Hi, all. I've been reading and nodding and feeling sympathetic thoughts for those struggling, but I realized I haven't typed much in...awhile. So hi. I'm still here. I'm sorry I'm not being very responsive. I'm using all my spoons for work and personal stuff.
My hormones are just a hot mess. I've been on BC pills since I was 16 because of PCOS (now called PMOS, much more accurate), so my perimenopause symptoms have been mostly masked. It was funny to me when — despite not changing doses AT ALL — my PCP started labeling my pills HRT rather than BC last year. I have the occasional hot flash, especially at night, but not much else. Well, I have brain fog, but that is also ADHD so...chicken? Egg? However, my body has decided that it wants to keep on having those monthly periods and nasty headaches DESPITE my being 51, which is just Not On. My gynecologist said she would switch my current dose down once I hit 52 since that's the average age for American women to have menopause. Is that right? That seems like it can't be right. But I may just be bitter.
I'm 50 and bitter that I'm not done.
I'm 50 and bitter that I'm not done.
I'm 55 and ready to see if one of those Etsy witches can make me be done. The longest I've made it without a period was 222 days. I'm back at 199 days as of today. I can be done! I'm not using it!
I'm 58, and started menopause in the spring, so YMMV. I've been on HRT since then.
OOOF no. I don't want to do this for another six-and-a-half years!
Sorry, didn't mean to freak anyone out. I'm probably an outlier.
Ooh I was done at 52! Go, being average! Choose being average!
I was not at all displeased to be completely done at 47. Maybe because I started so early at 9, or maybe because I had the kids so late. I suspect it was related to my not producing progesterone. I miscarried 3 times before it was discovered that I couldn't keep a pregnancy without taking it immediately at 1 day late. Kinda built in BC, which probably was helpful since I also couldn't take BC, like most meds. I had no history because my mom and both sisters had hysterectomies. Hot flashes were quite annoying, in Florida not helpful, but tolerable since people being a sweaty mess not so uncommon.
I know I have told this before, but a year or so later, when I had my annual gyn visit, I looked up my spreadsheet to see when the last period would have been and found it was 9/11/01. My theory is that the massive emotional hit was enough to push me over the hormonal edge.
Tom, I’d love to hear more about the bookbinding class.
It was a one-off class for Coptic binding. Really simple, no glue. Just two hours of punching and threading. It was the first time the instructor was teaching this class. The result was kind of sad looking, because Tom Scola + Sewing = Janky. But maybe, I'll practice some more and make some zines.
