The Garden Route is under threat.
African Mining Exploration and Finance Corporation, a state owned company, has been awarded the rights to prospect for minerals on a large portion of land along the cliffs between Victoria Bay and Herolds Bay on the Garden Route. This includes our much loved and beautiful property on Ballots Heights Nature reserve. Much of this area is declared nature reserve, with protected fynbos and forest. AMEFC is the same company that has been awarded rights to prospect on various farms in the winelands which has generated widespread dismay.
The proposed mining area includes much of the Eden Coastal Conservancy. The possible devastation is important not only to property owners but to anyone who appreciates the importance of the natural environment. Visual destruction, noise, pollution, dust, transport trucks, loss of pristine fynbos, loss of the tourist industry in the area and beyond and further pressure on water stressed coastal towns would be the inevitable result of mining operations.
It appears that AMEFC is exempt from environmental conservation legislation including consultation. This has come to our attention with very few days left in which to register as Interested and Affected Parties. It is critical to get as many people as possible to register so, if you love and appreciate the Garden Route, please spread the word and register.
All you have to do at this stage is gather names and e-mail addresses and send them through to Advocate Martin Coetzee registering them as Interested and Affected parties with a comment objecting to Prospecting Rights, Nº 423. Martin needs the names of all objectors/Interested and Affected Parties by Monday the 29th. Please include e-mail addresses.
Advocate Martin Coetzee - marcec@mweb.co.za.
Please call if you have any questions.
Regards
Sally Kennedy - 083 2605299
Henry Paine - 082 3365999
Friday, March 26, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Speak ZA: Bloggers for a free press
Last week, shocking revelations concerning the activities of the ANC Youth League spokesperson Nyiko Floyd Shivambu came to the fore. According to a letter published in various news outlets, a complaint was laid by 19 political journalists with the Secretary General of the ANC, against Shivambu. This complaint letter detailed attempts by Shivambu to leak a dossier to certain journalists, purporting to expose the money laundering practices of Dumisani Lubisi, a journalist at the City Press. The letter also detailed the intimidation
that followed when these journalists refused to publish these revelations.
We condemn in the strongest possible terms the reprisals against journalists by Shivambu. His actions constitute a blatant attack on media freedom and a grave infringement on Constitutional rights. It is a disturbing step towards dictatorial rule in South Africa.
We call on the ANC and the ANC Youth League to distance themselves from the actions of Shivambu. The media have, time and again, been a vital democratic safeguard by exposing the actions of individuals who have abused their positions of power for personal and political gain.
The press have played a vital role in the liberation struggle, operating under difficult and often dangerous conditions to document some of the most crucial moments in the struggle against apartheid. It is therefore distressing to note that certain people within the ruling party are willing to maliciously target journalists by invading their privacy and threatening their colleagues in a bid to silence them in their legitimate work.
We also note the breathtaking hubris displayed by Shivambu and the ANC Youth League President Julius Malema in their response to the letter of complaint. Shivambu and Malema clearly have no respect for the media and the rights afforded to the media by the Constitution of South Africa. Such a response serves only to reinforce the position that the motive for leaking the so-called dossier was not a legitimate concern, but a insolent effort to intimidate and bully a journalist who had exposed embarrassing information about the Youth League President.
We urge the ANC as a whole to reaffirm its commitment to media freedom and other Constitutional rights we enjoy as a country.
Blog Roll
http://thoughtleader.co.za/siphohlongwane
http://rwrant.co.za/
http://vocfm.co.za/blogs/munadia/
http://vocfm.co.za/blogs/shafiqmorton/
http://blogs.news24.com/needpoint
http://capetowngirl.co.za/
http://thoughtleader.co.za/sentletsediakanyo
http://thoughtleader.co.za/davidjsmith
http://letterdash.com/one-eye-only
http://boyuninterrupted.blogspot.com/
http://amandasevasti.com/
http://blog.empyrean.co.za/
http://letterdash.com/brencro
http://6000.co.za/
http://chrisroper.co.za/
http://pieftw.com/
http://hamishpillay.wordpress.com/
http://memoirs4kimya.blogspot.com/
http://thoughtleader.co.za/azadessa
http://watkykjy.co.za/
http://fredhatman.co.za/
http://thelifeanddeathchronicles.blogspot.com/
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/common-dialogue/
http://www.clivesimpkins.blogs.com/
http://mashadutoit.wordpress.com/
http://nicharalambous.com/
http://sarocks.co.za/
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/stompies/
http://helenmoffett.book.co.za/blog/
http://01universe.blogspot.com/
http://groundwork.worpress.com/
http://iwrotethisforyou.me/
http://fionasnyckers.book.co.za/
http://attentiontodetail.wordpress.com/
http://blogs.women24.com/editor
http://www.missmillib.blogspot.com/
http://snowgoose.co.za/
http://dreamfoundry.co.za/
http://www.vanoodle.blogspot.com/
http://www.exmi.co.za/.co.za
http://cat-dubai.blogspot.com/
http://alistairfairweather.com/
http://www.zanedickens.com/
http://www.nickhuntdavis.com/
http://guysa.blogspot.com/
http://book.co.za/
http://baldy.co.za/
http://skinnylaminx.com/
http://blogs.african-writing.com/zukiswa
http://www.mielie.wordpress.com/
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/gatherer/
http://thoughtleader.co.za/sarahbritten
http://stii.co.za/
http://blogs.news24.com/FSB_AP
http://twistedkoeksuster.blogspot.com/
http://whensmokegetsinyoureyes.blogspot.com/
http://trinklebean.wordpress.com/
http://commentry.wordpress.com/
http://matthewbuckland.com/
http://blogs.news24.com/colour-me-fran
http://gormendizer.co.za/
http://www.harassedmom.co.za/
http://ravingfans.co.za/
http://khadijapatel.co.za/
http://cat-dubai.blogspot.com/2010/03/speakza-bloggers-for-free-press.html
http://simon.co.za/speakza
http://synapses.co.za/
http://fsi.org.za/
http://gnatj.com/
http://moralfibre.co.za/
http://www.exmi.co.za/
http://www.blabla.co.za/
http://blogs.news24.com/kevinmatthews
that followed when these journalists refused to publish these revelations.
We condemn in the strongest possible terms the reprisals against journalists by Shivambu. His actions constitute a blatant attack on media freedom and a grave infringement on Constitutional rights. It is a disturbing step towards dictatorial rule in South Africa.
We call on the ANC and the ANC Youth League to distance themselves from the actions of Shivambu. The media have, time and again, been a vital democratic safeguard by exposing the actions of individuals who have abused their positions of power for personal and political gain.
The press have played a vital role in the liberation struggle, operating under difficult and often dangerous conditions to document some of the most crucial moments in the struggle against apartheid. It is therefore distressing to note that certain people within the ruling party are willing to maliciously target journalists by invading their privacy and threatening their colleagues in a bid to silence them in their legitimate work.
We also note the breathtaking hubris displayed by Shivambu and the ANC Youth League President Julius Malema in their response to the letter of complaint. Shivambu and Malema clearly have no respect for the media and the rights afforded to the media by the Constitution of South Africa. Such a response serves only to reinforce the position that the motive for leaking the so-called dossier was not a legitimate concern, but a insolent effort to intimidate and bully a journalist who had exposed embarrassing information about the Youth League President.
We urge the ANC as a whole to reaffirm its commitment to media freedom and other Constitutional rights we enjoy as a country.
