Well - many friends have had it worse, long frequent periods with years of hot flashes even after periods stop so I can't whine too much, but also can't embrcace it either. I miss my sex drive and miss my clear head, I can't handle not thinking clearly - I am in IT for Pete's sake.
And my joints developed problems all around the same time and that is the worst part.

This is a great article on perimenopause & menopause. Scroll down on that page and click "More Articles."

I failed to mention that I, personally, don't need to follow her plan because my way of eating has taken care of all those symptoms that I had. No hot flashes, no problem sleeping, no low libido, etc. I went 7 months without a cycle, somewhere around the 5th month, of that 7 mo period, I started fatty meats, eggs, and water way of eating. After my cycle resumed, it has been regular and normal. I take no supplements. I avoid all sweeteners, including the artifical ones. I'm about to turn 53 yrs old. I feel great. Also, I have a history of uterine fibroids. I have no problem with them any more either. I have stuck to my way of eating and it has paid off. Not to mention, my weight has started steadily dropping once I was eating this way for 4 months....sometimes it takes people 6 months. I lost inches before the weight started dropping. The pay off, the feeling of well being, is worth the time and effort. I hope the same for you!

Just a quick add on. At my work, I sit at a two person desk. My boss sits across from me. When I was having hot flashes in the middle of an icy January, snow on the ground, etc, I had a fan on the file cabinet next to me, and had it bolowing full force. My boss wanted to know what that was all about, and I very nearly snarled at him: I am having hot flashes, and I am burning up, do you really want to see what happens if I take the fan away?

I know it doesn't sound like much of a story, but I remember at the time, the look on his face was priceless.

I look back now and can tell I was in Peri meno at 38...Ex smoker here..
Low body fat..Lots of depression and being weepy..The Dr. never thought to check my hormones..In mid 40,s I got checked and was already half way through..Was completely finished by 48. or somewhere near that. Except for the hot flashes..They still come and go..I love being even in my moods now..The only down side for me is my sex drive is gone..I feel like just an (It)..It takes a lot more work in the bedroom..Suprised DH puts up with me, then again he has slowed down too! Thank god..2 slugs here..

I hear ya... I can still get it on, but it takes persuasion LOL, some champagne....etc...
And not to bash anyone, but WOE really won't solve menopause symptoms, and if your periods resumed then you are in peri and not there yet. And it is true that nutrition contributes to helping those symptoms, it is no cure so to speak. And everyone is different mainly due to heredity, you just can't get away from your inheritance.

I'm 51 and still have regular periods, no hot flashes yet (knock on wood). Mom died before hers started. I think Grandma was 5. I had my first period at age 15. I had read when you start late, you finish early...guess not....
Denise

Mine started when I was 12 -- I'm 50 now and still going...sometimes every 18 days...sometimes every 40 days...just never know when TOM is going to rear it's ugly head
I do know; however, I'm ready for it all to come to an end!!! I've had episodes of hot flashes -- not a lot -- but some. Think I could put up with those rather than TOM all the time!

My mom still hasn't had signs of menopause. She's 52 this year and regular 28 days every single time.
Sometimes she wishes it would just go away, but it means a healthy female system, so she's taking it as it is.

Lisa

Hi Ladies, I had a partial hysterectomy in 99, at 43, the doc told me you need those ovaries 2 more yrs. bingo, two yrs later the hot flashes started, while I was up on a ladder. I thought I was dying. Well they continued and boy o boy over the last 8 yrs they have had what I call flavors. Months the same and then they change. I am at the point now of just a few a day, and maybe 1 or two a night. I have only had a few times where I woke up in a pool of water, omgod is that awful with your hubby next to you!
If this is another sign of MEN-O-Pause. I have no want for sex..We still do it, but boy does it seem different. I tell the MAN he is in Men-opause too, his desire is like this, WELL U never mention it or ask! When did I Have to start asking, or mention IT? Gezz.....
The sexiest man alive could walk by and I think it would do nothing to me. I have lost the thrill of looking too. So I guess I am close to the bottom of this big mountain we climb up through peri and Menopause.


My question is when you reach Menopause, when does the weight start dropping off. I am stuck at fat! And am So struggling.

I am now 52, was 12 when I started my first period, o that was scary!

I had a professor in college who went in to see the gyno at 47 about her menopause symptoms. She was actually pregnant. For the first time. She had the baby.

In my opinion it has to do with insulin control.

"When we say that insulin is the master hormone, we're predominantly talking about fat tissue because insulin regulates fat tissue. You can't get weight without insulin and you cannot lose weight in the presence of insulin.

People eating junk food and losing weight has to do with insulin resistance. The same reason why you ate junk food as a teenager and you did not get fat. Why does my daughter eat three times as much food than me yet is thin? She eats because she's growing. In this case, growth hormone is controlling, plus she has low insulin levels. At age 11 with no insulin resistance, she could eat the SAD and still be thin.

Your overriding question is homeostasis. You cannot separate weight regulation from everything else that is going on in the body. Weight regulation is driven by hormones. When they are out of whack then your homeostasis is out of whack and your body may feel the need to have you gain weight or lose weight. Why do we lose weight when we're sick? The hormones definitely influence weight regulation. but other hormones don't work as effectively with high insulin. The sex hormones play a huge part. You need to read GCBC because Taubes deals with this intensely.

Insulin is the master hormone because ALL hormones promote fat mobilization but only insulin can promote fat accumulation. There is a table on Page 391. The case for insulin builds throughout the entire book. If you read this book and didn't come out of it with an appreciation of insulin, then you truly missed the meat of the book."

If the sex hormones are out of whack and insulin low, then the reduction may not occur because the hormones are out of kilter. They can't do their job of mobilizing the fat. You may need to get those hormones checked and regulated before the reduction can occur. My personal belief and experience is that you can do it by the appropriate diet.

I'm impressed! Good for your Mom. I see so many young females in menopause. She should feel blessed. How is her weight? Over, under, "average?" Has she fluctuated over the years? Just curious.

She is overweight (all in her belly & upper body) by about I'd say... 50lbs or so. She is 5'3 and wears a 16/18.

Lisa