Kelly, my big advice for you on the early menopause thing is to watch your bone density. Im sure it helped to break my leg so badly when i fell such a short distance. I have been diagnosed as being in moderate to severe osteopenia. Treated with all the standard drugs (fosamax, etc..) and still had bone loss. Even though I was a regular runner and pretty regular weight lifter. I did find out last year that my thyroid was slowly shutting down- I am producing anti-thyroid antibodies that are slowly destroying the poor little bugger... I am on thyroid meds and found out it was very involved with bone loss. The thyroid antibodies can be a result of extremem stress (!) and or a viral infection. Anyway, watch that. I think I started into menopause at 47 and was complete about 50ish. A real pain in the butt. Take care of you! hugs

Thanks Teddy...

Everything you said from bone loss to thyroid.. are things my Mom has been dealing with too. So if we go on heridity.. I am right there with some of same issues. My Mom has had a rough road with thyroid issue.. it took awhile to find the right meds and actually dx it. I did just all my blood work done.. and it all came back good, except the menopause part.. but I would like to try and prevent as much as I can before it happens. I used to take calcium.. but I didn't notice much, so I stopped.. but I am not sure what I was suppose to notice... maybe I should start there again.
Thanks
K

You wont notice a thing with calcium till its too late. Our calcium in our bones is like a bank deposit. If you dont keep depositing it, then too many withdrawls are made-especially during and after menopause. So please start back up. Take it 600mgs am and pm. Im also doing bioidentical hormone therapy and since last feb, Im really feeling pretty good in the hormone areas- no more horrible hot flashes and stuff like that! Hugs

Wish I got your post earlier.. as I was out and about and could have picked some up.. I will start depositing tomorrow.. I love the concept.
They used it for my ankle.. think of it like a tire, you do not have unlimted miles.

I thought I would have a few more years to learn about biodentical hormone therapy.. I have heard of it. I wonder why my Dr didn't talk to me about it? Wondering if it's something I "have" to do.
Thanks for the heads up
K

Kelly, some women dont have a lot of issues going through menopause and others do. I put up with the symptoms for several years, but after not having a period for 3+ years and still having horrible hot flashes- breaking out in a drenching sweat in front of my students again and again- and occuring more than 10 times a day (and night) I had enough. I had other symptoms, too that were bothering me. So one day I saw the Oprah thing about this type of treatment and I followed up on it. At the time I first checked, not many doctors were doing this. I found only 2 doctors and each one was a 2-3 hour drive. But I started with one (who was a jerk, but did the initial testing) and later in summer I heard from a friend that a GYN quite close to me was also doing the therapy, so I switched to her and have been very happy. You may just need to call gyn's and ask if they do it. It requires some blood and saliva testing and some initial testing of the hormone creams you might need. They found my thyroid problem. I had asked my own family doctor to test it years before and he was reluctant to do so and then just tested the basic thyroid hormones and said nothing was wrong. But when you specifcally look for thyroid antibodies, other evidence emerges. Lord knows, I am physically feeling a lot better and certainly hoping it helps my bone mass recovery. I guess it would be good if you were tested by someone who knows what to do. They also found extremely high cortisol levels (from extended periods of high stress) that were causing adrenal fatigue. Since that was treated I know all those issues are much better than they were. Anyway, something to think about. You have a lot on your plate, but this may be part of taking care of yourself that is important. I wont drone on about it anymore, but if you want more info, let me know. thinking of you! hugs

Teddy--

I think Robin, Dr. Phil's wife did this, and I took notes on that show! Once we hit our deductible this year.. I will be ready to make the calls. First I will find out if my Dr does this. She is so cool, but, has not brought this up to me. She does all my paps and stuff, so I don't go a different for that. I would rather be a head up on xhis stuff, then behind trying#to catch up.
I have not heard of cortisol before.. I am gonna call the office today and see if they checked that too. I am not afraid of the outcome of that.. cause I probably already know!
I appreciate your help, because none of my friends are "here" yet. I have my Mom, but her memory isn't what it used to be, we both had the same Dr when we lived in Cleveland, whom we loved.. so I could always call back there , if my Mom doesn't remember.
Thanks!
Kelly

