Any warning signs of Menopause?

[Nancy LC]

I'm 49, hope you don't mind me sneaking in here a little early. My Mom went into MP around 50, my grandmother 55, my sister 51. Anyway, I figure I'm probably well on the way.

Can you share with me some of the early warning signs you experienced before menopause? I'm just curious what to look out for. My male OB/Gyn doctor wasn't much help, he just wants to operate on my uterus for fibroid that don't really bother me.

[BluePants]

Nancy, I started with heavy flows, hot flashes etc. One of the problems with Atkins and possibly all low carb programs is that as we lose fat, we also get estrogen that is stored in those same cells released and anything might happen. Folks who stopped having hot flashes, started, folks who had PCOS, become regular and some ladies get PMS, etc.
So if your experiencing any Menopause symptoms it might just be the diet.

[Rachel1]

Hi, Nancy. I started with irregular periods ... was regular as clockwork for 25 years, whether I was low-carbing or not. I had irregular periods for a couple of years, with no other physical "symptoms" in particular. In the past year I've had only one period. Since then I've started with the night sweats and sleep problems.

Missed periods were my first clue. I must have been about 48.

Rachel

[cnmLisa]

Nancy--may I chime in eventhough I am not yet 50 (47).

Menopause is defined as no menses for 1 year--that means no bleeding or spotting of ANY kind.

With that said, the first signs of PERI-menopause the time before menopause is usually an irregularity in your period. It comes to soon or too late. You begin to bleed to little or too much. You may begin to get the occasional hot flash or night sweat. No one can say how your body will behave until it starts to happen. I find also the way you react/perceive perimenopause/menopause can also impact how one reacts to the symptoms, i.e., if you don't think menopause and getting older is a big deal you may find that your symptoms are not a big deal. If you find the the thought of menopause makes you want to hide and die, you may react to the symptoms more severely. In many cultures where getting older becomes an elevation in status, the signs and symptoms of menopause are perceived as minimal and no big deal and vice versa.

As for the fibroids--In most practices if fibroids are NOT giving you any grief--pain, excessive bleeding, so big they are impinging on other organs...usually they are left alone. I'd be questioning your doc all 9 ways to Sunday why he feels like they need to come out if they are not bothering you. I've seen fibroids that have been big as your head (OK, not that big, but you get the idea) and we've just let them alone because they were not causing any problem.

HTH a bit,

Lisa

[Dedee62]

I've been having night sweats since I was in my mid 30's. In my 40's I started having irregular periods (previously every 28 days like clockwork!). I take black cohosh now so don't have any hot flashes or night sweats as long as I take it regularly.

I know I'm perimenopaual, but hoping I don't go into menopause as late as my mother (in her 60s). Because that means I could have another 14 years of this crap!!

[Judynyc]

I recall having irregular periods at around age 50....had my last period the year I started doing SB, 2004.....and it was a doozy as I had just started doing this...seems all my fats cells released all of their estrogen at the same time.

Had lots of hot flashes before I started controlling my carbs...been taking Estroven for the last 3 years and I do believe that it helps. :agree:

I also take HTP-5 as that is helping my moods. :daze:

Have you read The Wisdom of Menopause by Dr Christiane Northrup MD ?(ObGyn) Its very insightful and being written by a woman makes a difference. ;)

[Kisal]

Night sweats were the first sign I had of impending menopause. Then I just stopped having periods. Haven't had one since. No spotting, or irregularity, or anything like that.

[CMCM]

