TMI warning.
So, we thought it was perimenopause, with all the symptoms on the list. I went off the pill so we could test to see if it were true.
I LOVE being off the pill--all the symptoms we thought was perimenopause, and I mean all, have gone away. No insomnia, no irritability, and none of the more private symptoms.
But for the first time since starting the pill, I'm having a period.
And I'm remembering these days why I went on it in the first place--oh, the tight back and cramps. I'm in bed today with my hot water bottle and television. And since I'm on this cleanse, I can't blame the discomfort on sugar or caffeine or wheat or soy or whatever.
Just hormones.
So, I guess at least it's nice to know that my hormones are still active and things still work. And while I doubt I'll go back on the pill because I hated the side effects, I don't like this discomfort much.
Showing posts with label perimenopause. Show all posts
Showing posts with label perimenopause. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
Music Hath the Power to Wake a Crying Beast
We had a special church service yesterday, our end-of-year Flower Communion, when everyone brings a flower and puts them in communal vases and leaves with a different flower, representing the beautiful diversity of shared community. We took red roses, a yellow day lily, and some purple spiderwort; we left with three peonies and an interesting maroon wildflower.
At one point in the service, the minister instructed us to pull out our pens because we needed to correct some lyrics, changing "bear our troubles" to "bare our troubles," albeit at the request of the composer. Only in a Unitarian Universalist church! It reminds me of the Garrison Keillor joke, something about "Bible Study at 7 p.m.. Bring your Bible and your scissors."
The rest of service was a "hymnal romp," with many favorite songs--"Come, Come Whoever You Are," "For the Beauty of the Earth," "Let it be a Dance," "We'll Build a Land," "Spirit of Life," Though I May Speak with Bravest Fire," "For the Earth Forever Turning," and others (impromptu versions of "Forward through the Ages" and "Lo the Earth Awakens Again")--and I cried through them all! Peri-menopause hit hard yesterday and I went to boo-hooing, crying through church and then again at a school performance (and our kids were NOT performing!), for no reason. Blah.
But I was fine once the singing was over and enjoyed the church potluck. We took Seed Savers Heritage Bean Salad and Marmalade Shortbread Bars, which were well-liked. There was a great fluffy strawberry-rhubarb cobbler, but I didn't get the recipe, and some yummy Saltine "Toffee" with sliced almonds. It was a nice little picnic on a beautiful day.
But I'm glad we won't be at church for awhile; I'm too overwhelmed by the singing and crying.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Marmalade Shortbread Bars
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons preserves (any flavor)--orange marmalade was great!
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8-inch-square baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Work in the butter with your fingers to make a crumbly dough.
Refrigerate 2 tablespoons of the dough for topping. Press the remaining dough into the baking dish; freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
Bake the crust, 15 minutes. Spread the preserves on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border; crumble the reserved dough on top. Return to the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown, 25 more minutes. Let cool 20 minutes, then lift out of the pan and cut into squares.
Food Network
Saltine "Toffee"
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 (11 ounce) packages chocolate chips ( 1 1/2 cups)
40 saltine crackers
1 cup sliced almonds
nonstick cooking spray
Line jelly roll pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Lay crackers out flat on foil. Melt sugar and butter until foamy (3 minutes). Pour over crackers and spread to coat.
Bake 10 minutes in 350ºF oven. Remove from oven. While hot, sprinkle with chocolate chips, let soften and melt, then spread. Sprinkle with nuts. Let cool. Refrigerate until hardened. Break into pieces like peanut brittle.
At one point in the service, the minister instructed us to pull out our pens because we needed to correct some lyrics, changing "bear our troubles" to "bare our troubles," albeit at the request of the composer. Only in a Unitarian Universalist church! It reminds me of the Garrison Keillor joke, something about "Bible Study at 7 p.m.. Bring your Bible and your scissors."
The rest of service was a "hymnal romp," with many favorite songs--"Come, Come Whoever You Are," "For the Beauty of the Earth," "Let it be a Dance," "We'll Build a Land," "Spirit of Life," Though I May Speak with Bravest Fire," "For the Earth Forever Turning," and others (impromptu versions of "Forward through the Ages" and "Lo the Earth Awakens Again")--and I cried through them all! Peri-menopause hit hard yesterday and I went to boo-hooing, crying through church and then again at a school performance (and our kids were NOT performing!), for no reason. Blah.
But I was fine once the singing was over and enjoyed the church potluck. We took Seed Savers Heritage Bean Salad and Marmalade Shortbread Bars, which were well-liked. There was a great fluffy strawberry-rhubarb cobbler, but I didn't get the recipe, and some yummy Saltine "Toffee" with sliced almonds. It was a nice little picnic on a beautiful day.
But I'm glad we won't be at church for awhile; I'm too overwhelmed by the singing and crying.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Marmalade Shortbread Bars
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons preserves (any flavor)--orange marmalade was great!
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8-inch-square baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Work in the butter with your fingers to make a crumbly dough.
Refrigerate 2 tablespoons of the dough for topping. Press the remaining dough into the baking dish; freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
Bake the crust, 15 minutes. Spread the preserves on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border; crumble the reserved dough on top. Return to the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown, 25 more minutes. Let cool 20 minutes, then lift out of the pan and cut into squares.
Food Network
Saltine "Toffee"
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 (11 ounce) packages chocolate chips ( 1 1/2 cups)
40 saltine crackers
1 cup sliced almonds
nonstick cooking spray
Line jelly roll pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Lay crackers out flat on foil. Melt sugar and butter until foamy (3 minutes). Pour over crackers and spread to coat.
Bake 10 minutes in 350ºF oven. Remove from oven. While hot, sprinkle with chocolate chips, let soften and melt, then spread. Sprinkle with nuts. Let cool. Refrigerate until hardened. Break into pieces like peanut brittle.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The Change?
I thought it was just the stress, but my PT suggested something very different. "How old are you again?" she asked inquisitively. (And we know how that question never precedes happy medical information! And I've gotten it from my eye doctor and ENT in the last year.)
"No," I said. "Noooooo!"
'Cos I'll be 42 in less than 3 months.
And I was told I might hit menopause early because I only have one ovary (I have only heard this once, from my surgeon. Wait, now I see it discussed anecdotally here and scientifically here).
So I just checked the Mayo Clinic for perimenopause:
(TMI warning!)
"No," I said. "Noooooo!"
'Cos I'll be 42 in less than 3 months.
And I was told I might hit menopause early because I only have one ovary (I have only heard this once, from my surgeon. Wait, now I see it discussed anecdotally here and scientifically here).
So I just checked the Mayo Clinic for perimenopause:
(TMI warning!)
- a change in cycle by more than 7 days (I've lost 4 in the last 12 months; today, I'm more than 10 days late. And I'm always exactly on time.);
- a change in, shall we call it, intensity? of the period (length, strength, etc);
- sleep trouble;
- mood changes (I'm irritable and prone to tears more than usual, but I chalked that up to August);
- other issues (I'm just not going there here).
The only thing--the stereotypical symptom--I don't have is hot flashes. Well, beyond my usual intolerance of summer, which was worse this year with all the humidity. Mercy, is heat sensitivity a symptom?
Though, any of those could also be related to my back issues and the stress we had this summer. Right? Right?
Though, any of those could also be related to my back issues and the stress we had this summer. Right? Right?
Blog readers, BEWARE! We might be entering new territory. Thankfully, I have an appointment with my new gyn in about 2 1/2 weeks (and hopefully she'll tell me I'm overreacting. Not that I'm worried or upset really; just maybe surprised).
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