Question for mid-50's DIS Ladies

[Pacesetter]

I'm in my late 40's and I'm beginning to be hormonally challenged. I'm doing OK with most of the symptoms and don't regret the transition, but I'm starting to wonder what life will be like - after. Will there be some point where my energy levels rise again and my mental sharpness comes back? Your experiences and advice would be really helpful right about now.

 

[eliza61]

I didn't notice any decline in mental sharpness. lol, I'm just as forgetful now as I was in my twenties (unfortunately). My energy levels always sort of declined when I was ovulating, in fact that's always how I could tell how I was getting my period, I would get super tired. my main complaint was hot flashes which I still experience. they were a major pain in the patooie.

One thing is that I am eating better and making a point to exercise more and that has definitely increased my energy.

Good luck

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I turn 50 on Friday!!!

I am getting in shape and eating better which helps me out a lot. I am hoping that helps me out when I am mid 50's, lol.

I work with people in their 60's & 70's and they are doing very well if that is any consolation to you.

 

[donac]

My biggest symptom was that occasionally my ears would turn red. I never had really bad hot flashes but every now and then my ears would heat up.

I turn 60 in a few months and I will be retiring from teaching math. I have been doing that for 38 years so it is a time for a phase of my life.

 

[kimmar067]

My biggest symptom was that occasionally my ears would turn red. I never had really bad hot flashes but every now and then my ears would heat up.

I turn 60 in a few months and I will be retiring from teaching math. I have been doing that for 38 years so it is a time for a phase of my life.

....hello, fellow math teacher...

Hmmmmm, never had that 'ear problem', but still do suffer from occasional hot flashes in the middle of the night.....it is SOOOO ANNOYING!

 

[kimmar067]

I turn 50 on Friday!!!

I am getting in shape and eating better which helps me out a lot. I am hoping that helps me out when I am mid 50's, lol.

I work with people in their 60's & 70's and they are doing very well if that is any consolation to you.

.....well, Happy 'Almost' Birthday!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Not quite there yet but I'll answer anyway. I was in peri, I guess, for a while, and I didn't even realize it as my symptoms were pretty subtle and atypical. (Like, my worst "symptom" was very vivid nightmares! But I also had insomnia and some other, more "typical" issues, too, which I later figured out.) My situation was complicated because my ovaries were pretty functional, but recently I had to undergo a hysterectomy for acute uterine issues, and my oncologist felt I should have my ovaries out due to my history of breast cancer, so I did, and now I find myself thrown straight away into "surgical" menopause.

Surgical menopause comes on suddenly so you're hit with a bunch of symptoms all at once (as opposed to natural menopause, which tends to be more gradual), but I'm managing ok, the worst part, so far, being the inability to regulate my temperature, especially at night. (I guess that's called hot flashes, lol.) Nothing, though, that a fan (and frantically throwing off the covers) can't help. (Funny, cause I used to always be cold!) I actually spoke to my PCP about it this week during my physical and she said it may last about a year. (I've read it can be longer.) But the way I look at it is that I feel a hell of a lot better, overall, than I did having a problematic uterus, so the rest I can deal with. If I've felt any "fog" at all, it isn't anything new; it seemed to be worse after I had kids, to tell you the truth! I agree it is imperative to take care of yourself at this age, though of course it can certainly be challenging sometimes. I think, as much as one can, staying active, eating healthily, sleeping right, lowering stress, and exercising are all components of moving into a good "second half".

Oh, and Happy Birthday, TMM!

 

[kimmar067]

Surgical menopause comes on suddenly so you're hit with a bunch of symptoms all at once (as opposed to natural menopause, which tends to be more gradual), but I'm managing ok, the worst part, so far, being the inability to regulate my temperature, especially at night. (I guess that's called hot flashes, lol.) Nothing, though, that a fan (and frantically throwing off the covers) can't help. (Funny, cause I used to always be cold!) I actually spoke to my PCP about it this week during my physical and she said it may last about a year. (I've read it can be longer.)...

....trust me - it DOES!