In retrospect, I think a lot was going on from my early 40's to 49, when I had my last period. I was having a LOT of migraines, periods (which for all my life were quite regular) got shorter, longer, all over the place. I had some minor night sweats....I remember I started using the progesterone creams (only certain ones, though) and I THINK that may have helped, but not sure since I also started paying attention to my health more....lots more exercise, drinking more water, careful eating, losing some extra pounds....I think it all helped. At 49-1/2 I got a 2-week period that was unbelievably heavy....I was changing pads every hour or so, then huge clots, and I lost so much blood I turned WHITE as a ghost and had no energy and almost needed a blood transfusion it was so bad. I went in and had a D&C type procedure (under anesthesia), which the doctor said "might" stop the situation or might not, in which case he was recommending a hysterectomy, which I was dead set against. Anyhow, the procedure stopped the bleeding and I recovered the proper blood levels and my normal energy within several weeks, and never had another period. I felt great from that moment on, no menopause hot flashes, no headaches, none of that stuff at all. A real non-event, I'd say. Maybe I'm just fortunate, but I sort of think it had to do with my good health habits, also the exercise and partly my attitude, too. We have always been so conditioned in this country to think of menupause as a horrible thing, almost like an illness, yet in other parts of the world it is a big nothing, some cultures don't even have a word for menopause! So I had steeped my thoughts in that direction, that I would not go down that road, that I could put myself in a state of health where I would have no problems with this. I really cut out the sugar at that time, too, which I always felt was a positive factor. So anyhow, it was age 49 for me, and frankly, I've loved having no more periods to deal with! I'm 58 now.

[Nancy LC]

My fibroids were just causing a bit of bleeding (really really tiny amount). My doctor mentioned 5 different ways they could remove them but never asked if it was a serious problem or could I just live with it. Fortunately I had the presence of mind to say, "Can't I just leave them in there? They're not a real problem, just a bit of bleeding I barely notice". But then of course he wanted to see me every 6 months just in case (implying cancer, etc). Bleh, the dude is just greedy and money hungry, IMHO.

Anyway, so far my periods are pretty stable but getting shorter however my thyroid status is changing and that could affect that. Other than that, I'm feeling good. No night sweats. Only thing that's really changed is my hands and feet sometimes get icy cold.

Oh! Have any of you tried Dr. McCleary's ideas for menopause?
http://www.drmccleary.com/

He says hot flashes are caused by energy shortages in the brain and recommends some supplements and MCT oil. He says the brain has a harder time using glucose and to supply it ketones instead, thus the MCT oil.

Here's his book: http://www.drmccleary.com/book/

[Hismouse]

My fibroids were just causing a bit of bleeding (really really tiny amount). My doctor mentioned 5 different ways they could remove them but never asked if it was a serious problem or could I just live with it. Fortunately I had the presence of mind to say, "Can't I just leave them in there? They're not a real problem, just a bit of bleeding I barely notice". But then of course he wanted to see me every 6 months just in case (implying cancer, etc). Bleh, the dude is just greedy and money hungry, IMHO.

Anyway, so far my periods are pretty stable but getting shorter however my thyroid status is changing and that could affect that. Other than that, I'm feeling good. No night sweats. Only thing that's really changed is my hands and feet sometimes get icy cold.

Oh! Have any of you tried Dr. McCleary's ideas for menopause?
http://www.drmccleary.com/

He says hot flashes are caused by energy shortages in the brain and recommends some supplements and MCT oil. He says the brain has a harder time using glucose and to supply it ketones instead, thus the MCT oil.

Here's his book: http://www.drmccleary.com/book/
Nancy what is MCT oil, do you drink it? And where would one get it, buy it?

[sveltecelt]

Hi Nancy,
I went into menopause at 51, aproximately. In the 5 or 6(?) years preceding that, the periods got shorter, gradually. I too had fibroids---4 or 5 small ones---but they caused no problems, so nothing was done about them. Since it is estrogen that makes them grow larger---and your estrogen levels are rapidly declining due to proximity to menopause---I don't see why your doctor wants to take an extreme approach. I had the night sweats from hell 24/7 for the year after cessation of periods; but discovered that regular aerobic exercise pretty much made 'em stop. Oh yes, I had "the weepies" during the "hot flash year". Everything made me cry. A slogan on a bill board, a tv commercial, an innocent comment. It was actually kind of comical.
I send you best wishes for a blissfully smoothe transition into menopause.

[Angelasher]

Since i have been doing Zero LC and upped my fat to 75% or more I have not had any hot flashes. I use to get about 1 o2 a week.

