Hi Amy and welcome!

You and I are around the same age. It's good to know I wasn't the
only one going through more than simply hot flashes and/or mood
swings. Actually, I must be one of the 15% of women who tend to have
a rougher time than most with many physical symptoms. My periods
stopped almost three years ago. Before that I knew things were
changing when periods began to get around six weeks apart. That
happened for two cycles. Then I had six regular cycles followed by
six months of no periods. (Whenever I had no periods the hot flashes
came on). Then I had two periods of very heavy bleeding which I found
kind of frightening. And some breakthrough bleeding for a few months
after that. Then a couple months of regular but much lighter periods.
Then that was it. Though I have suffered through hot flashes even now
three years later. For the first two years of menopause I had
backaches (sometimes with diarrhea), headaches, that lousey feeling
very much like the awful PMS I got for two weeks every cycle for
years. This past third year no more backaches, heaches reduced, but I
still get hot flashes (sometimes several a day) and fatigue and still
a sluggish, off feeling. I've tried some stuff like Progesterone
Cream and Remifem but none worked and made me feel worse. I hope you
have an easier time. I have to say I have never experienced mood
swings.




--- In menopausal@yahoogroups.com, "seesze2004" <seesze2004@y...>
wrote:
> A hearty hello to all you ladies,
>
> My name is Amy and it's my first time writing to the group. I just
> turned 50 a few days ago and my symptoms of peri-menopause is just
> getting worse! I mean you name the symptoms I've probably got it!
> Hot flushes? - have them nightly! It's so bad it wakes me up!
> Aches and pains? - got those too- took an x-ray and found that one
of
> the disc have collapsed and is applying pressure on the nerves so I
> get this tinggling sensation in my arm when I hold my head back.But
> I've got medication for both of these so it's not too bad.
>
> Weight gain? Well this is an odd one because I'm not gaining weight
> but I am getting a fat pouch of a tummy! It's rock hard too! Water
> retention they say! sigh...
>
> And then there's the irregular periods! Here's where my head spins
> the most! First it started comming in very short cycles like flash
> flood and spotting that lasts just about forever!
> Then it stops and gets further and further apart! So maybe you
sweet
> ladies can help me out here...
> My last cycle was 45 days....and that was in October 2003. I was
due
> ( if there is such a things as period is due for menopausal women!)
> on Nov 1 but it never showed up.
> What I am asking is, can anyone of you ladies tell me what is the
> normal pattern of period cycle for a woman headed towards
menopause?
> I know it's suppose to get wider apart the cycle but is there a
> general idea of how many weeks gradually increasing to how many
more
> weeks? I guess I just want to know if I'm getting nearer to the end
> of this madness...
>
> Thanks a bunch!
> amy