Man, oh man . . . opause?
June 2, 2019 6:18 AM Subscribe
Looking for advice on the hard reset button for health, which may or may not be related to menopause. I’ve been plagued by low-level health annoyances for the past several months and am trying to dig my way out of them. Apologies up front for the length, and then of course details after the jump . . .
I’ve been blessed with pretty good health and no major problems in my 53 years. But the past few months have been tough on my body for reasons I don’t understand. Trying to research all these vague and related (or unrelated) issues is leading me into an internet morass of conflicting claims about how to restore overall physical balance. I’m wondering if Mefites have any advice on or experience with trying to right an off-kilter body. Specifically . . .
Psoriasis and lichen sclerosus. Had it through my 40s, classified as “moderate +” by a dermatologist. After years of dermatologists, integrative medicine, “healers,” elimination diets, etc., my last resort according to doctors was an immunosuppresant, and I decided not to go that route. My skin finally completely cleared two years ago after I saw a Chinese herbalist. He put me on a daily tea (related to liver detox) and after three months, the psoriasis was gone. But at the beginning of this year it came roaring back, both in its original sites on my body and then some more as a bonus. I went back to the Chinese herbalist a few weeks ago but the tea seemed to exacerbate other problems (see below), so I stopped drinking it after a brutal week of headaches and even more hot flashes.
Low-level headaches. I live in the upper Midwest and have been used to the occasional sinus headache due to weather patterns or pollen or whatever. I used to get them maybe once a month, would take Sudafed Pressure + Pain for a day or two, and then they’d clear up. But I now find myself with a low-level headache pretty much all the time, which blossoms into a more serious headache maybe once a week. I don’t think they’re migraines (which I’ve had in the past)—no visual aura, no nausea—but they knock me out for a day or two and require cold compresses on my face and more rounds of Sudafed, which then makes me feel loopy and weird. Reading a news story about a woman who got a rare bacteria from her Neti-pot that killed her put me off the sinus rinse, so I haven’t done that yet this season.
Hot flashes and night sweats. I went through a round of these last year for a month or two, and then they stopped and I felt great. I foolishly thought, “Menopause wasn’t so bad!” (My last period was in October of last year, and the one before that was in January of last year.) But in the past few months they, like the psoriasis, have come roaring back. They wax and wane but at their peak I get maybe two an hour, both day and night. At night they’re so bad they wake me up and I can’t get back to sleep for hours. I’m now suffering serious sleep deprivation and am sleeping perhaps half the amount of time I need (I’m normally an eight-hour sleeper). Maybe one night of every five I manage a broken seven hours or so after spending about ten in bed. I generally don’t like to take any medication at all, so I haven’t tried any sleep aids. I would love to resolve this problem without using even homeopathic remedies.
Anxiety. Also ramping up. I feel jittery and fearful a great deal, especially in those wee hours of the night. I’m a consultant and travel a fair amount, and what should be fun and interesting trips to new places with new people are now filled with anxiety and dread. I lie awake in a pool of sweat for most of the night in a strange bed in a strange city, thinking dark thoughts. Because I sleep even worse when I’m away, I basically feel like a zombie on these two-to-three day trips. I don’t think I’m inspiring much confidence among my clients. I’m a bit withdrawn, slow, and foggy. And anxious, of course. I basically feel brittle and defensive and would like to feel open, confident, creative, and accommodating (which is how I used to feel in my better moments).
Brain fog. I feel I've lost about 50 IQ points in the past few months. I lose trains of thought, words, things. I'm a linear thinker but now working in very broken lines. I lose track of characters as I read books, wondering "who was that guy?" I can't seem to think as logically as I used to--even minor things like "what do I need out of the refrigerator?" and then reaching into the refrigerator and coming out with less than half of what I need to make dinner. I can no longer shop without a list, but often I write a list and then forget it at home when I go to the store. I left the bathroom faucet on overnight after brushing my teeth last week (never did that before). I am easily distracted and can drive places without noticing familiar landmarks, thinking "Did I already pass X hospital or my favorite billboard?" I invert words in e-mails even though I am now in the habit of reading and re-reading anything I send out. This is not me. I'm usually a steel-trap thinker. Oh, and this started before the sleep deprivation.
