Archive for the ‘midlife’ Tag

Power Surge’s Founder Personally Welcomes You   1 comment

I was going through old email and found this from 2009.  Some of the information is old and some of the links may not work anymore but it’s still a good letter 🙂

welcome

dearestbio2This is a one-time mailing to introduce you to and guide you around the award-winning Power Surge  Community for women at Midlife.  You won’t receive masses of E.mail. We all get too much E.mail as it is. In fact, due to all the  spam and anti-spam programs today, the Newsletters have been archived and are available for your convenience.     


I realize this is a long letter, but menopause is a LONG process!  It’s essential to educate yourself about menopause, about the remedies, tips and various methods of treating menopause symptoms to spare you as much discomfort as possible during this stage of life.  I recommend spending 10 minutes of your time reading the information provided in this letter and saving it as a reference.  Having created and maintained this community since 1993, I know it blind-folded, so I’ve provided information and direct links to the most important places first, and then you can explore on your own 🙂   

I’m Alice Lotto Stamm, aka Dearest, founder of Power Surge. It’s important to know the quality and reputation of the site you’re visiting and depending upon for accurate information.

It’s my personal pleasure to welcome you to this community (created on America Online in 1993) for women at midlife and in menopause celebrating its 16th year online —  the only menopause community with such longevity — and as a multi award-winning Web site since 1996. Power Surge contains a wealth of information and resources, and is internationally praised as a powerful support community for women — It is rated the most popular menopause site by Amazon.com‘s, Alexa; a Forbes Magazine“Best of the Web“ site, Forbes says, “Power Surge is one of the top sites for women looking for support and education during a turning point in their lives, menopause;” has consistently, since 1996, been the #1 and only reviewed menopause site in the Yahoo! directory; is called by Health Magazine, “One of the 25 best health sites for women; Prevention Magazine says, “Power Surge is an internet lifesaver;” the April, 2005 issue of Today’s Christian Woman recommends in their “Managing Menopause” article — “For cutting-edge meno-info, visit the leading website, Power-surge.com; the Spring, 2004 issue of Living Fit Magazine calls Power Surge “The premier online community/resource for midlife women — a decade on the cutting edge;”  MORE Magazine praises Power Surge as a successful mentor site for women in menopause, Dr. Chris Northrup says, “This site is invaluable.”  Dr. Susan Love, among many other medical luminaries, says, “Power Surge is the first, best and most informative menopause site for women.”  A small sampling of newspaper and magazine articles about Power Surge.

However, the most important praise comes from the *women* (and men) who’ve visited and participated in Power Surge. A Sampling of women’s and men’s testimonials can be read here.

Now… About YOU!

I know you’re concerned about and interested in learning more about menopause and related midlife issues — in what’s happening that’s suddenly turning your life upside down. Yes, menopause is a “natural” experience, but as natural as it may be, it can be sheer misery. Although menopause isn’t an illness to cure, for many women it can be a great deal of discomfort to endure. Menopause sometimes feels as though a woman, one day vibrant, energetic, feeling fine, suddenly finds herself feeling as though she’s physically and emotionally trying to pull herself through the eye of a needle.

Among women in menopause, it’s common to hear things like, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I feel worse than I’ve ever felt in my life!” “Am I losing my mind?” — “My body feels like it’s betraying me!” — “How long does this last? — “Am I ever going to feel normal again?” . . . Well, it does end eventually, but it can take quite a few years. Remember, you’ve been having a menstrual cycle for years. It doesn’t go away overnight and for many women, it often it goes out with a ROAR!

Remember, too, that menopause doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Everything in our lives is connected. Whatever we had to cope with physically prior to menopause is frequently exacerbated BY menopause. Whatever emotional issues we had before often feel like they’re pushing us to the edge of our patience, and cause us to wonder if we possess the ability to endure what can be long and tedious transitional years. Equally, whatever relationship problems we had with our spouses/partners/children/parents/co-workers can all become exaggerated, often intolerable while we’re coping with all these changes. For many, menopause can be so overwhelming, they find themselves turning to almost anything for comfort — their spiritual natures becoming more fine tuned than ever. I know it’s difficult not to become disillusioned, but patience is something you must learn in order to get past this experience and move on to the next stage in life.

