It's my age.

Published on September 14, 2005 By dharmagrl In Health & Medicine

I'm officially pre-menopausal, maybe even in full-on menopause.

I have an ovarian cyst that I had to see my doc for this morning. He and I had a conversation about menopause and hormones, and at the end of it he said "well, it's not unheard of for a woman your age to be pre-menopausal, and I think that's what's going on with you"

Excuse me? Whaddya mean, 'a woman my age'? I'm only 36! Oh wait.....yeah, you're right. I'm prime time for a a lot of stuff, aren't I? Menopause,. breast cancer, spine problems....whatever's wrong seems to be attributed to me age.

I'm 36, technically that's my mid-to-late 30's. I don't feel it. I don't act it. I don't dress like it. In fact, my age doesn't really play a factor in my life anymore. I don't really think to myself "my god, I'm in my late 30's. I really ought to calm down, dress alittle more conservatively, act a little more like my age....get a grip on my life and where I want it to go".

Someone asked me how old I was the other day, and I had to stop and think about it before I could answer them. That's how little I think about it.

So, I'm pre-menopausal. My ovaries have done their work and have now decided to shut up shop and retire. I'm on a low dose form of birth control to see if it doesn't #1 help with the ovarian cysts (I get them frequently) and #2 help with some of the menopausal stuff (hot flushes, night sweats, loss of libido, vaginal dryness, skin drying out, hair loss, gaining weight in odd places - all fun stuff).

Age, to me, is just a term to define the number of years you've physically been around. I'm not going to let it be any more than that, regardless.

Menopause be damned! it's not going to stop me!

Comments

HC1240

on Sep 14, 2005

... ok, my twin! I had a conversation with my mother two weeks ago about menopause. I'm only 35, but like you... I think the beginnings of this garbage are setting in. *sigh* My mother was in her early 40's when she went through it... and it certainly would explain a lot of things. Lovely.

I only look my age when I wear make-up (at least that's what I've been told). Put my hair up in a ponytail and go out sans eyeliner and I'm 22 again. Of course... my body screams at me that IT knows I'm getting older. I don't stress over it though. Like you, I'll take it all in stride and continue to just live life. There's too much joy to be had to spend time fretting over something that's inevitable anyway. Besides... I'm not going to change it by stressing. Now... I might use it as an excuse from time to time... hehehe...

Moderateman

on Sep 14, 2005

when ya start gettin hotflashes let me know I put together a herbal regime for colleen that seems to work MOST of the time.

MM

dharmagrl

on Sep 14, 2005

... ok, my twin!

I'm really starting to think so!

I'm only 35, but like you... I think the beginnings of this garbage are setting in. *sigh* My mother was in her early 40's when she went through it... and it certainly would explain a lot of things. Lovely.

It's explained a whole heck of a lot for me too. I don't like it, but now that I know what it is, I'm better equipped to deal with it.

Now... I might use it as an excuse from time to time... hehehe...

I do that too! hehehe.....age does have it's advantages!

when ya start gettin hotflashes let me know I put together a herbal regime for colleen that seems to work MOST of the time.

I'm already having them, MM. Not very often, but often enough to be a pain in the ass. The night sweats are the WORST - I sometimes wake up with my nightie drenched and sweat literally rolling off me. The last time it happened I really thought that I had wet the bed in my sleep, that's how damp the sheets were.
I'd love to hear about your herbal regimen!

HC1240

on Sep 14, 2005

when ya start gettin hotflashes let me know I put together a herbal regime for colleen that seems to work MOST of the time.

MM... send it this way too, please! My whole life I've been cold while my husband sweats. Singing in church last Sunday I thought I was going to die from the heat... looked at him and not a drop. Now that's a switch!

Dr Guy

on Sep 14, 2005

You are way not old enough! I thihnk it is just a case of raging hormones, you Vixen you!

dharmagrl

on Sep 14, 2005

You are way not old enough! I thihnk it is just a case of raging hormones, you Vixen you!

I am old enough, actually...and it's more a question of not having enough hormones rather than having raging hormones. I'm all tapped out, estrogen-wise.

That's okay though; I'm getting some replacements.

alison watkins

on Sep 14, 2005

Screw menopause, chew it up, and spit it out! hehe. My mom is quite the late bloomer...she just got her first hot flash at the age of 52...maybe there's hope for me....

Trudygolightly

on Sep 14, 2005

I musta gone through what you're going through at the same age, cause by 43 was allllllllll done with the whole process......
I thought I was having panic attacks when I'd start sweating, getting cold, the whole nine yards.......now of course i know better.
It runs in our family, the early age for the change......

Hang in there, it sounds like you're handling it just right!!

dharmagrl

on Sep 14, 2005

Screw menopause, chew it up, and spit it out!

That's right, sistah! It's going to take a lot more than the menopause to beat me down! HAHAHA!

The first time I had a night sweat I thought that I had the flu. I thought the same thing with the first hot flush...but looking back, I think I've been having them for a while. I'd always complain that it was too hot in a room and go to open a window...but I'd be the only one who was even slightly warm.

I used to always gain weight in my butt and thighs, and now I've started to gain in my belly - that's another sign, apparently. I've managed to work it off, but that's the first time I've ever gained there, so that kind of clued me in that something was going on. Add to that not having ovulated regularly for a couple of years (I don;t have a uterus so I don't get a period, but I'm one of those lucky chicks that can tell when she's ovulating)...and it became apparent that menopause was fast approaching.

I don't know when my mom went through it because I'm adopted and I've never found my birth mother....I'm starting to think that looking for her might be a good idea. A medical history would be useful.

Mr_Frog

on Sep 15, 2005

Argh! I think I'm having pre-midlife-crisis symptoms and I'm only 32! Is the only thing that's going to fix this is to buy a 6-figure sports car and take a mistress?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

-- B

dharmagrl

on Sep 15, 2005

Brace yourself. I started having premenopausal symptoms around age 37. I am now 44 and still having them. I'm still menstruating, too. For seven miserable years now I have dealt with night sweats, hot flashes, increasingly heavy and erratic periods with EXTRA cramps and insanely intense PMS, dry skin and hair, and a libido that alternately hibernates and revs up like a teenager.

I'm so glad I don't have a uterus anymore. The only thing I have to deal with is the hormones and the ovarian cysts...and those are bad enough.

Valium and chocolate help.

I'm thinking that now that I'm back on hormones, I ought to stock up on Cadbury's chocolate.

Argh! I think I'm having pre-midlife-crisis symptoms and I'm only 32! Is the only thing that's going to fix this is to buy a 6-figure sports car and take a mistress?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Tis okay, Froggy. Good to see you, btw.

Mr_Frog

on Sep 15, 2005

Tis okay, Froggy. Good to see you, btw.

Thanks. I've been doing a lot of lurking the last few months. Very little has compelled me to participate much in here, and I've just been massively busy with stuff in real-life. I'm thinking I may be in the start of a rennaisance period though.

-- B

dharmagrl

on Sep 15, 2005

I'm thinking I may be in the start of a rennaisance period though.

Excellent!!!!!!!!! So, what's been goin on in 'real' life?

dharmagrl

on Sep 15, 2005

Oh, and I missed you, froggy.

foreverserenity

on Sep 15, 2005

I wonder why doctors always say once you hit a certain age that's it for you, you have to look out for all kinds of things to start happening?

Ah well, I always say you're as old as you feel! Obviously you're still 23 Dharma!

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