Now for the good news. I don’t drink caffeine or alcohol. I have a daily meditation and yoga practice, though it is not as vigorous as it was even two months ago. I eat pretty well, I think: intermittent fasting (not too extreme, I eat in about a 6 or 7 hour window every day), good food (not a lot of dairy, sugar, or carbs; organic vegetables; local farm eggs and meat). I work outside a lot during the summer—mowing, weeding, lifting, pruning, planting, weeding—so I feel I’m getting enough exercise. My weight is right where I want it in terms of number but not location (everything seems to be sliding into my thighs, which have taken on a cottage-cheesey texture, even on the front of my thighs, that I’m not a fan of). My one remaining vice is 4 or 5 cigarettes a day.
I’ve spent way too much time on the internet trying to figure this all out. Stricter or no fasting regimens, celery juice, heavy metal detox cleanses, herbals and supplements, more elimination diets, leaky gut syndrome, yeasty digestive system, autoimmune paleo protocols . . . it’s more than I can sort out or even reasonably try.
Thanks for hanging in for my actual questions: for ladyfolk, does this sound like basic menopause/hormonal annoyances? If so, will any of this--like my brain or a reasonable body temperature--"come back" when this life stage is over? How have you managed these symptoms? For anyone, have you managed to reset yourself and solve such low-level health issues, and if so, how? Was there a protocol you followed that was reasonable and successful? I’m desperate to get out of the mindset of just “pushing through” every day and back to trying to enjoy all the excellent things in my life, like my profession, creative pursuits, husband, and thought processes. Oh, and I will be seeing my gynecologist in the coming month, but this is a weird constellation and she doesn’t tend to think in terms of systems, just isolated symptoms (which I why I went the integrative route a few years ago for the psoriasis).
I appreciate any advice and/or experience you care to relate!
I’ve been blessed with pretty good health and no major problems in my 53 years. But the past few months have been tough on my body for reasons I don’t understand. Trying to research all these vague and related (or unrelated) issues is leading me into an internet morass of conflicting claims about how to restore overall physical balance. I’m wondering if Mefites have any advice on or experience with trying to right an off-kilter body. Specifically . . .
Psoriasis and lichen sclerosus. Had it through my 40s, classified as “moderate +” by a dermatologist. After years of dermatologists, integrative medicine, “healers,” elimination diets, etc., my last resort according to doctors was an immunosuppresant, and I decided not to go that route. My skin finally completely cleared two years ago after I saw a Chinese herbalist. He put me on a daily tea (related to liver detox) and after three months, the psoriasis was gone. But at the beginning of this year it came roaring back, both in its original sites on my body and then some more as a bonus. I went back to the Chinese herbalist a few weeks ago but the tea seemed to exacerbate other problems (see below), so I stopped drinking it after a brutal week of headaches and even more hot flashes.
Low-level headaches. I live in the upper Midwest and have been used to the occasional sinus headache due to weather patterns or pollen or whatever. I used to get them maybe once a month, would take Sudafed Pressure + Pain for a day or two, and then they’d clear up. But I now find myself with a low-level headache pretty much all the time, which blossoms into a more serious headache maybe once a week. I don’t think they’re migraines (which I’ve had in the past)—no visual aura, no nausea—but they knock me out for a day or two and require cold compresses on my face and more rounds of Sudafed, which then makes me feel loopy and weird. Reading a news story about a woman who got a rare bacteria from her Neti-pot that killed her put me off the sinus rinse, so I haven’t done that yet this season.
Hot flashes and night sweats. I went through a round of these last year for a month or two, and then they stopped and I felt great. I foolishly thought, “Menopause wasn’t so bad!” (My last period was in October of last year, and the one before that was in January of last year.) But in the past few months they, like the psoriasis, have come roaring back. They wax and wane but at their peak I get maybe two an hour, both day and night. At night they’re so bad they wake me up and I can’t get back to sleep for hours. I’m now suffering serious sleep deprivation and am sleeping perhaps half the amount of time I need (I’m normally an eight-hour sleeper). Maybe one night of every five I manage a broken seven hours or so after spending about ten in bed. I generally don’t like to take any medication at all, so I haven’t tried any sleep aids. I would love to resolve this problem without using even homeopathic remedies.
Anxiety. Also ramping up. I feel jittery and fearful a great deal, especially in those wee hours of the night. I’m a consultant and travel a fair amount, and what should be fun and interesting trips to new places with new people are now filled with anxiety and dread. I lie awake in a pool of sweat for most of the night in a strange bed in a strange city, thinking dark thoughts. Because I sleep even worse when I’m away, I basically feel like a zombie on these two-to-three day trips. I don’t think I’m inspiring much confidence among my clients. I’m a bit withdrawn, slow, and foggy. And anxious, of course. I basically feel brittle and defensive and would like to feel open, confident, creative, and accommodating (which is how I used to feel in my better moments).