Because menopause touches so many areas of our lives, in Power Surge we address not only the physical “changes” associated with menopause, but the psychological and spiritual, empty nest syndrome, relationships at midlife, weight gain, intimacy, nutrition, diet and fitness issues and how to cope with our aging parents while we’re being tested to the max. We address the whole nine yards about “getting older.” Believe it or not, many women find themselves going into menopause loathing the idea of losing their period AND getting older, but I can promise you one thing, once you’ve found a method of treatment that helps your symptoms and once you’re over this passage, you’ll welcome becoming  postmenopausal and getting older.

So, pour yourself a cup of relaxing herbal tea (without caffeine) while you click on the blue links that will help you navigate to and around Power Surge. You’ve *finally* found the most supportive community to answer all your questions and unparalleled support to help you through this passage  🙂 And “community” is what it’s all about! You’ll find a list of convenient links at the bottom of this welcome letter.

Navigating the Power Surge Web Site:

Once on the main page of the Web site, you can click on various links on the “Menu” at the top of the page, or throughout the page, OR you can use the handy site map.

Guest Announcements and Monthly Newsletters:

You’re receiving this E.mail because you’ve either registered for the message boards, or signed up for the mailing list directly. If you’re receiving this for some other reason, you can sign up for the mailing list by one of the above two methods to receive weekly announcements of prestigious guest experts who visit Power Surge to answer your questions and the bi-monthly Power Surge newsletter. Your E.Mail address and personal information will be kept private and used only for the Power Surge mailings. Power Surge has a very strict privacy policy.

It’s a BIG Place – WHERE Do I BEGIN?

I recommend starting with What Is Power Surge About? It will give you an idea of the purpose of this community, where you are, where you’re going, and why I created Power Surge back in 1993.

There’s a wealth of information on the Web site, so sometimes it’s difficult to know where to begin. What with hundreds of guest transcripts, informative and motivational articles, newsletters, message boards (see list of links below). Here are a few sample articles from Educate Your Body: There are many, many more articles to read, but these are the best to start with:

  • Menopause Survival Tips
  • A Menopause Primer – What Is Menopause And What Are The Symptoms?
  • What’s A Hot Flash?
  • Selecting A Healthcare Practitioner
  • Naturally Compounded, Bioidentical Hormones
  • Recommendations for Treating Menopause Symptoms
  • Menopause, Libido, Vaginal Dryness/Relationship
  • About Your Hormones
  • Hair Loss And Thinning
  • Tips For Menopause-Related Dry Skin
  • The Signs of Menopause:Tests To Ask For
  • Phytoestrogens, An Exciting Alternative
  • Sleep Disorders / Insomnia During Menopause

Many women are more confused than ever since the most current controversy surrounding synthetic HRT (hormone replacement therapy), such as Premarin and Provera (Prempro), so you may want to begin with this information I’ve compiled regarding the important issue of the HRT Controversy. Power Surge has *never* endorsed synthetic hormones, but only bio-identical, natural, plant-derived hormones for women desiring to use hormone supplementation. Everything Power Surge has been concerned about regarding the synthetics was brought to light with the abrupt halting of the (WHI) Women’s Health Initiative Study in 2002.

A wealth of information can be found in the Recommendations area;  Educate Your Body Library, the Newsworthy Articles;  Guest Transcripts; Resources; Newsletters and on the very active and supportive Web site Message Boards. You’ll find all these links at the bottom of this E.mail.

Recommendations:

A very popular area is the Recommendations page, replete with various methods of treatments for your particular menopause issues — soy isoflavones, herbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, anti-oxidants, naturally compounded, bioidentical hormones and numerous other suggestions can be found on this comprehensive list. Don’t be overwhelmed!No one is expected to use everything in the recommendations area. and Being The Best You area. You select what you need to deal with your personal issues. Every woman is different. You discover what works best for your symptoms. Everything you’ll find recommendations page is natural. Power Surge recommends nothing without first trying it. As most women will soon find out, finding the right method of treatment involves trial and error. Sometimes, in severe cases, there may be times when certain medications may become necessary to get you “over the hump” of the depression and/or anxiety often associated with menopause.

