General Chat

I was working in market research and sometimes I could not work and had to sit on a polythene sheet at home but I knew it would not go on forever so I just got my head down and endured.

OMG do I remember!! Fine putting up with things if you didn't work but when it got to the point I was spending £32 a month (18 years ago!) on monthly protection that was needed 3 weeks of every month I went to the doctor and was put on HRT. Sitting in stifling offices with the power surges.......yes the dark clothes had to be worn Maggie, was no joke and there's a limit to how many clothes you can remove and how often you could keep nipping to change without drawing unlwecome comments, usually from men!! I had to sleep all year (you don't sleep well anyway) with a window open and would go out walking with hubby on frosty days in just a t shirt and jeans while he would be dressed like an eskimo. Going to the theatre or cinema meant an aisle seat preferably near a door so I stayed cooler. Then there was the brain fog too when you would read things at work and then not have a clue what you'd read and have to start again. I was on HRT for about 10 years and it changed my life. Eventually I had a hysterectomy and have never looked back.

I found eating anything spicy, alcohol and caffeine all made the hot flushes worse or would trigger one.

I had mild sweats ........... nowhere near as bad as a close friend who warned us that she would overheat the car when one hit her.

True!!

The temperature in the car soared by about 10C. Amazing!!

I did get irregular periods and mood swings

But I was determined not to start HRT ................. I don't like messing with my hormones, and the HRT that was available 20-odd years ago only delayed the symptoms. When you came off the pills, you'd get many of the symptoms again.

I don't know whether that still applies ............ but back then it meant that you were only delaying the problem, unless you wanted to be on HRT for many years.

I tried natural remedies, which worked quite well


I should say that I still find that I get mild sudden sweats some 25 years later


I was diagnosed with breast cancer about 4 years after menopause was over ......... and the specialist asked me several times if I was sure that I had not taken HRT as the type I had was known to be susceptible to HRT therapy, and develop faster.

That might be something to watch out for ........... make sure you have regular mammograms.


On the plus side, is the release from having to buy all those special products, monthly pain, PMS, etc etc

I do remember being very tired sometimes. A draggy sort of tired.

I was a bit like AnnCardiff, although I did realise it was happening. The worst part was the sudden irregularity of periods. At least they got further and further apart! :-) :-)

I didn't want to take HRT if it could be avoided, as I prefer to let nature take its course. However, that is just me, and for some people it was a brilliant discovery.

:-D :-D :-D @ Sharron.

Reminds me of feminine supplies all wrapped up in shiny paper and tinsel.

Specially made for the Christmas period :-D :-D :-D

sailed through mine without any problems - didn't realise it had happened :-D

Why wasn't mine?

If men went through the menopause, I'm sure they'd get 4 years paid leave from work - or even be able to retire!!!

Why was Bob's post RR'd ?
It was a bit cheeky but it was amusing

Unexpected, heavy periods. Oh yes indeed.

I ended up doing them for religious festivals, Easter and Christmas, with a grande finale for the Queen Mother's funeral.

Bob - if more males read threads like this, it might help them understand what their female relatives have to cope with. :-)

Added - as Bob's post has been Reported, it was something along the lines of "why am I reading this? I ought to get out more (get a life?)"
Nothing wrong in that - menopause effects everyone, if not directly, then living/working with someone going through it.

I got off lightly as far as sweats were concerned. Daytime ones seemed to start from the chest and spread upwards. More difficult to cope with were the mood swings, forgetfulness (am I developing Dementia?) and unexpected & heavy periods.

RMS - your family planning nurse could probably give you an on the spot diagnosis, followed by a blood test if there's any doubt. there's plenty of help out there if you can't cope with the symptoms. There are Alternative natural remedies to HRT. However you might want to consult your doctor if you are on other essential medication.

Why does it take a woman with PMT three hours to make breakfast?

Because it bloody well does alright!

I know when it's coming !
The heat starts in my feet and quickly rises all the way up to my face... then the sweats hit!
It's worse at night but it's embarrassing during daytime
10 years of it on and off so far, but, if this is bad as it gets, I can live with it!

Didn't really notice it much, I suppose there were a few inconveniences but, the more you think about them, the bigger they feel.

The memory was a bit shot at the time and it is the only time I can remember my ankles sweating.

All in all, I would rather do the menopause again than go through puberty. At least I was able to deal with it as I saw fit without any outside interference to make it worse.

Of course, I never suffered from PMT either, but I made bloody sure that everybody else did and the menopause gave scope for even more fun!

I just spent 2 year wearing black (hid the sweat) :-D

Shirley, I had moments like that - but put it down to workplace stress :-S

Mind you, certain drugs for high blood pressure (which was work-related, not menopausal) did the same thing to me, tenfold. I know this, as when I stopped taking them, the symptoms lessened.

I had bad menopause problems .started it at 42 and apart from the awful sweats I had memory problems in that I would be walking home from the train station after travelling home from work ,and I would be thinking as I walked and would look up and not know where I was .it was like being a stranger in the area .Similarly I would get to work in London and get in the lift to go up to my office floor and get out the lift and not know which way to turn for my office , it only lasted a few mins but was very disorientating

The doctor put me on hrt in the form of the mini pill that they used at the time

Sorted !!!

I hit early menopause at 42.

I went to a women's clinic (they were wonderful) and started HRT, which helped enormously.

I often woke up during cold winter nights to throw off the blankets because I was so hot........ unfortunately the heat never reached my cold feet.

Think positively! I never had hot flushes, I had power surges!!

It won't last forever...........but I still get twinges of FORMICATION (I had to type that in case someone mistook M for N)............ (when it feels like an insect is crawling up your leg).

I found high carb/sugary things and alcohol made it worse so reduced carbs in the evening and gave up my infrequent glass of wine (only on Sundays). Was better, night sweats reduced and disappeared after a year. I didn't bother going to the doctor at all.

what does it feel like????

Like your whole body is on fire, even your earlobes, and you need to tear off all your clothes and run screaming into the night, and is there any medication that will stop the symptoms?

I don’t want to bother my doctor until I have too. <3