Blog Roll
http://thoughtleader.co.za/siphohlongwane
http://rwrant.co.za/
http://vocfm.co.za/blogs/munadia/
http://vocfm.co.za/blogs/shafiqmorton/
http://blogs.news24.com/needpoint
http://capetowngirl.co.za/
http://thoughtleader.co.za/sentletsediakanyo
http://thoughtleader.co.za/davidjsmith
http://letterdash.com/one-eye-only
http://boyuninterrupted.blogspot.com/
http://amandasevasti.com/
http://blog.empyrean.co.za/
http://letterdash.com/brencro
http://6000.co.za/
http://chrisroper.co.za/
http://pieftw.com/
http://hamishpillay.wordpress.com/
http://memoirs4kimya.blogspot.com/
http://thoughtleader.co.za/azadessa
http://watkykjy.co.za/
http://fredhatman.co.za/
http://thelifeanddeathchronicles.blogspot.com/
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/common-dialogue/
http://www.clivesimpkins.blogs.com/
http://mashadutoit.wordpress.com/
http://nicharalambous.com/
http://sarocks.co.za/
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/stompies/
http://helenmoffett.book.co.za/blog/
http://01universe.blogspot.com/
http://groundwork.worpress.com/
http://iwrotethisforyou.me/
http://fionasnyckers.book.co.za/
http://attentiontodetail.wordpress.com/
http://blogs.women24.com/editor
http://www.missmillib.blogspot.com/
http://snowgoose.co.za/
http://dreamfoundry.co.za/
http://www.vanoodle.blogspot.com/
http://www.exmi.co.za/.co.za
http://cat-dubai.blogspot.com/
http://alistairfairweather.com/
http://www.zanedickens.com/
http://www.nickhuntdavis.com/
http://guysa.blogspot.com/
http://book.co.za/
http://baldy.co.za/
http://skinnylaminx.com/
http://blogs.african-writing.com/zukiswa
http://www.mielie.wordpress.com/
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/gatherer/
http://thoughtleader.co.za/sarahbritten
http://stii.co.za/
http://blogs.news24.com/FSB_AP
http://twistedkoeksuster.blogspot.com/
http://whensmokegetsinyoureyes.blogspot.com/
http://trinklebean.wordpress.com/
http://commentry.wordpress.com/
http://matthewbuckland.com/
http://blogs.news24.com/colour-me-fran
http://gormendizer.co.za/
http://www.harassedmom.co.za/
http://ravingfans.co.za/
http://khadijapatel.co.za/
http://cat-dubai.blogspot.com/2010/03/speakza-bloggers-for-free-press.html
http://simon.co.za/speakza
http://synapses.co.za/
http://fsi.org.za/
http://gnatj.com/
http://moralfibre.co.za/
http://www.exmi.co.za/
http://www.blabla.co.za/
http://blogs.news24.com/kevinmatthews
Sunday, March 21, 2010
South Africans and the Government
I have only recently started reading News24. Previously I refused to read the paper. Found it to be very depressing – murders, rapes, burglaries and the like.
What I find even more interesting is reading the comments that people post, supposedly relating to the article. Initially I found it very entertaining reading everybody’s point of view, than I just found it very sad.
Instead of the posts relating to the article – at least the majority of them - the comments either
a) blame the government – who elected the government
b) they become racistic or insulting – really great contribution
c) And people are told to leave the country – what an absolutely inane remark.
If you don’t like the government – do something about it. There I truly admire the black culture. If they are not happy about something they let you know about it in no uncertain terms. They toi toi, they have marches, they strike. Even the gays have more gumption and march down the street, fighting for their rights and their beliefs. Whereas we sit quite comfortably behind our desks and use our computers to abuse, sling mud and gripe. So….why aren’t we out there toi toi’ing in front of the presidents house about his lack of education, his rulings, or whatever it is we are unhappy with?
Please note – that just because I admire the black culture and the gays for having the gumption to march and toi-toi does not mean I believe that is the answer and neither am I advocating it although according to the Bill of Rights we do have the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration:
THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PEOPLE
Before its transition to a democratic, constitutional state, South Africa was known as a country in which the rights and freedoms of the majority of people were denied. To prevent this from ever happening again, our Constitution contains a Bill of Rights which can only be changed if two thirds of the members of the National Assembly and six of the nine provinces in the National Council of Provinces agree to such a change.
The rights in the Bill of Rights form the cornerstone of our democracy. An obligation is also placed on the state to respect, protect, promote and fulfil these rights.
Some of the rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights are the right to life, equality, human dignity, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of association, political rights and the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration. These are normal rights that are guaranteed in most democratic countries because they ensure democracy and freedom.
The Bill of Rights also contains socio economic rights. In South Africa, where a large part of the struggle for freedom was about improving the lives of people, these rights are important. They place a duty on the government to address the problems that people experience when it comes to education, health services, water and housing.
The last group of rights included in the Bill of Rights is often the reason our Constitution is described as very modern and advanced. These rights include the right to the environment being protected, even for future generations, the right of access to information and the right to fair administrative action. The citizens of South Africa are even guaranteed the right to an efficient administration. See http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=11
Now according to paragraph 2: “ An obligation is also placed on the state to respect, protect, promote and fulfil these rights” which include education, health services, water and housing. We are even guaranteed the right to an efficient administration.
Well, in my book, the government has failed in all of the above. But what can we, as citizens of South Africa, do when our rights are not being fulfilled?
We can contact the ‘Committee”: Both Houses of Parliament are divided into committees that play a vital role in the process of building democracy and public involvement. Committees are the places where members of the public can express their opinions directly and try to influence the outcome of Parliament's decisions. Their meetings are open to the public, although they may be closed if there is a very good reason to do so.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Our full schedule of committee meetings is available online. Click below to access the schedule
View the committee meeting schedule . Also has a list of contact names and numbers of the various committee officers.
Or contact your political party: http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=107
Or your MP: http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=55
Or try the Parliamentary Democracy Office: http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=170
Of you can try petitioning: http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=54
There are also institutions that support and safeguard constitutional democracy
A very significant feature of our Constitution is that it sets up several independent bodies to support and safeguard our democracy. Informally these bodies are often referred to as the “Chapter 9 Institutions”, because the most important of these are provided for in Chapter 9 of the Constitution. These include the Human Rights Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality, the Auditor General, the Public Protector and the Electoral Commission. Although the National Assembly may not interfere with the independence of these institutions, they are accountable to the National Assembly and have to report on their activities and the performance of their functions to the Assembly at least once a year. http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=11
Now according to the State institutions supporting constitutional democracy –
1. The Public Protector has the power, as regulated by national legislation ¬
a. to investigate any conduct in state affairs, or in the public administration in any sphere of government, that is alleged or suspected to be improper or to result in any impropriety or prejudice;
b. to report on that conduct; and
c. to take appropriate remedial action.
What I would like to know is whether the Public Protector can do anything to my MP, or the leader of my party if she/he stands at the top of the Union Building stairs and sings a song that is bound to incite violence? If I am unable to go the Public Protector, would PEPUDA be able to do something as their purpose is to prevent and prohibit unfair discrimination, harassment and hate speech. Apparently the scope of legal standing established by PEPUDA is extremely broad so that any person can bring a claim of discrimination to the courts in the public interests even if they are not directly affected themselves
Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 2000 (4 of 2000)
Chapter 2 Prevention, Prohibition and Elimination of Unfair Discrimination, Hate Speech and Harassment
10. Prohibition of hate speech
1) Subject to the proviso in section 12, no person may publish, propagate, advocate or communicate words based on one or more of the prohibited grounds, against any person, that could reasonably be construed to demonstrate a clear intention to-
a) be hurtful;
b) be harmful or to incite harm;
c) promote or propagate hatred.
http://www.acts.co.za/prom_of_equality/index.htm
Bottom line, if we are unhappy about the government and the way it is being run we contact our MP’s. We harass them until something is done. After all, it is our money that is being used to pay them. If you, as a business owner, find your employees not doing their jobs, you get rid of them. Therefore it is up to us to ensure that our MP’s and The Committee’s do what we pay them to do – hold the president accountable for his lack of administration.
A lot of people are advocating that we leave them to run the country down into the ground and become another Zimbabwe so that they might learn something. That’s all fair and well, but what exactly is it that they will learn. They won’t be here to learn anything but the rest of us South African’s and our children will be here to suffer the lack of food and housing, the lack of education and basic human rights. Is that the heritage we want to leave our children.
And why is it that when somebody makes a comment about South Africa and the way it is being run, we are told to leave the country. Because if that is the best advise you can give, tell me why is it that when you weren’t happy with the way the country was being run prior to 1994, you didn’t elect to leave. You fought for your rights and now we are fighting for ours. The right to life, equality, human dignity, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of association, political rights and the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration. The right to education, health services, water and housing.
And if you want to argue those points why don’t you go to some of the settlements and see what rights they have regarding water and housing, or what rights the poor slob has who is being kicked out of the doorway because the store owner wants to open his shop. Or what rights the 10 year old child has who is ply’ing her trade on the street corner.
Elections are held every 5 years. If I have calculated correctly the next election is in 2014. Can we continue to allow the Government to continue as they have been doing. Can we afford to allow the education level to drop further than it has, to allow the lack of service to continue, the murders, rapes and killings.
As South Africans we have an obligation to leave a healthy, safe and happy country to our children.
What I find even more interesting is reading the comments that people post, supposedly relating to the article. Initially I found it very entertaining reading everybody’s point of view, than I just found it very sad.
Instead of the posts relating to the article – at least the majority of them - the comments either
a) blame the government – who elected the government
b) they become racistic or insulting – really great contribution
c) And people are told to leave the country – what an absolutely inane remark.
