Am I the only one, or are any of you other caregivers dealing with the symptoms of menopause along with your caregiving duties? I get about 3-4 hrs. of sleep a night and then wake up soaking wet from night sweats. When I get a bit of time to myself , I cry.. without my mum knowing. Sometimes I get so angry (not at my mum) I shake, it just lasts a few minutes and then it's over. My emotions are up and down and everything seems overwhelming at times. Other than HRT, have any of you found a way to keep calm and reduce symptoms so it doesn't affect your caregiving duties? I do go for a 45 minute walk every day.
I don't think I can give you any helpful hints since I went through menopause about 18 years ago when I still worked. I did not use HRT because I was unsure of it. I just sort of went with the flow, so to speak. I used to throw myself over or into the freezer section when a hot flash hit in the grocery store. I'm sure I looked really stupid. At work, I warned people to stay the H__ away from me if they knew what was smart, and they did.
I just want to tell you, you will make it through this. It will, believe it or not, end. Plus, you will probably laugh at a lot of stuff in following years. I used to want a baby (never had one) so badly during menopause, I'd cry on buses and subways when I'd see one. I had to remind myself it was hormones not my head that was talking. I think I wanted a baby because menopause is sort of sign it won't ever happen.
One other good thing besides laughing about some of it afterwards is, after menopause you will be so much more assured of yourself and satisfied with yourself and not care what people think of you. All my friends who have been through "the change" say the same thing. It is interesting the self confidence you gain.
So, hang in there, and know, it will get better. Yes, damn, we all have to go through it. But we are then stronger! Good luck and hugs!
First, since I sleep alone, I keep my bedroom as cold as possible by keeping the window open year round and have hung a blanket over the door to keep the heat from the rest of the house out ( I can't close the door since I need to hear Mom if she needs me during the night ). Also I sleep in a cotton T shirt to absorb the sweat with a spare at hand for a quick change w/o getting up. To get to sleep, I take melatonin and alpha-lipoic acid because I suffer from insomnia.
For the other symptoms of menopause, I've stopped eating processed foods
and anything that has hormones in them ( was drinking a half gallon of milk a day and meat every night ). My symptoms have DIMINISHED GREATLY and have lost 5 lbs so far. I have been on this new diet for three months. I was off again on again for three months before that but it's gotten easier as I saw the improvement in my health.
I realize now that I need to take better care of myself so I can better care for my blind, 88 yo Mom with diminishing mental ability ( which is contagious if they're the only one you have to talk to all day, I've had to use the dictionary 5 times to type this and I read a lot and have a degree ).
If you ask me why I didn't just go to the doctor and get HRT, I'd tell you I don't have health insurance since I quit my job to care for Mom 24/7. I promised her that she would never go into a home, after she ran the night shift in a nursing home at the end of her career. We live off her retirement, which is just enough to survive.
I hope this info may help someone out there, good luck to you all! Reading about what others are experiencing and knowing that I'm not alone in this helps to keep me sane. If I could hug you all I'd love to do so. Until then, fight the good fight and KNOW YOU ARE LOVED.
Menopause Matters and Menopause sucks
Lots of good questions and answers on these 2 pages!