<p>Ref. arthritis: A couple of years ago I was suffering from arthritis symptoms in my hands and back. I went on the Atkins diet and my symptoms went away. Also at the same time I began taking Omega-3 fatty acids, so I was never sure if the pain left because I was drinking a lot of water or if it was the pills. I went off the diet, gained a few pounds back but I still drink lots of water and take the pills. So far, so good. (I take tons of anti-oxidants).</p>
<p>Tookie, I’ve had a similar experience. At the ripe old age of 47, I need hip replacement surgery. I’m about 20 pounds overweight, so I’ve decided to really stick to a low carb eating plan to lose weight, and I also take Omega 3’s. I find that when I stick to the low carb eating (lean protein, lots of veggies, some wine!) I have less pain and better mobility. I’ve been reading a book called “The Anti Inflammation Zone” which explains why this works. My hope is that if I stick to this and lose the 20 pounds, then maybe I can delay the surgery until they find the magic cure.</p>
<p>Any of you have palpitations??? No missed periods, no sweats…power walk 4 miles EVERY day except xmas…
Trader Joe’s multvitamins every day, Omega 3, Magnesium-Calcium-Zinc, eat very healthy…except for wine & beer! (on weekends)
Love tofu, salads, salmon…etc</p>
<p>calmom,
I’ll try the Natural Instincts.</p>
<p>Has anyone noticed a different reaction to alcohol?
I find that my tolerance for alcohol has gone down in the last few years, which is hard because I belong to a wine and food group and there are a lot of good opportunities for drinking wine!</p>
<p>OMG spinner, YES.</p>
<p>I cannot take red wine any more (I get an upset stomach if I have 2+ glasses.)</p>
<p>Spirits are no problem though. Weird.</p>
<p>Margueritas are the only drink I can handle now. I think the vitamin C in the lime juice, and the purity of tequila makes it a clean drink.
And do we consider them “missed periods” if we don’t miss them???</p>
<p>This thread is very useful… :)</p>
<p>No, I mean it. These stories do inspire me to do more.</p>
<p>I’m 49. Haven’t had a period for the last year and a half and I feel great. Don’t take any hormones, pills or creams, but I do walk on the treadmill in my basement 3 miles 6 days/week at a very brisk pace. I also try to lift weights 2-3 days/week, using my bench and free weights at home. Several years ago, during peri-menopause, I gained 30 lbs. I went on a low-carb diet and started the exercise program described above and I lost all the weight and all my aches and pains. Can’t stress enough the benefits of exercise!</p>
<p>Yeah, exercise and making food medicine for the body instead of poison is sooo important. As far as wine goes, I can’t tolerate much anymore. Everything in moderation.</p>
<p>i lost quite a bit of weight, and i swim and/or walk almost every day. i am really suffering with hot flashes and tears that pop up out of nowhere. i am sure it is a combination of my surgically induced menopause and impending empty nest, but i am downright miserable this week. </p>
<p>i did see my doctor, and we made some changes and i am hoping that in a few weeks i can pick myself up and move on. i am normally a happy, optimistic, positive person, but right now, i can’t function worth a darn. </p>
<p>i know that i am lucky to have a healthy, happy, “normal” family, but for some reason, i am focusing on negatives, not positives.</p>
<p>time for me to go for a walk to try to clear my head again!</p>
<p>I even cry at commercials these days.</p>
<p>With 3 teenagers, one husband going through his own form of menopause;) and me, we can see-saw between blasting Napster (legal account) while dancing around the kitchen, and then yelling at each other to keep it down.</p>
<p>Someday, when I start sleeping again, I am sure I will look back on this with fondness.</p>
<p>Seriously WBOW, I’m glad you talked to your doc. It is important that we take care of ourselves in this high anxiety time.</p>
<p>i hope that the changes we have made can help me out. i am just not the same person right now and i don’t like who i am. </p>
<p>i asked my husband what could have ever been better? i have had the best time being the caretaker for my two boys and i have really loved every minute of it. i know it’s not really over, but at the same time, i am a little wi****l because it will not ever be the same.</p>
<p>i am a little shocked at myself for being brave enough (or silly enough) to post these very private thoughts on line–yet i can’t seem to discuss this private matters with my friends. i am sure they would understand, but the thought of revealing a weakness is very difficult for me–unless of course i confess to millions of anonymous readers on line!</p>