[Nancy LC]

Oh yes, I had "the weepies" during the "hot flash year". Everything made me cry. A slogan on a bill board, a tv commercial, an innocent comment. It was actually kind of comical.
I send you best wishes for a blissfully smoothe transition into menopause.

I think my Sister in law went through that. :) I hope I don't! Although I had a period over the last couple of years where that happened to me but I had lost my father and my Mom's health was failing too. Now that Mom is gone, I've been on a much more even keel emotionally... thank god! It was miserable to be crying all the time.

[Nancy LC]

Nancy what is MCT oil, do you drink it? And where would one get it, buy it?
Sorry, I lost track of this thread! I've been using coconut oil. You can buy it at Wal*Mart, in the supplements section, or at Whole Foods or Henry's (oils section). I just stir some into my coffee.

I haven't used it for awhile due to intestinal issues, but now that things are calm again, I'm going to try it.

[SylvieK]

Nancy, I started with heavy flows, hot flashes etc. One of the problems with Atkins and possibly all low carb programs is that as we lose fat, we also get estrogen that is stored in those same cells released and anything might happen. Folks who stopped having hot flashes, started, folks who had PCOS, become regular and some ladies get PMS, etc.
So if your experiencing any Menopause symptoms it might just be the diet.

This is an interesting point. I'm 51 and all my life periods have been regular (usually right on the full moon). I just officially missed my first period and over a month "late." But for the past three years I've had hot flashes and much heavier periods.

I'm going on my 7th month of low-carbing, staying at or near induction levels. The problem I've had recently is that for the past month since I missed my period I've had nearly constant and sometimes severe menstrual cramps -- but no period to relieve the cramps -- and other PMS symptoms, e.g. bloating and extreme irritability. I wish I could do something to alleviate this and maybe bring on the period, but I don't know what might help. If anyone has suggestions, I'd appreciate them.

An excellent book to have on hand is Susun Weed's book on menopause (her books listed on susunweed.com; they usually have her books in stock at Whole Foods). Many symptoms are discussed and a variety of homeopathic, herbal, and alternative remedies suggested. I've tried many things she's recommended that worked well.

[Nancy LC]

Sylvie, please see your doctor. Cramping like that can be an indication of ovarian cancer. :\

[SylvieK]

Thank you for the alert, Nancy. I had no idea that cramps could be a symptom. I will follow up.

[Hutchinson]

Oh! Have any of you tried Dr. McCleary's ideas for menopause?
http://www.drmccleary.com/

He says hot flashes are caused by energy shortages in the brain and recommends some supplements and MCT oil. He says the brain has a harder time using glucose and to supply it ketones instead, thus the MCT oil.

Here's his book: http://www.drmccleary.com/book/While I support that idea the folk should actually buy and read Dr McCleary's book as it has lots of very detailed information on foods for healthy brains, (He's also a low carb supporter) I've summarised his chapter on the menopause here (http://swabymanor.googlepages.com/drmccleary'sbraintrustprogramsupplementl) bear in mind it was 10 pages and I've cut it down to one so do understand I've left a lot out.

[SissyPoo]

I use to cramp and bleed so bad when I was having trouble with menopause. I finally had to have a hysterectomy and that was the best thing I ever had. No more of those cramps.

[ProfGumby]

I'm 49, hope you don't mind me sneaking in here a little early. My Mom went into MP around 50, my grandmother 55, my sister 51. Anyway, I figure I'm probably well on the way.

Can you share with me some of the early warning signs you experienced before menopause? I'm just curious what to look out for. My male OB/Gyn doctor wasn't much help, he just wants to operate on my uterus for fibroid that don't really bother me.

From a guys perspective, a warning sign of menopause is when your 43 year old DW's idiot doctor says things that may be bothering here could be pre-menopause....and your charming bride of 20 years jumps on the freak out train and runs you (me) over with it about 40 times.....well, that is a warning sign of Menopause....

......sorry, I'll go away now........... :lol:

[Judynyc]

From a guys perspective, a warning sign of menopause is when your 43 year old DW's idiot doctor says things that may be bothering here could be pre-menopause....and your charming bride of 20 years jumps on the freak out train and runs you (me) over with it about 40 times.....well, that is a warning sign of Menopause....