If you don’t like the government – do something about it. There I truly admire the black culture. If they are not happy about something they let you know about it in no uncertain terms. They toi toi, they have marches, they strike. Even the gays have more gumption and march down the street, fighting for their rights and their beliefs. Whereas we sit quite comfortably behind our desks and use our computers to abuse, sling mud and gripe. So….why aren’t we out there toi toi’ing in front of the presidents house about his lack of education, his rulings, or whatever it is we are unhappy with?
Please note – that just because I admire the black culture and the gays for having the gumption to march and toi-toi does not mean I believe that is the answer and neither am I advocating it although according to the Bill of Rights we do have the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration:
THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PEOPLE
Before its transition to a democratic, constitutional state, South Africa was known as a country in which the rights and freedoms of the majority of people were denied. To prevent this from ever happening again, our Constitution contains a Bill of Rights which can only be changed if two thirds of the members of the National Assembly and six of the nine provinces in the National Council of Provinces agree to such a change.
The rights in the Bill of Rights form the cornerstone of our democracy. An obligation is also placed on the state to respect, protect, promote and fulfil these rights.
Some of the rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights are the right to life, equality, human dignity, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of association, political rights and the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration. These are normal rights that are guaranteed in most democratic countries because they ensure democracy and freedom.
The Bill of Rights also contains socio economic rights. In South Africa, where a large part of the struggle for freedom was about improving the lives of people, these rights are important. They place a duty on the government to address the problems that people experience when it comes to education, health services, water and housing.
The last group of rights included in the Bill of Rights is often the reason our Constitution is described as very modern and advanced. These rights include the right to the environment being protected, even for future generations, the right of access to information and the right to fair administrative action. The citizens of South Africa are even guaranteed the right to an efficient administration. See http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=11
Now according to paragraph 2: “ An obligation is also placed on the state to respect, protect, promote and fulfil these rights” which include education, health services, water and housing. We are even guaranteed the right to an efficient administration.
Well, in my book, the government has failed in all of the above. But what can we, as citizens of South Africa, do when our rights are not being fulfilled?
We can contact the ‘Committee”: Both Houses of Parliament are divided into committees that play a vital role in the process of building democracy and public involvement. Committees are the places where members of the public can express their opinions directly and try to influence the outcome of Parliament's decisions. Their meetings are open to the public, although they may be closed if there is a very good reason to do so.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Our full schedule of committee meetings is available online. Click below to access the schedule
View the committee meeting schedule . Also has a list of contact names and numbers of the various committee officers.
Or contact your political party: http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=107
Or your MP: http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=55
Or try the Parliamentary Democracy Office: http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=170
Of you can try petitioning: http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=54
There are also institutions that support and safeguard constitutional democracy
A very significant feature of our Constitution is that it sets up several independent bodies to support and safeguard our democracy. Informally these bodies are often referred to as the “Chapter 9 Institutions”, because the most important of these are provided for in Chapter 9 of the Constitution. These include the Human Rights Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality, the Auditor General, the Public Protector and the Electoral Commission. Although the National Assembly may not interfere with the independence of these institutions, they are accountable to the National Assembly and have to report on their activities and the performance of their functions to the Assembly at least once a year. http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=11
Now according to the State institutions supporting constitutional democracy –
1. The Public Protector has the power, as regulated by national legislation ¬
a. to investigate any conduct in state affairs, or in the public administration in any sphere of government, that is alleged or suspected to be improper or to result in any impropriety or prejudice;
b. to report on that conduct; and
c. to take appropriate remedial action.
What I would like to know is whether the Public Protector can do anything to my MP, or the leader of my party if she/he stands at the top of the Union Building stairs and sings a song that is bound to incite violence? If I am unable to go the Public Protector, would PEPUDA be able to do something as their purpose is to prevent and prohibit unfair discrimination, harassment and hate speech. Apparently the scope of legal standing established by PEPUDA is extremely broad so that any person can bring a claim of discrimination to the courts in the public interests even if they are not directly affected themselves
Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 2000 (4 of 2000)
Chapter 2 Prevention, Prohibition and Elimination of Unfair Discrimination, Hate Speech and Harassment
10. Prohibition of hate speech
1) Subject to the proviso in section 12, no person may publish, propagate, advocate or communicate words based on one or more of the prohibited grounds, against any person, that could reasonably be construed to demonstrate a clear intention to-
a) be hurtful;
b) be harmful or to incite harm;
c) promote or propagate hatred.
http://www.acts.co.za/prom_of_equality/index.htm
Bottom line, if we are unhappy about the government and the way it is being run we contact our MP’s. We harass them until something is done. After all, it is our money that is being used to pay them. If you, as a business owner, find your employees not doing their jobs, you get rid of them. Therefore it is up to us to ensure that our MP’s and The Committee’s do what we pay them to do – hold the president accountable for his lack of administration.
A lot of people are advocating that we leave them to run the country down into the ground and become another Zimbabwe so that they might learn something. That’s all fair and well, but what exactly is it that they will learn. They won’t be here to learn anything but the rest of us South African’s and our children will be here to suffer the lack of food and housing, the lack of education and basic human rights. Is that the heritage we want to leave our children.
And why is it that when somebody makes a comment about South Africa and the way it is being run, we are told to leave the country. Because if that is the best advise you can give, tell me why is it that when you weren’t happy with the way the country was being run prior to 1994, you didn’t elect to leave. You fought for your rights and now we are fighting for ours. The right to life, equality, human dignity, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of association, political rights and the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration. The right to education, health services, water and housing.
And if you want to argue those points why don’t you go to some of the settlements and see what rights they have regarding water and housing, or what rights the poor slob has who is being kicked out of the doorway because the store owner wants to open his shop. Or what rights the 10 year old child has who is ply’ing her trade on the street corner.
Elections are held every 5 years. If I have calculated correctly the next election is in 2014. Can we continue to allow the Government to continue as they have been doing. Can we afford to allow the education level to drop further than it has, to allow the lack of service to continue, the murders, rapes and killings.
As South Africans we have an obligation to leave a healthy, safe and happy country to our children.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
My experiences of the 34 Symptoms of Menopause
1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling (related to increased activity in the autonomic / sympathetic nervous system). Without becoming too technical, messages are sent to the hypothalmus because of declining estrogen production via neurons which result in vasodilation -- widening of the lumen of blood vessels (lumen being the cavity of a tubular organ, i.e., the lumen of a blood vessel,) which, in turn, causes flushing or hot flashes. Tips for treating/minimizing (and even avoiding) hot flashes: Power Surge's Menopause Survival Tips. Also, read the Power Surges (hot flashes) Forum - Didn’t really suffer from cold flashes but the hot flushes were so bad that I slept under 2 fans with my windows wide open in the middle of winter. Did have problems with spiders crawling through my windows and than I would get cold flashes but I don’t think this was menopausal – more like being petrified of spiders.
2. Bouts of rapid heartbeat (related to increased activity in the autonomic / sympathetic nervous system) Note: Along with rapid heartbeat (palpitations), women can experience skipped heartbeats, irregular heartbeats. These are generally normal vasomotor responses experienced during menopause - usually due to fluctuating hormone levels. – Never had this checked out but there were occasions when I thought I was getting a heart attack. Made sure that my will and everything else was in place just in case.
3. Irritability. Note: Along with irritability, a host of "anger" problems can develop during menopause. Just as a perimenopausal woman can find herself suddenly crying for no apparent reason or provocation, so can she find herself reacting to given situations in an angrier manner than she normally does. This anger can sometimes feel like "rage." Again, this is hormone-induced, but for some women, the anger can become inappropriate and a woman can feel like she's out of control. There's nothing wrong with seeking counselling to discuss these issues with a mental health professional. This is a challenging time of life and some objective outside help can be tremendously useful in helping a woman cope with all the emotions she's feeling. Remember, menopause isn't simply physical changes, but emotional and spiritual changes as well. – If there was a competition as to who could be the most irritable person within the shortest possible time, I would have won by a large margin. And I was definitely out of control. And the rage. It was so bad that I cannot even find the words to describe how quickly my mood would swing from laughter to an uncontrollable blinding rage.
4. Mood swings, sudden tears. Note: Mood swings can include anything from mood shifts (happy one moment, depressed the next) to sudden bouts of crying when nothing overt has occurred to cause the crying. Mood swings can and have been misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder because one can feel such extremes of emotions due to hormone imbalance. Anxiety, depression, panic attacks and even feelings of agoraphobia aren't uncommon during menopause. The panic attacks often can develop with the onset of hot flashes. For some women, hot flashes can be severe and quite frightening. – The worst of my symptoms. From being a caring, loving, gentle, compassionate and understanding person, I became a vicious, spiteful, nasty shrew without the ability or need to understand or care. I would be laughing hysterically one minute and then go totally berserk the next. Although it was not pleasant for all concerned, it was especially bad for the one going through menopause because sub consciously you know that this is not you, not the real you and yet there is nothing you can do to stop it or control it. I thought I was scared of spiders but compared to going through menopause, I would rather sit in a box full of spiders.