Brain fog. I feel I've lost about 50 IQ points in the past few months. I lose trains of thought, words, things. I'm a linear thinker but now working in very broken lines. I lose track of characters as I read books, wondering "who was that guy?" I can't seem to think as logically as I used to--even minor things like "what do I need out of the refrigerator?" and then reaching into the refrigerator and coming out with less than half of what I need to make dinner. I can no longer shop without a list, but often I write a list and then forget it at home when I go to the store. I left the bathroom faucet on overnight after brushing my teeth last week (never did that before). I am easily distracted and can drive places without noticing familiar landmarks, thinking "Did I already pass X hospital or my favorite billboard?" I invert words in e-mails even though I am now in the habit of reading and re-reading anything I send out. This is not me. I'm usually a steel-trap thinker. Oh, and this started before the sleep deprivation.
Now for the good news. I don’t drink caffeine or alcohol. I have a daily meditation and yoga practice, though it is not as vigorous as it was even two months ago. I eat pretty well, I think: intermittent fasting (not too extreme, I eat in about a 6 or 7 hour window every day), good food (not a lot of dairy, sugar, or carbs; organic vegetables; local farm eggs and meat). I work outside a lot during the summer—mowing, weeding, lifting, pruning, planting, weeding—so I feel I’m getting enough exercise. My weight is right where I want it in terms of number but not location (everything seems to be sliding into my thighs, which have taken on a cottage-cheesey texture, even on the front of my thighs, that I’m not a fan of). My one remaining vice is 4 or 5 cigarettes a day.
I’ve spent way too much time on the internet trying to figure this all out. Stricter or no fasting regimens, celery juice, heavy metal detox cleanses, herbals and supplements, more elimination diets, leaky gut syndrome, yeasty digestive system, autoimmune paleo protocols . . . it’s more than I can sort out or even reasonably try.
Thanks for hanging in for my actual questions: for ladyfolk, does this sound like basic menopause/hormonal annoyances? If so, will any of this--like my brain or a reasonable body temperature--"come back" when this life stage is over? How have you managed these symptoms? For anyone, have you managed to reset yourself and solve such low-level health issues, and if so, how? Was there a protocol you followed that was reasonable and successful? I’m desperate to get out of the mindset of just “pushing through” every day and back to trying to enjoy all the excellent things in my life, like my profession, creative pursuits, husband, and thought processes. Oh, and I will be seeing my gynecologist in the coming month, but this is a weird constellation and she doesn’t tend to think in terms of systems, just isolated symptoms (which I why I went the integrative route a few years ago for the psoriasis).
I appreciate any advice and/or experience you care to relate!
I went through it from about 2012 onward, tho' I had perimenopause symptoms before that.
I had a set of fans, the rotating tower ones, in every room (still do). I keep one on low and rotating, in one corner of the bedroom (by the foot of the bed), and can layer sheet, comforter or quilt, and a third blanket if necessary. Then I can toss off a blanket as necessary, and maybe only use the sheet. I also have a little handheld battery-operated fan, in case I get trapped in a stuffy room (like the little exam rooms, they are often hot and stuffy when the doors are shut, ugh).
I have had the mental stuff, forgetting words, being distracted by something and forgetting what I was doing (i.e., fridge stuff), and brain fog. I did go and ask about hormone testing, one gyno said she could give me Zoloft, but saw no reason for hormone testing. I finally just gave up talking to doctors, they were all so young and some wanted to sell me uber expensive vitamins, and some just flat out nodded their heads and ignored my concerns (all female).
Things have gotten better the past few years. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid last year, and am on meds for that, dosage being gradually increased over time, via blood tests 8 weeks after upping the dose. I do feel much better now, physically and mentally, since starting the thyroid med about a year ago. So that's something to consider asking a doctor to test, it's somewhat common in women, the older we get. I think I was having symptoms a while before I got diagnosed, but my avoidance of doctors may have played into that. I now have a female NP, and she's experienced with these things, as well as being close to my age.
I also tend toward slowing down in winter, and take 5,000 IU of Vitamin D per day (doctor knows and approves, as I have tested low twice), a B-vitamin complex, and my meds, of course.
I had insomnia and continue to have it, don't have bad hot flashes anymore, I just wake up early, and can't go back to sleep. My NP used to work at a sleep clinic and said to let her know if it keeps up, which I will do at my next appointment. I don't work full time, tho', so I can rest in the afternoon.
