Ladies Only!

[AimeeG]

I'm not sure if I should chalk up a change in cycle to quitting analogs or switching to vaping. I stopped smoking analogs on Sept 1. Had my normally scheduled cycle the next week. Less than two weeks after that one ended, I started another. And now, about two weeks in again, I'm starting again. I'm not on the pill or any other hormone to control them. I'm not menopausal or even pre-menapausal. (I don't think.... I'm only 39!) I've never had any type of girl problems. Crimminy, I've never had kids! (And don't plan to.) What do you all think? I really wouldn't post this, but if someone else is having an issue I thought it would be a good discussion to have. Or maybe it's just for girl power?!

I will mention this change to my doctor at some point, just don't feel like going right now. Kind of late here anyway.

[owutaqt]

Honestly it could be one of the chemicals that were in analogs that you are no longer getting. My cycle is normal but there are reasons beyond my control for that.

Interesting though. Have you changed your diet at all? Using different milk without hormones? All of this can have an affect on it.

[mastiffmom]

I'm no help I am 18 months through menopause. No you are not too young for peri menopause especially if you never had children. It can go on for 4-5 years before you stop. The first signs are changes in frequency and/or severity of your cycles. Heavy bleeding, bad cramps, irregular intervals, hot flashes, night sweats, well those last 2 are usually a few years after your start going funky, but all are signs of peri-menopause. Have you had a recent pap? Blood work to check your thyroid levels, esp. TSH? First thing is to watch for anything else unusual, then get your yearly check-up and be straight forward about what is happening. Probably nothing but still get checked OK? Except for the hot flashes I am kind of sailing through, not what hubby says, so it's not all bad. Just make sure you're healthy. Let us know we care.

I started having issues at about your age, had ablation done in when I was 42, hot flashes started at 45, stopped completely at 48. Still have those rotten hot flashes.

Edited October 14, 2010 by mastiffmom

[nana]

You know the guys are jumping in here to see what's going on, right? Probably jumping out just as fast, too. LOL

Honestly, I probably can't help either. I really don't think it has anything to do with vaping, but I'm not a doctor so can't say for sure. I agree with what Mastiffmom said. It could be peri menopause. I started going through that in my mid 30's. It lasted about ten years for me though. Everything she said except for the hot flashes, which I never got. I was completely done by 46. I understand that women tend go through it all (with similar syptoms) at the same age as their mother. My mother was done at 45. So was her mother. And her sisters. Do you know anything about when your mother went through it? It could easily be peri menopause, but it could be something else. A visit to your doctor and some tests would be a good idea. Then you would know for sure. I just know that you're about the right age for those kind of changes to be taking place. And they are a great big pain. I just don't see how vaping would cause those kinds of changes.

Maybe kitsune will jump in here and give some good advice.

[mastiffmom]

Yeah I was hoping Kitsune would pop up and maybe add something I forgot. Neither one of us does OB-GYN but we remember it from school and clinicals LOL.And we own uterus'. The guys see that word or menopause in any of it's forms and they run. I can't see any connection between vaping and this, my sister is going through exactly the same as I did but several years later. She was older when she started too so who knows.My Mom and Grandmas all had hysterectomies before menopause so we don't know how old they would have been. My best friend is as regular as clockwork and she's 1 day younger than me, her sister is 1 year younger and she's very close behind me so age is more general.

[AimeeG]

Thank you all for your replies! I guess 39 isn't too young to start the peri-menopause thing, huh. Great. Bummer part is I really didn't want to deal with the cycle this weekend as I am running a half-marathon. I'm hoping the heavy day will not be Sunday!

As for my diet, no, I haven't changed it. And I don't drink milk in any form ... no cow, goat, soy, or almond. So that's not it.

I want to say my mom started menopause around 50, but she did have two kids. I've heard that if you don't use it (the uterus), you start earlier, like you said, mastiffmom. Thankfully my boyfriend didn't want kids either since it looks like that's out the window for sure at this point. Not that I'll stop using protection. [snort]

My annual was supposed to be end of this month, but then the office had to change to end of December because my doctor is going to a conference on my original date and December was the next available appointment for him to do physicals. I will be sure to mention it then, but in the meantime I will see my migraine doctor and will run it by him, too. He LOVES to do tests!