5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats). Note: This can develop into insomnia or just waking at 2 in the morning for an hour. Relaxation and breathing exercises can be useful at this time -- many women may log onto the Power Surge message boards and are surprised to find so many other women there in the middle of the night. More help on the Insomnia, Sleep Disorders Forum . I have always been very lucky when it came to sleep. Once my head hit the pillow I was out for the count. For me, waking up in the middle of the night, or the constant tossing and turning was exhausting, which in turn aggravated my moods and my energy levels were practically non-existent. I just could never understand why, from being a reasonably strong hiker (Ok, ok, a stronger than I used to be hiker), all of sudden I became a pathetically weak one.
6. Irregular periods: shorter, lighter or heavier periods, flooding, and phantom periods. Note: A phantom period is when you experience all the symptoms you're accustomed to having before you menstruate -- but... no period comes. This is a common experience during perimenopause before a woman's period actually stops. – I get the phantom periods and have to take extra estrogen gel during this period because I tend to get moody and very impatient although it is not as bad as when I wasn’t on medication.
7. Loss of libido (sex drive). Note: Not every woman loses her libido entirely during perimenopause, although some may temporarily. Many women simply have a decreased interest in sex - often it's simply because they generally don't feel well and sex is the last thing on their mind! Also, bear in mind that there are many medications that can affect one's libido, including the anti-depressants some women take to cope with the depression and anxiety associated with menopause to anti-hypertensives. – Never really had a problem with this one.
8. Dry vagina (results in painful intercourse) Note: Click here for an excellent article about vaginal dryness, sexuality and midlife relationships. Recommended: Sexual Issues/Libido Forum . Never really had a problem with this one as far as I remember.
9. Crashing fatigue. Note: I've never been able to determine if the "fatigue" associated with perimenopause is a symptom in and of itself, or if it's a side effect of the cumulative symptoms and general exhaustion (from them) many women experience. Take all the symptoms and "dump" them on one person -- is it any wonder perimenopausal women are so fatigued? – Not something I knew about at the time and just presumed it to be one of those ‘I’m getting old’ symptoms. Although it was something that did worry me because from being a physically strong person, I suddenly felt reduced to a person with the strength of a baby.
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease. Note: One of the biggest complaints during menopause. Read the Anxiety/Stress Forum. – From somebody who never worried about anything, to all of a sudden worrying about every small minute trivial detail. It was exhausting. Always felt ill at ease and my confidence always needed working on so can’t blame the menopause for that. It might have exacerbated the problem but that could also have been caused by the rejection.
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, and doom (includes thoughts of death, picturing one's own death). Note: It's possible that this can be a manifestation of depression associated with menopause, or possibly feelings that come from going through daily discomfort through a difficult menopause transition that can last anywhere from 3-12 years. A woman living under these circumstances can feel totally overwhelmed and frightened by the physical, psychological and spiritual changes. When there seems to be no reprieve from the suffering, for some it can leave them feeling drained wondering when and IF they'll ever feel well again. It isn't unusual for women at this time of life to have thoughts about dying. One phase of their life is coming to a close (not soon enough for many). There may be apprehension and fear about moving on to the next phase of life and wondering whether things will get better or worse. Helpful: The Panic Attacks / Disorder / Fear / Apprehension Forum. – Thoughts of suicide regularly came to mind. I would sit and work out which is the best way. Jump in front of a car – but than the driver would have to live with his guilt. Going for a long drive and drive into a tree – car wasn’t fast enough and it had a strong body. Chances were that I would do nothing more than hurt myself. Not a good option as I hate pain. Go for a hike and blow my head away – couldn’t find my gun. (Think one of the kids hid it away.) Hang myself – no matter how much I practiced I just couldn’t tie the knot to do a proper job. In my more lucid moments I knew this was ridiculous but the lucid moments didn’t stick around long enough to take hold.
12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, & mental confusion. Note: Forgetfulness during perimenopause is often referred to lightly and humorously as "brain fog" but it's not always funny. Note: An excellent article, Menopause And The Mind. Also, visit the Memory Loss, Foggy Thinking, Forgetfulness, Verbal Slips Forum – Brain fog. Sounds so much better than altzeimers which I genuinely thought I was getting. I would speak to somebody on the phone and would then have to phone them back to find out what we were discussing. I am sure a lot of people thought that I was either loony or so self-absorbed that I couldn’t remember what they said. It is a terrible experience to have to go through because you don’t remember a lot of things. I am just so thankful that my memory is slowly coming back. Not all there yet but there is definitely an improvement.
13. Disturbing memory lapses. Note: See #12,
4. Incontinence -- especially upon sneezing, laughing: urge incontinence (reflects a general loss of smooth muscle tone). – Unfortunately I still have that problem which makes it very difficult to organize activities and hard to socialize. You get to the stage when you don’t want to laugh because you might just have an accident. You become housebound, too scared to go out.
15. Itchy, crawly skin (feeling of ants crawling under the skin, not just dry, itchy skin Note: the feeling of ants crawling on your skin is called "formication") Visit the Your Skin: Dryness, Itching, Vaginal Dryness, Disorders, Discomfort Forum – Put baby oil on after my shower because I just thought my skin was drying out. This ant crawling under your skin is a really weird feeling and you start thinking that there is something major wrong with you. It sometimes gets so bad that you scratch your skin until it is raw and bleeding.
16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons. (may include such problems as carpal tunnel syndrome). Note: Osteoarthritis can develop during perimenopause - and those with existing arthritic and/or rheumatic pain may find it's exacerbated during the menopausal transition. See the Joints Aches and Pains/Arthrisitis Forum - There were occasions when my muscles would get sore or some of my joints would ache but nothing major so didn’t concern myself about them. Thought it was also one of these ‘I’m getting old’ feelings.
17. Increased tension in muscles. – At this point in time I was so tense that if I had to bend ever so slightly I would have broken myself in two.
18. Breast tenderness. Note: Breast swelling, soreness, pain. – And this is the time when you starting worrying about breast cancer.
19. Headache change: increase or decrease. Note: Many women develop migraine headaches during perimenopause. However, if one doesn't have a history of migraine headeaches, they're generally a short-lived experience of perimenopause. Also see the Headaches, Migraine Forum. Before hiking I always suffered from headaches so the return of them didn’t surprise me as I wasn’t doing too much hiking. Different type of headache though and sometimes thought that I was going to have an aneurism
20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea. Note: For nausea, try some ginger or, as I use, boiling hot water with a few teaspoons of lemon or lemon juice concentrate in it. Many women also develop acid reflux (Gerd). For some, it can be an uncomfortable feeling of severe burning sensations in the throat. If it persists, see your health care practitioner. – Maalox became my best friend. Besides my cigarettes, I wouldn’t leave home without it.
21. Sudden bouts of bloat. Note: Bloating, water retention are common complaints during perimenopause. Also, Acid reflux and heartburn are very common during perimenopause. Treat them as you would if you weren't going through menopause. – As an unhealthy eater at the best of times, I always had feelings of being bloated although being menopausal might have aggravated it somewhat.
22. Depression (has a quality from other depression, the inability to cope is overwhelming, there is a feeling of a loss of self. Natural hormone therapy, ameliorates the depression dramatically). Note: There are various natural methods of treating depression. Read Power Surge's Menopause Survival Tips. Also, many women using progestins or progesterone supplementation experience "depression" as a side effect. Power Surge recommends only naturally compounded, bio-identical hormones. Naturally compounded estrogen and progesterone supplementation doses can be individually adjusted to suit each woman's needs. So, if a woman is experiencing depression from progesterone, the level of progesterone supplementation can be reduced until the compounding pharmacist comes up with the right blend. The combination of estrogen and progesterone is important in achieving the desired results. Other remedies, such as St. John's Wort can be very effective in alleviating the depression associated with menopause. – My personal experience was that my perimenopause-related depression was elliminated when I started using Revival Soy Protein Revival is excellent for mood swings, but I was astonished by the impact it had on the hormone-related "lows" I experienced before using it. Also recommended, The Depression Forum. Never having been a depressed person, this was a very difficult one to understand. But boy, when I got depressed I really got depressed and thoughts of suicide would often cross my mind. It was an extremely scary time because you are aware of your thoughts but powerless to put a stop to them.