 

[Pacesetter]

So then I'm the only one that has noticed a significant decrease in my "get up and go"? I'm not tired exactly, I just find it really hard to muster up and do alot of physical work for hours on end like I used to. It's especially bothering me at home where my housework goes undone after a long week at the office. 10 years ago I could power through 5 or 6 hours of it on a Saturday and still be ready to paint the town that evening. Not now. And since for me, putting a good plan in place was 1/2 the battle, my inability to quickly think things through and focus for long periods of time is making things extra tough. I was hoping somebody would tell me that these conditions would resolve themselves after while. (In general I'm healthy and reasonably fit - menopause is the only physical thing I know of that's going on.)

 

[Christine]

So then I'm the only one that has noticed a significant decrease in my "get up and go"? I'm not tired exactly, I just find it really hard to muster up and do alot of physical work for hours on end like I used to. It's especially bothering me at home where my housework goes undone after a long week at the office. 10 years ago I could power through 5 or 6 hours of it on a Saturday and still be ready to paint the town that evening. Not now.

If you are having a noticeable change in energy, you need to really examine your sleep and diet. Going through perimenopause, aging, etc.---well, you just can't overcome bad habits anymore.

I am 51 years old and certainly my energy levels have dimished. But, I find that if I eat right and exercise they are pretty much normal. If I don't they are really bad. It used to be I could abuse myself with no effect on my energy levels. Not so anymore.

If you are doing all the right things, then you do need to take a look at your iron levels (which can dip in perimenopause) as well as your thyroid levels.

 

[leebee]

No, you're not the only one. I am 58 so now am on the "other side" but I noticed a lack of energy that still lingers. I find that when I pay attention to eating really well and exercising just a little bit (like a 15 minute walk) regularly helps. I also know that several of my friends have had some minor thyroid issues, the first sign of which was feeling worn out and not having the energy they "used to" have. I can't help with the brain fogginess; mine started with pregnancy and although it's come back a bit over the past 21 years, it never got back to where it'd been pre-pregnancy.

 

[scrhsa]

Not yet 50...in December, woohoo I have been at it about 5 yrs or so. I am loving every minute of it. Things weren't pleasant before. I'll take hot flashes any day over extreme pain and absolutely no energy and terrible mood swings. Yes, they do get a bit annoying but at least I don't freeze as much when my husband is home...he likes the house, car and everywhere cold. I'm not near as tired and the mood swings are pretty much gone. My only problem is weight gain or non-ability to loose. I do need to relay a lovely little story though. This past August I took my daughter to Disney for her graduation. Guess what happened the first day we were there? Yep, as my Grandmother used to say" Aint Martha came to visit "( said in the best southern accent you can imagine). 9 months and bam! first day at Disney, cuz thats how I roll

 

[njmom47]

Welllll...I'm 54 ( and 1/2 if you must know ) and have been over it for a couple of years. However, my head sweats. Really bad. I want to shave off my hair like Pedro in "Napoleon Dynamite." I get heart palpitations...sometimes they're so scary I don't really know what's going on. And I wear short sleeves year round. I think my mental sharpness is still there (because I have to use my brain a lot at work) but the physical energy has waned.

Other than that, things are fine.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

So then I'm the only one that has noticed a significant decrease in my "get up and go"? I'm not tired exactly, I just find it really hard to muster up and do alot of physical work for hours on end like I used to. It's especially bothering me at home where my housework goes undone after a long week at the office. 10 years ago I could power through 5 or 6 hours of it on a Saturday and still be ready to paint the town that evening. Not now. And since for me, putting a good plan in place was 1/2 the battle, my inability to quickly think things through and focus for long periods of time is making things extra tough. I was hoping somebody would tell me that these conditions would resolve themselves after while. (In general I'm healthy and reasonably fit - menopause is the only physical thing I know of that's going on.)

I'm 46, so not in your target audience, but I have noticed a huge change in my energy level over the last couple of years. I'm not sure if I'm menopausal yet as I had a hysterectomy and kept my ovaries several years ago. I have noticed I can't lose weight like I used to and I'm more tired. I also have joint soreness that I didn't used to have. Early menopause runs in my family, so I'm pretty sure that's what is going on.

 

[powellrj]

I am 55 and am happy to say the hot flashes are gone along with the heart palpitations. My mental sharpness and energy are gone, but I attribute that to other things. On a very personal note, I was thrilled to no longer be having periods, only to have my bladder give out, and you can guess the rest!

