Perimenopause

Lancerlady · Sat Jul 21, 2007 3:02 pm

Is anybody else on here going through perimenopause?

I had a baby last summer at 41 and was going through it then, I had to have progesterone shots. My body was all out of whack. My thyroids were off etc. I gained alot of weight trying to get them under control with synthroid, then found out I didn't need to be on it.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else is going through that? How are you doing on this diet?

I think from all my research this is the diet for that. :lol:

KyraFox · Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:14 pm

I'm not sure you are really perimenopausal or if you just had some issues afterward?

I am definitely in that lovely phase at the age of 43 but take nothing and just weather any symptoms I have. I have been on phase 1 for 6 days and feel great.

dcblonde58 · Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:44 am

Not only am I perimenopausal (I'm almost 49), but I'm also hypothyroid. Been on Synthroid for about six years. It's a struggle, there's no doubt, and I'm tired as hell. I regained weight I had lost about four years ago, so with that and combination of complete exhaustion most of the time, I decided to kick myself back into gear with this diet and exercise.

I'm at the end of my first week, and feel like I'm doing pretty good. So far, I feel good and haven't had too many cravings!

KyraFox · Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:43 am

Sounds exhausting to me too! This whole “peri” menopausal thing drives me nuts. I haven’t had a period since January, before that it was have one for a month, not for 2 or 3, but apparently when they do hormone levels they come back normal so I’m “peri”… I get hot flashes every day, sometimes all day, sometimes not at all. I don’t know if it’s just my imagination but I feel like the last 6 days I’m doing better with that. Not as many.

I just want to be healthy. At this stage of the game I figure either that or I’m looking at some very ugly health issues I do *not* want to deal with. …Soooo, downward we go, or else! :)

Shopper99 · Sat Sep 15, 2007 8:55 pm

I am 45 and had cancer last year which threw me into menopause. While on chemo, I actually gained weight. Before I found out I was in menopause I started having hot flashes, but I attributed those to the chemo/prednizone/multiple drugs I was on.

My gyno recommended SB and I bought the book that very day.

I have to say that since starting SB (mid-May) I have lost 25lbs (my goal) and my hot flashes have virtually disappeared. I am not taking any hormones. I started back exercising along with the diet and I know that has helped also. I also have much more energy and feel great.

I preach the SB diet to anyone who will listen. It rocks.

DebbyC · Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:21 pm

shopper - I have to wonder if SB is helping with my hot flashes - surgical menopause and unable to take HRT...I did notice when I had a glass of wine last night [my first since starting] that I had a flash....so now I have to wonder how much the sugars and starches contributed = and all the preservatives - I've cut out so many prepared things and pretty much stick to fresh, frozen, canned [in that order] veggies, lean meats - as the program works best for me that way. That's one reason I've been hesitant to add back too many grain/starches...

Congrats on the weightloss!! My doctor recommended I set a goal of 20# by the end of this year and I'm half way there. If I lose more that will be fine, if it slows down, but stays steady I'll be happy...heck, ecstatic!!!

hot40something · Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:30 pm

Wow, this board is so interesting to read. I am 43 and am perimenopausal. I am still having my periods, but my estogren and testosterone are very low. Had them tested. Suffered with depression for the first time in my life for about 2 years and didn't know why. Started taking a supplement called Estrosense that converts estrogen to progesterone and guess what--depression gone.

I still have many other symptoms--lack of memory, very heavy and clotty periods, more cramps than ever before, NO ENERGY, low sex drive. Been seeing someone about it and taking DHEA to try to get my body to make its hormones. Not sure if it is working.

My mom had breast cancer at 46, and I developed a rare autoimmune thing 3 months after my baby was born at age 37, so I am not going to risk anything by taking hormones.

Also, my blood pressure is high: 140/90. I don't take anything for it because I wanted to find out if loosing weight would cause it to decrease before going on meds.

I have a size 38" waist, even though I weigh 147lbs. You can imagine what kind of an apple I look like. I don't carry excess weight in my hips.

Been on SB since Aug 27. I am walking and doing pretty well with the WOE, but I do travel for my job and that can make things challenging sometimes. I am down 3 1/2 lbs. Not a drastic amount, but I don't gain weight fast either.

Hopefully eating so healthy will reduce my BP, shrink my waist circumference, and increase my energy. I have made this change for my health even more than my weight.

Thanks for the posts-it is very insightful to read.

packerprincess · Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:37 pm

hot40something - wow, your first two paragraphs sound like me. I've been suffering with this for years (I'm 50) and the doctors are resistant to check hormone levels or give me any hormones. My current doctor did give me some anti-depressants, which help with the wild moods. You're lucky to have found someone to help you.

I tried to see a specialist, but long story short, it didn't happen and I had a melt down in the waiting room. :oops:

hot40something · Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:52 pm

Princess,
I found this guy on the internet, so I had no referrals which was a little scary. But, I was loosing it and I wanted to find out what was REALLY going on, not just guesses. (I work in the diagnostic industry, so I am accustomed to getting answers).

I have found that if you want to try HRT, the doctors usually just start with an initial dose, see how you feel, and adjust it from there. Since I have a hormonally related autoimmune disease and my mom had breast cancer at a young age, I am not a candidate for HRT.

Keep posting here. I hope this diet--i.e. eating healthier, will help. But I also want to know about others experiences.

VallieGal · Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:43 am

Interesting thread!

I just went to my (new) doctor - and after discussing my mood swings and the fact that I am hypothyroid (due to having had Grave's disease and irradicated my thyroid to treat it) - she wanted to look at all of my hormones.

When I went in to review the labs, I'm being told that I have low Testosterone, low DHEA, low Progesterone and low "Insulin-like-growth-hormone". Even though my periods are regular, and I didn't go in with complaints about 'hot flashes' or anything like this - they are telling me that I'm perimenopausal. Hmm. I'm only 38 - ack!

So, they are recommending HRT - some creams to replace the progesterone, dhea, testosterone, etc. And while getting growth hormone is difficult/controversial, they are suggesting several suppliments to help me remake my own. Hmm.

I haven't started yet - because the pharmacist says I need to begin this at the beginning of a cycle (in about two weeks) and he wants to make up these creams fresh for when I need them.

My fiance is 'all for it' - esp when he heard the explanation of it fixing any mood swings, and making me 'more fertile' - as he would like to add to our family. I'm nervous and skeptical.

Anyone know of any info/research I should consider before starting this? I plan to do a search online myself - but since this thread is here, I was hoping someone else might have more information.

veggies yuk · Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:49 am

hi valliegal...i started peri at 36 and am now 40...the creams work much better than the pills...my sister also has surgical induced menopause and she uses the cream...i am on the pills...she is much more normal than i am...we are in the south ohio area...if you want i can get you the name of her pharmacy and see if they can help you out...

packerprincess · Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:38 pm

Valliegal - my sister takes a low dose of hormones and uses the cream. She says it helps a lot; the cream especially helps with the libido! She also takes two anti-depressants for the moods, but that's also a family trait.


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