Oh Julie! You really are a gifted writer! And how awesome is it to have such a sense of humour through all this. I’m so proud of you.
Questions… 1. Did you know there was cancerous tissue before you had the mastectomy? Either way, you certainly made the right decision to get rid of it all. 2. Did the air in your stomach just make you noisy or was it painful? I forget which one of my surgeries, but one time there was air left in my abdomen and it was quite painful until it dissipated. Hope you didn’t go through that.
As for the menopausal symptoms…yes, we will all go through that sooner or later, so you are part of a big “club”. Some have a much harder time than others, but for me it has not been too bad at all. Hot flashes are about the worst of it. I haven’t really had any other symptoms.
I have learned that hot flashes happen most often when I am stressed. So I try to stay cool…or wear cool clothes when I know I might get stressed. And I have learned that all sweaters should be cardigans, not pullovers. They come off and and on faster. 🙂 That goes for pjs too. They need to go on and off quickly, or at least open at the front so I can cool off and then warm up again. I usually only button two or three buttons because I know they may be open again soon. On very bad nights I would strip down, go to the bathroom, and then, on my way back, sometimes hold my back against a cool door frame for a minute. That would cool me off very quickly.
Many people say that caffeine makes hot flashes worse. Sometimes it does for me but I drink only one huge tea in the morning and occasionally, one decaf coffee later in the day. Chocolate or colas also have caffeine so cutting those down can help too. That is worth considering.
A good friend of mine started menopause a few years before me, even though she is five years younger. (I was 55 when mine started.). She told me that the hot flashes only lasted about two years. Mine were still happening (occasionally) after that time period, and I was confused. Then Miriam Smith told me she was STILL getting hot flashes at age 84!!! Yikes! But after the first couple of years they are definitely far less frequent and less severe…totally manageable. By the way, my friend told me recently that she was wrong about the two years. She admitted, “They came back.” 🙁
All in all, I would gladly rather have a few hot flashes once in a while than have that monthly bloating, pain and mess! I’m quite sure you will come to appreciate that bonus!
I’m so glad you have these surgeries behind you now. What a relief you must be feeling! And I pray that you will move forward in perfect health. There are many great days ahead.
Love and blessings from Sandy P.S. Thank you for the updates. I really appreciate them. Sent from my iPad
Oh Julie! You really are a gifted writer! And how awesome is it to have such a sense of humour through all this. I’m so proud of you.
Questions… 1. Did you know there was cancerous tissue before you had the mastectomy? Either way, you certainly made the right decision to get rid of it all. 2. Did the air in your stomach just make you noisy or was it painful? I forget which one of my surgeries, but one time there was air left in my abdomen and it was quite painful until it dissipated. Hope you didn’t go through that.
As for the menopausal symptoms…yes, we will all go through that sooner or later, so you are part of a big “club”. Some have a much harder time than others, but for me it has not been too bad at all. Hot flashes are about the worst of it. I haven’t really had any other symptoms.
I have learned that hot flashes happen most often when I am stressed. So I try to stay cool…or wear cool clothes when I know I might get stressed. And I have learned that all sweaters should be cardigans, not pullovers. They come off and and on faster. 🙂 That goes for pjs too. They need to go on and off quickly, or at least open at the front so I can cool off and then warm up again. I usually only button two or three buttons because I know they may be open again soon. On very bad nights I would strip down, go to the bathroom, and then, on my way back, sometimes hold my back against a cool door frame for a minute. That would cool me off very quickly.
Many people say that caffeine makes hot flashes worse. Sometimes it does for me but I drink only one huge tea in the morning and occasionally, one decaf coffee later in the day. Chocolate or colas also have caffeine so cutting those down can help too. That is worth considering.
A good friend of mine started menopause a few years before me, even though she is five years younger. (I was 55 when mine started.). She told me that the hot flashes only lasted about two years. Mine were still happening (occasionally) after that time period, and I was confused. Then Miriam Smith told me she was STILL getting hot flashes at age 84!!! Yikes! But after the first couple of years they are definitely far less frequent and less severe…totally manageable. By the way, my friend told me recently that she was wrong about the two years. She admitted, “They came back.” 🙁
All in all, I would gladly rather have a few hot flashes once in a while than have that monthly bloating, pain and mess! I’m quite sure you will come to appreciate that bonus!
I’m so glad you have these surgeries behind you now. What a relief you must be feeling! And I pray that you will move forward in perfect health. There are many great days ahead.
Love and blessings from Sandy P.S. Thank you for the updates. I really appreciate them. Sent from my iPad
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