23. Exacerbation of any existing conditions. Note: Often, conditions women had prior to entering perimenopause become exaggerated (worse) during the menopause transition. – I was a pretty healthy person before, except for the smoking, where I jumped from smoking 20 a day to 60, so although I was moody, irritable, exhausted, depressed, health wise I didn’t really have a problem.
24. Increase in allergies. Note: Many women who suffer from allergies develop worse allergies during the menopausal years. Many women who've never had allergy or respiratory problems may develop them for the first time. Many people don't realize that histamine levels are affected by hormone levels. Women can develop wheezing, coughing and a host of respiratory problems. This generally disappears as the hormones level out once a woman becomes menopausal. – I have recently started the wheezing and coughing but I think that is more a smoker’s cough than a menopausal one.
25. Weight gain. (is often around the waist and thighs, resulting in "the disappearing waistline" and changes in body shape.) A good read, Weight Gain and Fitness Issues - Michelin man’s daughter come to life. I am not kidding. I put on so much weight that I couldn’t wear anything that didn’t have elastic in. It took me 6 months to lose 18kg’s when I started hiking and playing badminton. Now it looked like I was going to put all 18kg back within a month. And considering I had just recently married, this was a great concern.
26. Hair loss or thinning, head or whole body, increase in facial hair. Note: There is often a loss of pubic hair during menopause. Many women are more comfortable simply shaving their pubic area instead of having patches of hair. – Presumed this to be one of those ‘I’m getting old’ concerns. Worrisome all the same as my hair is my only crowning glory as far as I was concerned so the partial loss thereof was totally devastating to me. Yes, I was vain about my hair. Still am for that matter. Then again, if you have nothing else going for you, why not? Regarding the facial hair, it was a choice between getting a ‘mach 4 blade’ or an electric razor.
27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance. Note: Although common complaints during menopause, I always recommend anyone suffering from dizziness, dysequilibrium have her blood pressure checked just to be on the safe side. However, women can experience these symptoms during perimenopause without having hypertension. – Well no hypertension except when I flew into a rage but it can be quite scary when you find yourself falling all over the place for no reason whatsoever.
28. Changes in body odor. Note: I wouldn't be too concerned about this one. It can happen, but in 13 years of running Power Surge, I've heard of relatively few cases of developing body odor during menopause. – I didn’t notice anything different but being a smoker my sense of smell is not what is should be.
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin & in the head ("take the feeling of a rubber band snapping against the skin, multiply it (exponentially, sometimes) radiate it & put it in the layer of tissues between skin & muscle & sometimes a precursor to a hot flash.") Note: Those buzzing sensations, as though you've put your finger into a live electrical socket, can be frightening. They're all part of the hormones, nerve endings and electrical waves running through our bodies when our hormones are constantly fluctuating. Many women experience this during perimenopause, but it eventually passes. – Sometimes felt this but mostly in the head. Presumed it to be one of my usual headaches.
30. Tingling in the extremities (can also be a symptom of B-12 deficiency, diabetes, or from an alteration in the flexibility of blood vessels in the extremities.) – Diagnosed with diabetes but still a horrible and scary feeling. Sometimes gets so bad that I want to cut my feet off to get rid of the pain. At one time had such absurd thoughts of internal combustion and that my kids were just going to find a pile of ashes on the bed.
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding. - Nope
32. Burning tongue – Maybe after having whip lashed somebody but otherwise no
33. Osteoporosis (after several years) – Not that I am aware of.
34. Brittle fingernails, which peel & break easily. – Yep
http://www.power-surge.com/educate/34symptoms.htm.
Stress can definitely intensify one or more of the above symptoms, such as stressful life events, that may also cause emotional symptoms.
My most stressful periods were in between the 4th and 8th year of my menopausal period. This was in May of 2004 when my husband passed away and August of 2008 when my second marriage fell apart.
I am not going to bore you with the details of the stress I was under but it was an extremely stressful time for me which in turn intensified some of the above symptoms – rage, irritability, moodiness, etc.
I do need to mention that apparently only 5% of woman go through the majority of the symptoms mentioned above. It is important to remember that each woman's experience is highly individual. Some women may experience few or no symptoms of menopause, while others experience multiple physical and psychological symptoms. The extent and severity of symptoms varies significantly among women.
Many women arrive at their menopause years without knowing anything about what they might expect, or when or how the process might happen, and how long it might take. Very often a woman has not been informed in any way about this stage of life; at least in the US, it may often be the case that she has received no information from her physician, or from her older female family members, or from her social group. In the US, there appears to be a lingering taboo which hangs over this subject. As a result, women who happen to undergo strong perimenopause with a large number of different effects, may become confused and anxious, fearing that something abnormal is happening to her. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menopause
I recently came upon another interesting website where others have their say about their experiences with menopause - http://www.thirdage.com/menopause/28-cues-that-menopause-is-on-its-way.
More information on perimenopause - http://www.thirdage.com/menopause/what-is-perimenopause
Are there steps I can take to make the menopause easier?
It’s perhaps taking it a bit far to say that with the right attitude the menopause can be made into a joyous part of your life. However, the same actions that make life better generally will make the menopause better, too.
• Regular exercise such as walking for 20-30 minutes three or four times a week can improve your health and add years to your life. Exercise strengthens your bones, increases wellbeing and can help make sleeping easier.
• Eating the right food is also important. For healthy bones, the body needs about 1500mg of calcium each day from dairy products such as milk products and cheese.
• Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables provides the necessary minerals and vitamins for good general health and also helps to protect against cancer and heart disease.
• There is some evidence that soy flour (or other foods rich in so-called ‘plant oestrogen’) can reduce menopausal flushings.
• Smoking is never good for your health. Stopping smoking is the biggest single move anyone can make to improve their health, whatever their age.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/menopause.htm
From being a totally irrational, rage filled, irritable, spiteful and vindictive person, I did a complete turnaround once I started on the hormone replacement tablets and finally managed to accept that menopause is part of life. Your actions during menopause, although it cannot be helped, is not acceptable behaviour so the sooner you go for help, the better for yourself, your family and your friends.
I am not advocating hormone replacement tablets to everyone. It is always advisable to speak to your doctor about what you are going through and what your symptoms are. What I am advising is not to wait until it is too late before see’ing a doctor.
Not realising how bad menopause can effect a person, I did not really pay any attention to the symptoms or how it can change your life or what effect it can have on your relationships with friends and family. Two husbands later, and 3 friends later, I now know. Menopause can be the worst experience of your life if left untreated and if there is nobody to stand beside you and hold your hand while going through this experience, it can remain the worst experience of your life.
2. Bouts of rapid heartbeat (related to increased activity in the autonomic / sympathetic nervous system) Note: Along with rapid heartbeat (palpitations), women can experience skipped heartbeats, irregular heartbeats. These are generally normal vasomotor responses experienced during menopause - usually due to fluctuating hormone levels. – Never had this checked out but there were occasions when I thought I was getting a heart attack. Made sure that my will and everything else was in place just in case.
3. Irritability. Note: Along with irritability, a host of "anger" problems can develop during menopause. Just as a perimenopausal woman can find herself suddenly crying for no apparent reason or provocation, so can she find herself reacting to given situations in an angrier manner than she normally does. This anger can sometimes feel like "rage." Again, this is hormone-induced, but for some women, the anger can become inappropriate and a woman can feel like she's out of control. There's nothing wrong with seeking counselling to discuss these issues with a mental health professional. This is a challenging time of life and some objective outside help can be tremendously useful in helping a woman cope with all the emotions she's feeling. Remember, menopause isn't simply physical changes, but emotional and spiritual changes as well. – If there was a competition as to who could be the most irritable person within the shortest possible time, I would have won by a large margin. And I was definitely out of control. And the rage. It was so bad that I cannot even find the words to describe how quickly my mood would swing from laughter to an uncontrollable blinding rage.
4. Mood swings, sudden tears. Note: Mood swings can include anything from mood shifts (happy one moment, depressed the next) to sudden bouts of crying when nothing overt has occurred to cause the crying. Mood swings can and have been misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder because one can feel such extremes of emotions due to hormone imbalance. Anxiety, depression, panic attacks and even feelings of agoraphobia aren't uncommon during menopause. The panic attacks often can develop with the onset of hot flashes. For some women, hot flashes can be severe and quite frightening. – The worst of my symptoms. From being a caring, loving, gentle, compassionate and understanding person, I became a vicious, spiteful, nasty shrew without the ability or need to understand or care. I would be laughing hysterically one minute and then go totally berserk the next. Although it was not pleasant for all concerned, it was especially bad for the one going through menopause because sub consciously you know that this is not you, not the real you and yet there is nothing you can do to stop it or control it. I thought I was scared of spiders but compared to going through menopause, I would rather sit in a box full of spiders.
