men-OHHH-pause
 

I have started full-blown menopause, and it's DRIVING ME NUTS!!! I get horrible hot flashes at night which wake me up. Then, of course, I can't get back to sleep because of the whole insomnia thing that goes along with menopause. And, that's after it has taken me hours to fall asleep in the first place! I get one bad hot flash as soon as I get up in the morning. I've tried to trick my body by getting up at different times, but it doesn't matter. Oh, and then there's night sweats. I am so tired of waking up feeling hot, sweaty and then clammy. Then, I have to get up and take a bath or shower so I can at least feel clean.

Then, I freeze all day and have the hardest time getting warm. Where's a good hot flash when you NEED it?:confused:

It doesn't help that I'm already ill with Crohn's Disease and having a lot of problems right now, and I won't even get into that!!!

Anyone have any good tips?? HRT is out of the question for me because of my health problems and medications that I'm already taking. I am limited in what exercises I can do right now, but I do what I can everyday and I walk a lot. I have eliminated caffeine, and I eat really healthy....well, that's when I CAN eat!!!

Speaking of medications.........side effects.......ahhhhhhhhhhh. One of my medications is a steroid, which also affects sleep. I'm so tired of it!!! And, I'm just TIRED...period!


Whew! I feel much better now!:)

It's horrible isn't it? The not sleeping was the worse part. The doctor finally gave me Trazodone and it helped with sleeping. I no longer take it; two antihistamines do the trick, but at the time, it was a lifesaver. Sleeping in a really cold room helps too, with a heating blanket so your face is cool, but the rest of you is warm. (Don't tell the energy conservationists about this.) I didn't take all the hormones that people suggested, I don't feel like they know enough about all the side effects, and in my mind the less medication the better, but sometimes you need some help. It does get better, and let's face it you have a great excuse every time you get grouchy.

Bless your heart. I feel for ya!!! Personally, I think the doctors are killing us with some of the meds they put us on. I just had back surgery and can never have another MRI because of steel plate, rods etc. in my back. When I told my doctor (primary) my knees now were giving me a problem he was going to order an MRI. I could not believe him. I want even get into what the pain meds do to you. Good luck and sometimes I think we do better researching out things ourselves in what to take and do if its not something that requires surgery.

Have you tried Melantonin (over the counter vitamin) to help you sleep? It is gentle and doesn't make you drag the next day. It works well for me. I usually have trouble going to sleep. I take one before bed and I drift off easily. Of course I still wake at 4 a.m. at times...

I feel for you with the sleeplessness. Hot flashes, I haven't gotten, but I take it they are a pain.

I will try that! I'll try anything!! Thank you!:)

I agree about the medications. I don't like to take anything unless I absolutely have to. You never know what the long-term effects will be. I'm sorry you had to have back surgery, I know that has to be painful! I have had four bowel resections, and surgery is NOT fun!! I hope you feel better and recovery quickly!

I have read about it, but I didn't know if it worked or not. I'll have to try it! Thank you!

I hope you don't get hot flashes. They really drain you of energy, and they make me feel nauseous....and, I already have enough nausea problems with the Crohn's Disease. Some of them are so intense that I feel like I might pass out, but I haven't.

Hope you find something safe that works...when you do let me know...LOL!!!

I can only imagine! I had a really bad IBS problem a few years ago, due to an exorbent amount of stress (deaths, etc...). The pain was untollerable - buckled over in the middle of the night, etc.... I know crohn's Disease is a bad one to deal with on it's own. To have it with monopause symtoms on top of it, must be very difficult to deal with. Take good care of yourself and lighten your load. Sometimes, I think its nature's way of telling us to slow down.

LOL thanks, I sure will!:)

Yep, I am going through it too. I just scream a lot.....

Girl I feel SO bad for you ! I don't know if this will help but it really really helped a friend - Look online for something called EMERITA - it's susposed to help with those horrible hot flashes - She said it took a few days but really did work -

never mind - don't search - here's a link - Emerita
it's not expensive either - it's the one called Emerita Paraben-Free Pro-Gest

Hi, since Melatonin is an over the counter suppliment, I think you should discuss it with your dr. before starting it. Since you have Crohn's you need to be aware of the side effects (see below)

Melatonin Side Effects

As with all hormonal supplements, there are many different melatonin side effects to contend with which may make this a unwise choice for your condition.

First of all, there have not been adequate clinical trials to prove the saftety of melatonin supplements.

Reported melatonin side effects include headaches, nausea, depression, nightmares and vivid dreams, irritability, abdominal cramps and dizziness.

Melatonin facts also point to negative effects on the reproductive system as well as decreased sex drive in both men and women.

Since melatonin is a hormone, it can affect many internal body processes. Melatonin facts show that those with depression might experience worsening symptoms. Others at a higher risk of developing melatonin side effects are people with liver disease, seizure disorders and high blood pressure.

