I didn't even know they could test for that

[justalurkr]

About two years ago, for reasons I will not detail in the name of good taste,

my doctor explained the concept of "perimenopause." I was skeptical. This year, for reasons I will not detail because only one of us needs to be clinically depressed, my psychologist recommended I add a hormone test to my annual blood panel. The doctor was skeptical about that and a baseline bone density scan. Because of my medical history, I didn't have to twist her arm too hard to score both.

It's official. I have tested positive for menopause. Like, around the time Doctor was discussing perimenopause? I was probably there. The tyranny of the tampon is OVER, and according to some relatively objective parties, my face hasn't fallen off my head in a wrinkled heap.

The vanity factor alone has me feeling perkier. :D

Oh, and my bones are dense. Or normal. Or something that made the doctor happy. Still on the Vitamin D kick, though.

Comments

[tasty-franks.livejournal.com]

Huzzah!

I tell you what, I don't have children, I don't want children, there is no possible way that I will ever have children, and so every month, at one point or another, when the jerkface part of me gets on my case for hating my lady times, all "Some women only wish they had your problem!" I think GIVE IT TO THEM THEN IF THEY WANT IT SO BAD.

As far as menopause goes I basically only worry about growing a gigantic mustache, because I saw a lady who had one, once, but honestly, I've never been the hairy sort anyways.

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

The absence of giant mustaches and/or other hormonally wrought changes in my appearance was/were the biggest source of my elevated perkiness. :D If I've been there and done that with The Change (dumDumDUM) it looks as though aging gracefully with minimal or no HRT may be in the cards.

Given that Mom is a 10-year survivor of stage one breast cancer (ALL HAIL EARLY DETECTION) related almost entirely to 14 years of HRT, I was steeling myself to be graceful about maybe not aging gracefully. It wasn't going well. Vanity, thy name is Baby Boomer.

My most favoritest part is still warm flashes. If I actually remembered to do a gratitude journal, those would be at the top of the list every. Single. NIGHT. My temperature rises gradually enough that I can acclimate without the sinking spell and flop sweat. On the other hand, Jesus Henry Christ even my hormones are slackers.

[nialla]

There was a point during my medical drama where my doctor thought there was a slim chance I was having super early perimenopause. Didn't turn out to be the case, and I was disappointed.

I will say my year on hormone therapy (aka birth control) to treat anemia was awesome, because it was the type of pill that stopped periods almost completely. I'm considering asking if I can go back on it again. It's expensive, but hopefully the new healthcare rules will drop the price.

Since I stopped coloring my hair and the percentage of gray has increased, I've been greatly amused by the number of people who say things like I must be coloring my hair gray (which is apparently a thing), because my face still looks young. Um... 'K. But I had the gray start when I was 17 and the oily skin and zit appearances were earlier than that. ;)

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

I remember an exchange with your dad you posted after Rush showed his ass. Not a slut, then? :D (ducks, flees)

Other than the warm flashes and general lack of epidermal decay already mentioned, the most fun I'm having with this is telling people that I've tested positive for (DRAMATIC PAUSE) (snicker pause) menopause.

At age 50, doing red hats and the change of life, you'd think I'd graduate from mentally 12 to maybe mentally 16? That's another Baby Boomer thing: we may grow older, BUT WE'LL NEVER GROW UP.

[lunachickk.livejournal.com]

Should we throw a party? :)

Yes, they CAN test for that! I had that same test in March because I skipped 3 periods and was having some other strange symptoms. I however am not in menopause, my thyroid was just under attack by my body - Hashimoto's disease. Plus, I had a giant cyst growing in my thyroid, so they ended up removing half of my thyroid anyway. Go figure.

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

I sincerely hope the prognosis is good.