Yet Another Menopause Update

Aahhh, menopause. What is there to say? If you think menstruating is the "curse", wait til you try stopping.

It turns out that the first post that I did helped me to focus on what's going on to set a plan manage symptoms. The second update let me see how I kept to or failed in planning. I think the secret is to only identify a few things at a time so that they are more manageable.

So here's my two cents, and my own experience. Follow up to plan:

1. Menopause - I can report that it still sucks. Hot flashes come and go, currently in a "come" phase. I'm boiling hot in head and chest, freezing everywhere else. I have noticed that they are mostly triggered by stress or annoyance. On the plus side, it forces me to remember to breathe deeply and not feel stressed or annoyed. Still getting bad headaches, about every 28 days.

2. Sleep - still my number one preoccupation. Slight improvement with a trial-and-error combination of approaches. More details separately.

3. Exercise - I'm getting plenty because I am walking 2 - 4 miles six days a week, and running at least a mile four days a week. I know this is a good thing, but I haven't lost any weight as a result. So disappointing.

4. Health - Remembering to wash hands very frequently, and so far not even a cold. This is very unusual for me. Also got a regular flu shot (but not H1N1.)

5. Eating - I eat pretty healthy, and not too many processed foods. But I still need to lose 100 pounds and it seems impossible.

I don't think I need a new plan at present - just keep working to reduce severity of menopause symptoms and maintain (and improve) overall health.

If you are just starting this menopause phase, I can tell you that I spent a year in panic as each new symptom started and seemed overwhelming. I'm more practical about it now, but managing menopause is a little bit like gardening - it takes time and patience to get to the end of the season.

How are YOU doing?

Love,
Owlette

To Sleep, Perchance to...Sleep

I know my crappy little blog doesn't have many readers, but are all of you SLEEPING? (Not now, I mean in general. Although I wouldn't mind a comment or two if you wake up.) Sleep is so important that's it's considered a form of torture to keep someone awake.

I am really tired by 5:00 PM, and sort of speechless by 8:00 PM. I'm not that much fun in the evening, and if we do go out I'm looking forward to going home by 9:00. I've got to find a solution here. I think that there probably isn't one answer, and that everyone has to try and find the right combination for herself.

I feel like I'm on the right track with the herbal formula prescribed by my doctor of Chinese Medicine, but I'm not quite there yet.

Next up: adding more calcium and magnesium. Studies seem to show that it can be an effective sleep aid. I'll be adding 1500 mg of Calcium Citrate (in a divided dose), 1000 mg of Vitamin D3, and 750 mg of Magnesium.

I'll ask again: if you have trouble sleeping, what works for you?

Love,
Owlette

Another Short Update

The time just flies, huh? So another update is due.

1. Menopause. Sucks worse than ever. Back to getting a monthly migraine and bloating for which there are no descriptive words. It would seem impossible for any one human body to retain so much water without exploding. Recently I started getting hot flashes of intense intensity (yep. that's how they feel. don't question me.) Drenching, must-mop-my-face-like-a-day-laborer-because-otherwise-I-would-be-blinded hot flashes. Followed by what I can only call cold flashes where I am suddenly freezing and need a blanket. It's like I have no internal temperature regulator.

2. Sleep. Needs its own line now. It's been months since I had a full night's sleep. It's so bad that even hot flashes take a back seat. No problem falling asleep, but staying asleep? Impossible. Some nights I just wake for a few minutes every hour or so, but other nights I may be awake for hours. I have tried almost every single trick in the book:

a. I go to bed and get up about the same time every day.
b. I ease into sleep time with a calming routine.
c. I drink only one caffeine drink a day, in the morning.
d. I exercise 5-6 days per week.
e. No work in the evenings.
f. No tv in bed.
g. If I'm awake for more than an hour, I get up and read in another room.
h. Sleeping room is dark and well ventilated.
i. I use a C-PAP machine for sleep apnea, without fail.
j. OTC herbal sleep remedy made no difference.
k. Remifemin made no difference.
l. Custom Chinese herbs do not seem to make a difference, even tweaking the formula.

The only thing I haven't done is give up my single glass of wine or beer with dinner. *sigh* If that does the trick I will want to jump off a building. I'm stubbornly resisting it.

3. Fitness. Foot injuries have not really healed, but I'm running when I can and walking otherwise. Most days. When I'm not incredibly lazy.

Follow up to plan:

1. Went to the doctor for a full check up (good health, keep exercising, lose some damn weight.) I asked about my crap immune system and was told that I was fine and to wash my hands more. Damn if that didn't make a huge difference. I now consciously try to remember not to touch my nose or mouth after touching lots of public things (like being on the subway) until I can wash my hands.

2. If I'm not running, I try to at least walk for a couple of miles every day. It still seems to aggravate the foot injury so I'm trying to find the right mix.

3. Ran in another 5K with my Skull n Bones team in July. I didn't want to, didn't feel trained for it, but I did it. And because I am stubborn, I ran every step. I was the dead last finisher. (And the world didn't end, and I didn't die of embarrassment, contrary to my expectations.)

4. Eating Plan. So NOT up to speed on this. I have no idea what my blockage on this topic is.

So NEW plan:

1. Owlette must SERIOUSLY lose weight. Perhaps a full time food-nanny?

2. Keep up exercise program. The latest is that for the relay marathon next year, the team has decided that we will all shift one position. That means I start with a 10k (6 miles) run. Last year my cousin did it with a sprained ankle (obtained in mile one.) So there isn't a lot of room for excuses.

3. Exhaust (ha ha) all avenues re: sleep - so important! - before resorting to prescribed western pharmaceuticals.

Does anyone have any tricks to share for sleep issues? I'm all ears.

Love,
Owlette