"How did women manage in the past?? Even without drugs. I do not want to advise anyone against the hormone patches. I think it’s okay for someone to take hormones. I did not want that for me."
It started for me in the 35. At the age of two, menstruation was very messed up. At the beginning I noticed while drinking coffee how I suddenly got a very hot head. I didn’t blame it on menopause at first.
At 35, the doctor said I was still too young for menopause. And then when I was 40, then they said it could be menopause.
When I was 45, 46 years old, I didn’t have my menstruation for a whole year. I thought it was great that she just stayed away. One always hears that this takes 10 years. I thought I got off easy in the process. Then I got them again. Then I had it for half a year, then not for another year. In the meantime I am 53, that’s how long it’s been dragging on.
The period has never been pleasant Information about $CMS_IF( ! tt_headline.isEmpty)$$CMS_VALUE(tt_headline.toText(false).convert2)$$CMS_END_IF$
In the last years I had my period very weakly, but more frequently or also longer or also only sometimes two days.
The period has never been pleasant. I think you torture yourself when you get them. And then when it comes so differently at the beginning, to be prepared every time and have something in my pocket . The last few years I didn’t take anything with me anymore. If I didn’t have hot flashes anymore, I wouldn’t think about it at all.
I find it pleasant that the periods are no longer there. I always had it very late. They were associated with a lot of stomach ache and the bosom hurt. When the children bumped into it or when climbing stairs, it hurt. That I don’t have that anymore, I think that’s really great. In the summer I couldn’t wear white pants because I never knew when my period was coming. Some women have them every 28 days, I really never had that. I could be doing happy dances right now.
Maybe some women think: "Now I can never have a child again." I had not had these thoughts, but I can imagine it already. I did not feel that way. But with me it was different. I could no longer have a child for health reasons. I had already said goodbye in advance, so to speak. In the menopause it didn’t matter to me anymore. I had experienced it before.
A feeling like the heart is jumping out Information about $CMS_IF( ! tt_headline.isEmpty)$$CMS_VALUE(tt_headline.toText(false).convert2)$$CMS_END_IF$
When it started, it felt like my head was exploding and my heart was pounding, all at the same time. When I was having coffee with some women I really thought my heart was going to jump out of me. I did not know what would happen. I think before you understood what it was, it was already over again. Sometimes it all lasts for a few seconds and then it’s gone again. At night it is more frequent.
Sometimes I found it uncomfortable when I had to serve a customer in the summertime. But you can’t really smell it. When I sweat because I am physically active, it smells different than when I have a heat wave. I think I can’t change it. I have to deal with it and be it, the heat waves come every quarter of an hour.
At the beginning I found it terrible with the hot flashes. There is no way to explain it. Suddenly, after 20 minutes, you get the next one. It’s like labor pains, like when you have a baby. Over the years the intervals were shorter and shorter. When you then can’t sleep at night, when you then get these sweats, that is already very unpleasant.
The doctor said it is not menopause. Then I turned 40 and I had to take hormone patches. Suddenly it was menopause, before that it was nothing. I then took hormone patches. I had no appetite at all. That’s why I stopped taking them after four weeks, because I was already so thin.
I think I got my period very irregularly for four or five years. Whenever I thought, now it’s finally over, at that moment I got a heat wave again. Now I haven’t had my period again for three years. But I still have these heat waves. Sometimes they come at longer intervals, then again at shorter intervals. But I don’t get it every quarter of an hour as it was the first years.
Menstruation was not talked about in the past Information on $CMS_IF( ! tt_headline.isEmpty)$$CMS_VALUE(tt_headline.toText(false).convert2)$$CMS_END_IF$
In the past this was not an issue. It was not talked about. I only saw my mother in her petticoat. That was another time. When my period started, I thought I had hurt myself. Our daughter got a ring from me when she started menstruating. Then I put her down with a blanket, that was something special. That’s one stage, that’s one way of becoming a woman. I’m really glad I was able to pass this on to my daughter. I have experienced it quite differently. They just thought it was awful. When you were 20 years old you sometimes talked about things like this. A lot has changed. With my girlfriend I did not talk about such things. That came only with time. That’s why I envied my daughter. I missed this myself.
My husband, when I told him that this must be menopause, said, "We don’t have menopause." I felt a little taken for a ride then (laughs). My husband could not relate. I also wanted to have my peace. For example, I didn’t want to cuddle either, I wasn’t cuddly there. My husband actually understood me. This is not necessarily the norm. Some women tell me that some of the men are angry too. Of course, this does not help.
How did women cope in the past? Even without medication. I don’t want to advise anyone against hormone patches. It’s all right for someone to take hormones. I did not want that for myself.
Enduring the menopause . I think to myself, there doesn’t always have to be a solution. I don’t have to have a great time every day. Then I would not be able to distinguish it at all. Everyone has to find out what is best for them. You have to try the different things.
Acknowledgement
Testimonials summarize interviews with people affected by the disease. All interview partners have consented to publication. Our sincere thanks go to them.
The reports give an insight into the personal handling and living with a disease. The statements do not represent a recommendation by IQWiG.
Note: To preserve the anonymity of the interviewees, we are changing their first names. The photos show uninvolved persons.
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