<p>wbow…my sinking spell was after HS graduation…seems like we were running on adrenalin for senior year and after the roller coaster ride and many rituals that concluded in June, I also felt loss and End of Line feelings.<br>
I recall reviving the day my son got his first email from his college roommate–an extremely great young man BTW. I was very happy for him and coud be sincerely excited that he was going to be meeting new friends who would take on importance in his life at Duke. Started thinking Forward again and regrouping for a new chapter in life with him away for much of each year. I felt expecially close to my son during the time he was searching for his college future home. He matured so much his 18th year and had so many interesting facets of his personality on display. There is a bit of Summer Drift for parents after that challenge is over until they form new attachments and you see how truly ready they are to build a circle of friends with their peers in college.</p>
<p>Back to the exercise theme, this timely article was in our morning paper:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/06/08/national/a104830D00.DTL&hw=MENOPAUSE+EXERCISE&sn=001&sc=1000[/url]”>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/06/08/national/a104830D00.DTL&hw=MENOPAUSE+EXERCISE&sn=001&sc=1000</a></p>
<p>Sometimes it feels like we give them up just when they’re giving up the tortures of adolesence and are starting to want to be with us again!</p>
<p>I turned 51 last month. Over the past 3 years I have lost over 25 lbs, and exercise has become a huge part of my life; I plan on it 6 days/week. I often break it into 2 parts; 30 minutes of brisk walking and 20-30 minutes on the exercise bike while watching Comedy Central (there are so few TV stations I can stand for that long, and CC fails me sometimes!). It took almost a year, but exercise has become something I look forward to. Its benefits to body and spirit are so obvious. I’ve also cut back on meal portions (but haven’t made huge changes in diet). I also just read a good book called Younger Next Year for Women which promotes exercise among other healthy habits.</p>
<p>wbow, I’m sorry you are having a hard time. I reallly hope that my comments about exercise aren’t taken to imply that everyone can beat the menopause symptoms that way – obviously it’s just a suggestion, valuable mostly because it’s good to get regular exercise anyway. I’m thinking that because your menopause is “surgically induced”, it might be a more sudden & drastic hormonal shift for you. Those of us who have the advantage of merely letting nature take its course in our late 40’s & early 50’s probably have a more gradual winding down of hormonal function, which might explain why we are more likely to have success with a natural approach to control of symptoms, at least in early stages of menopause. (I can’t speak to the later stages, since I am just a beginner at this myself)</p>
<p>Anyway, I am glad that have discussed things with your doctor, because I think if things are really rough, you should get whatever help you can.</p>
<p>My understanding (of course, I may be wrong!) is that the ovaries still produce very small amounts of estrogen post-menopause. So if they are surgically removed, that is a more traumatic way to experience this. Also, it can be difficult to get the right mix of hormones supplementally (if advised by MD) including some testosterone. I’ve also had friends who have found anitdepressants to be helpful, in the short term. Good luck Wbow!!!</p>
<p>calmom, i love your idea of exercise. it does indeed help a great deal to get out and DO something! i did indeed change from natural hormone replacement to something more like premarin, so we’ll give that a shot!</p>
<p>I’m guessing I have a lot to endure ahead. I turn 50 in the next few months. So far, menopause schmenopause. Periods like clockwork. Had a few moments of hot somethings, that went away. I weigh about 8 pounds more than I did in college, and I was thin then. I exercise twice a week if that. I don’t think my body knows how old I am. Personally I always wonder if the accusations throughout my life (by men mostly) that I had too much testosterone were true. Hence the latish menopause. And yet my life is still full of the weight of 49 years. I almost wish I had already gone through all that is being described here.</p>
<p>Huh. Luckily I can still drink red wine. Guess I’m off to Sinner’s Alley:).</p>
<p>wbow - the love of children is like nothing else. Addictive. Maybe you are just having withdrawal ALONG with menopause…</p>