I did take prednisone in August for shoulder tendinitis (thank you very much P90X), and I thought that may have messed up my cycle some. But this seems like something else now.

On the plus side, maybe the migraines will go away! But I'm not too hopeful because my mom is still getting them and she's definitely done with cycles.

[mastiffmom]

Took my Mom about 10 years but she doesn't get them anymore:) What do you use for your migraines? Now you're getting into something I can answer better. I am a Neurology nurse:) I am the lead RN for our Memory Clinic, lots of causes and very interesting, I do lots of migraines too, and MS. Used to be a Trauma Nurse Specialist and that is my first true love, especially neuro trauma, but I got sick and tired of the abuse. I've been bitten, kicked punched, pinched, spat on, cursed out and been told to do things to myself that I've never even heard of and can't quite picture. Today when I had to renew my CPR I realized that the arm I broke a couple of years ago isn't able to do compressions. Thank God I'm really good at 1 handed compressions. If you have any questions I can try to help you. Good luck this week-end the only running I do is at work:)

[AimeeG]

Took my Mom about 10 years but she doesn't get them anymore:) What do you use for your migraines? Now you're getting into something I can answer better. I am a Neurology nurse:) I am the lead RN for our Memory Clinic, lots of causes and very interesting, I do lots of migraines too, and MS. Used to be a Trauma Nurse Specialist and that is my first true love, especially neuro trauma, but I got sick and tired of the abuse. I've been bitten, kicked punched, pinched, spat on, cursed out and been told to do things to myself that I've never even heard of and can't quite picture. Today when I had to renew my CPR I realized that the arm I broke a couple of years ago isn't able to do compressions. Thank God I'm really good at 1 handed compressions. If you have any questions I can try to help you. Good luck this week-end the only running I do is at work:)

Neuro trauma sounds like my seventh graders... just kidding. As exciting as that sounds, I'm glad you are doing something now that doesn't involve that kind of abuse. No fun and stressful, I'm sure.

I used to take wellbutrin daily, but one day I realized I was no longer depressed, so I stopped. This also coincided with realizing I was not digesting milk products very well and hadn't kept the pills down anyway, so I did just stop. Since I didn't have any withdrawal issues like I did one time when I ran out, I knew I was ok. I had to stop taking Imitrex last year because I had my first and only ocular migraine. Doctor is too leery to let me take it (constricting vessels leading to potential blindness). Nothing I've taken in the last year then has really worked because they all make me sick to my stomach and I vomit. These were vicodin, percocet, and tramadol. Really didn't like tramadol because I got itchy and sleepy but couldn't sleep, though it is the only one to make the migraine go away. Most times, if I catch it early enough, three aspirin works. Migraine doc wanted me to take a daily low dose blood pressure med, but I'm unsure of it. Maybe it would help with the migraines I tend to get after long, hard runs. I'm sure to get one after the half-marathon on Sunday. In general though, my migraine issues have been SO MUCH better now that I'm off analogs!

[mastiffmom]

What about Topamax? I had an episode about 2 months ago felt weird and everything looked wavy to me. Of course I think I'm having a stroke, one of our docs takes a look at me and says you're having an occular migraine. Icky. I did ER nursing and neuro was a part of it but so was all the other stuff. I'm in a good place now, sure I get ripped on but that's only because I'm doing my job. I work for the best docs around and have great co-workers. Not that my ER co-workers weren't great I still am friends with them and spend a lot of time with them but I love my hours and my work. I get that connection I couldn't get with treat and street. I get to know them. I may not do all the cool ER things anymore but I get to make a long-term difference and I love it.

[AimeeG]

Tried topomax. Got really stupid. I would be in the middle of saying something and would forget what word I was going to use. Not good.

[mastiffmom]

Tried topomax. Got really stupid. I would be in the middle of saying something and would forget what word I was going to use. Not good.

