perimenopause and Bipolar

Yessssss

11 refills! Wow that would have made me life soooo much easier!

I had like four, really intense hot flashes today. I googled how do you get rid of hot flashes, and all this stuff related to menopause showed up. I was all burning up at the time and like, "I'M NOT GOING THROUGH MENOPAUSE!!!!", and my daughter was like, "Yes you are. HAHAHAHA."

Funny kid.

What do you all use to manage your hot flashes?

I remember putting ice on my wrist, throat, and sides of my forehead pulse points. Taking cold showers, drinking ice cold water. It didn’t stop the hot flashes but it gave me a small measure of relief. The nights were the worse.

Mine often tend to come when I get hot (and I have heat-sensitivity from my meds so I had issues before this). So lots of very cold showers this summer. I've not figured out what to do for the nighttime ones. I am trying to figure out if a cooling mattress pad or a new mattress is the better idea. My current mattress is memory foam and since I get hot I have hot flashes. And it also hurts me. I walk like a very old woman when I get up in the mornings.

Gabapentin is supposed to help hot flashes. I think I learned that on here. I'm not sure how to know if it is helping when I'm already on it.

I have a cold head wrap I keep in my freezer for migraines. I keep meaning to try it for hot flashes but so far I've not remembered at the right time.

Anybody else dealing with insomnia? Klonopin doesn’t seem to help and I’ve tried lunesta and fell while trying to walk to the bathroom. Trazodone isn’t an option anymore either

Has anyone ever tried black cohosh for hot flash relief? Did it work? I'm getting desperate.

@Moose72

Have you tried melatonin? I'd NOT be sleeping without it. Or only be getting like three to four hours a night. I'd be so tired! Seroquel only helps me sleep four hours max and then I wake up and take some melatonin and eventually fall back asleep.

Yes I have tried melatonin. It doesn’t work for me. Even a 10 dose.

I can't take supplements because of being on an MAOI so I know little (although if things become unbearable I will certainly be asking to try them). I know the mother of the kids I babysat in grad school told me that Evening Primrose Oil helped her. That's all I know though. (I'm a big help!)

I am 62 years of age.
my hot flashes continued for 4 years then I would just get hot. That continue for a few years now I have not had any hot flashes in about 2 years.
can't remember when my periods ended that was a huge relief because I was always having accidents.
I wish you all good nights sleep.
Oh I forgot, the hair on my legs stopped growing and so did my pits. and my pubs stopped growing as well.
bizi

Does anyone else get puffy ankles/legs? I know it happens in the summer but this year it's noticeably worse. Every evening I get dents in my legs when I sit with my legs cross-legged. It goes away quickly and it's not a problem exactly, just something I've noticed. I don't know if this is a perimenopause thing but the time would be weird if it's not.

That tranaxemic (sp) acid stuff my ob/gyn gave me to lighten my period is great! It's actually working! My period is much more manageable now and my cramping is minimal and I'm not in excruciating pain for a change. I'm SO happy I went to the doctor.

I got my period on the 2nd this month. Last month I got it on the 7th. But at least that explains why I was so emotional! And had a tiny touch of the PMS. And was having so many hot flashes for that matter. I haven't had any since my period started.

Anyway, so if you're having particularly crampy, heavy periods every month, ask your ob/gyn for tranaxemic acid. It'll save your life! It's fantastic!

Of course, it doesn't help my nausea... and zofran doesn't really work that well for me. I think I'm going to call my GP and see if there are any other anti-nausea meds I can take.

I can't handle perimenopause right now!!!

Hot flashes too! Yay! Oh, along with nausea.

My period is starting too; well, I'm spotting. Last time I had a week of spotting THEN a week of a bleeding. Over a 2 week period.

I'm so manic. Why perimenopause now after all the psychosis & forgetfulness on top of it?

Yes!!! I have swelling always now, even in the winter, but this summer it's worse than ever. I'm dealing with that as well. Sorry you have to remotely understand.

Hope you all have noticed I am suddenly posting my peri stuff here & off the daily thread.

Men do NOT remotely even touch understanding this stuff!!!!

Melatonin doesn't work for me all the time. I did take some last night and I slept at least. At the moment, I am manic & dealing with perimenopause and it's not helping that much with my sleep. Some, not much. Better than no sleep at all though.

Missing a couple of doses of gabapentin and Seroquel even throws me off because then I get even worse night sweats & hot flashes & nausea than perimenopause alone!

H & my daughter are trying to stay on top of my pills and the pill reminder app, but they cannot all the time.

Yes! Especially ankles. I thought it was from eating too much salt eating out when Caleb visits.

Why do periods even exist once a couple knows they are done with kids? Not that I can consider anything to do with that right now. Dealing with my own mental health is enough.

Because I really didn't need to drop a pantyliner into the toilet just now.

My period started, drat! BUT...I didn't first have spotting for a week and then my bleeding, so basically a 2 week long period!! That one really sucked.

I even showered, put on deodorant & makeup, and even remembered to put on a pad today since my period started yesterday with spotting! (Sorry any men if you have to read this one!).

I'm on a roll here, even with my period...hopefully I'm headed for hypomania instead of full-blown which was beyond horrible yesterday!

Plus I have a super fast metabolism even normally maybe since I exercise too much. I also have an ED and body dysmorpia so I can't lose even MORE weight and get my BMI down lower than 17.5! The ED part of me is elated. The intelligent part of my brain is not. Please God at least let me keep remembering to eat my daily avocado, which helps with upping my daily calorie consumption. I have posted this in the ED/exercise & weight loss threads, but I'm reposting here so more people can give suggestions to up my calories that are healthier than crackers.

My period is even normal flow today (actually maybe a bit heavier than that). I usually have such a light one I only need 1 pads every 24 hr.

I don't know if I can remember to change my pad correctly today.

((((((((HUGS)))))))
bizi

I am 58. My body is betraying me. I get intense insomnia, extreme muscle wasting, weight gain, sore lower back, painfully swollen ankles, aching feet and lower legs, and headaches. I've tried the gym and the pool without success. I don't know what to do.