Groups > Menopause-The Joys and Surprises

Margevans, what about a punching bag then you could take out your rage as well as get a workout at the same time. Talk about multitasking (ha ha ha!)

Oh,believe me,I'm going to walmart and finding something Monday.The treadmill just isn't doing it.I need to punch the crap out of something and you're right,I can get my workout in.

Maybe then,I'd even get a decent night's sleep

That actually makes sense, because since starting menopause, I never sleep a night through anymore. I wake up and sometimes am up a couple hours before going back to sleep. Makes for a longgggg day at work the next day.

Me too...I only get about 5 hours sleep now and I'm up 20 lbs. in two years. The fat is so soft too...I could use my triceps as pillows. I had to ground myself from the local deli because of the freshly baked bread...pisses me off.

Before I had my hysterectomy my doctor warned me I could suffer with:

thick, coarse facial hair,

deepened voice;

lack of sex drive and vaginal dryness;

increased irritability;

a increase in emotions, especially crying and RAGE;

hot flashes;

headaches;

and sleeplessness.

The ONE thing he didn't mention was weight gain - the one thing I did not need.

I'm dealing with the hot flashes - if such a thing is possible, and the crying...well let's just say I've cried over everything from the episode of "Little House on the Prairie" where they blow up the town, to my son not refilling the paper towel rack - but it's the weight gain that drives me crazy! And even though I had the hystie five years ago, my new doctor just told me Friday that at 48, I still have at least 3 years to go before she considers me menopausal.

Last night I woke up at 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, and 7:00. I finally gave up and got up at 9:00. So much for a lazy Sunday.

I am SO not happy.

I've been doing M for about 6-7 years, and I've been determined to do it without aid of the many supplements I tried the first year, that only seemed to cause new symptoms.

I've tried a lot of sleep adjustments:

1. wear 100% cotton to bed, with a single cotton blanket on the bed, that can easily be removed, plus a small comforter that can be added, when freezing shortly after HF.

2. Instruct "furnace" husband that you love him, but he must stay on his side of the bed...(no cuddling...damn! )

3. Limit water after 8, to avoid getting up to pee.

4. Eat nothing spicy. No "good" dark chocolate. Interestingly, cheap milk chocolate doesn't bother my sleep, which may be the reason for weight gain. I didn't eat that much chocolate before, now it seems like my only "friend". Most recently, I gave up coffee too. At last, I'm sleeping! No weight loss though. Damn again! I read the same article, and sleep seemed like such a perfect fix for weight gain. Of course no 2 people are alike. I hope you get some sleep AND lose weight!

A couple other thoughts about sleep: one thing I learned not to do, is get up, and pop on the computer when I can't sleep. It turned into a habit very quickly. But don't stay in bed and toss and turn either. Get up, turn on a low light, and do something monotinous, like reading a book you don't like very much, or do a sudoku puzzle.

Most importantly though, don't tell yourself how much you hate it all. Find a mantra you can repeat, that makes you feel better. Mine is..."go to sleep good girl"...this will only take a few minutes..everything is ok...go to sleep" I know it seems silly, but amazingly this really did help!

Right now, I'm reminding myself that very successful women like Candice Bergen, and Martha Stewart aren't skinny mini's anymore either. At least we are in good company!

I feel your pain. Started going through the fun stuff about 15 years ago, at age 35. Took FOREVER..but finally finished. Still suffer from the occasional HF, but now it's a joke with the family. Weight gain is about 40 pounds in 3 years though. Talk about NOT happy. And it will not go away, no matter what I do. I seriously don't eat 1200 calories a day. I should be dropping weight like crazy. Not a darned pound.