Message Boards

There is no shortage of Power Surge message boards where you’ll find support on every imaginable subject and camaraderie with other women going through similar experiences. The Web site message boards have been rated by Forbes Magazine as the “Best of the Web Menopause Boards.” Women can network 24/7 to read, post and engage in real-time chat with other women in menopause in the Insta-Chat. The subjects cover a host of subjects. Registration is required to participate in the Power Surge Message Boards for the purpose of keeping out multi-level marketing people whose only purpose is to clutter the boards with advertisements. The boards are a haven for friendship, information and support.

Chats

Power Surge is the only menopause site that for 14 years has had regular guest chats in the area of menopause, women’s health and midlife-related issues. Every Thursday night, I host guest chats at 9:15 PM, ET in the Power Surge chat room where YOU have the opportunity to interact with medical luminaries and women’s health experts you wouldn’t likely have the opportunity to chat with about your menopause issues. Power Surge also gives away free books and/or gifts at the guest chats. For information about the guest chats, click here for the guest schedule. The Web chat and Insta-Chat chat on the message board are open 24/7, 365 days a year. Use them whenever you wish.

Transcripts of Guest Chats and Newsletters

There are hundreds of wonderfully informative transcripts of hundreds of prominent guest experts who’ve appeared in Power Surge’s guest chats, a very small sampling of whom are: Dr. Robert Atkins, Dr. Susan Love, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld, Dr. Bob Arnot, Dr. John Lee, Dr. Susan Rako (The Hormone of Desire), Dr. Elizabeth Vliet (Screaming To Be Heard); Dr. Pamela Peeke; Authors, Gail Sheehy (The Silent Passage), Rona Jaffe, Nancy Friday, Lonnie Barbach (The Pause), Health Educators, Judith Sachs, Nutritionist, Ann Louse Gittleman, Linda Ojeda; Fitness gurus, Denise Austin, Kathy Smith; Actress, Linda Dano; Relationship Experts, Steven Carter (Men Who Can’t Love), Barbara De Angelis and hundreds more! They can be found in the Transcript Library . Next to each guest’s name is their area of expertise. You might even find it easier going through the Guest Schedule which includes short bios of guests since 2000 and links to their transcripts. For comprehensive newsletters, articles, FAQ’s, resources of relevance to women in menopause, visit the Power Surge Reading Room

Ask The Experts

A very popular area on the Web site is Ask The Power Surge Experts. Power Surge is renowned for the experts with which it associates because… We Believe Only In The *Best*

OB-GYN, Ask Gynecologist, Phillip Warner, M.D. an OB-GYN with years of experience, whose area of expertise is women, menopause and who does not believe in synthetic hormones. Dr. Warner has spoken out for years against Premarin and Prempro, the synthetic estrogen and estrogen/progestin combo derived from horse urine.

Psychiatrist and Neurologist, Anxiety, panic , depression and stress-related medical conditions doctor, Ask Stuart Shipko, M.D., a board-certified Psychiatrist and Neurologist, founder of The Panic Disorders Institute and author who has treated more than 2500 patients with panic attacks/disorder and whose practice focuses on anxiety, panic, depression and stress-related medical conditions.

Intimacy expert, Ask Dr. Sandy Scantling — a clinical psychologist and author whose practice focuses on intimacy and sexuality problems which frequently occur during the transitional years.

Weight Issues expert, Ask Dr. Denise Lamothe — a clinical psychologist who’s area of expertise is eating disorders. Dr. Lamothe is the author of the book, The Taming Of The Chew.

Before posting a question to our experts, I suggest you check each expert’s area’s archived answers, plus there’s a search in each expert’s area if you’re looking for specific information.

Books For Women At Midlife and in Menopause

A comprehensive list of recommended books can be found in the Power Surge Bookstore. The list can be a bit overwhelming to newcomers, so here’s Power Surge’s list of favorite menopause books. New books are always being added.

