I am 52, 16 months post and lately have been fighting with fatigue, continual hot flashes and thyroid symptoms. I have almost forgotten what it feels like to menstruate and have been enjoying the lack of pelvic pain that I was plagued with in peri. Last week was pretty rough and I have started with all the pelvic discomfort and the dreaded constipation that came with the pain. I must admit to feeling pretty depressed at feeling so horrible. Guess what...................tonight I ovulated, after all that time with no periods. I am sure that it is only a final splutter from my ovaries but it just goes to prove that it was fluctuating hormones causing all that awful abdominal discomfort. I have even suffered pain in my knee and wrists.

It will be interesting to see if I get a period.

This journey remains totally unpredictable. Those who have just started on the journey would do well to remember that.



XIII

Yes, I've been so hopeful after having no period for several months, only to feel that dreaded, familiar ovarian twinge that signals the onset of the hormone rollercoaster again. I keep thinking it's the final sputter, but I've had lots of final sputters, so here I am, will be 56 in a couple weeks, wondering if this will ever truly end.

Given the choice of going through meno at my age or in my 30's or 40's, I'd gladly take the younger ages. I think a younger body has more ability to adapt to the changes. At my age, the adrenals are so stressed that they are not taking over the job of hormone production as they should, the rest of the body is slower to adapt, and it's hell on earth.

I haven't had a period in about 2 months, but I've stopped getting excited about it. I suspect I just ovulated again. I so hope I'm wrong, but we shall see.