It is so good to have a website which covers such a lot of information on each web page, at long last. I feel first of all I would like to thank you for this, and tell you what happened to me during my menopause, which may in some measure help someone out there.
My periods started changing when I was in my early forties, getting very heavy and dark, and irregular. it was very embarrassing. I also started to gain a lot of weight, especially around the middle, I felt very tired; all I seemed to do was work and sleep. When I washed or brushed my hair, it came out in handfuls. I used to pride myself on my beautiful black thick Italian hair. The other thing I noticed was, that I felt cold, but again put that down to my 'Italian blood'. I did consult my GP. But he put it down to the menopause.
I can't really remember how it came about that I had a blood test, I think it was because I had a rather bad cut on my hand, one day from a contaminated instrument, and occupational health at my place of work, sent me for every blood test going. I was in my earl fifties, by this time, overweight, tired and feeling really slow at doing anything. Anyway, they picked up my underactive thyroid gland and high cholesterol levels, at this point. To think, I was suffering in silence, putting it all down to the natural aging process and the menopause. Strangely enough, I did not seem to get any hot flushes, seem to have avoided those.
I remember a friend of mine at work, had also been diagnosed with the same problems, at the same time. She decided to go on thyroxin for her thyroid. I really did not want to put anything like that into my body, even though I knew it would help. Thought of having to take it all my life did not appeal to me either, so what to do? I was very sceptical about any 'alternative' stuff, but when a friend recommended homeopathy, I thought 'well why not', so I gave it a try. My Homeopath, explained that it would take time, to work and she would be treating me as a whole person and not just my symptoms. She put me on homeopathic doses of a few things, including a remedy for my thyroid. Each year, I would have my bloods done at the GPs, Each time I went, there was a slight improvement. Yes, it has taken some years. My weight remained, but in myself, I started to feel better. Then, incredibly, last year, my blood test revealed that my thyroid levels were within normal limits, but my thyroid stimulating hormone was still up. So, my homeopath added a homeopathic remedy of this to my other remedies. I am now noticing that my weight has decreased. In fact, i have gone down by 5 kilos this year, which is great. I still sleep a lot, but my energy levels have increased and I feel a lot better.
I have also gone on a special diet for my thyroid, which also helps. My friend has asked me to send her this diet. She also feels much better, for taking her thyroxin, despite the fact that it took a long time to get the dosage just right.
I guess the outcome is, not to just accept that you are feeling lousy and drained, because you are going through the change, do go and see your doctor and find out if there is anything else going on besides the menopause.