Menopause after SAH. . . . HELP !!!!

[Jan]

Have any of you lovely BTG ladies had the misfortune to go through the menopause after your SAH?If so, do you have any advice or tips on how to make it easier?!,

I had a 'lightbulb' moment last Sunday, having spent the afternoon sobbing and wailing 'I can't cope with this anymore'. It dawned on me that I could be feeling so miserable because of my hormones and not my head.

 

Am I the only one who immediately blames the aftermath of Sah for every ache, pain, feeling, mixed up emotions? Anyway, long story short,I went to my gp on Tuesday to ask for help getting through this. She went through a list of menopausal symptoms, i.e. Hot flushes, night sweats, heavy bleeding abdominal.cramps,tiredness, lack of interest in anything, tearful..I sat there nodding saying Yes to all of them.

 

First thing she did was prescribe citalopram ( anti depressants) I was unsure about having these but I will try absolutely anything to not feel how I felt last weekend. I went for blood tests last Thursday to check oestrogen levels etc, going for another one tomorrow to check vitamin B12 levels, I'm not sure why, can anyone enlighten me on that? Ultrasound scan on Thursday then on 24th I see a gynae consultant. Oh joy ! 

 

Im so sorry to have rambled on so much

Any advice would be wonderful 

Thank you for reading

Jan xx

[Winb143]

Sorry Jan,

 

I went through mine around 42 and the hot flushes used to keep me awake.  Many is the night I've come downstairs and gone to back garden and let the breeze blow through me. lol 

 

I used to take upstairs a glass Tankard with water and ice cubes, some to drink some to cool me down. (Flannel also lol)

 

Many the night my Hubby covered me up when I was sweltering, He got called a few choice words.

 

Well at least you know it will finish xx 

 

I went to my Doc and asked him "is it natural when in change if you said boo to me I'd cry"  He never looked at me but wrote down a prescription for anti depressant's.

Back I go next day with pills and say to Doc "Why have you given me these ?  I wanted you to know how I feel sometimes not give me more drugs"  He apologised and said

"Okay   I am listening"  and he said it was natural and I was okay then lol xxx

 

Good luck Jan xxxx Windows open wide and fan at bedside and put a coat on Partner ha ha  xxxxxx

 

Remember this will pass xxxx 

[Skippy]

Hi Sis

 

I'm going through them but because I have the merina coil in, I haven't actually had a period for 13 years (more coils in my body than blooming Zebidee)!!  I sleep in light weight pjs/nightdress and have a thin duvet on with a natural cotton cover and sheet.  There are natural remedies you can use but we can't recommend as you know.  There's also a "cool pillow" which keeps the head cool when you're sleeping which may help - I've seen them but never tried one. I also have the window open slightly with an insect cover over it so no creepy crawlies can get in lol.

 

 

[Saraheliza]

Hello any ladies who are suffering from menopausal symptoms. I had my subarachnoid haemorrhage August 2015 and I was doing well but now I feel I'm going backwards. I can cope with most things but it seems to be making my headaches come back and I then feel panicky and can't calm down, I have more ups and downs than a fiddler's elbow, I have a really good day then a terrible day. I'm also anxious about planning any social events as I sometimes let people down. I have awful tension in my neck too. I've been on HRT and it didn't work, also tried beta blockers they make me sick and dizzy. Does anyone have any tips on coping with panic when the pain starts? ( I don't want anymore drugs!)

[Sharlua]

Hi Jan I went straight into menopause at 44 after hysterectomy as they thought I had cancer.  I was shocked by the symptoms that followed and the depression was awful, hormones definitely do impact on your emotions and mood, I was bad tempered, tearful and hysterical all within an hour some days - husband was very patient?.  I was given HRT it worked initially but only stayed on for a year.  I hope your appointments help you get the right support, it is very easy to blame our heads for everything but I guess we are not immune to other ailments.

 

Good luck x

[Jan]

Thank you so much for your replies, Who'd be female?!,

 

I went for my ultrasound scan yesterday, whilst lying there I was so tempted to ask ' is it a boy or girl?' Ha ha!!   I decided it would be better to behave like an adult so I kept my mouth firmly closed ( well there's a first time for everything !!)

 

Saraheliza, I don't have any tips re the panic, other than take deep breaths and try to distract yourself, I wish I listened to my own advice. I too seem to have a good day then a bad one, it's like it's par for the course for now ?

jan xx

[Lyn]

Hey ladies? Blimey, I can't wait! I'm 48 & had nasah last year. No signs of menopause yet, but can't be too far away I guess. Hubby says I'm a nightmare with the pmt, think he might move out when menopause happens!! What we have to go through eh? Tough birds though aren't we?! Take care lovelies ?

[victoria conway]

Waaaah, Lyn - don't wish it on yourself!  Like SAH, everyone's experience is different with the menopause.  Thankfully, I was through mine pre-SAH, but it was pretty rough for me both pre-menopause (miserable, uncontrollable flooding periods - including one on a cross-channel ferry when I had to beg them to let me go down to the car deck for fresh clothes, mid-Channel - that was truly embarrassing!) and through the process of it.  I found it left me feeling so worthless - as if I'd lost my purpose of womanhood - along with all the symptoms.  

 

Despite urging from my husband, I resisted HRT - mostly because I naturally try to resist prescription drugs of any sort - but also because there were numerous scare stories around the use of HRT at the time.  I sought out some herbal remedies  - which were mostly pretty disgusting and didn't seem to help anyway - so in the end, I gritted my teeth and bore it.  Eventually, it passes.

 

Saraheliza -  re panic attacks.  How I sympathise.  I still get them.  My balance is shot post SAH and I know I have to move slowly and carefully, especially when turning.  

 

My hydrotherpist has been a big help in teaching me to focus on things as I go and I try hard never to leave myself in a rush to do anything.  But every now and again, the old brain kicks in and I say to myself "I'll just nip there and do/get that" - two steps later and I'm frozen in complete panic, not even breathing.  The only thing to do, I find, is to stop and talk to myself (I don't care what people think of me) and say slow, Victoria, breathe, breathe.  There's a good French word I use which is "doucement" which means "gently".  Be gentle with yourself!