Site-wide Search

The Web-site search engine contains a very comprehensive search feature where you can not only search the entire Web site, but individual areas, such as the guest transcripts, newsletters, articles sections and the individual experts in the “ask the experts” areas. A handy “tip” I’ve learned from years of using search engines is to locate exactly what I’m looking for when there’s more than one word, such as “hot flashes,” to put the phrase inside “quotation marks.” This works well with all search engines as well.

Contact Us

If you need any help, feel free to: Contact the Power Surge Team. Please make certain you select the right contact person.

Important About Your Privacy & E.mail:

Because there is so much spam mail these days, Power Surge chooses to protect your privacy by sending its mailings BCC (blind carbon copies). In this way, others on the list can’t see your address. We have no way of knowing if someone who has subscribed to our mailing list is looking to harvest E.mail addresses for marketing their products or selling addresses and bombarding you with E.mail. However, because our mailings are sent BCC, many ISP’s (Internet Service Providers), may interpret it as “spam” mail and may drop Power Surge mail into a “spam” or “junk” mail folder even though it’s something to which you’ve subscribed. Therefore, you may want to check your spam/junk mail folders for Power Surge newsletters. If you don’t receive our weekly mailings, you might try contacting your ISP to find out why you’re not receiving it.

AOL User E.mail Information:

In AOL versions 8.0 and 9.0, AOL is providing anti-spam features, where it allows you to configure E.mail you wish to receive. If you wish to receive the Power Surge mailings, it will be necessary to add PowerSurgeWoman@aol.com to the mail you accept, or it will be treated as spam and you may never see it.

Convenient Links

Power Surge has many areas. Here are some convenient links to help you navigate Power Surge and find all the information you’re seeking:

Power Surge has many areas. Here are some convenient links to help you navigate Power Surge and find all the information you’re seeking:

  • Stop By And Meet Dearest
  • Power Surge Recommendations
  • Web site Message Boards & Insta-chat
  • Ask The Experts
  • Power Surge Live! Web Chat
  • Guest Schedule
  • Guest Chat Transcripts
  • Educate Your Body
  • Resources, Newsletters, FAQ’s
  • Newsworthy Articles
  • Power Surge In The News
  • Being The Best You!
  • Your Feedback
  • The Poll Vault
  • Testimonials
  • Recommended Reading
  • Women’s Midlife Greetings
  • he Women of Power Surge
  • The Male Point of View
  • Sign up for the mailing list
  • Unsubscribe from mailing list
  • Contact the Power Surge Team
  • Site Map

(You can unsubscribe from the mailing list at the bottom of
the newsletters you receive by clicking on “Manage Your Subscription”

I can’t tell you how pleased I am that you’ve found Power Surge. I know you will garner excellent information, strength and support from this multi award-winning community, plus make wonderful friends with other women going through the same transition.

We’ve been here for 15 years helping to empower women to take charge of their bodies. So, as we sojourn through this transition, some of us in our own little cocoons, remember — “If nothing ever changed, there’d be no butterflies.”  🙂

Power Surge

In Our 16th Year informing & supporting women through menopause!

Alice Stamm
(aka Dearest / PowerSurgeWoman)
The Power Surge Community For Women
At Midlife And In Menopause
Celebrating Our 16th Year Online
http://www.power-surge.com
Founder, Facilitator
E.Mail: Dearest@aol.com

* FORBES Magazine: “Best of the Web”
(featured in cover article on the accuracy of
Internet Health sites, “Use With Care”)
* LIVING FIT Magazine’s Spring, 2004 Issue calls
Power Surge, “The premier online community/resource
for midlife women — a decade on the cutting edge”
* HEALTH Magazine selected Power Surge
one of “The 25 Best Health Sites for Women”
* PREVENTION Magazine: “Power Surge is an
Internet Lifesaver”
* SUSAN LOVE, M.D.: “Power Surge is the first, the
best and most informative menopause site for women”
* TODAY’S CHRISTIAN WOMAN: April, 2005 article,
“Managing Menopause,” says, “For cutting-edge
meno-info, visit the leading website, Power Surge.”
* CBS Healthwatch: “Power Surge has had a
powerful effect on the mental and physical
health of women”
* MORE Magazine praises Power Surge as a
“Valuable Menopause Mentor” in its April, 2003 issue
* CHICAGO TRIBUNE: “If your mom’s not around to offer
advice on hot flashes as you enter menopause, head for
a Web site called Power Surge.”

