Perimenopause - Mumsnet & Gransnet share the knowledge

There is nothing inevitable about the menopause. Some women get through it with minimal symptoms - I was one of them (without HRT) and perhaps you will be as well. If you get worried about it beforehand, you will be more likely to be anxious when the time comes. Meanwhile, if you must anticipate it, you should have a word with a doctor - preferably a female one - and discuss your options.

Agree with anno, nobody talked about it at home, didn't know what to expect and didn't have any real problems.

Inevitable for some but not for lucky others anno - but I agree no point stressing out about it in advance.

Has it finished then?

MorrisZapp It varies from one person to another, in intensity and in how often it strikes, so a description is a bit vague. Mostly they only last a few minutes each.

It is like an embarrassed blush that covers the whole body, bringing a lot of blood to the skin and making you feel very hot, as though you are in a room with the heating turned up unbearably high, with no chance of leaving.

It is not necessarily obvious to anyone else, so if you can ignore it and concentrate on the job in hand, no need to hide in the loos. If not, going and splashing water on the face (and/or down the cleavage, if that is feasible) can help. Keeping a bottle of water to hand and drinking a good slug can help to make you feel cooler, so can wearing layers of light clothes so that you can remove some (don't strip off completely though - that can lead to further complications socially)

At home you can open all the windows and strip off as much as you like, in that order if your windows are overlooked, take a cold shower, have an iced drink.

To lazypepper..... I had a tendency to greasy skin particularly the 'T' zone, since the menopause my skin has dried significantly. My friends tell me I ought to use moisturisers (some of you will be throwing your hands up in horror, that I don't) but, since as a teenager, a tendency to become spotty if I put anything on my face, I just cannot get the hang of it!
I have, tho, graduated to a 'dry skin face wash' from a brand which offers 3 types.
I do use a lotion on my legs which have also become very dry.....
GNHQ..... can I mention brand names?

You just feel too bloody hot Morriszapp and convinced the room is too warm. In work you mutter "is it hot in here or is it me?" and elegantly peel off your outer layer (which needs to undo down the front - struggling to escape from a wooly jumper tends to make one bad tempered and a tad panicky).
Or if your corporate culture permits it you say "Hang on a minute chaps, I'm having another sodding hot flush - can we just take a 2 minute break while i go and stick my head under the tap"
I reckon they are good for the complexion - that extra oxygen etc pumping into your skin.

You save a lot on central heating and blankets too. Until the OH complains. He won't like it when you decline a nice cosy cuddle either.

Hot flushes were the only symptom I had, but it was a hot summer and I could never be sure if it was me or the weather - and they only happened in bed at night! In any case, they were over by the time autumn came along.

LucyGransNet my experience with hot flushes is that you suddenly feel like you have been transported to a tropical country. Feels like your face is burning and sweat running down spine. I used to feel slightly queasy. Lasts only a minute and you can get used to it. Agree on drinking cool water. Try a little water spray for face from eg Boots.
At work it made me feel slightly panicky and out of control for a few moments but usually people don't notice. If they do, I found people very understanding. Nothing to be ashamed of at all. Part of the natural process. Glad I didn't take HRT as I had enough oestrogen left in my body to cause breast cancer anyway. Might have made the outcome worse for me!!

Like everything, this too will pass!!

By the way, two of the hot flush triggers tend to be coffee and red wine. I ditched the first but not the last!! Am now able to take the coffee again with not too much problem!

My hot flushes usually start with a gripping sensation in the solar plexus (I think that's where it is, just under the bottom of the ribs), then the heat spreads out along blood vessels all the way to fingers and toes and especially my face. I quite often get one at around 9:30pm but not too many in the daytime now (after seven years of them). There's usually one during the night and I always seem to wake up just before it kicks in. A hot flush in the night is different from a night sweat which is, for me, just waking up covered in sweat and kicking off the covers.

I have gone through menopause early fifties but due to chemo am once again having hot flushes
Acupuncture worked to reduce amount I was having have read sage is good does anyone know if
Sage tea is good way to take it .

It can be a lot of reasons why it happened. I think U have a lot of advice. U can read this article stopyourperiod.org/postpone-period-natural-medicine.html It helped me some days