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Elphaba · 05-24-2006, 08:46 PM

dd, I began periopause in my early 40's. I skipped a period now and then; four missed; back to only one missed; six months missed; etc. If I recall, I finally missed a full year at 46. Menopause is a progression of diminished estrogen over time, rather than a light switch turned "off".

Your obgyn is your first source for determining what is going on with your body. If you are experiencing the onset of menopause, you have the very difficult decision of whether you wish to have ERT (estrogen replacement therapy), or go it as a natural occurance to a woman's body.

I'm afraid I cannot advise you on that decision when it becomes your time to decide. My (female) doctor and I agreed that menopause is a natural event and that ERT intervention had some serious potential downsides. There is conflicting evidence about the harmful effects of ERT, so I believe the jury is out on making an easy decision.

When I went through this, there were not easily accessible sources of information. (It's just a girl thing, doncha know?) There are now so many resources on the internet that weren't available to me and I hope you will make use of every resource at your fingertips.

It is only fair that I describe my experience with a natural menopause, but please take it with a grain of salt. Every woman's experience is different.

- The hot flashes and night sweats were physically debilitating. I got very little sleep over the period of a couple years just mopping myself dry in the middle of the night. My hot flashes were a constant embarassment to me, whether my clients were aware of it or not.

- The loss of estrogen over time has aged me beyond recognition. I had always had a "girlish" face that is now deeply etched in lines overall. Not just delightful "laugh" lines.

- Worse yet, the loss of estrogen has thinned the most delicate area of my sex. A mutually satisfactory sex life with my husband has not been enhanced by pain, tearing and bleeding. My husband is well endowed, so we look for ways to overcome the problem. Was this a better decision than risking the possibility of cancer? I will never know the answer to that.

It is not comfortable to me to share this with a group of strangers, but I so wish I had women of varying experiences to talk to at the time.

dd, your choices are completely up to you and they are not easy ones. My best to you.

05-24-2006, 08:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
Elphaba Deja Moo Location: Olympic Peninsula, WA	dd, I began periopause in my early 40's. I skipped a period now and then; four missed; back to only one missed; six months missed; etc. If I recall, I finally missed a full year at 46. Menopause is a progression of diminished estrogen over time, rather than a light switch turned "off". Your obgyn is your first source for determining what is going on with your body. If you are experiencing the onset of menopause, you have the very difficult decision of whether you wish to have ERT (estrogen replacement therapy), or go it as a natural occurance to a woman's body. I'm afraid I cannot advise you on that decision when it becomes your time to decide. My (female) doctor and I agreed that menopause is a natural event and that ERT intervention had some serious potential downsides. There is conflicting evidence about the harmful effects of ERT, so I believe the jury is out on making an easy decision. When I went through this, there were not easily accessible sources of information. (It's just a girl thing, doncha know?) There are now so many resources on the internet that weren't available to me and I hope you will make use of every resource at your fingertips. It is only fair that I describe my experience with a natural menopause, but please take it with a grain of salt. Every woman's experience is different. - The hot flashes and night sweats were physically debilitating. I got very little sleep over the period of a couple years just mopping myself dry in the middle of the night. My hot flashes were a constant embarassment to me, whether my clients were aware of it or not. - The loss of estrogen over time has aged me beyond recognition. I had always had a "girlish" face that is now deeply etched in lines overall. Not just delightful "laugh" lines. - Worse yet, the loss of estrogen has thinned the most delicate area of my sex. A mutually satisfactory sex life with my husband has not been enhanced by pain, tearing and bleeding. My husband is well endowed, so we look for ways to overcome the problem. Was this a better decision than risking the possibility of cancer? I will never know the answer to that. It is not comfortable to me to share this with a group of strangers, but I so wish I had women of varying experiences to talk to at the time. dd, your choices are completely up to you and they are not easy ones. My best to you.