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Surviving Perimenopause: Year One

Part 1 of 2 Sometime in 2022, I started bleeding and just I didn’t stop.

It would help to have a little background. At that time, I was a 43 year old woman with 2 children. I was newly divorced and trying to feel very hot, and very datable. I mean, I was wearing lingerie!

And then one day, my period came, and it just didn’t stop.

When I say “didn’t stop”, I mean this was a mess. Postpartum levels of carnage. I was soaking through tampons and pads, and I could hardly leave the house. And those little thong bodysuits I had recently acquired? Please.

This was unusual for me, so I made an appointment with an OBGYN. We thought that perhaps the stress of my divorce had thrown my cycle off. She had me wait it out. Weeks later; I was dizzy, depressed, and exhausted. I went into urgent care and I told the doctor that every woman on my maternal side has had some sort of cancer. (I was so afraid that I was a newly single parent, and now I also had cancer. It felt like a ‘universe piling on’ type of situation. This was not a chill time for me.)

They did tests. Pelvic exams, uterine biopsies. Those seemed to be clear, and what my gynecologist eventually said to me changed my life. She said, “Well, Natalie, you’re 43. This might simply be perimenopause.”

This was not welcome news. I thought I was way too young for menopause, I didn’t actually understand what perimenopause was, and I had no idea what my next move ought to be.

So, I went home and did some digging.

Turns out, 43 is exactly the right age for the first stages of menopause to creep in. Our ovaries are slowing down, and our entire body can be affected. The symptoms might look different for lots of folks, but most of us will have some shared experiences. (I’m using ‘symptoms’ because menopause is caused by a hormone deficiency, and even though it happens to everyone with certain reproductive parts- I’ve learned more and more about ways that we can actually treat it.)

It’s very possible that nobody will tell us this is about to happen. Unlike pregnancy, women don’t tend to talk to each other about menopause. Doctors don’t tend to give us a head’s up that we can start looking out for signs and symptoms. Largely, we will feel unseen and unsupported as we try to navigate a very intense change that half of the human population is scheduled to go through.

1. Your cycle will change. Less frequent or sporadic periods are common, but what is also common is relentless bleeding. When you walk around and see 40-50 year old women going about their business, it’s very possible that many of them have been bleeding for months and months, without relief. Fun!

2. You gain weight! Hormones do so much to control our weight and metabolism, and even small changes can make a big difference. Quite suddenly, most of your clothes might not fit, and your decades old diet and exercise habits might not be working for you. Belly weight seems to be the most common- I’ve given away a lot of pants this year.

3. Your vagina will change. Mine became more sensitive, generally. I need more gentleness during any genital contact but especially during penetration, I’m much more prone to yeast and BV, and for the first time in my life, I constantly need to use lubricant. My body feels tender, and I’m learning to treat it with the care it now needs.

The more openly I talk about perimenopause- both to friends and on social media- the more symptoms I’m made aware of. Brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, lack of sleep, gut issues, food and alcohol intolerance, memory loss, body aches- the list goes on. It’s mostly women who are experiencing these symptoms, and women are notorious for soldiering through pain and discomfort (out of necessity), so it really takes a lot for many women to open up about what’s happening with them. For many of us, it takes multiple doctor visits, and often even switching doctors, to receive decent information and care.

As some of us have been doing this leg work, I think it’s helpful to share what we’ve found. For me, here are some treatments that have saved my quality of life during this time.

1. Hormone replacement therapy. That’s right- HRT is for everyone, and it can save lives! To control my own bleeding; I tried Estradiol, a hormonal birth control pill, and a hormonal IUD. None of those helped (and in fact, the IUD led to constant bacterial infection and discomfort). What eventually has helped is Synd, an oral contraceptive containing only drospirenone, which is a progestin. I’ve been taking Slynd for 3 months, and besides some initial weight gain, I haven’t noticed negative side effects. A very positive side effect has been stopping menstruation, which is significant for me due to the distressingly heavy bleeding I was experiencing. I have n

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Surviving Perimenopause: Year One

Part 2 of 2 o affiliation with this brand, I just want to be transparent about what has worked.

2. Turmeric is said to be an anti-inflammatory substance. I take 1,000-2,000 mg per day.

3. Water is always important, but I’ve found myself getting constipated more easily. Thus, staying very hydrated is helpful.

4. During my workouts, I now focus less on cardio, and more on resistance training. Not only does it feel good to push and pull heavy things, but it feels good to know I’m battling back against bone and muscle loss- both symptoms of an estrogen drop.

