Can you be neutral? I don't like some aspects about it, but now that I am used to it... it's fine... just wish the periods would quit!

I don't like the hot flashes and the anxiety and the weight gain. I'll like it better when my periods are gone totally.

Having periods never bothered me like they did some people.
Perimenopause was HELL for me. And I mean that! It started around 46 and now I'm 57 and it is finally subsiding. I'm so thankful that the most awful times are over. But....I don't like what its left in its wake.......arthritis, decreased mental abilities, dry skin, aches and pains everywhere, some irregular heartbeats, bad sleep, etc.
So I guess I feel like heathen........there are some good things and some not so good things. But I'm DEFINITELY glad to be out of perimenopause!

never had a problem with periods, and then they pretty much stopped overnight. I have been on HRT for 5 years and Wellbutrin xl. Now just the lowest does HRT. There are some good things about menopause. Standing up for myself has been so much easier. Why? Guess I have figured out that life goes on with or without me. So I will just do as I please as long as it doesnt hurt others. Everything used to be such an issue! Now, I am only in charge of how I react! I dont mean to say that so simply. But somehow the monthly hormones just added fuel to the fires!

Not having periods is a nice convienience. I think I would really like the woman I have become at 52, but I have been so miserable with menopause over the past several months, that I can't seem to enjoy what my life could be. I try to look forward to better times ahead. In the meantime, I search for relief and try to take it day by day.

Well, that's a tough one. As long as I'm not having emotional turmoil with depression and/or anxiety, I don't mind. I can't say I like feeling like I look so old, but that would happen menopause or not, lol. What I do like, however, is that finally I am getting to a point in my life where I don't feel so uneasy just being me without all the unreal expectations that I need to be a certain way, look a certain way, or feel a certain way based on the expectations of others around me. Does that make any sense? Overall, I'd say there is something liberating about it.
Mrs H

Right on! Mrs. H.! I am a sum total of all the things I have gone thru, even hotflashes. What is the saying "that which doesnt kill us, makes us stronger" Wow I finally get it!

Hehe Shotzy. Saying "I have a hot body" takes on a whole new meaning, lol. I think I might revise that saying to "that which doesn't kill us, makes us crazy" :)
Mrs H

love it...

I never really minded getting my period...except for the short or long cycles during perimenopause, which I didn't know anything about until I was almost out of it. Wish I'd known about this forum then.

The flip side of NOT getting your period anymore is the unpredictability of emotional symptoms...before mine came to an end 2 years ago at age 47, at least I could somewhat anticipate when PMS would strike (fear into DH!). The last 2 years I have dried out (everywhere) like a prune, lost hair, problems losing significant weight despite weight-loss surgery (lap band), loss of libido, instant rages to the point of throwing things (never did that before), emotional rollercoaster, etc. I did have night sweats before the periods ended, but none in the last year. No hot flashes, either.

For these and other reasons (e.g., colon cancer runs in my family and heart disease and breast cancer don't and I'm not a smoker), I recently decided to try hormone therapy with true estrogen (patch) and progesterone (pill).

All I can say is I don't feel as dry...anywhere :), libido is up :), and rages are down :). So far so good. We'll see where it goes.

Thanks for the forum and all of you for being here...I haven't posted on this one before (usually KT and kitchens).

I know what you mean about periods, I never minded it either. I didnt know about the dryness, my mom didnt live long enough to talk with me about meopause. She was barely 63 when she died, and I was much to self absorbed to ask her questions about her life. Wish I could take that narcisism back! Libido, I cant remember when the last time I actually wanted it, maybe reading a book the other day, maybe!

I am on Wellbutrin XL and Herbals. Got off the HRT's. I am just a Neutral. I like the wisdom that comes with the age of menopause but not the physical... O.K???? How's that for an answer? ;)

No right or wrong answers on this forum, that is what is so great about it

Well, I reeeeally hated the menopause thing when it first started, but I'm dealing with it and in many ways, am a happier person now. The one big plus for me was I used to have horrible migraines, but when I stopped having cycles, the headaches virtually disappeared.

I started out miserable and for the first 6 months or so was an absolute wreck; hot flashes like every 45 minutes, emotional rollercoaster rides, insomnia.. the works. But I've been taking Estroven for about a year now and it's been a tremendous help. I still have minor hot flashes maybe a couple of times a day, but no more profuse sweating and I don't keep a towel on my bedside table anymore. And my moods are much better.. my husband doesn't worry I'll sucker-punch him if he reaches for the TV remote at the wrong time.

THIS is something I can live with unlike before. I worried that HRT might just prolong the inevitable, so I'm trying to stick with natural methods, ei: the Estroven and so far, so good (crossed fingers).

Anxiety, depression, weight gain and emotional rollercoaster. Ain't it fun being a woman! I hope this goes away soon.

My periods themselves never bothered me or slowed me down. I did have some rough times with PMS including the migraines like Andalusian.

Perimenopause was a bear because of the unpredictability and the mood swings. I would bloat, get my period and bloat up again the day after never knowing whether it was another period or not. Pretty much constant PMS along with all the bad eating habits.

I'm 56 now, haven't had a period since I was fifty. The first year was an emotional roller coaster with lots of mood swings but things got better from there. I had hot flashes but only only a couple of night sweats the first couple of years. Never took anything including herbals and OTCs. I think that actually helped my body adjust faster.

Today my libido is back, I haven't experienced dryness, (knock wood)and I am loving the freedom of not having to plan around my cycle,emotional or otherwise.

The one downside is my weight is much harder to control and I carry it in the middle now. I've weighed much more in the past but never had such a large midriff,stomach and waistline as I do now.

I despise it. So far I guess I am pre or peri-menopuasal and it stinks!

Once the periods stop I know I will like that part of it! :)

I'm 47 yrs old and experiencing embarassing symptoms like periods where I swear I've lost a quart of blood in a day. Now using my son's old baby mattress guard and may as well keep it past the time when my periods end because I'll probably be incontinent at night!

Just this past week I've felt heart palpitations, like this fast throbbing at the base of my throat or center of my chest. It's really scary and I'm still trying to get to see my doc to confirm it's perimenopausal symptoms. I'm not overweight and exercise moderately (not as much as I should though). Am currently reading books on menopause and have pretty much decided that unless I become homicidal and a threat to myself and society, I will explore non-hormonal therapies.

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences. I'm a newbie to this topic and it's comforting to know I'm not alone. I'd also like to take this life transition with a dose of good humor and lots and lots of laughter. Any recommendations on where to get good laughs without wanting to punch out the comedian?

I am 45, and having been in Perimenopause for 2 years now and it is awful. I wish my periods would go away. I do not want to lose my libido but I can't stand being so sick so many times in a month and my periods coming way too often and lasting way too long.

Except for the sweating, I have no problems. I'm happy with my 2 kids, I don't miss getting my period at all.