I also have diabetes, so I am on a special diet of small amounts of carbs throughout the day, combined with protein and veg. I really notice when I skip a meal or am late eating, due to running errands, etc. (also on meds for this). I feel less tired after starting Metformin, and having the dosage adjusted over time, due to blood test results. The diet is specific to my situation, I went to a dietician and took a class on diabetes management, so I follow it pretty much as they laid it out, and test my blood sugar most mornings (per instructions, I can test it more often if I want, but the strips are expensive, so they said just do it in the mornings).
I am also on a small dose of a BP medication, going back to have it monitored in a couple of weeks. It is borderline high, but when I was going thru the change, it was higher and I went thru several meds, each one had a side effect I couldn't tolerate, this one seems okay (calcium channel blocker).
I also had mood swings, weird aches and pains, and periods that went away for a while, then came back, then went away again. Before that, they were really heavy for a while (perimenopause stuff). Always insomnia when I had PMS, and the pains would come then, I guess due to inflammation, then disappear after I got my period (costochondritis, ugh, sitting up in a chair with that, haven't had it in a long time).
I agree with belladonna, a full workup and get that stuff tested, rule out other things first.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 6:48 AM on June 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
I had a set of fans, the rotating tower ones, in every room (still do). I keep one on low and rotating, in one corner of the bedroom (by the foot of the bed), and can layer sheet, comforter or quilt, and a third blanket if necessary. Then I can toss off a blanket as necessary, and maybe only use the sheet. I also have a little handheld battery-operated fan, in case I get trapped in a stuffy room (like the little exam rooms, they are often hot and stuffy when the doors are shut, ugh).
I have had the mental stuff, forgetting words, being distracted by something and forgetting what I was doing (i.e., fridge stuff), and brain fog. I did go and ask about hormone testing, one gyno said she could give me Zoloft, but saw no reason for hormone testing. I finally just gave up talking to doctors, they were all so young and some wanted to sell me uber expensive vitamins, and some just flat out nodded their heads and ignored my concerns (all female).
Things have gotten better the past few years. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid last year, and am on meds for that, dosage being gradually increased over time, via blood tests 8 weeks after upping the dose. I do feel much better now, physically and mentally, since starting the thyroid med about a year ago. So that's something to consider asking a doctor to test, it's somewhat common in women, the older we get. I think I was having symptoms a while before I got diagnosed, but my avoidance of doctors may have played into that. I now have a female NP, and she's experienced with these things, as well as being close to my age.
I also tend toward slowing down in winter, and take 5,000 IU of Vitamin D per day (doctor knows and approves, as I have tested low twice), a B-vitamin complex, and my meds, of course.
I had insomnia and continue to have it, don't have bad hot flashes anymore, I just wake up early, and can't go back to sleep. My NP used to work at a sleep clinic and said to let her know if it keeps up, which I will do at my next appointment. I don't work full time, tho', so I can rest in the afternoon.
I also have diabetes, so I am on a special diet of small amounts of carbs throughout the day, combined with protein and veg. I really notice when I skip a meal or am late eating, due to running errands, etc. (also on meds for this). I feel less tired after starting Metformin, and having the dosage adjusted over time, due to blood test results. The diet is specific to my situation, I went to a dietician and took a class on diabetes management, so I follow it pretty much as they laid it out, and test my blood sugar most mornings (per instructions, I can test it more often if I want, but the strips are expensive, so they said just do it in the mornings).
I am also on a small dose of a BP medication, going back to have it monitored in a couple of weeks. It is borderline high, but when I was going thru the change, it was higher and I went thru several meds, each one had a side effect I couldn't tolerate, this one seems okay (calcium channel blocker).
I also had mood swings, weird aches and pains, and periods that went away for a while, then came back, then went away again. Before that, they were really heavy for a while (perimenopause stuff). Always insomnia when I had PMS, and the pains would come then, I guess due to inflammation, then disappear after I got my period (costochondritis, ugh, sitting up in a chair with that, haven't had it in a long time).