 

[ronandannette]

Wow, not too much "encouraging news" in this thread. I'm in the OP's boat - late 40's and I think I'm probably starting menopause although "things" are still pretty regular. I've been really lucky in this regard as I've never suffered severely either mentally or physically but I won't be sad to be without the inconvenience of "cycles". I'm weirdly tired in a way I've never been before in my life - not sleepy, just completely worn out and it's perhaps more of a mental thing. I end up sitting and doing nothing way more often than I should because the idea of getting started on a task is really daunting. I confess that like the OP I've had hopes that this whole thing is a "process" with a beginning and an end and that someday I'll be back to my old self. Unrealistic? Is this the "new normal" for a woman in middle-age? My own DMom was 50 when I was born and went through "the change" during my very early childhood so I never knew her "in her prime". But well into her late 70's she was more energetic and productive than I feel now, which is why I guess I thought a person just "gets over it" at some point.

 

[aprilgail]

I am 51 and its been years since I have had to del with that, by 49 I was done and over with it all! Had a couple years of hot flashes, always at night-would have to get up and change because pajamas would be soaked with sweat, sometimes had to actually change the sheets too! There was not much sleep going on either- wake up open the window, wake up close the window, wake up a/c on, wake up a/c off....I was tired for years! I never noticed any mental changes or physical though, just normal tiredness for lack of sleep. I am SO happy it is done and over with and not having to deal with any of that period nonsense anymore!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Wow, not too much "encouraging news" in this thread. I'm in the OP's boat - late 40's and I think I'm probably starting menopause although "things" are still pretty regular.

Well, I think it can be a difficult time for many women.

But it's important to define the terms so that they're understood better. (If you're regular you can't be in menopause, and may not even be in peri yet!)

Perimenopause
Perimenopause, or menopause transition, begins several years before menopause. It's the time when the ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen. It usually starts in a woman's 40s, but can start in her 30s or even earlier.

Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last 1 to 2 years of perimenopause, this drop in estrogen speeds up. At this stage, many women have menopause symptoms.

Hot flashes

• Breast tenderness

• Worse premenstrual syndrome

• Lower sex drive

• Fatigue

• Irregular periods

• Vaginal dryness; discomfort during sex

• Urine leakage when coughing or sneezing

• Urinary urgency (an urgent need to urinate more frequently)

• Mood swings

• Trouble sleeping

Irregular periods are common and normal during perimenopause. But other conditions can cause changes in menstrual bleeding. If any of the following situations apply to you, see a doctor to rule out other causes:

• Your periods are very heavy, or they have blood clots.
• Your periods last several days longer than usual.
• You spot between periods.
• You have spotting after sex.
• Your periods happen closer together.

Causes of abnormal bleeding include hormone problems, birth control pills, pregnancy,fibroids, blood clotting problems or, rarely, cancer.

blood test to check hormone levels may also help, but your hormone levels are changing during perimenopause. It may be more helpful to have several blood tests done at different times for comparison.

Or in more simple terms, a video:

http://www.webmd.com/women/video/corio-perimenopause

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

then you do need to take a look at your iron levels

My iron level was low ( I was and still am tired).I read (on the DIS) on another thread about a year ago about having your ferritin level checked. My Dr. thought I was crazy asking them to check it (not something they normally check). Turns out it was very very low. I take a prescribed dosage of iron now and it is still low.

 

[kirbydog48]

The important thing to remember is that everyone's body and experience are different, and related to heredity, nutrition and self-care. This does not have to be a time of decline. Whatever symptoms you may be experiencing can often be shifted with diet, exercise, managing stress, and potentially adding supplements. I am a Certified Holistic Health Coach and trained Hormone Cure Coach, specializing in supporting women through this transition. It's not just a physical change either; there can be a shift in our role as women, and realizing the necessity of giving voice to our needs, wants and desires. Some books I'd like to recommend to inform and support you:

"The Wisdom of Menopause" by Christiane Northrup, MD
"The Hormone Cure" by Sara Gottfried, MD
"The Core Balance Diet" and "Is It Me or My Hormones" by Marcelle Pick, MSN, OB/GYN NP
"Goddesses Never Age" coming out this week, by Christiane Northrup, MD