......sorry, I'll go away now........... :lol:

Poor you.....and yes, you should go away now!! :lol: :p

All kidding aside, my mom had a horrible time in her menopause.....but I will tell you that she was nuts before it, it just made her crazy stuff more evident to others. :idea:

And it peri-menopause, not pre.

[Sherell]

I am 51 Years old young. I get a few quick flashes lasting 20 seconds or less occasionally( twice a week). If I take 2 tbl of my Flaxseed oil I don't even get that. That's all no problems, no pain. Not an issue

[Judynyc]

Good info here for us..... :thup:

Hypothyroidism in menopause — a whole-body perspective
http://www.womentowomen.com/hypothyroidism/thyroidandmenopause.aspx
by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP
Copyright 2008 WomentoWomen.com. All rights reserved.

I talk to women daily about hypothyroidism in my practice, and one thing I hear over and over in those who have been diagnosed is, I thought I was healthy. How did this happen? Many women with hypothyroidism are struggling with weight gain, fatigue, poor concentration, hair loss, even depression — and they want answers about how to feel better.

Research shows that at least 10% of midlife women have abnormal TSH levels. And it isn’t just a problem for women who don’t pay attention to their health — last year Oprah Winfrey, who’s extremely health conscious, shared news about her hypothyroid condition. The fact is, menopause and perimenopause is often a time when women see high TSH levels and are diagnosed with hypothyroidism, but few conventional practitioners talk about this connection. And even fewer offer solutions outside of prescription medications like Synthroid, its generic, levothyroxine, or Armour Thyroid to bring TSH levels down.

I know women have questions about their thyroids and they want answers. One way to start is by realizing the thyroid — the master of our metabolism — doesn’t act in a vacuum and we can only truly benefit if we stop treating it that way. My experience has shown me that hypothyroidism is rarely an isolated condition. There could be several factors leading to your thyroid disturbance, especially during the menopause transition, and these factors vary from woman to woman.
.

More at the link up top....good info for us who are in menopause or near it. :agree: :thup:

[lcgrrl2006]

Excellent article Judy!
I'll be 51 in September, haven't had any hot flashes, night sweats. Always been a poor sleeper.
Periods went from 4 days to 7 days in the last year. Ovulated every two to three months this past year (ovulated this past month and the month before).
Grandmother went through the change at age 50, mom died before she had a chance.
Have had terrible pms for 15 years - that is still bad.
Take 3000 units of vitamin D, 5-htp, each day and bio-identical progesterone 2 weeks before period starts.
Think I did notice a difference after eliminating gluten (consumed it once in the last 6 weeks). PMS/PMDD/Peri emotional symptoms were cut by a third last month....also eliminated alcohol...that may have been the major factor.
Denise

[Judynyc]

Think I did notice a difference after eliminating gluten

me too...although I am not totally gluten free...I am wheat free. :agree:

I too take mucho D3, 5 HTP and a good multi....lots of cal/mag and mag alone too. Salmon oil is in there too.

Good job on getting rid of the alcohol. :cool:

[CarolynC]

I didn't have any advance signs. I had a period in the month when I turned 50, March 2007, and then didn't have another for 7 months. Since then, I've had about 3 other periods, all with relatively light flow. I've had a few hot flashes, but once I got back to serious low carbing in 2008, plus adding flax seed to my diet, even the hot flashes stopped.

[neo_crone]

Seriously hot flushes, with sweat running down my back, every ten minutes or so every hour of the day and night, was my first sign of approaching menopause. That went on for about a month or so before they gradually dissapeared. They came back 3 years later. During that time I continued to menstruate regularly. Now I have hot flushes about once an hour, and I menstruate irregularly, say 3 or 4 times a year, extremely heavily.

[Steff]

The problem I've had recently is that for the past month since I missed my period I've had nearly constant and sometimes severe menstrual cramps -- but no period to relieve the cramps -- and other PMS symptoms, e.g. bloating and extreme irritability. I wish I could do something to alleviate this and maybe bring on the period, but I don't know what might help. If anyone has suggestions, I'd appreciate them.


