com/conversations/11488-anyone-out-there-have-a-solution-to-hot-flashes/ My hotflashes were strong enough to cause me a deficiency in potassium! That along with Vit D for moods, and I am good to go!
Please keep in mind, it’s the unnatural hormones to stay away from, not natural support.
Good luck to you! I hope your family is understanding… that will help too.