5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats). Note: This can develop into insomnia or just waking at 2 in the morning for an hour. Relaxation and breathing exercises can be useful at this time -- many women may log onto the Power Surge message boards and are surprised to find so many other women there in the middle of the night. More help on the Insomnia, Sleep Disorders Forum . I have always been very lucky when it came to sleep. Once my head hit the pillow I was out for the count. For me, waking up in the middle of the night, or the constant tossing and turning was exhausting, which in turn aggravated my moods and my energy levels were practically non-existent. I just could never understand why, from being a reasonably strong hiker (Ok, ok, a stronger than I used to be hiker), all of sudden I became a pathetically weak one.
6. Irregular periods: shorter, lighter or heavier periods, flooding, and phantom periods. Note: A phantom period is when you experience all the symptoms you're accustomed to having before you menstruate -- but... no period comes. This is a common experience during perimenopause before a woman's period actually stops. – I get the phantom periods and have to take extra estrogen gel during this period because I tend to get moody and very impatient although it is not as bad as when I wasn’t on medication.
7. Loss of libido (sex drive). Note: Not every woman loses her libido entirely during perimenopause, although some may temporarily. Many women simply have a decreased interest in sex - often it's simply because they generally don't feel well and sex is the last thing on their mind! Also, bear in mind that there are many medications that can affect one's libido, including the anti-depressants some women take to cope with the depression and anxiety associated with menopause to anti-hypertensives. – Never really had a problem with this one.
8. Dry vagina (results in painful intercourse) Note: Click here for an excellent article about vaginal dryness, sexuality and midlife relationships. Recommended: Sexual Issues/Libido Forum . Never really had a problem with this one as far as I remember.
9. Crashing fatigue. Note: I've never been able to determine if the "fatigue" associated with perimenopause is a symptom in and of itself, or if it's a side effect of the cumulative symptoms and general exhaustion (from them) many women experience. Take all the symptoms and "dump" them on one person -- is it any wonder perimenopausal women are so fatigued? – Not something I knew about at the time and just presumed it to be one of those ‘I’m getting old’ symptoms. Although it was something that did worry me because from being a physically strong person, I suddenly felt reduced to a person with the strength of a baby.
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease. Note: One of the biggest complaints during menopause. Read the Anxiety/Stress Forum. – From somebody who never worried about anything, to all of a sudden worrying about every small minute trivial detail. It was exhausting. Always felt ill at ease and my confidence always needed working on so can’t blame the menopause for that. It might have exacerbated the problem but that could also have been caused by the rejection.
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, and doom (includes thoughts of death, picturing one's own death). Note: It's possible that this can be a manifestation of depression associated with menopause, or possibly feelings that come from going through daily discomfort through a difficult menopause transition that can last anywhere from 3-12 years. A woman living under these circumstances can feel totally overwhelmed and frightened by the physical, psychological and spiritual changes. When there seems to be no reprieve from the suffering, for some it can leave them feeling drained wondering when and IF they'll ever feel well again. It isn't unusual for women at this time of life to have thoughts about dying. One phase of their life is coming to a close (not soon enough for many). There may be apprehension and fear about moving on to the next phase of life and wondering whether things will get better or worse. Helpful: The Panic Attacks / Disorder / Fear / Apprehension Forum. – Thoughts of suicide regularly came to mind. I would sit and work out which is the best way. Jump in front of a car – but than the driver would have to live with his guilt. Going for a long drive and drive into a tree – car wasn’t fast enough and it had a strong body. Chances were that I would do nothing more than hurt myself. Not a good option as I hate pain. Go for a hike and blow my head away – couldn’t find my gun. (Think one of the kids hid it away.) Hang myself – no matter how much I practiced I just couldn’t tie the knot to do a proper job. In my more lucid moments I knew this was ridiculous but the lucid moments didn’t stick around long enough to take hold.
12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, & mental confusion. Note: Forgetfulness during perimenopause is often referred to lightly and humorously as "brain fog" but it's not always funny. Note: An excellent article, Menopause And The Mind. Also, visit the Memory Loss, Foggy Thinking, Forgetfulness, Verbal Slips Forum – Brain fog. Sounds so much better than altzeimers which I genuinely thought I was getting. I would speak to somebody on the phone and would then have to phone them back to find out what we were discussing. I am sure a lot of people thought that I was either loony or so self-absorbed that I couldn’t remember what they said. It is a terrible experience to have to go through because you don’t remember a lot of things. I am just so thankful that my memory is slowly coming back. Not all there yet but there is definitely an improvement.
13. Disturbing memory lapses. Note: See #12,
4. Incontinence -- especially upon sneezing, laughing: urge incontinence (reflects a general loss of smooth muscle tone). – Unfortunately I still have that problem which makes it very difficult to organize activities and hard to socialize. You get to the stage when you don’t want to laugh because you might just have an accident. You become housebound, too scared to go out.
15. Itchy, crawly skin (feeling of ants crawling under the skin, not just dry, itchy skin Note: the feeling of ants crawling on your skin is called "formication") Visit the Your Skin: Dryness, Itching, Vaginal Dryness, Disorders, Discomfort Forum – Put baby oil on after my shower because I just thought my skin was drying out. This ant crawling under your skin is a really weird feeling and you start thinking that there is something major wrong with you. It sometimes gets so bad that you scratch your skin until it is raw and bleeding.
16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons. (may include such problems as carpal tunnel syndrome). Note: Osteoarthritis can develop during perimenopause - and those with existing arthritic and/or rheumatic pain may find it's exacerbated during the menopausal transition. See the Joints Aches and Pains/Arthrisitis Forum - There were occasions when my muscles would get sore or some of my joints would ache but nothing major so didn’t concern myself about them. Thought it was also one of these ‘I’m getting old’ feelings.
17. Increased tension in muscles. – At this point in time I was so tense that if I had to bend ever so slightly I would have broken myself in two.
18. Breast tenderness. Note: Breast swelling, soreness, pain. – And this is the time when you starting worrying about breast cancer.
19. Headache change: increase or decrease. Note: Many women develop migraine headaches during perimenopause. However, if one doesn't have a history of migraine headeaches, they're generally a short-lived experience of perimenopause. Also see the Headaches, Migraine Forum. Before hiking I always suffered from headaches so the return of them didn’t surprise me as I wasn’t doing too much hiking. Different type of headache though and sometimes thought that I was going to have an aneurism
20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea. Note: For nausea, try some ginger or, as I use, boiling hot water with a few teaspoons of lemon or lemon juice concentrate in it. Many women also develop acid reflux (Gerd). For some, it can be an uncomfortable feeling of severe burning sensations in the throat. If it persists, see your health care practitioner. – Maalox became my best friend. Besides my cigarettes, I wouldn’t leave home without it.
21. Sudden bouts of bloat. Note: Bloating, water retention are common complaints during perimenopause. Also, Acid reflux and heartburn are very common during perimenopause. Treat them as you would if you weren't going through menopause. – As an unhealthy eater at the best of times, I always had feelings of being bloated although being menopausal might have aggravated it somewhat.
22. Depression (has a quality from other depression, the inability to cope is overwhelming, there is a feeling of a loss of self. Natural hormone therapy, ameliorates the depression dramatically). Note: There are various natural methods of treating depression. Read Power Surge's Menopause Survival Tips. Also, many women using progestins or progesterone supplementation experience "depression" as a side effect. Power Surge recommends only naturally compounded, bio-identical hormones. Naturally compounded estrogen and progesterone supplementation doses can be individually adjusted to suit each woman's needs. So, if a woman is experiencing depression from progesterone, the level of progesterone supplementation can be reduced until the compounding pharmacist comes up with the right blend. The combination of estrogen and progesterone is important in achieving the desired results. Other remedies, such as St. John's Wort can be very effective in alleviating the depression associated with menopause. – My personal experience was that my perimenopause-related depression was elliminated when I started using Revival Soy Protein Revival is excellent for mood swings, but I was astonished by the impact it had on the hormone-related "lows" I experienced before using it. Also recommended, The Depression Forum. Never having been a depressed person, this was a very difficult one to understand. But boy, when I got depressed I really got depressed and thoughts of suicide would often cross my mind. It was an extremely scary time because you are aware of your thoughts but powerless to put a stop to them.
23. Exacerbation of any existing conditions. Note: Often, conditions women had prior to entering perimenopause become exaggerated (worse) during the menopause transition. – I was a pretty healthy person before, except for the smoking, where I jumped from smoking 20 a day to 60, so although I was moody, irritable, exhausted, depressed, health wise I didn’t really have a problem.