Copyright 1994-2009 Power-Surge.com, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.

Posted October 23, 2013 by MaryO in Educate Yourself, Website

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The 34 Symptoms of Menopause – what they are and how to treat them   50 comments

MaryO’Note: Links are removed from this list

There’s been a list of the “34 signs of menopause” circulating for years. The list originated with Judy Bayliss’ wonderful newsgroup, The Menopaus Listserv (That’s Menopaus without the “e” at the end).

I’ve taken the liberty of adding my own Notes to the original list. You’ll find hundreds of articles pertaining to menopause symptoms, treatments and menopause / midlife-related health and emotional issues including articles on midlife relationships, weight and fitness issues, intimacy, psychological problems associated with menopause in Power Surge’s, “Educate Your Body” extensive library.

I suggest you begin with the comprehensive article explaining what menopause is: in “An Introduction To Menopause: Signs, Symptoms and Treatments”

You’ll find remedies for most of these symptoms on the Recommendations page.

Here is the list of: “The 34 Signs of Menopause:”

1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling (related to increased activity in the autonomic / sympathetic nervous system). Without becoming too, technical, messages are sent to the hypothalmus because of declining estrogen production via neurons which result in vasodilation — widening of the lumen of blood vessels (lumen being the cavity of a tubular organ, i.e., the lumen of a blood vessel,) which, in turn, causes flushing or hot flashes. Tips for treating/minimizing (and even avoiding) hot flashes: Power Surge’s Menopause Survival Tips. Also, read the Power Surges (hot flashes) Forum

2. Bouts of rapid heartbeat (related to increased activity in the autonomic / sympathetic nervous system)

Note: Along with rapid heartbeat (palpitations), women can experience skipped heartbeats, irregular heartbeats. These are generally normal vasomotor responses experienced during menopause – usually due to fluctuating hormone levels. However, if these problems continue, it’s always a good idea to be checked by your health care practitioner. An echocardiogram is a common procedure to tell the doctor what he needs to know about your heart. If your health care practitioner doesn’t suggest it, ASK FOR IT! Read the Palpitations, Heart Issues, Hypertension Forum

3. Irritability. Note: Along with irritability, a host of “anger” problems can develop during menopause. Just as a perimenopausal woman can find herself suddenly crying for no apparent reason or provocation, so can she find herself reacting to given situations in an angrier manner than she normally does. This anger can sometimes feel like “rage.”

Again, this is hormone-induced, but for some women, the anger can become inappropriate and a woman can feel like she’s out of control. There’s nothing wrong with seeking counselling to discuss these issues with a mental health professional. This is a challenging time of life and some objective outside help can be tremendously useful in helping a woman cope with all the emotions she’s feeling. Remember, menopause isn’t simply physical changes, but emotional and spiritual changes as well. There’s an excellent forum on the Power Surge Message Board that deals with the issues of Anger / Mood Swings / Rage.

4. Mood swings, sudden tears. Note: Mood swings can include anything from mood shifts (happy one moment, depressed the next) to sudden bouts of crying when nothing overt has occurred to cause the crying. Mood swings can and have been misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder because one can feel such extremes of emotions due to hormone imbalance. Anxiety, depression, panic attacks and even feelings of agoraphobia aren’t uncommon during menopause. The panic attacks often can develop with the onset of hot flashes. For some women, hot flashes can be severe and quite frightening.

5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats). Note: This can develop into insomnia or just waking at 2 in the morning for an hour. Relaxation and breathing exercises can be useful at this time — many women may log onto the Power Surge message boards and are surprised to find so many other women there in the middle of the night. More help on the Insomnia, Sleep Disorders Forum

6. Irregular periods: shorter, lighter or heavier periods, flooding, and phantom periods. Note: A phantom period is when you experience all the symptoms you’re accustomed to having before you menstruate — but… no period comes. This is a common experience during perimenopause before a woman’s period actually stops.