Works great for most but it can have strange effects on others. Daughter tried Frova and it worked for her in 10 minutes. Amerge is also very good, both are same class as imitrex though.

[kitsune]

I love Girl talk !!! Worked the last 4 nights and then had a nice date night with my hubby.

I have heard of cycle changes with quitting smoking due to the chemicals. Usually corrects itself. sometimes quitting(chemicals) pushes your body to the next level--you guessed it--peri menopause. I had an ablation done when I was 39---best thing I ever did !!!!

Best to get that checkup.

Have you tried Excedrine for Migraines--The regular excedrine has asprin, tylenol and caffeine--works great if you catch the migraine early. My first Migraine was at 11 years old.

[mastiffmom]

Missed you Kitsune I figured you were working.I love this girl talk too. Co-worker had ablation today, mine was like a miracle. I have noticed that my hot flashes aren't as frequent or bad since I made this switch. Can't figure out if it's the weather change or what but I don't have to crank the AC at work so high. I even closed the bedroom window 3 nights ago, hubby was so happy, says he didn't freeze all night. My arm doesn't ache so bad either, better blood flow maybe. Go O2!

[kitsune]

My Hot flashes are still frequent. I always have a fan near by and AC in the car on full. Never thought I would look forward to shoveling snow in a tank top and shorts !!!!

I actually have 3 whole days off.....

[mastiffmom]

My Hot flashes are still frequent. I always have a fan near by and AC in the car on full. Never thought I would look forward to shoveling snow in a tank top and shorts !!!!

I actually have 3 whole days off.....

AHHHH I remember those days. But i do get holidays off and week-ends. Our docs like their Eves off too, and the day after Thanksgiving. Harder to get up for the black Friday sales than to clock out and go on the hunt with your work buddies. But I dislike not getting anything done during the week cause you're at work.

[AimeeG]

I'm going to look this up after I post, but for the sake of the girl talk.... what is an ablation?

Ok.... so I did look it up. Here's one link. Here's another.

Follow up question: Why would you get one?

Edited October 16, 2010 by AimeeG

[kitsune]

When you spend 1 week before with PMS, 1 week with cramps, and 1 week recovering---not having a period is wonderful. I certainly wasn't going to have anymore kids and it really wasn't enough to warrant a hysterectomy. It has been really nice not having a cycle these last 6 years. still keep the benefits of having your natural hormones--at least until menopause hits (that me).

[mastiffmom]

I had horrible cramps and very heavy bleeding, 1 entire day a month spent in bathroom didn't dare leave the house. I went from that to little spotting a few hours a month now nothing! I didn't have any reason to have hysterectomy either other than that. Figured I would have it if ablation didn't work but didn't want to start there.

[Cheriepye]

Tried topomax. Got really stupid. I would be in the middle of saying something and would forget what word I was going to use. Not good.

I do that and I've never tried Topomax and I get migraines a lot too.

Cherie

[Beans]

Wow, I came to the party late, but I'm going throughout the same crap right now. 39, crazy miserable cycles, Hot flashes all night every night, crying at coffee commercials. Boy I want to be normal lol.

[Christopher]

I know I really shouldn't post here, but I have to say for the record, I'm so glad I'm man. Hats of to you ladies!

Suggestion - One of you ladies should create a private womens group in the social groups area, that way you can chat without peering eyes. Would be a nice level of privacy for our lady members. If anyone does create group, let me know and I can move this topic behind closed doors.

[lovie]

sorry but i am pretty sure men have them too. only they call them mid life crisis. it may be a little easier for them all they have to do is buy a red sports car and get a younger wife . am i bitter NO ....lol .great ideal for a ladies group ah the joys of getting older..

[Beans]

Christopher, NO stand up peers allowed here. Things you may read can and will cause it to fall off.

[Christopher]

[Beans]

OMG LOL, Hubby does the same thing when I'm grumpy. He pretends to be terrified of me and won't make direct eye contact. LOL I can't really be that bad can I.