Menopause and behavior

**shoiji** · 01-15-2010, 05:44 PM

Am curious. Does menopause cause you to behave more irrattionally? Know someone who is going through menopause. Am trying to be more understanding. I realize the hormones are all over the place. Just would like to know what to expect from people who have already gone through this.

Thanks in advance for sharing.

**WV_mom_of2** · 01-15-2010, 05:51 PM

For me it's alot like PMS. I have moments or days even where my mood is just up and down.

**frugalwarrior2** · 01-15-2010, 05:51 PM

I started at 37. My dr. said it was too early. I woke up at 3a.m. for no reason. Sweated thru the sheets. Left the windows open all night in the winter and stared at my DH daring him to close them. I got insecure,irrational,cried at sentimental movies (crying is not my usual),I thought I was bi-polar,screamed,was cruising for fights,Got hot flashes where you want to strip your clothes off......

Check out "Menopause and You". It's not fun. I also got all the menstral symptoms w/ none of the Whew you get when you start your cycle. Not fun. My poor DH wanted to move out as our 10 1/2 year old was doing pre menstral at the same times.

What is your friend doing. How old?? There is a blood test.

**ladykemma2** · 01-15-2010, 05:53 PM

i just got hot...

**shoiji** · 01-15-2010, 05:56 PM

She has been tested and is in menopause. Her behavior seems odd at times and unfortunately I forget that she is going through menopause. I just remembered again tonight. Would rather be more understanding then thinking I need to drop her as a friend.

**stinkbug** · 01-15-2010, 05:57 PM

I feel like I'm going through puberty....backwards.

**frugalwarrior2** · 01-15-2010, 06:07 PM

Menopause causes hormone imblances. Some people( Me incl.)
get whacky. Soy sometimes helps. Caffiene and sugar bounces you. Physical excercise sometimes counter balances the caged tiget restlessness. It is diff. for everyone.
My mother couldn't stop obsessing about why the single neighbor would leave at the same time my dad would. Then she'd cry because she knew how stupid it was. (Have to know my dad he is anal and punctual). She was just using my dad like a clock.

**WV_mom_of2** · 01-15-2010, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by frugalwarrior2

I started at 37. My dr. said it was too early. I woke up at 3a.m. for no reason. Sweated thru the sheets. Left the windows open all night in the winter and stared at my DH daring him to close them. I got insecure,irrational,cried at sentimental movies (crying is not my usual),I thought I was bi-polar,screamed,was cruising for fights,Got hot flashes where you want to strip your clothes off......

Check out "Menopause and You". It's not fun. I also got all the menstral symptoms w/ none of the Whew you get when you start your cycle. Not fun. My poor DH wanted to move out as our 10 1/2 year old was doing pre menstral at the same times.

What is your friend doing. How old?? There is a blood test.

I started through the early stages at 34! Luckily my mom and grandma both went through early so my dr. was prepared LOL!

**savvy_sniper** · 01-15-2010, 08:14 PM

Menopause made me crazy! Well crazIER! I was VERY emotional.

I would get mad and fly off the handle. I knew the words were going to come out of my mouth, but I did not have the ability to stop them! THIS was awful because I am pretty much always in control.

Then I would cry because I had lost my temper. Then I would get mad that I was crying. Then I would cry more because I was mad. It was a never ending circle.

AND the hot flashes! Mine started at my feet and worked their way up! It felt like someone lit a fire under me.

I am better now. I still have the occasional flash, but I am much better now THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

**WV_mom_of2** · 01-15-2010, 08:29 PM

Part of mine is having periods that last 100+ days at times. The first time it happened back in 2004 the dr. put me on birth control pills to stop it. I had to take three of them a day for 7 days. OMG did they throw my hormones into overdrive. I was sick to my stomach for days and had the most horrible hot flashes. It was Nov. and I would sleep in the living room on the couch under a window so I could leave it open. I woke up one morning to dh shutting the window and he said "honey it's sleeting......through the window on you." I yelled at him and made him open it again LOL.

Luckily I don't have the hot flashes too much. Sometimes at night. But I do have that moody, want to scream and yell thing at time just like I did when I had horrible PMS. Luckily I have a very understanding dh lol.

**cejhome** · 01-15-2010, 09:03 PM

Started peri-menopause at 37, still at it at 47. Fun, fun. I am a calm level headed person, but before I realized what was happening, I thought I was loosing it - anxiety attacks, crazy mood swings, depression, etc... (and the stupid crying at tv commercials). Once I realized it was hormones, it helped a lot - since I knew the cause. I started taking soy supplements (Revival Soy), and that really helped - just had night sweats, and 1/month migraine. Spring of 2009, I got off the soy to see where I was at (I would occassional stop taking it to see how I was doing - within 3-4 days, symptoms would come back - insomnia, etc...). This time, no problems! I have also stopped having migraines (yipee!). Still having a stupid period, though.

**frugalwarrior2** · 01-15-2010, 09:09 PM

Savvy sniper-What memories. I felt like a puppet and someone was running my mouth. I felt ridiculous. It was so hard after a rant to get back to even ground w/ DH.

**Nana2two** · 01-15-2010, 09:18 PM

Oh yeah!! When your in pre or during menopause,it can make you very edgy and uptight,Things that never ever bothered you before seems to a big thing.

**frugalwarrior2** · 01-15-2010, 11:33 PM

Nana2- You are so right. Repetitive noise,high pitches,screaming kids. I am like a grumpy old lady. It was a real prob. because at 37 many friends still had young kids. I can only imagine what some Autistic kids fell like w/ their hyper -sensitivity. Jumpy,jumpy-me.

I bet the posters friend seems normal now.

**MaryCarney** · 01-15-2010, 11:54 PM

Hmmm....
Had none of the emotional stuff, just more trouble sleeping and hot flashes - which I really appreciated in winter 'cause our bedroom was so cold

.
The not sleeping part made me mad, because insomnia has been a recurring theme in my life since childhood. I finally just started getting up and working on stuff when I woke up - got a lot accomplished, too!!
Now that I'm through it, I'm loving it!!!!!