I am not sure where to post this,so I am posting it as a new topic.This is probably for postmenopausal women,but feel free to answer.While I love the posts,and the support--please tell me the truth as you found it.Do you think my memory,mind,and forgetting words, will return??????I mean will they get better?????While I appreciate your positive thoughts,I wonder if things,esp.memory will return?I feel that by that time,I will have another reason to blame it on.I just hve entered my postmenopausal stage,so I was just wondering about your experiences.I am sure that I will find lots of place on this site to find the answers,but if you answer on this topic,it will help me so much-----I won't have to go looking around for this particular question.I would appreciate it.What did I say???????(joking)

libbyl:

How old are you? Do you have a lot of stress in your life right now? Are you perhaps depressed? Are you simply forgetting words, losing your keys, misplacing your handbag, and stuff like that or are you forgetting why you do those things to begin with? I ask all of these questions, because I have read that many things beyond peri can cause memory loss. I have looked at this in depth because my mom is beginning to suffer from memory loss that is pretty severe. She is 74 though. I doubt that you are even close to that age and I also doubt that you are experiencing anything beyond the normal memory loss that comes with getting older. Sorry...I had to say it...we are all getting older.

I would say if you are seriously concerned about this you should talk to your doctor about it. I doubt that it is anything serious, but if you are in fact having abnormal memory loss there are drugs that can slow down the progression of that memory loss.

Hope that helps!

Shakin'

Hi Libby,

From one long-time P-S Sister to another... We joined in the same year.

2004 was the worst year of perimenopause for me. I was still cycling, but only had 2 periods that year, 6 months apart. I felt I got hit in every way - just a total mess, barely left the house that year...
2005 was a bit better, but not great - I had only one period, ELEVEN MONTHS after the last one I'd had.
2006 was better than that, my first year without a period. Many things improved, especially the physical stuff: insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, forgetfulness, etc.
2007 was GREAT! I felt like a million bucks, and effectively stopped coming to Power-Surge as I regained my life! I was now 2 years post.

Well, 2008 began a little rocky.... I had to get back on anti-depressants a few weeks ago, very disappointing, although the good news is that I've never again sunk into a depression as deep as that in 2004. I was also beginning to have a lot of fatigue and body aches, and ironically, the AD seems to be helping that a lot, along with the blue feelings.... All the other symptoms of peri have pretty much gone. No hot flashes, no night sweats. I have short periods of insomnia sometimes - a week here or there, but overall sleep very well. I feel "sharper" mentally. Only rarely are there palps - again, seems to happen over the course of a few days, and then they're gone.

So, overall, postmenopause for me has been a BIG RELIEF! If I could get the tendency to depression taken care of, I'd really say I "have my life back." This may be a bigger issue, as many, many members of my immediate family are on AD's...

Hope you feel better soon, Libby. It's quite a ride...

(((HUGS)))

JJ

Shakin' is right. I am 3 years post, and my memory has deteriorated to a point where I DID see my physician. I am taking two drugs to help me. They are classified as nootropics, or "smart drugs." I take modafinil and hydergine. They clear up my brain fog and improve my short term memory and recall. I don't want to take any chances with my brain, since my job and my life depend on it.

If you are concerned, mention this to your doctor. Many doctors are not aware of nootropics, you need to find someone that is progressive and open minded to prescribe these drugs. They DO work, far better than any herb or supplement that you get on the internet or in health stores. They may even improve your cognitive intelligence. Just be aware that they are still considered "experimental" by some doctors, and they are afraid to hand out prescriptions for them.

Great post, JJ. It really helps to see the year by year summary. It gives me hope there will be an end to all this and a return to the "old" me.

Libby - I'm in the same boat as you. Everything I've ever read has said to keep your mind active and engaged and it will slow down the memory loss. Unfortunately, we can't stop it completely since that is a natural part of the aging process as Shakin' said. What I'm trying to do is keep my mind active by learning new things. I've always loved language and speak French. I read that learning another language is a good way to ward off memory problems, so now I'm learning Dutch. I've heard that mathematical puzzles/brain teasers are really good for this also. (I've always been a total moron when it comes to math though, so that's out for me - unless I want to die of frustration and not have to worry about memory loss anymore!).

So, maybe find something you've always wanted to learn but never had time to and make the time now. If nothing else, it will keep you busy and give you less time to worry about the memory loss.

Hang in there.
Pam

i am only 1 year post, 1 year and 2 months.. but for the 3 years prior to this i only had maybe 5-6 periods all up anyway.. things do get better! i know i was always doing silly things, forgetting words, using the wrong words, the best example of my mushy brain was sitting in my car, looking at the open garage door, and wondering why that looked wrong to me somehow - finally realising i had to get out and close/lock the garage door before i drove away.. stuff like that happened a lot, i would even forget to lock up the house before i left it! i began to worry...

but not now... i do take Phytolife (Soy extract with calcium) and Evening Primrose Oil which comes in a capsule with Fish Oil too.. also ginseng and ginko biloba.. i play a lot of puzzle games, memory games, other games that involve strategic planning.. 'use it or lose it' i do a lot of exercise as well with that same thought in mind. a healthy body and a (hopefully) healthy mind to keep me functioning into my old age! (i'm 55 now)

i have no problems learning new things, altho i'm not taking up rocket science any time soon! lol.. my memory has improved, altho i still take that shopping list with me, at least i remember to take it these days! i usually find the right words when i need them.. take heart! but please do something too.. use that brain if you don't want it turning to mush!

another thing that has just come to mind... are you getting enough (natural) sleep? tiredness can make all of it worse of course...

