After three months without a period (following a few cycles that would have sent Noah rounding up sails), hot flashes (cured with 1,000 IU daily of Vitamin E), irritability, weight gain, bloating, forgetfulness, and total loss of libido, I finally got a blood test. My progesterone level is .56....and my fsh serum 39.7, so I guess that means I'm in the throes of the Big M. I'm surprised, because I'm *only* 44 and my mother and older sisters were all in their mid fifties when they went through menopause.

Two questions:

1. For those of you who have tested, what were your progesterone & fsh levels?

2. I'm thinking of trying natural progesterone to improve my love life. My lover has been extremely understanding/patient, but I miss that "let's get naked" urge. A lot. Anyone have a recommendation and dosage suggestions? Last time i tried it I put on 5 pounds and quit.

TIA for your responses.

Ellie
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Cheer up everyone! I've been menopausal for three years. Prob now is that with HRT, can't pull off the weight. Dr. says I could go off HRT, but would have to hide all the small animals in the neighborhood to keep me from killing them (small children are not safe either). Have had it all---loved the t-shirt story, how true.
There are natural things for the symptoms & guess what???? they are mostly soy based. Am going to try to come off HRT now that I'm off the carbs and see what happens. HRT kills the libido, so maybe my new husband will be appreciative when I come off.

But it still seems like your all loseing weight still....Im not not really
yes progesterone cream is good...cant get it in Canada...not the real stuff anyway.

Hi There Girls,
How are you guys doing with weight loss?????
I'm 52 and have been on Atkins for 3 weeks and by the scale I've lost 2#s. My clothes are tight and I would guess I've gained weight since most of the loss is probably water.
I'm so discouraged!! I have been following the diet to a t.

How bout YOU!!!
Pam

Its pretty slow for me

Well, been there and done that. two years on and now menopausal, Im still waiting for all the good stuff to happen Who ever coined the phraze "Golden Years" must have been laughing all the way to the grave...!!! Will let yopu know if things get better in the few years

Looks like you lost some though......Or is it like me...Lose 4...gain 4/no reason why...stick to the diet like mad...excersise etc.

Hi to all, I have been without TOM for 1 1/2 yrs. I'm 50. Nightsweats and frequent awakenings 3-4X/pm are still every pm. Hot flashes usually happen whenever I dont want them to!!
Pain in the neck but I miss my mind the most!!! Any suggestions before I just wander off into the sunset?? sue

Hi Sue,
You're so funny. And isn't that the truth about the hot flases.
Tell me are you on HRT? And how's your weight since you went into menopause?
Just curious..
Pam

Thank you all for sharing the 'lighter' side of the big M. I have a theory that "If you can't laugh at 'it' you're probably not handling 'it'". You all seem to handle 'it' well. Had my first hot flashes at age 33 one year after hysterical-ectomy. I remember having a monsoon flash as I was at the alter getting married. OMG, I'm sure all the guests saw me dripping and must have wondered what happened to my hair. I keep most of the symptoms under control now with progesterone cream that I get at health food store. If, as the dr's say, "It's all in my head" that the cream works, well..... my head says that I'm not flashing anymore and that's good enough for me. I just can't seem to find anything to help with the brain fog. Memory??? What's that? I saw my ex-brother-in-law this past weekend. Pointed him out to my hubby and asked him if he knew who that guy is that just said hi to me? Took about 45 min's before I realized who he was. HOW SAD. On that note.... I've gone to find myself, If I return before I get back, Keep me here. Karen

I know...I wish I had that bright spark of recall like I use to.....What was a real bummer was, when I was taking Psychology last fall....I had to really concentrate so hard....I would lose my stories half way through sometimes

Heremego, I gained 15lbs, since my TOMs stopped. My wt. for 23yrs was 107lbs, and that was with eating carbs all day long!! Then the woosh demon came along and blew me up! No I do not take HRT. I was taking Estroven (herbal) for menopause but stopped 1 mo. into atkins when I wasn"t losing wt. The hot flashes don't really bother me most of the time. Actually I used to be Cold all the time so the heat is welcomed. IF I COULD ONLY REMEMBER SOMETHING!! Take care Laugh offen!!! sue

I'll just die if I gain more with menopause.....I gained aprox. 25lbs with my thyroid from 135 to about 163...some came off...Dr. wouldn't help me for a whole year...wanted to wait...meanwhile I felt so crummy!!!!! Well the gynocologist gave me thyroid meds...cause he thought it was the cause of some other problem I was having!!!!! I go pee alot too Haven't peed myself yet...but if I have coffee...you would never see me...cause Im in the potty all day!!!!!!! Anyone got that problem?????? Kinda private I guess

Yeah, I've gain about 28 lbs. since perimenopause. The HRT and menopause redistributes the weight too. Your waist widens, hip spread even more and your chest/trunk area gets bigger.. It's not a pretty sight. I have severe bouts of depresstion without HRT. I'd like to get off it but all I do is cry without it. I'm on one called Ortho Prefest. It's pretty new and low dose. I take 3 days of estrogen and 3 days of progesterone and it rotates like that for the whole month. The bottom line is that it's soooo hard to lose weight now. But I am determined!!
Pam

My best friend doesnt want to take HRT, so she got the DOC to give her some kind of anti depressant...she said this one is actually making her lose weight. Its not prozac or zoloft.....I know vitamin E helps to stimulate estrogen, and some other vitamins..... Natural Progesterone cream is a grand thing...You have to use it at the right time though...We cant get it in Canada, so my Mom use to bring it back from Reno trips for me.....If you want to do a natural peri/menopause thing read Paavo Airola's book...for Women only or similar name...Its a good read....He is a naturopath. If you wannna know anything from his book, I can look it up for you.