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First St Barbara then St Gerald and now Father Jack

(61 Posts)
vampirequeen Tue 12-Dec-17 15:39:59

What is it with the menopause? I was told it would just mean I could have sex without babies and perhaps the odd hot flush. Didn't sound that bad

So why have I joined St Barbara (patron saint of bearded ladies) and St Gerald (patron saint of acne sufferers)? Now to crown it all I've developed hairy hand syndrome just like Father Jack. Time for me to move to St Clabberts.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV_CQrHKna8

EllieRose43 Sun 17-Dec-17 18:06:04

The picture this conjured up just made me laugh so much I almost choked on my G&T!
As for the menopause, I had a hysterectomy but the surgeon left one ovary so that I would have a 'natural' mp. The remaining ovary had other ideas and promptly went on strike but other than fairly mild hot flushes and a little weight gain I was fine. The generalized hair loss came later!

vampirequeen Sat 16-Dec-17 10:19:43

When I look up at the sky to try to see Rudolph on Christmas Eve I will think of you, starlily 106 grin

NfkDumpling Sat 16-Dec-17 08:53:11

It was a woman who did my hysterectomy and put me on HRT. Found the right one first time. I’ve tried other synthetic ones since as I don’t really approve of the way the natural one is produced, but none of them worked.

yattypung Sat 16-Dec-17 00:21:57

Menapause started when I was 50, tried several different hrt treatments before finding one that suited me, however after 5 years my dr took me off it and I felt dreadful. Went to see a woman gynaecologist, she asked if my dr was man!! and immediately put me back on hrt!! Took it for over 15 years and have had no ill effects.

starlily106 Sat 16-Dec-17 00:11:59

Thank the Lord I am not alone. I thought I was the only woman with all these things happening to me. I think I am turning into a man, growing hairs on my chin , but losing it from my head. Have developed rosacea and rhinophyma, although doctor says I won't develop a big red, lumpy nose I seem to be heading that way. Never had spots even when I was in my teens, now I get them all the time. When my face goes red my nose swells and glows, I could be a stand in for Rudolph. Last time I saw the doc he gave me cream to rub on my cheeks and nose twice a day, when I read the leaflet it said it was for Athletes Foot, and also said not to be used on the face. Phoned the surgery about it and was told to use it. So far it doesn't appear to be helping at all, but I suppose at least I won't get Athletes Foot on my face. Lol. I now feel I am looking rather like an old witch, hope I don't end up being burnt at the stake, maybe I will be lucky and just get plunked on the ducking stool. Hey how, the joys of getting old.

KatyK Fri 15-Dec-17 15:28:10

My DH calls me the bionic woman - sometimes I think it's funny and sometimes I don't! I have false hair, false teeth, contact lenses as I am as blind as a bat, too much weight around my middle and this morning I have a face full of spots. Yay! Of course I know it could be worse.

Opelessgran15 Fri 15-Dec-17 10:26:43

I had an early menopause in my early 40's. Horrible at the time, but natural stuff seem to sort me out, and I prided myself on keeping my looks and lost weight 3 years ago and kept it off. However, since hitting mid 60's ( and mainly this year it seems)I look like my grandma in profile, my eyes seem to disappear despite makeup, I have had to give up contact lenses , and I seem to have developed very dark lines under my eyes and my hair sticks flat to my head , despite my hairdressers best efforts. I have lots of lovely, lovely things in my life, but gosh it's hard adjusting to think Daniel Craig might not fall at my feet anymore.....wink

meandashy Fri 15-Dec-17 08:50:08

I've always said feck, arse and drink, not menopause or Trump related!!!
I have developed bum fluff on my face ? but no hair loss as yet. Just lots of hot flushes that are keeping me warm in this very cold Scottish weather! I often think there must be steam coming off me when I step out of a hot shop mid melt ?.
I am immensely tired but that's insomnia for you. All in all who'd be a woman? Given my time again I'd go for meat and two veg I think ?

Nelliemoser Fri 15-Dec-17 08:49:05

grin grin grin
I think of it this way. My legs and arms are pretty hairless these days.
My now not so hairy face has been down to the ministrations of the lovely Maureen in our local salon over many years.

NfkDumpling Fri 15-Dec-17 08:35:37

Yep, despite the HRT I do have a few of those rapid growing chin hairs and I do find surplus weight a problem. I've had a new knee and want a second, but the arthritis isn't actually too bad or painful it's mainly because my loose joints are deformed and give way. I thought when I was young that being loose limbed and able to do the splits and bend in silly directions was good - but apparently it isn't.

seasider Fri 15-Dec-17 06:41:25

Belated Happy Birthday Jayem. I want to know why the random hairs on your face grow so fast? I have one persistent white hair that seems to appear overnight !

maddy629 Fri 15-Dec-17 03:53:22

Oh, merlotgran, it's 3 o'clock in the morning and I can't sleep. Now I can't stop giggling either.

