You Again? Really?
Ugh. Last night, I spent about two hours in that old familiar pain. This time, Tylenol kicked it for me (
woohoo for over-the-counter drugs and no narcotics!) but it was an unpleasant couple of hours. It reminded both me and my husband of what we used to live with on a daily basis. We both knew last night, though, that it was temporary. That knowledge made it much easier to deal with. That was something we never had this past winter.
It was also a good reminder of why we deal with the
Lupron/menopause/random spotting and cramping of these six months. We don't EVER want to go through days, weeks, or months of that pain again.
Labels: that old familiar pain, why I'm on Lupron
Has the Menopause Paused?
Most days lately, I don't feel like I am in menopause at all. No more hot flashes, mood swings have leveled out, depression is managed. Oh, and that pesky period shows up now and again. Sometimes I just have a few hours of bleeding, (like last night) possibly accompanied my cramps (like this morning.)
But I'm not complaining. I didn't enjoy menopause symptoms. And the other night I had about an hour of the old abdominal pain, and I remembered how awful and hopeless I felt for so many months. So menopause or no menopause, some bleeding and some cramps... whatever it takes to keep that awful pain from coming back, I'll put up with it.
Labels: Menopause symptoms, period during menopause
Surgery Was 54 Days Ago
My last
"dissolvable" stitch came out last night.
On another note, the menopause menses continues, with her normal, vindictive vengeance. It's now been seven days.
Labels: dissolvable stitches, period during menopause
Robust Hormone Supply
This is what Dr. N told me today, to explain my (very heavy) period. "You must have a very robust hormone supply." She also said "Well, aren't you the very complicated gyno patient?"
I try folks, I try.
Now I'm working out how to turn my robust hormone supply into some green energy.
Labels: Lupron, period during menopause, robust hormone supply
Caution, Boys: This One's a Girlie Post
I'd always assumed that in exchange for hot flashes, irritability and mood swings, I would enjoy the real benefits of being a woman in menopause. You know, like an
AARP discount, preferential seating on the train, cheap coffee at McDonald's, and NO PERIODS. Has my menopause come with any of this? NO, it has not.
If you aren't on
Lupron and haven't had a hysterectomy, then the medical community defines menopause as 12 consecutive months without a period. But if you are on
Lupron, you are apparently grandfathered into the club: no 12 month waiting period, no entry fee. No need for birth control, no menses, no mess. But not so much for me.
Today I was at work (thank you very much! I have a new job!) and noticed cramping. Menstrual cramping. I dismissed it because maybe that happens occasionally on
Lupron. (To hear some women on the
interweb tell it, I'm lucky I still have my memory and haven't grown a tail since my first shot.) But then during a restroom break, who did I find visiting? My Aunt Flo! What the hell was she doing there? She's supposed to be on a six month vacation.
That bitch is so mean and so unpredictable. She just showed up without warning, without a phone call, without a knock on the door. And who knows how long she'll stay? I don't think guests (especially uninvited ones) should show up without letting you know how long they'll stay. She used to be pretty considerate. Before my surgery, I had a little spotting between periods, and that was useful because it helped diagnosis the
endometriosis. But other than that, I had nice, short, light periods of about 2 and 1/2 days.
I suspect she knows that Dr. N and I were kicking her out for a while, and she got pissed. So she's back, and with a vengeance. Bitch.
Labels: Aunt Flo, getting robbed by menopause, Lupron, period
I'm Back!
Hi folks! My husband and I just returned from a fabulous 5 night trip to
Moloka'i, Hawaii. It was quiet, peaceful, and exactly what we needed.
Moloka'i has a population of less than 8,000 people. It is 40 miles long and 10 miles wide. There are no stoplights or fast-food restaurants. It was paradise.
Also of happy note: I have been basically symptom-free for nearly two weeks. I had a little spotting while in Hawaii, and I'm not sure if that's normal or not. But it was so slight, I wasn't worried. But no hot flashes (thank goodness, because it was already very HOT in
Moloka'i) and very little irritability.
If this is menopause, I can handle it.
Labels: Moloka'i, paradise, spotting, vacation