7. Loss of libido (sex drive). Note: Not every woman loses her libido entirely during perimenopause, although some may temporarily. Many women simply have a decreased interest in sex – often it’s simply because they generally don’t feel well and sex is the last thing on their mind! Also, bear in mind that there are many medications that can affect one’s libido, including the anti-depressants some women take to cope with the depression and anxiety associated with menopause to anti-hypertensives.

8. Dry vagina (results in painful intercourse) Note: Click here for an excellent article about vaginal dryness, sexuality and midlife relationships. Recommended: Sexual Issues/Libido Forum

9. Crashing fatigue. Note: I’ve never been able to determine if the “fatigue” associated with perimenopause is a symptom in and of itself, or if it’s a side effect of the cumulative symptoms and general exhaustion (from them) many women experience. Take all the symptoms and “dump” them on one person — is it any wonder perimenopausal women are so fatigued? If you can, try to find time to grab a nap.

One of the things that helped my fatigue, and it’s all chronicled in my personal odyssey to find remedies, is the use of considerable amounts of soy isoflavones and protein, which I found in R Soy. I can’t say that it specifically targetted and relieved the crashing fatigue, but it helped so many other symptoms and gave me a burst of energy, that I feel comfortable in attributing the fatigue relief to R. There are various vitamins, such as those in the “B” family, that can help with fatigue as well. Also, increased amounts of vitamin C. The Recommendations page lists numerous vita-nutrients that can be useful in treating fatigue and other symptoms associated with perimenopause.

10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease. Note: One of the biggest complaints during menopause. Read the Anxiety/Stress Forum

11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, and doom (includes thoughts of death, picturing one’s own death). Note: It’s possible that this can be a manifestation of depression associated with menopause, or possibly feelings that come from going through daily discomfort through a difficult menopause transition that can last anywhere from 3-12 years.

A woman living under these circumstances can feel totally overwhelmed and frightened by the physical, psychological and spiritual changes. When there seems to be no reprieve from the suffering, for some it can leave them feeling drained wondering when and IF they’ll ever feel well again. It isn’t unusual for women at this time of life to have thoughts about dying. One phase of their life is coming to a close (not soon enough for many). There may be apprehension and fear about moving on to the next phase of life and wondering whether things will get better or worse. Helpful: The Panic Attacks / Disorder / Fear / Apprehension Forum

12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, & mental confusion. Note: Forgetfulness during perimenopause is often referred to lightly and humorously as “brain fog” but it’s not always funny. Note: An excellent article, Menopause And The Mind. Also, visit the Memory Loss, Foggy Thinking, Forgetfulness, Verbal Slips Forum

13. Disturbing memory lapses. Note: See #12

14. Incontinence — especially upon sneezing, laughing: urge incontinence (reflects a general loss of smooth muscle tone).

15. Itchy, crawly skin (feeling of ants crawling under the skin, not just dry, itchy skin Note: the feeling of ants crawling on your skin is called “formication”) Visit the Your Skin: Dryness, Itching, Vaginal Dryness, Disorders, Discomfort Forum

16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons. (may include such problems as carpal tunnel syndrome). Note: Osteoarthritis can develop during perimenopause – and those with existing arthritic and/or rheumatic pain may find it’s exacerbated during the menopausal transition. See the Joints Aches and Pains/Arthritis Forum

17. Increased tension in muscles.

18. Breast tenderness. Note: Breast swelling, soreness, pain.

19. Headache change: increase or decrease. Note Many women develop migraine headaches during perimenopause. However, if one doesn’t have a history of migraine headeaches, they’re generally a short-lived experience of perimenopause. Also see the Headaches, Migraine Forum

20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea. Note: For nausea, try some ginger or, as I use, boiling hot water with a few teaspoons of lemon or lemon juice concentrate in it. Many women also develop acid reflux (Gerd). For some, it can be an uncomfortable feeling of severe burning sensations in the throat. If it persists, see your health care practitioner.

21. Sudden bouts of bloat. Note: Bloating, water retention are common complaints during perimenopause. Also, Acid reflux and heartburn are very common during perimenopause. Treat them as you would if you weren’t going through menopause.