Sylvie, I had that happen to me. Most miserable time it started while I was on vacation. The doctor finally prescribed medication to bring it on. Unfortunately I could not tell you what the medication was, it was over 10 years ago.
Steff

[skeeweeaka]

I'm not 50 yet but have been in perimenopause since my daughter was born 12 years ago. Recently, my periods have gotten even heavier where I have to wear two pads at a time but I do have fibroids which I refuse to get taken out. I figure why have the surgery again when they are just going to come back. Might as well wait for them to shrink with age.... Doctors recommend surgery because they are surgeons, IMHO. I had the surgery in my late 20's and by the time of my pregnancy they had all come back again and were the size of grapefruits, but they just watched them and I did fine.

Progesterone cream has helped me with the hot flashes and some of the other symptoms.

[SissyPoo]

I use to have problem sleeping and also had trouble concerating.
Don't know if these symptoms are with all women but they were with me.
I never had much sweating problem.

[IslandGirl]

Since i have been doing Zero LC and upped my fat to 75% or more I have not had any hot flashes. I use to get about 1 o2 a week.

Just curious, but are you just meat and fat, literally ZERO LC?

:wave:

[IslandGirl]

Nancy, I started with heavy flows, hot flashes etc. One of the problems with Atkins and possibly all low carb programs is that as we lose fat, we also get estrogen that is stored in those same cells released and anything might happen. Folks who stopped having hot flashes, started, folks who had PCOS, become regular and some ladies get PMS, etc.
So if your experiencing any Menopause symptoms it might just be the diet.

Just a little clarification from my p.o.v. of 10 years of LC, reading and researching health and surviving a sudden and rapid menopausal onset:
the most common heads-up for non-menopausal, non-PCOS, non-serious PMS, regular menses (for lack of a better term?) ladies is breakthrough or irregular bleeding/cycle - even if on BCPs - while going into ketosis, pretty much. It tends to stabilize along with a regular LC lifestyle, i.e., returns to regularly scheduled cycles, after a couple of months or so. Of course, if you become a yoyo LCer, it'll probably be back, every time you yoyo... :idea:

Severe ongoing PMS is NOT a result of LC or ketosis, but a symptom that should be looked at for itself, as pointed out by Nancy. Ketosis is a natural condition all humans (LC or not) are going in and out of all day, if the liver is functioning normally ;) and LC is a trigger for better overall health, not worse...generally speaking! :)

:wave:

[IslandGirl]

This is an interesting point. I'm 51 and all my life periods have been regular (usually right on the full moon). I just officially missed my first period and over a month "late." But for the past three years I've had hot flashes and much heavier periods.

I'm going on my 7th month of low-carbing, staying at or near induction levels. The problem I've had recently is that for the past month since I missed my period I've had nearly constant and sometimes severe menstrual cramps -- but no period to relieve the cramps -- and other PMS symptoms, e.g. bloating and extreme irritability. I wish I could do something to alleviate this and maybe bring on the period, but I don't know what might help. If anyone has suggestions, I'd appreciate them.

An excellent book to have on hand is Susun Weed's book on menopause (her books listed on susunweed.com; they usually have her books in stock at Whole Foods). Many symptoms are discussed and a variety of homeopathic, herbal, and alternative remedies suggested. I've tried many things she's recommended that worked well.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but is there any possibility you could be pregnant? It's happened to many a PCOSer, as they LC they are actually balancing their hormones (many for the first time) and often manage to get pregnant when fertility treatments have failed them!

True!

:wave:

[IslandGirl]

Oy vey, I was going to post my experience in here, but got distracted after reading the thread!

I got a somewhat unusual situation, me (I think, but maybe not).

I'm 52 now, btw. Five or six years ago, my GP doc asked me if I was very very sure I didn't want to have that child, as my innards were in excellent shape other than running on one fabulously functioning ovary, regular like clockwork (AFTER having an ovary removed - enveloped by benign but very large ovarian cyst that was also interfering with other internal organs due to size - some 20+ years previously), excellent muscle tone, etc., no signs of perimenopause. I was pretty fed with "preventive" techniques and/or prescriptions... Bottom line, she signed me up for a tubal ligation (which is a tying off, ICYDK).

