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I think we should all be seeing our gynocologists regularly so the first thing is to make an appointment to put your mind at ease or to address anything that might need attention.
Having said that, when I was going through menopause/perimenopause I never knew when my period was coming and that was really inconvenient. Always be prepared. The good news is that once you're done with it, you're done!
Yep. I can say that I don't miss those periods at all. You could be walking through a store and all of a sudden - BOOM - no warning. The last year or so before it (finally!) ended, I made it a habit to wear a pad and dark pants all the time.
On the upside, having a gradual wind down like that does help to ease symptoms or at least I never suffered from dramatic hot flashes and other unpleasantness. Once it was done, it was done - yay!
On the upside, having a gradual wind down like that does help to ease symptoms or at least I never suffered from dramatic hot flashes and other unpleasantness. Once it was done, it was done - yay!
I've been having a similar experience. My symptoms are mild inconveniences, probably the only disruptive one is some issues with insomnia a couple of times per month. My personal opinion is that menopause is a normal part of aging for women, and absent symptoms that cause real QOL challenges, doesn't require intervention of any kind.
Last year, I found a good forum on Reddit for menopause, and was able to get a lot of decent clinical data, but I stopped reading it regularly a few months ago because it really seemed to be an echo chamber of women who seemed really unhappy and spent a good deal of time bashing their doctors for not giving them HRT on demand (and/or "gaslighting" them) and their husbands for being inconsiderate jerks for ever wanting to be intimate (and anything else really). Certainly, many women have a difficult time during menopause, and can and should seek treatment, but many of us do not (but we're not the ones posting on such forums).
I've been having a similar experience. My symptoms are mild inconveniences, probably the only disruptive one is some issues with insomnia a couple of times per month. My personal opinion is that menopause is a normal part of aging for women, and absent symptoms that cause real QOL challenges, doesn't require intervention of any kind.
Agreed, thanks for typing that. There's always lots of parroting like "get checked out by your doctor" from those who want to feel like they're 'helping' or offering advice. It's a normal biological process that all women go through, and unless you're experiencing extreme pain or losing an alarming amount of blood, you probably don't need to see a doctor. The side effects suck but will pass in time.
When young women start developing and get their period, do they rush to get checked out by a doctor because their body is changing like it's supposed to? I would hope not. My mother gave me a box of pads & tampons and said "Don't get pregnant." That was it. LOL
Yes, all sorts of "fun things" happen as you approach menopause/perimenopause. When I was in my late 40s, I got fibroids. At the time our health plan made members see nurse practitioners. I described what was happening to the NP who just blew me off. This was before the internet so I was looking for books to read up on it. The next time I saw a NP, I told her "I think I have fibroids". That's what it took to get an appt. with an OB/GYN who confirmed it for me. I got put on hormones for a while which lessened the symptoms.
Before I got on the hormones, my periods were a nightmare due to the fibroids. One month, I got a period 2 weeks after I just had one. We were out of town and I had to send my husband to the store to buy some pads.
OP---It doesn't sound like you have fibroids but I echo what others have said---Make an appt. with an OB/GYN. You may have an infection that's causing the discoloration. If that's the case, the doctor can prescribe something to clear it up.
As springfield noted, the "gradual wind down" can have its benefits. I never experienced a hot flash, soaked sheets and I never had any extreme mood swings (hubby confirmed this and he would have been the first to point it out!") During that time the two big problems were not being on a regular cycle (always be prepared) and having the flow be anything from from just spotting to "Where the heck did that come from?"
I never went on HRT and my doctor never recommended it. All in all the whole change wasn't too bad and now that it's over, the freedom is amazing! You realize how much of your life revolved around your cycle.
All in all the whole change wasn't too bad and now that it's over, the freedom is amazing! You realize how much of your life revolved around your cycle.
^^^^This is so true! The freedom of not having to worry when or if your period will show up is amazing! I, too, didn't have too bad a time going through menopause. Occasionally, I would get a mild hot flash. If I was at home, I would just take off my shirt until I cooled down
^^Agree with the freedom comments above, it's definitely liberating to not be dragged down by the "red dragon" every month. No more cramps or missing out on life because of it.
And for some of us who are single, being of this age and stage in life is almost like having a magical man deflector. No more being harassed or approached by men, no more getting hit on. It's like a natural repellent and I love it. Whenever I see women my age or older who are dressed provocatively or otherwise trying to get male attention I always think "Haven't you had enough of that chit?" Ugh. Now my life is MINE. Freedom!
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