I agree with belladonna, a full workup and get that stuff tested, rule out other things first.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 6:48 AM on June 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
RE the headaches: my low-level headaches will last indefinitely unless I medicate with a migraine formula med (like Excedrin; caffeine+ aspirin+ acetominephin). Ibuprofen or Tylenol on their own do nothing for me. Caffeine makes me super anxious so I often only take one pill (which is a half dose) plus aspirin and Tylenol separately to bring those levels up to a full dose. It's an easy thing worth trying.
posted by metasarah at 6:57 AM on June 2, 2019
posted by metasarah at 6:57 AM on June 2, 2019
Is there a reason you're not on systemic HRT? Other than the psoriasis and lichen sclerosus, these are all very common symptoms of perimenopause, and lichen sclerosus is aggravated by low estrogen too (that's why it's most common in little girls and postmenopausal women).
posted by HotToddy at 7:15 AM on June 2, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by HotToddy at 7:15 AM on June 2, 2019 [6 favorites]
Take a look at this brand new JAMA article on systemic HRT. The consensus on safety is shifting. At a minimum, HRT would give you your sleep back, which will help everything else. But it might directly help your other symptoms too.
posted by HotToddy at 7:20 AM on June 2, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by HotToddy at 7:20 AM on June 2, 2019 [5 favorites]
Reading a news story about a woman who got a rare bacteria from her Neti-pot that killed her put me off the sinus rinse, so I haven’t done that yet this season.
A note on this, these stories occur when people use unfiltered tap water (typically in the South) and get a Naegleria Fowleri infection. It is recommended that you use distilled water for the Neti pot, you can buy a gallon of it at the grocery store for less than a dollar.
posted by arachnidette at 7:42 AM on June 2, 2019 [5 favorites]
A note on this, these stories occur when people use unfiltered tap water (typically in the South) and get a Naegleria Fowleri infection. It is recommended that you use distilled water for the Neti pot, you can buy a gallon of it at the grocery store for less than a dollar.
posted by arachnidette at 7:42 AM on June 2, 2019 [5 favorites]
Would definitely get your thyroid, bp and vitamin D tested since those are all easy things to fix that can make your menopause symptoms worse. I feel your pain - have a lot of the same crappy menopausal stuff going on myself. I find CBD oil helps me go back to sleep more quickly - doesn't seem to stop the waking up but helps with the insomnia after the hot flashes wake me and helps with the aches and pains too. THC/CBD better still but potentially problematic if you're flying on all those business trips. I don't think there's much we can do about migrating middle of bodies. In terms of HRT the wisdom is changing but a lot depends on your family history too. I have several friends who have sworn by a low dose of an antidepressant but I'm leery of those as well and HRT isn't an option for me so.... waiting for it all to ease off.
posted by leslies at 7:52 AM on June 2, 2019
posted by leslies at 7:52 AM on June 2, 2019
Also chiming in to ask why you don't seem to be discussing HRT with your doctor. It's a game changer.
posted by DarlingBri at 8:06 AM on June 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 8:06 AM on June 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
I haven’t been through menopause yet, but I have been through a lot of hormone shenanigans. For what it’s worth, sleep deprivation causes brain fog, anxiety, and headaches in me. If you get the night sweats under control so you can sleep better — maybe with HRT as other posters are saying — then much of the rest of it may resolve automatically. I wouldn’t be surprised if even the psoriasis flare-up is related to suppressed immune system from poor sleep.
posted by Andrhia at 8:26 AM on June 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Andrhia at 8:26 AM on June 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
I have all your symptoms, and I am bit further into menopause (by maybe a year?), so I am here to tell you that you are in the very worst of it, and it will get better. I am going to go through your list of symptoms and talk about what I did for each:
Skin: My skin went really crazy, a resurgence in acne and what I think was fungal acne. The hot flashes and sweating just made everything much, much worse. I can't speak to your specific conditions, but just to say that I had really terrible skin for about a year or so. It seems to be getting better, and I would keep pursuing more treatment options in the meantime. I ended up using a bunch of topicals specific to my conditions to get through the worst of it.
Headaches: Everyone I know who has transitioned into menopause has complained of headaches. I have had migraines my whole life, so I am pretty used to having headaches, but I noticed that I was also getting neck pain during the night and then waking up with a headache. I ended up working on my overall posture and alignment, and it has been pretty helpful (the Gokhale and Alexander method) for all-around well being. But I imagine yours could be caused by lack of sleep and stress. And I have no evidence to support this, but my working theory is that during the big transition into menopause, your body doesn't have the means to cope with pain very well.
Hot flashes and night sweats: I took Evening Primrose pills (from Trader Joe's), and they dramatically cut back my hot flashes and night sweats within a few days of taking them. Other things to use are a fan blowing on you during the night and having breathable blankets you can layer during the night. Circulating air really helps. If you have a foam mattress, I would recommend getting a natural-fabric topper like cotton or wool. That made a huge difference for me. For travel, you can get some pretty nice packable fans.