5. Because I’m working to build muscle (rather than constantly fighting to lose weight), I’m eating far more protein than I was a year ago. Generally, I look and feel much stronger.

6. For my gut and vaginal health, I take a raw probiotic daily. These aren’t inexpensive, but when I am consistent with them, I’ve had far fewer issues with vaginal infections after sex (or sweaty workouts).

7. I use vaginal lubricant for any penetration now. It took me a bit to make reaching for the lube a habit, but I know that it’s what my body needs. Sex feels fun and manageable once again.

I’m only now entering into my 2nd year of perimenopause, and this phase can take 10 years. 10 years! I know that my habits, tactics, and long term health strategies will change over time. My hope is that with more doctors acknowledging that menopause comes with symptoms that can actually be treated, and with more people sharing personal experiences, we can make this transition more smooth and healthy for everyone.

It’s just very good to know that we aren’t alone. And if we can be brave and talk to someone about what’s happening with our bodies, we can hopefully start to get appropriate support. The time for thong bodysuits has not yet passed.

Godspeed, one and all.

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I'm new here!

Hi, my name is Nicksoccer21. I'm here because
I have had seroneg MG x24 yrs & am being worked up for LEMS now. Legs def weaker.#MightyTogether #MyastheniaGravis

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Psych appointment #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #PTSD #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder

I went to our cozy Starbucks on Friday to have me time and have my virtual meeting with my psychiatrist. I told him my anxiety was so freaking high one day it filtered to the next day. I also told him I having depression but it’s on and off. I was depressed for a whole week with very scary bad thoughts. He wanted to add 50 mg to my 100 mg of lamtrigine. I told him how I figured out to do a PDF file/ get it on a spreadsheet/fill out a form and send it back to someone through email. I was so proud of myself. It’s the first time I have done that. He was very proud of me. I told him that I was at Starbucks he was happy that I came out of my comfort zone. He likes how I challenge myself. I told him that I brought a book about DBT he was happy that I’m doing research. I will be starting therapy for DBT in November once my friend who is an insurance broker takes the second half of Blue Cross Blue Shield class. I told him that it feels like my break down is slowly starting. This around the time I had it. He said sounds like seasonal depression. He wants to see me December 1st. By then I should be in therapy. He wants me to take 100mg in the morning and 50 at night. Since it’s getting lighter outside and colder he wants me to get out and change my environment, do my coping skills and do not isolate.

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Psychiatrist appointment part 1

So, I had my virtual appointment with psychiatrist it went very good. I mentioned that I get very high when I go shopping it not like I come out with 5 bags in both hands. I only buy 2 things he said it could escalate to bigger shopping spree since I get a high from it. So I mentioned that my son, his girlfriend and I are going to Chicago on November 23 to look at the stores on Michigan ave. He said can your son hold your credit cards I literally busted out laughing 😂 I said no he won’t give it back. Even if I do give it to him I have them on my Apple Pay wallet. We also talked about my caffeine intake. I told him I only have 1 coffee at Starbucks (blonde roasted) he wanted to know how much caffeine is that. It’s 479 mg if I don’t go to Starbucks I only have 1 French roasted coffee only 55 if I’m stressed I will have 2 more. He said why do you need all that caffeine I told him it calms me down. #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #PTSD #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder

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I’m new here!

Hi, my name is Drew. I'm here because as a MG/HS warrior I’m constantly trying to hide my illnesses from everyone. I literally have this thought in my head that I’m “faking” it or that it’s all in my head and if I just push myself I will be “normal” I’m sure just by my own thoughts & worrying about how others view me I’m making myself sicker. I’ve recently started using a cane and I think I will soon need a mobility scooter or wheelchair. Do

#MightyTogether #Depression #Anxiety #PTSD #ADHD #MyastheniaGravis #hidradentitissupperativa

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I’m new here!

Hi, my name is mikeintexas. I'm here because my MG has progressed this year and I’m looking for more info.

#MightyTogether #MyastheniaGravis

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Low Dose Naltrexone for Pain Management

Low doses of naltrexone for pain management is an alternative for opioids. Naltrexone is commonly prescribed to recovering alcoholics and narcotic addicts. It is now being used to help chronic pain sufferers find relief from a variety of pain conditions including fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel, Crohn’s disease, and complex regional pain syndrome.

What is naltrexone?

Naltrexone is a prescription medication used to suppress narcotic and alcohol cravings in recovering addicts. Naltrexone is used as just one part of an addict’s overall treatment plan. It is prescribed only after a person is no longer dependent on drugs or alcohol.

How does Naltrexone work?