Libbyl, Im five years post. I still get horrible anxiety but..the memory thing. I had it for about six months before last period and for about ooh..under a year afterwards. It was ridiculous. I would forget what I was saying half way through a sentence. For example, " Oh yes! I remember that film ! The leading actor was er...er.. What film was that called now.the one you just mentioned. .Anyway..him, with the nose. He had a big nose. " There was about six months when I often couldnt finish what Id started saying and couldnt play charades at Christmas because a soon as someone had indicated play, film or book I'd forgotten. It went away and my memory reteurned to what it was before ie very good indeed. Same thing happened to my sister and to other women I know. Isnt it weird ?

I retired at 50 from teaching..due to four prolapsed spinal discs. Had always been full of beans and as happy in teaching as Maria soon to be von Trapp was when leaping around in the on mountains ! The last weeks though when my early retirement had been accepted, due to consultants report I realised that Id been very lucky, in a sense. Had always had a near photographic, memory. Suddenly though..the joys of peri ! Led my class of eleven year olds out into the school garden. Id planned a lesson on light and shadows. Stood there..and went completely..blank. Had no idea whatsoever what Id been going to say. I knew it was something, to do with the sun. Told the children why they must never, look directly at it. Bad for the eyes ! I explained why. Could remember nothing though of the planned lesson. Had to lead them back indoors. Felt bewildered. Didn't know why it had happened. I do now.

Dont worry. The memory apparent loss is temporary. I always remember that charades session with friends. I felt as if I had lost my marbles ! A year later friends were annoyed a bit because I kept winning. Oh dear..have remembered standing up as requested, to give a speech about the National Health Service at a political conference. Started of in an informed and passionate manner. said, " and further to that, what really makes me feel passionately, about this is..! ". Nothing. Total, blank. I'd never needed notes. Now, couldnt even remember the topic. ' I haven't had a trace of the problem since as I said..under a year after menopause. So hang in there because the symptom will, pass.

What's impressive is that you had the presence of mind to conjure up SOME lesson!

Don't stare at the sun - I love it!

Thanks for a good chuckle, Genny,

JJ

Libby,

I have been through the horrible misery of severe brain fog over the past year and am here to tell you hang in there it does get better.

I had such problems with word finding, reading, spelling. I left things on the stove and went outside to work and forgot I was cooking. I would be in the shower and not be able to remember how to turn the water off, something I should be able to do in my sleep. This was along with bad symptoms of menopause, hot flashes, night sweats, despair beyond belief...

Once the drs. figured out that all of my hormone levels had crashed some symptoms improved with estrogen patches. Oral Progesterone just made things worse so I stopped it. I had to have a total hysterectomy Oct. 31, 2007 due to a huge ovarian cyst and fibroids. All of the cognitive problems remained very severe. My gynecologist twice insisted that I have a full neurological exam to determine if I had Alzheimer's Disease or MS. I had worked with Alzheimer's patients for years and knew that my symptoms were not consistant with Alzheimer's and were an exagerrated version of symptoms I had with periods of extreme periods of PMS over the years.

One day, I found Power Surge by accident and was shocked to death to read the excerpt of Dr. Claire Warga's book Menopause and the Mind. The first chapter described my symptoms exactly. That day I got my life back. The symptoms that my doctors couldn't figure out were right there in front of me in black and white. I was furious but empowered. I came back to this site for days and gathered so much strength and wisdom from the ladies here.

I now have my Revival shake every day, take my Super Nutrition Calcium Mineral blend, Flax Oil, L-Theanine for anxiety. I have been to the darkest places I can imagine over the past 15 months. I thought I'd never be able to function, let alone work again but it began to get better.

I started a job 3 weeks ago and I'm surprised every day that I make it through but I make it. It is exhausting to have to work so hard at things that used to be so simple but it gets a little easier each day! You can probably tell my spelling still isn't great and I can't always find the words I'm looking for but I'm going to be okay again and so are you.

I'm thankful every day for Power Surge and I tell everyone I meet about it. I urge women to persist in demanding that the medical profession start recognizing the symptoms of peri and do hormone testing sooner to identify the cause of these symptoms. I suggested to my Dr. at age 46 that I was having menopausal symptoms and I was told I was being ridiculous that I was far too young. This kind of disregard to our symptoms costs so much in pain and dollars every year I can't believe it!!!

Sorry, I got sidetracked there, Libby. I just wanted to let you know that yes, there is hope. I promise.

Libby9

What an utterly ridiculous statement for your Dr. to have made!! I stopped having periods at 46! So if I wasn't menopausal, then what on earth would you call it??? I started peri around 37!! Perhaps even earlier. Certainly my periods changed dramatically by age 35, becoming heavier, longer and closer together. Man, that just fries my butt when I hear of doctors saying you are "too young" because you aren't 51.4 years old!! That is like saying someone can't be taller or shorter than "average height"!! Where does that leave people under 5 feet tall?? Or bigger than 6 feet?? Cuz, believe me, they are out there, they exist.... Menopause can happen anywhere from 40 to 60. I have an aquaintance who was completely menopausal by age 39. There is another lady on this site, who stopped at age 40. Sorry...I got off topic too....but it just made me mad when I read what the doctor said!!