I'm 54 and have had quite severe menopausal symptoms since I had a partial hysterectomy (due to a fibroid the size of a grapefruit) at age 48. Since then, there were a few times I thought I was going to die from weird symptoms. This year my chronic headaches have evolved into a number of episodes with severe migraines. For years I've not been able to get a full night's sleep without a mild tranquilizer. The good news is that I have the support of a naturopathic doctor in addition to my family physician. I've been exercising regularly which has helped my arthritis symptoms immensely. My tolerance to caffeine is currently nil, so I opt for herbal tea. I suffer from anxiety and depression and I'm learning to turn my ANTS into CATS (automatic negative thinking into constructive automatic thinking) ...it takes time to re-train the brain. Guided meditation is also helpful - there's lots available on the Net. I do not respond well to any type of stress (coping with daily life is a challenge) but I refuse to take hormone replacement therapy. Instead I opt for herbal supplements such as ashwagandha, rhodiola and 5-HTP. Hot flushes are the least of my issues, but I admit waking up with a full-body sweat in the middle of the night is no fun at all. In addition to all this nonsense, I have food sensitivities and therefore, avoid highly processed foods. Also, I'm on a high protein diet and have vitamin B-12 injections once per week. Evidently, hope exists.

i would like to thank this site from the bottom of my heart i am suffering from all of the above and although i have tried to explain how i have been feeling to my family it has not come out quite right. i have often resorted to saying as many woman do theres nothing wrong im fine which has made them especially my partner whom i adore feel like they themselves are the cause of my unhappiness. i was thrown into the menopause five years ago at the age of 44 due to the sudden loss of my beautifull mom then due to her death two years on my dad deceided to join her. i knew i was in the menopause but in january i hit a low that i have not been able to claw myself back from i have tried to deal with it on my own but realised last week that i was unable to ihave to as you all above had numerous symptoms hot flushes during the day night sweats aches pains dizziness complete loss of sex drive(very active before) vaginal dryness crying hugh mood swings from one minute to the next but the loss of emotion is my worst symptom. i deceided i needed to tell my family what was happening but all i could muster was moans and groans and im old old old and so very sad. so i trawled lots of sites to help me find the right words and none of them helped, then i found this site and i rang my partner and read each comment to him i spent three hours on the phone with him as this enabled me to talk to him and show him how life had become for me i then went on to explain to my daughter last night today i got out of bed feeling happy for the first time in a long time that i have now shared how im feeling and that my family are going to help in everyway they can especially my beautifull partner who is kind sensitive and has felt that he was causing my unhappiness not only have you helped me but i have introduced a friend to the site and she breathed as she read it. im now ready to do battle and will combat this awfull stage in my life. but can i say to all ladies out there do not hold it in share it with your loved ones thankyou so much xxxxx

Hi there! I definitely hear what you're saying. I'm 48 with perimenopause symtoms...chasing a 2-1/2 yr old toddler that is my bonus baby. There were days that I feel like I can hardly put one foot in front of the other, was short of patience, and just didn't care if anything got done. I was so tired of feeling that way and knew I had to make some changes, cuz hubby was starting to feel like this marriage was falling apart. Here's what I've done so far: cut out most of the refined carbs in my diet. Believe me, this was no easy task for me as I am a sugar and carb addict! Was about a week of painful cravings, but stuck it out cuz I just knew this is where my energy drain was coming from. So far, this has been such a jumpstart on how I'm feeling. Much less bloating, pain, and lethargy at the start of this period. I've lost a little weight, which gives me more energy to get in a bit more activity. I haven't officially "exercised" since before my bonus baby was born, so I don't have a regular routine, but I'm working on getting back into a walking program...I know that will help a lot, too, with mental stuff. I've always felt better when I could exercise a little. This is such a challenging time in our lives when everything is called into question. Everything "used" to be one way, and now it's changing. Take some time just for yourself and make decisions about what you need to do. Maybe it's time for a chat with your gynecologist...short-term HRT or some other homeopathic product can be helpful, if that's what you need/want. Also, don't rule out situational depression. Give yourself permission to make changes. You know this doesn't feel right for you, and there's definitely support out there. Hang in there...this is a great place to vent. Hugs...

Hi figittts, A beta blocker is a drug that blocks the various beta receptors in our blood vessels. They are in our arteries in our brain and also in our hearts. (I'm no expert, so I'm just saying what little I know). When something activates our beta receptors, it causes our vessels to constrict, our BP and heartrate to rise. There's something about the beta blocker that prevents the spasming of blood vessels in our head, which is what causes the aura and the migraine. Supposedly, we get auras because the vessel spasm is in the vicinity of our optic nerve. Beta blockers are not without their side-effects.......like listlessness, lack of energy, motivation and for those who already have low blood pressure, it can make you feel dizzy. I'm on the drug Toprol XL and take just a smidgen of it. I'm not sure it keeps me from having migraines now, since the headaches really started easing up when the further away I got from having periods. I have the auras about every 6 months now, with just a very mild headache. How long have you had them? I'm almost afraid to say this, in case your's just started up, but they say that if you've had them your whole life, you tend to get over them during menopause. But if they just started up at menopause, then you're likely to keep them. That happened to my sister-in-law. she's on Topamax. I think it made her gain weight.......but most drugs that affect the brain do. You may have to try several different meds for migraines, until you find one that works. Are yours around the time of your period (or when your period usually is)? Look up Migraines on the internet and you'll find places that tell you things to modify, to help reduce your liklihood of getting migraines. when mine were really bad, I had to give up chocolate, nuts, MSG, and others. And I absolutely positively couldn't eat ANYTHING after 6:30 in the evening, or it would cause a migraine in the morning. I've heard that people with sleep apnea can get migraines, and once they start using CPAP, their headaches improve.