Naltrexone blocks the euphoric sensations associated with narcotic and alcohol use. It is non-addictive and produces no narcotic-like effects.

Researchers believe that naltrexone also modulates the release of inflammatory chemicals in the central nervous system. The drug temporarily binds to and blocks the Mu opioid receptors (MORs) which are central to pain control. When these receptors are blocked, the body responds by producing more pain-relieving endorphins.

Dosage of naltrexone for pain relief vs addiction

When used for the management of addiction, the typical daily dosage of naltrexone is 50–100 mg per day. For chronic pain relief, the dosage is typically less than 8 mg per day. Patients may start off with a dose as low as .01 mg. A more typical starting dose is 1.0.0.5 mg. On average, dosages of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) are approximately 1/10th of the typical addiction treatment dosage.

Prescriptions for LDN can be filled by compounding pharmacies that grind up the higher dose tablet into ultra-low doses.

Are there side effects of naltrexone?

Common side effects of naltrexone when used for addiction management include nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite. While most side effects are mild, serious side effects are possible. The Mayo Clinic provides a comprehensive list of all possible side effects. Side effects are much less likely to occur in patients taking low doses of the drug.

Research on low-dose naltrexone for chronic pain

Results of a review conducted in 2014 indicated that “Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) has been demonstrated to reduce symptom severity in conditions such as fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and complex regional pain syndrome.” The review found Crohn’s disease to be the condition with the most scientific support when it comes to the efficacy of LDN for chronic pain relief.

A 2018 review found that “Clinical reports of LDN have demonstrated possible benefits in diseases such as fibromyalgia, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, complex-regional pain syndrome, Hailey-Hailey disease, and cancer.”

According to a 2020 review, “Low-dose naltrexone LDN for chronic pain has shown promise to reduce symptoms related to conditions such as fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel conditions, and multiple sclerosis.”

A systematic review conducted by the University of Michigan School of Dentistry concluded that “Low-dose naltrexone provides an alternative in medical management of chronic pain disorders as a novel anti-inflammatory and immunomodulator. It can offer additional management options, as orofacial pain conditions share characteristics with other chronic pain disorders.” Authors of the study consider the drug “a good option for patients with orofacial and chronic pain, without the risk of addiction.”

What pain management specialists say about LDN

According to an article published by Weill Cornell Medicine in September 2020, their pain management specialists have had success treating chronic pain patients with low-dose naltrexone. When interviewed, Dr. Neel Mehta, said, “Generally, my patients report pain relief greater than 50 percent, that they’re sleeping better, or can return to work. And some patients end up responding well to doses as low as 0.0.0.1 for reasons we don’t yet completely understand. Patients are experiencing good results with low harm in these early studies.”

In an article published by NPR, Dr. Bruce Vroorman, an associate professor at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine and the author of the above-mentioned 2018 review, was interviewed. According to the article, “Vrooman says that when it comes to treating some patients with complex chronic pain, low-dose naltrexone appears to be more effective and well-tolerated than the big-name opioids that dominated pain management for decades.” He said that LDN is a “game changer” for some chronic pain patients.

In an interview with Michigan News, orofacial pain specialist Elizabeth Hatfield discussed the use of LDN. She said, “We found a reduction in pain intensity and improvement in quality of life, and a reduction in opioid use for patients with chronic pain.” She went on to say that it is best used on centralized pain disorders including fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and TMJ.

Low-dose naltrexone may be a possible treatment for long COVID

According to a recent article published by Reuters, Dr. Jack Lambert, an infectious disease expert at University College Dublin School of Medicine, ran a pilot study on the use of LDN for long COVID. Lambert has reported previous success in using LDN to treat pain and fatigue associated with chronic Lyme disease.

After being treated with LDN for two months, the 38 pilot study participants reported improvement in energy, pain, concentration, insomnia and overall recovery from COVID-19.

Lambert is preparing to run a larger trial to confirm the results. He believes it is possible that LDN may work to repair the damage done to the body by the virus.

Conclusion

Low-dose naltrexone for pain management appears to be safer and more effective than widely used opioids. It might be worth a try if you’re in chronic pain and want to avoid, reduce or eliminate the use of opioids. It's important to find a knowledgeable healthcare provider who can guide you in terms of dosages and how to taper off of opioids safely.

Other options that involve oral administration of a substance in order to avoid, reduce or eliminate the use of opioids while safely improving pain relief include marijuana, CBD, kratom, an anti-inflammatory diet, nutritional supplements including vitamin D and magnesium.

#ChronicPain #paintreatment

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