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Di, you certainly have reason to be depressed. And I understand that the medication could exacerbate weight gain...or at least the inability to get rid of excess weight. But hold on, before you go letting doctors put you through a bunch of possibly needless procedures and prescriptions.

You shared recently that you've started going through menopause. You described it as sort of sneaking up and taking over your body. :o) That's exactly what it felt like to me.

For 20 years after I graduated college I was a perfect size 8 and 115 pounds. I could eat anything and everything all day long, and my stomach remained flat as a board. Then menopause almost literally hit me. I spent the entire summer of 1998 being deeply depressed because of hormone fluctuation. Hot flashes caused rivulets of sweat to stream down me every 20 minutes, round the clock. And the weight...omg!! I became the perfect pear shape although nothing about me looked or felt perfect.

Di, keep in mind that menopause *could* be partly (largely?) to blame for what you're going through. I went through he!! for about two years before some of the symptoms tapered off. I have to confess that nine years later it ain't over. The humidity this summer especially has really gotten to me. I'm seriously considering the idea of moving to a place that never gets over 70 degrees and wouldn't know humidity if it slapped 'em in the face.

BTW I used to be a freelance writer. Got stiffed right and left for services rendered. Clients knew I wouldn't/couldn't spare the time and expense to fight them in court and they exploited me. Sorry you're experiencing that. Might be time to put on your asbestos underwear and deal with them. These people are robbing you of your ability to provide for yourself. That's not right.

Karen

Kim,
Thank you for the encouraging words, respect, suggestions and most of all hopes for futures blooms. God, how us gardeners know each other and how we relish the tiniest victories out there in the dirt! In fact, when I receive the "green thumb" compliment, I've learned to respond with an honest answer that sometimes surprises most. "Oh, I say, I've had more failures than victories when it comes to gardening. What you see is an obsession and years of trial and error." If I'm talking to a man, I usually analogize that my gardening is like golf, spending hours trying to get that perfect swing knowing all along, one can't. Ha! Maybe I need to be really honest,lol, and tell them I'm no gardener; just a plant collector/hoarder, going for quantity not quality!

Karen, If it wasn't for you guys here at the GP and the tv I'd be even more blind to this menopause thing than I already am. Good gracious, I am dumber than a potato when it comes to this menopause stuff! I don't know if I'm in denial or just plum stupid or both,lol! I was watching "The Closer" the other night and the main character was concerned about some medical symptoms she was having only to discover she was experiencing menopause. She was in shock,lol. Her doctor said: "I've gained weight, haven't slept in 3 years and carry a fan in my purse." I thought, Omg, that's me!!! Like you said it just sneaks up on you and takes over your body. Incidentally, when I went to see my doc for this infection last week, I complained about the possibility of the antidepressants causing me to not get rid of these unwanted extra pounds. She suggested that I get some blood work done checking for anemia, thyroid, etc. before we change my script. I think she's smart enough to remember I was totally clueless months ago when I complained to her about these strange symptoms(sweating profusely, not sleeping through the night, etc.) Tee, hee, the poor woman had to break it to me gently,lol.
Again, I don't know if I'm in denial or dumber than a potato,or both. Won't be the first time or the last.
;o)

Karen could be exactly right and I had forgotten all about that. ( That's what happens AFTER menopause..memory gone. LOL) So much of what your are saying fits exactly with what happens when you are going through this. With the MDs etc. you've been seeing,have you gone to your OB/GYN and talked about it? A woman specializing in menopause and beyond,which is easy to find these days,might be able to really help.

And...don't you just LOVE Brenda? She's my new best friend..haven't missed an episode yet.

Oh yeah! The menopausal weight. Suddenly there are 10 to 20 pounds of it & it just won't come off! Good advice from Marda. A goo woman gynecologist will really help you out. And while we're at it, also check on those other bothersome item like bone density.

for those who have gone through this,remember the crying when you a saw a cloud that wasn't shaped exactly right,or....fill in the blank.

Di, you're not as dense as I am. I went through menopause twenty years ago. I was one of the fortunate, no hot flashes, no sweats, no nothing. No weight gain.

Except...I've always wondered why I've become so much more emotional as I've grown older - I choke up at almost anything. I think I've finally put it together - I didn't have all the other stuff and assumed I'd escaped all side effects but now I think I must have had the emotional stuff and I still have it. In the same way some women have hot flashes for donkey's years I suspect I'm still having the emotional fallout.

I stopped smoking about three years later and then came the weight gain.

Will somebody pass the kleenex please.

I know menopause isn't funny but LOL!!

Last Saturday, out of the clear blue, I sent Mr. Man a 'not so nice' text message to enlighten him on some of his many faults.

His text reply was "Where in the he!! did that come from?"

I called him back on the phone to TELL HIM JUST WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

When he answered and I started on a few of his faults, through my tears, he started laughing at me.
Can you believe it?
He laughed!!
Mr. Man said, "Nevermind. I know where that's coming from."

He thinks he's so smart.
Another of his many faults.

You guys make me feel so lucky. I had to have everything removed at 40 and never had any of above symptoms except another bout of depression.
also seems like i've always been a pass the kleenex person.
I tried giving DH a list of his faults a couple times. He always laughed too and reminded me of a couple of mine. My paybacks were to cook something he did'nt like for supper. Is'nt that passive-aggressive behavior?
vickie

LOL Vickie, no...that's simply aggressive:)