How interesting, I did try that before I asked my doctor for help. I think some of the over-the-counter drugs are more potent than people think.

I feel for you!! I have ben in menapause for 4 years and I finally had to go on antidepressants to help with hot flashes, irritability and dizziness. They help some but again it is another drug. It does seem to get better after 2-3 years. Hang in there

Thanks for the info!

I would DEFINITELY talk to my dr. first. I never take anything without checking with him.:)

Thanks V! I will check out the link and talk to my dr. about it.:)

How long does menapause last? When do you know when it is done? (no more hot flashes?)

It depends on the person, everyone is different. My mom's lasted for several years.:eek:

men-ohhhh-pause
 

Hi V.....fancey meeting you here lol

You would think by the name menoPAUSE...it should be over quick. But nooooooooooooooo, not so lucky am I!

Thursday Night I went to see menopause, the musical. I highly reccommend it. They make fun of all of the symptoms and It lets you know that you are not alone.

Friends are more important at this time in your life than ever before.

keep your chin up and know that you will be a more powerful woman when you are through it.

I think it takes years:eek::eek: I still have hot flashes almost every day but not nearly as bad as they used to be....and I am 60!!!!!

I was just diagnosed as being in peri-menopause and had a partial hysterctomy on May 14th. There's no telling how long I've actually been in peri-menopause (kind of like your body preparing for the actual menopause) but according to the webmd site it can last anywhere from 2 to 8 years with full blown menopause after that. I've had some pretty serious symptoms from this so I'm hoping it will be over soon. I can tell you this...the nausea, hot flashes and insomnia are real...what works today might not work tomorrow and one good night doesn't guarantee another! I tried one of the over the counter remedies and my eyes popped wide open :eek: at 1:30 a.m. and I had so much energy I could have run a marathon...instead I got up and paced the floors for about 2 hours. I'm afraid to go to sleep...every night is a new adventure! I do know that cola syrup helps the nausea immediately and I keep crackers and bottled water in the truck all the time. However...one good side affect is that I've lost some weight and I'm back in single digit sizes! :D

I had to have a complete hysterectomy in November of last year. I was not ready, at age 40, for menopause. Menopause sucks!! For me, it is the crying! I even cry at commercials and game shows! I was on hormones for a while, but have weaned myself off and feel pretty good most of the time. As for the hot flashes, have you tried one of those hand held fans? They work great!

That's what happened with me. My dr. told me I was perimenopausal when I was 46, but I really didn't have horribly bad symptoms until the last five or six months, and it just keeps getting worse. I have had energy spurts, but I thought maybe that was due to the steroid I take for Crohn's. Another thing that bothers me is joint pain! I already have a lot of joint pain because of the Crohn's, but now it's awful. When I first get up in the morning, I can barely walk. The Crohn's joint pain usually gets much better in the spring and summer....not this year, so far. I think I would be able to deal with it better if I could just get some GOOD sleep....and nausea is the WORST. Ugh!

I hope you start to get some relief and SLEEP and feel better soon!

Yep, I have and they do work great! I haven't had any crying problems, but I do feel myself getting moody a lot.

Men get off too easy.:(

Go to your pharmacy and ask for some Cola Syrup. It's in a little bottle that kind of looks like a bottle of Vanilla. You put 2 tablespoons over crushed ice and take small sips...it will take the nausea away almost instantly and it's natural. You may want to check with your doctor or the pharmacist first though. I have taken to sleeping with the fan on just to circulate the air in the room and it helps, various blankets that I take off and put back on during the night and wearing short sleeved pajama tops to stay cool. My poor husband...he never knows what to wear to bed anymore! For the lack of sleep my sister said to try drinking some milk before bedtime...warm if you can...and that is supposed to help but, I can't always handle dairy so I haven't tried that one yet.

I was going through this about 10 years ago so I went to the health food store and got an herbal supplement for hot flashes and within a month they were gone. I can't remember what is was called but any good health food store should be able to help you. Best of luck.

I have heard of the cola syrup but never tried it. Nausea is a problem I deal with every single day because of the Crohn's. The hot flashes make it worse. If it's not too bad, I will eat some crackers or drink gingerale and it helps a lot. If it gets to the point where I can't keep anything down, my dr. has given me Phenergran tablets and suppositories to have on hand. That works so well, but I really hate to take it unless I absolutely have to. It makes me feel even more tired, but I still don't sleep. The warm milk is worth a try too, although I sometimes can't handle dairy either. I will try the cola syrup, thank you!:)

We have a ceiling fan in the bedroom that we keep on at night, but I think I'm also going to try another fan blowing on me on low and see if that helps a bit. I have even stuck my head out the window to get relief lol