I've been told that I am in the cocoon phase of womanhood, and that I will emerge from this cocooon into a beautiful butterfly (ie: post menopause) with new focus, empowerment, and self-awareness. HA! OKAY THEN, I'm ready for this cocoon phase to be over!!!

So my question is, when do you know (emotionally) that you are post-menopause. Do you all of the sudden wake up and realize "I don't feel those symptoms anymore" (hot flashes, emotional swings, rages, meltdowns etc. etc.) or do they gradually go away, or (Heaven forbid) does it never end?

I know that true physical menopause is one year after your last period - so here is my next question. My last 'true' period was April 3, 2009. I have had the teeniest bit of spotting (not even really spotting - just (graphic!) thick brown discharge) about 3 x since then, and then when I tried progesterone in July I got a period, but I don't think that counts because it was technically induced by the progesterone. So was my last period the April one, or the spoting ones? I may get another real one and then my question will be moot. My gyny thinks I will have more, as I am only 48. He didn't even think I was in peri when I saw him last year - but the hormone tests showed I was in Hyper-peri!!

Thanks ladies!

Mary



Childbirth is easy....MENOPAUSE....now that takes GUTS!

Remember we don't all have the same time frame for menopause. Some breeze through it fast and for others it's pure torture. Grab all the good things you can and let go of the rest. I'm going on three years in and don't have a clue where I'm at in this mess but I'm finding I'm ok with it most days...so far. My empowerment came two years in. I am different. Really different....but better!

Dear 'MaryMe'
Love the quote and totally agree with it.Childbirth was painful but what I went through was pure torture.
I was Post Menopause at 39,so it really gets me annoyed when Doctors keep saying ladies are too young for this stage .Not true.
My Mother did not enter Menopause until about age 56 and she used a large glass of Whiskey at night,a rolled up newspaper for a fan and was always telling my father "To keep his distance"
Many friends of mine have come through very well with virtually no symptoms,or very mild,but as the Wounded Walking,I still take HRT.I am now 58 but am happy with my decision after weighed up all pros. and cons.

You sound very positive and appear to be doing pretty well so wishing you good luck.
Keep us posted
Warm Wishes
Elizabeth

Thanks Elizabeth.

I loved hearing about your mom's method for coping. Super!! Thanks for your encouragement. I am going thru a pretty good stretch right now - who knows what the next week will bring. I'll just keep riding the waves!

I know everyone is different, I guess I was just interested in HOW the emotional part ends. Abruptly? Gradually? Never?!

I too am on HRT - vagifem (and a lot of it). I may need to use if forever - so be it. I do not want to be without it again. I had some pretty scary things happen before I was on it and I do not want to deal with again.

I'm just going to go get a shot of whiskey and look for a newpaper to roll up...

Mary

It was gradual for me. I just started feeling better one day at a time, and in feeling better I was able to cope better emotionally. Then all of a sudden I realized I was going places with less anxiety, and actually not even worrying about things that would have put me in a tailspin a few months earlier. I use to wake up 6/7 times a night. Then it got less and less. I still don't make it though the night, but now I only usually awaken once. Things that made me angry just no longer did.

The fog didn't lift overnight.. it was like a slow pull upwards.

Does anyone know if the aches and pains ever stop? I can manage anxiety but lately, the aches and pains in mucles and joitns are hard to deal with, feeling like 90yo, please, tell me it does stop......
Best,
I.

Yes, when do we get that "Menopausal Zest" Margaret Mead promised us as our reward for all this?

Ira.. a lot of my cramping and stuff like that has passed, but my hands always hurt. I swear I have arthritis but the Dr. says no. It might also be carpal tunnel. But I think for the most part, my meno related aches and pains have stopped. Now I'm just left with old age pains!! ARGHH!!!

It is my understanding that MM had estrogen injections to help her along. She used hormone therapy in other words -- so it is hard to know if she had zest or not without the help of E. I know that I read this information in 2 books" The Silent Passage by Gail Sheehy & The Change by Germaine Greer, in which MM's treatment w E injections is mentioned.

However, I have many 60 something women among my Fs & of those who watch diet, exercise & don't smoke etc -- they seem very energetic -- of course I have no way of knowing if they are using HRT or not, but assume at least some of them are not....

You go for it Girl!
My mother would be proud of you!
All the Best
Elizabeth

those aches and pains may be fibromyagia, or inflammation.......i get it real bad at times and half to live on aleve until the horrible aches subside, yet, then it comes back again in no time at all, i hate it!
i have a script for a sed rate blood test, it tests for severe inflammation.........i'm not going to get it done until this ailment comes back again.

Leanne,
No, I have no carpal, i have pain mainly in upper back, neck, shoulders, lower back, hips, and calves. All tight, like a drum, and hurting. When i am hurting, it is all over, soreness and stiffness, and since it comes and goes, I doubt it is arthritis, I have done RA factor few times, and it was normal, and usually arthritis presents with slightly different symptoms. My bet is on hormones, I can feel it, when they fluxing, I get it, and also, I believe, every time estrogen drops further, the aches and pains come back....Glad to hear your stopped.
Just wondering how much longer this will last....
Hugs,
I.

Interesting to hear the backstory. A very vivacious older lady I do a community garden with here in town has a bright pink t-shirt with sparkle letters on it that says "Not Zesty!"--ha..I want to ask her where she got it....

Haha, I think it's all an enormous hoax - butterflies my foot! As far as I am concerned there is no such thing as "post menopause". I was merrily floating along thinking I was "post", afterall, I had gone past the magic 12 months and my tests showed all my hormones were at post level. Then, oh dear, out of the blue, a short bleed, then another. Then down the horrible road of scans and D&C etc etc only to be told all is normal and fine. But it's not really. Still get occasional slight bleed for one day, and some orangey discharge sometimes and as well get cramping. Was given provera to take to stop the lining building up, but the list of side effects reads like a horror show so I'm not taking it - yet. So am I post or not? Who knows? PS Just turning 54 this week, was hoping it would ALL be over by now. Iradan, google POLYMYALGIA (different to fibromyalgia). Common in over 50s, esp women. Causes stiffness and pain in shoulders/upper arms, neck, upper back and round the hips.