24. Increase in allergies. Note: Many women who suffer from allergies develop worse allergies during the menopausal years. Many women who've never had allergy or respiratory problems may develop them for the first time. Many people don't realize that histamine levels are affected by hormone levels. Women can develop wheezing, coughing and a host of respiratory problems. This generally disappears as the hormones level out once a woman becomes menopausal. – I have recently started the wheezing and coughing but I think that is more a smoker’s cough than a menopausal one.
25. Weight gain. (is often around the waist and thighs, resulting in "the disappearing waistline" and changes in body shape.) A good read, Weight Gain and Fitness Issues - Michelin man’s daughter come to life. I am not kidding. I put on so much weight that I couldn’t wear anything that didn’t have elastic in. It took me 6 months to lose 18kg’s when I started hiking and playing badminton. Now it looked like I was going to put all 18kg back within a month. And considering I had just recently married, this was a great concern.
26. Hair loss or thinning, head or whole body, increase in facial hair. Note: There is often a loss of pubic hair during menopause. Many women are more comfortable simply shaving their pubic area instead of having patches of hair. – Presumed this to be one of those ‘I’m getting old’ concerns. Worrisome all the same as my hair is my only crowning glory as far as I was concerned so the partial loss thereof was totally devastating to me. Yes, I was vain about my hair. Still am for that matter. Then again, if you have nothing else going for you, why not? Regarding the facial hair, it was a choice between getting a ‘mach 4 blade’ or an electric razor.
27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance. Note: Although common complaints during menopause, I always recommend anyone suffering from dizziness, dysequilibrium have her blood pressure checked just to be on the safe side. However, women can experience these symptoms during perimenopause without having hypertension. – Well no hypertension except when I flew into a rage but it can be quite scary when you find yourself falling all over the place for no reason whatsoever.
28. Changes in body odor. Note: I wouldn't be too concerned about this one. It can happen, but in 13 years of running Power Surge, I've heard of relatively few cases of developing body odor during menopause. – I didn’t notice anything different but being a smoker my sense of smell is not what is should be.
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin & in the head ("take the feeling of a rubber band snapping against the skin, multiply it (exponentially, sometimes) radiate it & put it in the layer of tissues between skin & muscle & sometimes a precursor to a hot flash.") Note: Those buzzing sensations, as though you've put your finger into a live electrical socket, can be frightening. They're all part of the hormones, nerve endings and electrical waves running through our bodies when our hormones are constantly fluctuating. Many women experience this during perimenopause, but it eventually passes. – Sometimes felt this but mostly in the head. Presumed it to be one of my usual headaches.
30. Tingling in the extremities (can also be a symptom of B-12 deficiency, diabetes, or from an alteration in the flexibility of blood vessels in the extremities.) – Diagnosed with diabetes but still a horrible and scary feeling. Sometimes gets so bad that I want to cut my feet off to get rid of the pain. At one time had such absurd thoughts of internal combustion and that my kids were just going to find a pile of ashes on the bed.
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding. - Nope
32. Burning tongue – Maybe after having whip lashed somebody but otherwise no
33. Osteoporosis (after several years) – Not that I am aware of.
34. Brittle fingernails, which peel & break easily. – Yep
http://www.power-surge.com/educate/34symptoms.htm.
Stress can definitely intensify one or more of the above symptoms, such as stressful life events, that may also cause emotional symptoms.
My most stressful periods were in between the 4th and 8th year of my menopausal period. This was in May of 2004 when my husband passed away and August of 2008 when my second marriage fell apart.
I am not going to bore you with the details of the stress I was under but it was an extremely stressful time for me which in turn intensified some of the above symptoms – rage, irritability, moodiness, etc.
I do need to mention that apparently only 5% of woman go through the majority of the symptoms mentioned above. It is important to remember that each woman's experience is highly individual. Some women may experience few or no symptoms of menopause, while others experience multiple physical and psychological symptoms. The extent and severity of symptoms varies significantly among women.
Many women arrive at their menopause years without knowing anything about what they might expect, or when or how the process might happen, and how long it might take. Very often a woman has not been informed in any way about this stage of life; at least in the US, it may often be the case that she has received no information from her physician, or from her older female family members, or from her social group. In the US, there appears to be a lingering taboo which hangs over this subject. As a result, women who happen to undergo strong perimenopause with a large number of different effects, may become confused and anxious, fearing that something abnormal is happening to her. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menopause
I recently came upon another interesting website where others have their say about their experiences with menopause - http://www.thirdage.com/menopause/28-cues-that-menopause-is-on-its-way.
More information on perimenopause - http://www.thirdage.com/menopause/what-is-perimenopause
Are there steps I can take to make the menopause easier?
It’s perhaps taking it a bit far to say that with the right attitude the menopause can be made into a joyous part of your life. However, the same actions that make life better generally will make the menopause better, too.
• Regular exercise such as walking for 20-30 minutes three or four times a week can improve your health and add years to your life. Exercise strengthens your bones, increases wellbeing and can help make sleeping easier.
• Eating the right food is also important. For healthy bones, the body needs about 1500mg of calcium each day from dairy products such as milk products and cheese.
• Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables provides the necessary minerals and vitamins for good general health and also helps to protect against cancer and heart disease.
• There is some evidence that soy flour (or other foods rich in so-called ‘plant oestrogen’) can reduce menopausal flushings.
• Smoking is never good for your health. Stopping smoking is the biggest single move anyone can make to improve their health, whatever their age.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/menopause.htm
From being a totally irrational, rage filled, irritable, spiteful and vindictive person, I did a complete turnaround once I started on the hormone replacement tablets and finally managed to accept that menopause is part of life. Your actions during menopause, although it cannot be helped, is not acceptable behaviour so the sooner you go for help, the better for yourself, your family and your friends.
I am not advocating hormone replacement tablets to everyone. It is always advisable to speak to your doctor about what you are going through and what your symptoms are. What I am advising is not to wait until it is too late before see’ing a doctor.
Not realising how bad menopause can effect a person, I did not really pay any attention to the symptoms or how it can change your life or what effect it can have on your relationships with friends and family. Two husbands later, and 3 friends later, I now know. Menopause can be the worst experience of your life if left untreated and if there is nobody to stand beside you and hold your hand while going through this experience, it can remain the worst experience of your life.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
I am diabetic
I am diabetic. I am diabetic. I am diabetic. Think I need to repeat that to myself endlessly just to remind myself. Not that I need much reminding when I have this eternal feeling of a burning sensation of pins and needles in my feet. Why can't I just get thirsty like most diabetics?
When my late husband was first diagnosed with diabetis and I found out all the do's and don'ts, I thanked God that he got it and not me because there was no way I would be able to stick to the 'rules'. And boy! Did that one come back and bite me in the butt. In this case it wasn't so much what you wish for but rather what you don't wish for.
Upon being diagnosed, I immediately went onto sugar tablets. Big mistake. Really BIG. After an endless time, at least it felt endless, of trying to regulate my hormones (menopause - but we won't go there) and what happens. The sugar tablets clashed horribly with my hormone tablets. Not once. But 4 different medications. It was bad.
Had to make a decision here - hormone tablets or sugar tablets. This is where quality of life versus quantity of life comes in. Do I choose the life of a happy diabetic who has to be very careful of what she eats or she will slowly lose feelings in her feet and eyesight diminshes, or do I become the menopausal raving lunatic who never has to watch what she puts in her mouth.
Well, it was not a difficult decision for me. There was no way on earth that I wanted to become the raving lunatic again so...........sugar tablets out.
So, what is my next step. No carbohydrates, no fats, plenty of excercise.
Not a problem. You think? My favourite foods are roast potatoes, or any potatoes for that matter. And rice smothered in fatty gravy. And what about the pasta cooked in lemon juice. And the best part of a piece of steak - the fat that you leave until the last. Not forgetting the nice crunchy fat on a lamb chop. Sure, not a problem. I can do without these things. But boy, was it difficult.
So far, so good. Meal plans worked out. Sugar levels practically normal. But still the burning sensation in the feet.
Not a problem. We just up the excercise regime. Played badminton twice a week, learnt how to do line dancing - at least tried to. Did dancercise twice a week and planned to go hiking at least twice a month.
But how does a person do all these excercises without carbohydrates. You can't. Ask me, I tried and fell flat on my face.