SaraC Fri 15-Dec-17 02:13:36

Had a pretty rubbish menopause - flooding +++; sweats (day and night); sleep disturbance and low mood/anxiety. Went to a fab. homeopath, stopped any alcohol and left H. Life is so much calmer and more enjoyable now (oh, and no menopausal symptoms except for some facial hair which my trusty epilator takes care of ....)

Tallyann1 Thu 14-Dec-17 23:14:35

Love this ..thank you so much ????

lizzypopbottle Thu 14-Dec-17 21:56:47

I'm another who sailed through menopause with no adverse symptoms. My mother had one hot flush and didn't like it. She reckoned she simply refused to have any more! I had none. Like many others on here, I no longer need to remove body hair. It has ceased to be; at least the kind that arrives with puberty has ceased to be.

vampirequeen Thu 14-Dec-17 20:48:21

Men are supposed to be hairy and hairy men are lovely. Women are supposed to be smooth especially the face, hands and feet grin

holdingontometeeth Thu 14-Dec-17 20:10:22

You women moaning about getting hairy in later life.
Us men have had to live with the condition since puberty!

Esspee Thu 14-Dec-17 19:32:10

Now on my 28th year of HRT and feeling wonderful. Been on my feet working 8 hours today but thankfully my bones are incredibly strong due to oestrogen. A few whiskers on my chin and hair thinning a little plus the odd hot flush but what the hell, I'm close to 70 and intend to keep on rocking.

luluaugust Thu 14-Dec-17 19:06:56

W11girl sorry you have joined the Osteoporosis club, the charity for Osteoporosis is very helpful all kinds of literature and has local groups, all the best.

ps yes lovely facial hair very decorative!

LAINEANN Thu 14-Dec-17 18:57:08

I didn't go on hrt due to possible weight gain (always a problem) a friend who was always slim put a drastic amount on. Anyway I lay on the sofa exhausted for 2 years & put on 2.5 stone anyway! Hindsight is wonderful. Now 69 very little leg and armpit hair sand virtually no pubes! But more mo and chin hair that I pluck out, ouch! Has anyone tried any more permanent method that isn't extortionate in price?

homefarm Thu 14-Dec-17 18:26:21

I was 27 when I too had a hysterectomy, in my case after childbirth, no assistance, follow up - nothing, just 'cold turkey. I'm now 72. I too have bone problems, revealed by a dexa scan at my expense [think that's how you spell it] Given vitamin D!! Useless - still no help. Good luck to those of you who have GP's who actually care.

Saggi Thu 14-Dec-17 18:08:15

Started menopause at 50 ....worst ‘sympton’ was night sweats... and insomnia ...terrible night sweats!! But other than that...NOTHING!! I was put on HRT... didn’t make slightest difference, so came off after nine months.. I was working full time with a invalid husband to look after ( who says he didn’t notice any difference in me) so I suppose I had to put symptoms on a back-burner. I still get the night sweats 17 years after the start of them and haven’t slept more than 4 hours a night since... and that in hour snatches. Been checked out for thyroid and other stuff...all ok... but still sweating and lacking sleep. Having said all that ...I swim three miles a week and walk 5 miles a day and still look after the OH. My mum too went through menopause the first couple of months after I was born when she was 36.....she ignored it as did I.

Funnygran Thu 14-Dec-17 16:50:42

Yes, have the tache, the beard and the hairy feet. Strangely though the hair on my legs has almost disappeared and I have only had to shave them once over the summer. Sleep is my main thing as I've got older - or lack of it since I don't know when I last had an undisturbed night.

Jayem Thu 14-Dec-17 16:26:55

I am not gloating, honestly!!

My menopause came and went with narry a symptom. One day I didn't have my period as expected. That was it!!

I was never a particularly hairy person, and don't have any hairs anywhere now, except eyebrows and lashes.

However I do have osteoporosis. And it is my 83rd birthday today. Getting a bit forgetful but otherwise can't complain!!!

Sue162 Thu 14-Dec-17 15:38:24

Thank you so much, you lovely lot! Just beginnng to recover from a horrible virus that has taken me over for the last three weeks and these comments have made me laugh out loud! You are better than a bottle of tonic! grin