22. Depression (has a quality from other depression, the inability to cope is overwhelming, there is a feeling of a loss of self. Natural hormone therapy, ameliorates the depression dramatically). Note: There are various natural methods of treating depression. Read Power Surge’s Menopause Survival Tips.

Also, many women using progestins or progesterone supplementation experience “depression” as a side effect. Power Surge recommends only naturally compounded, bio-identical hormones. Naturally compounded estrogen and progesterone supplementation doses can be individually adjusted to suit each woman’s needs. So, if a woman is experiencing depression from progesterone, the level of progesterone supplementation can be reduced until the compounding pharmacist comes up with the right blend. The combination of estrogen and progesterone is important in achieving the desired results. Other remedies, such as St. John’s Wort can be very effective in alleviating the depression associated with menopause.

My personal experience was that my perimenopause-related depression was eliminated when I started using R Soy Protein. R is excellent for mood swings, but I was astonished by the impact it had on the hormone-related “lows” I experienced before using it. Also recommended, The Depression Forum

23. Exacerbation of any existing conditions. Note: Often, conditions women had prior to entering perimenopause become
exaggerated (worse) during the menopause transition.

24. Increase in allergies. Note: Many women who suffer from allergies develop worse allergies during the menopausal years. Many women who’ve never had allergy or respiratory problems may develop them for the first time. Many people don’t realize that histamine levels are affected by hormone levels. Women can develop wheezing, coughing and a host of respiratory problems. This generally disappears as the hormones level out once a woman becomes menopausal.

25. Weight gain. (is often around the waist and thighs, resulting in “the disappearing waistline” and changes in body shape.) A good read, Weight Gain and Fitness Issues

26. Hair loss or thinning, head or whole body, increase in facial hair. Note: There is often a loss of pubic hair during menopause. Many women are more comfortable simply shaving their pubic area instead of having patches of hair.

27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance. Note: Although common complaints during menopause, I always recommend anyone suffering from dizziness, dysequilibrium have her blood pressure checked just to be on the safe side. However, women can experience these symptoms during perimenopause without having hypertension.

28. Changes in body odor. Note: I wouldn’t be too concerned about this one. It can happen, but in 13 years of running Power Surge, I’ve heard of relatively few cases of developing body odor during menopause.

29. Electric shock sensation under the skin & in the head (“take the feeling of a rubber band snapping against the skin, multiply it (exponentially, sometimes) radiate it & put it in the layer of tissues between skin & muscle & sometimes a precursor to a hot flash.”) Note: Those buzzing sensations, as though you’ve put your finger into a live electrical socket, can be frightening. They’re all part of the hormones, nerve endings and electrical waves running through our bodies when our hormones are constantly fluctuating. Many women experience this during perimenopause, but it eventually passes.

30. Tingling in the extremities (can also be a symptom of B-12 deficiency, diabetes, or from an alteration in the flexibility of blood vessels n the extremities.)

31. Gum problems, increased bleeding.

32. Burning tongue

33. Osteoporosis (after several years)

34. Brittle fingernails, which peel & break easily.

Some additional signs from Dearest:

  • Internal shaking / tremor-like feelings. Read the Internal Shaking Forum
  • Acne and other skin eruptions
  • Itching wildly and erratic rashes
  • Shoulder pain / joints / arthritis development or flare up in
    preexisting conditions
  • “Heart pain” – a feeling of pain in the area of the
    heart (if persistent, get checked by your health care practitioner)
  • Acid reflux / heartburn / difficulty digesting certain foods

Some of the 34 signs may also be symptoms of one of the following:

  • Hypothyroidism
  • Diabetes
  • Depression with another etiology
  • Other medical conditions (see The Educate Your Body Library)

If you have reason to believe you may have one of these conditions, see your healthcare practitioner for treatment.

Dearest

Note: Remember that although these may be common complaints during menopause, they might also indicate some other health problem. Be sure to consult with your personal health care practitioner before attributing these symptoms to menopause.

Posted October 4, 2013 by MaryO in Educate Yourself

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