I cheated. Used this very expensive stuff that the guys and gals use who go to gym. Carboloading stuff that you need to take before any form of excercise. Energy stuff that you take while excercising. And then some other stuff afterwards that is supposed to replace gluta some thing or other. Worked out quite well too. I was feeling better, managed to complete all my excercise regimens without too many problems, was even able to push myself beyond my 'limit'. But..........there is always a but. Firstly the stuff is flippin expensive and secondly, I don't think it can be very good for you in the long run. So........had to make some adjustments in my menu. Add carbs and fats. But how much and when?
Me. Go to a dietician. But I'm so bright. What do I need a dietecian for?
Well, we need to experiment. That's just great when you decide to do this on a hike. No carbs but only fat. Think I lasted all of 500m and than I was finished. A back pack hike too. I finished it. And with no help from anybody. But did I suffer? Most definitely.
A really stupid move on my part. Why I had to do my first experiment on a hike, I just don't know. Maybe because badminton only lasts for about 2 hours and both line dancing and dancercise last only an hour whereas with hiking you, or rather I, walk practically all day.
Changed my diet for the next hike and lasted 7km. Not bad going but need to make some adjustments.
But.......yes, there is always a but. Life gets in the way. My daughter has an argument with a taxi and comes of second best. Previously my son had an argument and came off second best (He was not insured. Did not listen to mama). Always did tell my kids that if you want to do something, do it properly and my kids might not always listen to me but in this case they did. Both vehicles a right off. So we are sitting with two cars and 6 people to transport to work and back. Naturally they all had to work in the 4 corners of Jhb. But we managed. At least until my other son blew his head gasket - or at least the car's head gasket.
So now we are down to one vehicle which drives like a tank and guzzles just as much juice. But that's not a problem. We get up earlier, leave earlier, try and miss traffic - which is very difficult to do in Jhb, and due to my hormone tablets, get to work safely albeit late, without yelling at all the imbeciles on the road. And boy do we have some lulu's.
What is my point? ..........Oh yes! Now that we leave early I don't get to eat my very healthy breakfast. And because I get in late, I don't have time to eat breakfast because work waits for no man..or woman.
By the time my stomach starts whining, I am in such a hurry to shut it up that I eat the worst thing possible for a diabetic who sits on her butt all day - carbo loading white bread, or left over pasta from dinner or something equally as bad or unhealthy.
Which wouldn't be such a problem if I was going to dance class or badminton but what with all the expenses of broken down cars, trying to keep a gas guzzler filled, lawn mowers breaking down and an extremely horrible electricity account, financially I was extremely strapped. Boys, being apprentices, don't get a huge pay - but bless them, they try and help out where they can, and a daughter who had a nil on her payslip due to a tertiary loan - really bad timing on her part, financially I was more than strapped. I was in BIG trouble, so all my excercise classes and hiking trips were put on hold. Yes, I could go walking. But when. Transporting 6, including myself to the 4 corners of the world - at least that is what it felt like - in Jhb traffic, takes a long, long time.
So now here I am, sitting on my butt all day, eating the wrong foods, not getting any excercise done and my feet are burning like hell. Sometimes it is so bad I cannot concentrate. And like now, I can't sleep. This is the time I wished I had decided to rather go for the sugar tablets as opposed to the hormone tablets. Just joking. I never ever want to become that person I was during menopause - but that's another story.
But I do sometimes get this inclination to grab a knife and cut my feet off. It is driving me insane.
The one advantage is that I am the only one suffering and no body else is, which is what would have happened if I elected to take the sugar tablets over the hormone tablets. I really hate suffering on my own.
When my late husband was first diagnosed with diabetis and I found out all the do's and don'ts, I thanked God that he got it and not me because there was no way I would be able to stick to the 'rules'. And boy! Did that one come back and bite me in the butt. In this case it wasn't so much what you wish for but rather what you don't wish for.
Upon being diagnosed, I immediately went onto sugar tablets. Big mistake. Really BIG. After an endless time, at least it felt endless, of trying to regulate my hormones (menopause - but we won't go there) and what happens. The sugar tablets clashed horribly with my hormone tablets. Not once. But 4 different medications. It was bad.
Had to make a decision here - hormone tablets or sugar tablets. This is where quality of life versus quantity of life comes in. Do I choose the life of a happy diabetic who has to be very careful of what she eats or she will slowly lose feelings in her feet and eyesight diminshes, or do I become the menopausal raving lunatic who never has to watch what she puts in her mouth.
Well, it was not a difficult decision for me. There was no way on earth that I wanted to become the raving lunatic again so...........sugar tablets out.
So, what is my next step. No carbohydrates, no fats, plenty of excercise.
Not a problem. You think? My favourite foods are roast potatoes, or any potatoes for that matter. And rice smothered in fatty gravy. And what about the pasta cooked in lemon juice. And the best part of a piece of steak - the fat that you leave until the last. Not forgetting the nice crunchy fat on a lamb chop. Sure, not a problem. I can do without these things. But boy, was it difficult.
So far, so good. Meal plans worked out. Sugar levels practically normal. But still the burning sensation in the feet.
Not a problem. We just up the excercise regime. Played badminton twice a week, learnt how to do line dancing - at least tried to. Did dancercise twice a week and planned to go hiking at least twice a month.
But how does a person do all these excercises without carbohydrates. You can't. Ask me, I tried and fell flat on my face.
I cheated. Used this very expensive stuff that the guys and gals use who go to gym. Carboloading stuff that you need to take before any form of excercise. Energy stuff that you take while excercising. And then some other stuff afterwards that is supposed to replace gluta some thing or other. Worked out quite well too. I was feeling better, managed to complete all my excercise regimens without too many problems, was even able to push myself beyond my 'limit'. But..........there is always a but. Firstly the stuff is flippin expensive and secondly, I don't think it can be very good for you in the long run. So........had to make some adjustments in my menu. Add carbs and fats. But how much and when?
Me. Go to a dietician. But I'm so bright. What do I need a dietecian for?
Well, we need to experiment. That's just great when you decide to do this on a hike. No carbs but only fat. Think I lasted all of 500m and than I was finished. A back pack hike too. I finished it. And with no help from anybody. But did I suffer? Most definitely.
A really stupid move on my part. Why I had to do my first experiment on a hike, I just don't know. Maybe because badminton only lasts for about 2 hours and both line dancing and dancercise last only an hour whereas with hiking you, or rather I, walk practically all day.
Changed my diet for the next hike and lasted 7km. Not bad going but need to make some adjustments.
But.......yes, there is always a but. Life gets in the way. My daughter has an argument with a taxi and comes of second best. Previously my son had an argument and came off second best (He was not insured. Did not listen to mama). Always did tell my kids that if you want to do something, do it properly and my kids might not always listen to me but in this case they did. Both vehicles a right off. So we are sitting with two cars and 6 people to transport to work and back. Naturally they all had to work in the 4 corners of Jhb. But we managed. At least until my other son blew his head gasket - or at least the car's head gasket.
So now we are down to one vehicle which drives like a tank and guzzles just as much juice. But that's not a problem. We get up earlier, leave earlier, try and miss traffic - which is very difficult to do in Jhb, and due to my hormone tablets, get to work safely albeit late, without yelling at all the imbeciles on the road. And boy do we have some lulu's.
What is my point? ..........Oh yes! Now that we leave early I don't get to eat my very healthy breakfast. And because I get in late, I don't have time to eat breakfast because work waits for no man..or woman.
By the time my stomach starts whining, I am in such a hurry to shut it up that I eat the worst thing possible for a diabetic who sits on her butt all day - carbo loading white bread, or left over pasta from dinner or something equally as bad or unhealthy.
Which wouldn't be such a problem if I was going to dance class or badminton but what with all the expenses of broken down cars, trying to keep a gas guzzler filled, lawn mowers breaking down and an extremely horrible electricity account, financially I was extremely strapped. Boys, being apprentices, don't get a huge pay - but bless them, they try and help out where they can, and a daughter who had a nil on her payslip due to a tertiary loan - really bad timing on her part, financially I was more than strapped. I was in BIG trouble, so all my excercise classes and hiking trips were put on hold. Yes, I could go walking. But when. Transporting 6, including myself to the 4 corners of the world - at least that is what it felt like - in Jhb traffic, takes a long, long time.
So now here I am, sitting on my butt all day, eating the wrong foods, not getting any excercise done and my feet are burning like hell. Sometimes it is so bad I cannot concentrate. And like now, I can't sleep. This is the time I wished I had decided to rather go for the sugar tablets as opposed to the hormone tablets. Just joking. I never ever want to become that person I was during menopause - but that's another story.
But I do sometimes get this inclination to grab a knife and cut my feet off. It is driving me insane.
The one advantage is that I am the only one suffering and no body else is, which is what would have happened if I elected to take the sugar tablets over the hormone tablets. I really hate suffering on my own.
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