Anyhow, hope that helps. It will get better.
posted by nanook at 9:06 AM on June 2, 2019 [3 favorites]
Skin: My skin went really crazy, a resurgence in acne and what I think was fungal acne. The hot flashes and sweating just made everything much, much worse. I can't speak to your specific conditions, but just to say that I had really terrible skin for about a year or so. It seems to be getting better, and I would keep pursuing more treatment options in the meantime. I ended up using a bunch of topicals specific to my conditions to get through the worst of it.
Headaches: Everyone I know who has transitioned into menopause has complained of headaches. I have had migraines my whole life, so I am pretty used to having headaches, but I noticed that I was also getting neck pain during the night and then waking up with a headache. I ended up working on my overall posture and alignment, and it has been pretty helpful (the Gokhale and Alexander method) for all-around well being. But I imagine yours could be caused by lack of sleep and stress. And I have no evidence to support this, but my working theory is that during the big transition into menopause, your body doesn't have the means to cope with pain very well.
Hot flashes and night sweats: I took Evening Primrose pills (from Trader Joe's), and they dramatically cut back my hot flashes and night sweats within a few days of taking them. Other things to use are a fan blowing on you during the night and having breathable blankets you can layer during the night. Circulating air really helps. If you have a foam mattress, I would recommend getting a natural-fabric topper like cotton or wool. That made a huge difference for me. For travel, you can get some pretty nice packable fans.
Anyhow, hope that helps. It will get better.
posted by nanook at 9:06 AM on June 2, 2019 [3 favorites]
If you haven't been to an endocrinologist, and specifically a reproductive endocrinologist, a consultation with a specialist trained to work with women experiencing menopause could be a way to address the causes instead of just the symptoms.
posted by Little Dawn at 10:37 AM on June 2, 2019
posted by Little Dawn at 10:37 AM on June 2, 2019
I just read this article and it really stuck with me - at the end there's a link to an ongoing study that is looking for participants. Maybe they can help?
posted by Mchelly at 12:55 PM on June 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by Mchelly at 12:55 PM on June 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
You can’t go on HRT till you quit smoking (extremely high risk of DVT stroke or heart attack) so I’d focus on that before you ask your doctor for it....
posted by genmonster at 4:51 AM on June 3, 2019
posted by genmonster at 4:51 AM on June 3, 2019
That is a great article, Mchelly. Nearer the end of the article, the neuroscientist discusses the foods that can help with menopause.
And it reminded me of something else I inadvertently did. In September of 2017 is when my hot flashes and night sweats began in earnest. Then in January 2018 I started a plant-based diet (totally unrelated to menopause), and my hot flashes and night sweats disappeared around then. I went to see my doctor later that year, and she was shocked that my hot flashes had disappeared so quickly. I never made the connection before reading the article. Wow.
Also, this stunning bit of information from the the neuroscientist: "So, that is the third nutrient that I wanted to say, phytoestrogens. You get phytoestrogens from plants. So the fascinating thing about estrogen is that it is the most ancient of hormones, and so it goes across species. It’s found in plants." Double wow.
So, yeah, a plant-based diet?
posted by nanook at 10:16 AM on June 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
And it reminded me of something else I inadvertently did. In September of 2017 is when my hot flashes and night sweats began in earnest. Then in January 2018 I started a plant-based diet (totally unrelated to menopause), and my hot flashes and night sweats disappeared around then. I went to see my doctor later that year, and she was shocked that my hot flashes had disappeared so quickly. I never made the connection before reading the article. Wow.
Also, this stunning bit of information from the the neuroscientist: "So, that is the third nutrient that I wanted to say, phytoestrogens. You get phytoestrogens from plants. So the fascinating thing about estrogen is that it is the most ancient of hormones, and so it goes across species. It’s found in plants." Double wow.
So, yeah, a plant-based diet?
posted by nanook at 10:16 AM on June 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
How's your blood pressure? Non-stop headaches were the sign that mine was too high. I also was suffering from ever-increasing anxiety, but that has really decreased since we got my blood pressure into the normal range.
Brain fog. I feel I've lost about 50 IQ points in the past few months.
I've definitely heard people complain about brain fog & menopause. But it can also be caused by things like thyroid levels going out-of-whack or low D or B12 levels. It might be good to have your doctor run a full blood workup to see if there's anything going on. I feel much more alert & able to think now that my iron, D, & B12 are in the normal range.
(I am slightly younger than you & had all of my issues start quite suddenly during perimenopause.)
posted by belladonna at 6:38 AM on June 2, 2019 [6 favorites]