By the time I was queued for this elective surgery (thank you Canada for long long wait lists), some 10 months had passed. However, nothing had changed for me. In I went. Signed off. Out I came. All's well except for the horrible inflation effect (sorry for any tender feelings out there ;) ).

No more than 6 weeks later I got a full-fledged hot flash. Periods started wandering around the calendar. Getting farther apart (or not), changing duration, changing severity and showing up at unexpected times. Started having trouble sleeping, and some fab mood swings. :o Within 7 months the cycle gaps were getting bigger. Within a year, I had my last period, and the hot flashes started tapering off steeply, I started sleeping better (at last!), etc. I had some symptomatic relief, over that year, with various herbal preparations, especially with those containing Vitex, A. Angelica and Cohosh.

Bottom line, 2 things really stick with me.

The ligation turned out to be a cauterization (ick! burned flesh, and NOT what I had signed for) and I now believe they just plain got too close to my functioning ovary and caused damage.
I had read an article somewhere since that time five years ago (should have found a link to it!) that it turns out that the once a month hormone(s) spike re estrogen has been a SUPPOSITION all this time, and that someone(s) had finally actually tested and tracked the levels at least daily for a full cycle (~ a month) and it's more like waves of rises and falls. In short, the medical texts and training about ovarian estrogenic hormonal function are all based on, ahem, NOTHING factual. They just don't know what they are doing in there, much of the time!
Wild guess, the other hormones involved are probably not QUITE what we all read about, never mind their interactions with the other major endocrine hormones, such as Thyroid Hormones or Insulin/Glucagon.

Sigh. Long story. There it is. Sometimes there are no warning signs. And the medical system needs a few good kicks in several departments. :devil:

:wave:

[SissyPoo]

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/bobbys_angel/funny%20stuff/menopause.jpg (http://)

I have never had any problems with mine except some night sweats every once in awhile. I think I cam through mine really easy compared to alot of others I knew who had alot of problems.
I took my hormones daily and I guess they were what helped me.
During my menopause time I did gain some weight, in fact alot of it, but I have since now lost most of it after I went on a Low carb diet.

[Nancy LC]

Ok everyone it's official. I am now 50! I can post in here without feeling unqualified!

My period is getting wonky. Sometimes it comes a week early and I only have to wear something like for a day. The cramping has gotten worse though, and I'm pretty sure I have endometriosis due to some other symptoms. Anyway, I'm going to ignore it because menopause should be headed my way.

But is the wonky periods to be expected?

Another question, given that I have fibroids and probably endometriosis, should I avoid any sort of hormone replacement? I don't want to make those things worse.

[lizzyLC]

A very informative thread. Thanks for starting it Nancy and thanks to others for the book recommendations.

[Hutchinson]

Dr McCleary discussing menopause (http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/ketones-and-ketosis/the-brain-trust-program-krill-oil-and-menopause/)

[triplemom]

Excellent information! I'm fast approaching 49 and seem to having a period about every other month. I've been like clockwork since I can remember, so I guess things are changing. I have had some hot flashes, but not bad.

[Hutchinson]

On my homepage I have put a brief summary of what Dr McCleary (http://swabymanor.googlepages.com/drmccleary'sbraintrustprogramsupplementl) has to say about Hot Flashes in his book The Brain Trust Program. (http://www.amazon.com/Brain-Trust-Program-Scientifically-Three-Part/dp/0399533583) together with his Anti excitatory cocktail and his ketogenic mix.

Maybe worth investing in some MCT oil.

[chandbaby1]

ohh, I arrived from totally different perspective to MCT oil. I was looking for a fat that gives you instant energy and has no effect on blood glucose. MCT in coconut oil fit the bill perfectly.

If it works or not is a different story . I am going to document personal experience and also ketostix reading to determine if it does increase ketones in the body.