Teddy..
How is your leg? How are you feeling?
How is Kirsten?
Hugs
K

Hey K--- Im doing alright. Leg is angry at the pins, but all in all doing well. Im counting the days. Im in a lot better spirits, trying to move around a lot-even if its just in the house. Trying to challenge my mind a bit more and even do some light weights with my arms, maybe abs, too. My husband took me to see 'the Blind Side' yesterday. Its so good and def a mom movie. Its so strange that a young man with the horrible and traumatic background he had, with an addict mother and the odds stacked against him-- he didnt become an addict! Just goes to show you how complex the road to addiction is. I know there is a genetic part to it and an environmental part- but a real mix of other things that have to be present. Anyway, our girl is doing pretty well. She is talking about the right steps a lot, making some lists of things to do, saying the right things. She has a good foundation- from former rehabs (especially the last one) and can draw on a lot of wisdom gained there. I see the beginnings of action and have to 'sit with it' right now. Time to let the seeds grow... Whats that old quote??? "In the midst of winter I found inside of me an invincible summer". I am usually a hopeless optimist (oxymoron??) But I am warming my hands on a bit of that invincible summer deep inside and for now, that will be enough. Hugs

What a great post! Sounds all things are going well ... for the moment..and take it!

I agree with you... all that work thru the schools, rehabs, sober livings.. the seeds have been planted...the tools have been learned... the "sit with it" is hard for younger people I think.. I think with age of IM's, text, cell phones.. they get information immediately..and want things right now.. vs the "old school".. where patience is a virture.

I love your picture! Butterflies are my favorite. This will sound weird.. but this summer, when I didn't know where Emily was.. how she was doing..etc.. I would be thinking about her.. not pleasant thoughts... and all of a sudden there was a butterfly in path.. weather it was across the windshield or while walking... I was instantly calmed.. as sign that she was ok.

Now to find that inner summer for me too... under 9 inches of snow..
K

K- your butterfly story is not at all weird- I know I would have felt the same way. I just wanted a picture more upbeat than the leg Ill tell you what is weird. When Kristin was in deep and I began to realize I had no power to change her, I began to notice all the little insects that fell in our pool and were struggling to be free. I patroled on a regular basis to 'save' them by sweeping them up in our skimmer net and setting them free. They seemed to embody addiction for me. Sure they thought the pool looked like a good place to stop and get a drink, but then they got stuck and were struggling and struggling to get free- just as I imagined addiction made people struggle after they thought something looked good. I saved every insect I could, even stupid flies knowing they would irritate me later. I hated saving japanese beetles, because I knew they were so destructive, but they were all struggling for their life and I had to help--- now that is weird! Your summer will be there somewhere- wont be long before the robins come back- poor sillies, they always come back too soon and they I have to watch them shiver when the cold weather hits again. AND the days are growing longer, more and more chances for sun. Life is so cyclic, we know what goes down, must come up sooner or later. Warm hugs for you!

Great analogy Teddy! I so get what you are saying/doing. It's those "little" things, that help us learn and be grounded.. nothing like nature to ground us..bring us into reality. I love it!
K

Teddy glad you are healing. Not sure if we ever can expect to trust again, took me a good 5 years then at 8 he relapses. But we do learn better how to love with detachment. To both Mike and to me, here is never where he will be again. And that is good.

I have much more to say, but as I am under great stress due to dad right now, I have to walk.

Will return to you guys tonight, you know just another mama here, who made it through menopause, thank God. I am 57 Teddy, my son is 30 this year, we are close in age. I really had to change up my life when menopause and son on heroin hit simultaneously, but healing is a lifetime process, just as we get one part down we are faced with another, wisdom is the end result. And for some it is pure joy, hoping we all get there together.
Love to you all,
You know I love you guys,
annie [;^)]

Anne

Annie! I have been wondering where you were. Sorry about your stress with your dad. Glad you went to walk - remember when you offered to walk for me? I really miss it and cant wait till I can ramble in the woods again with my big old furball dog. Y'all think of me this spring when all the insects come back to irritate us again.... Im greatly responsible! Thinking of you, Annie, sending comforting thoughts, hugs

I feel a need to weigh in on the "menopause" issue. I had an extremely early menopause at 35. When it happened I said - GREAT! Not so great - early menopause brings on a myriad of problems later in life. But, for the record, I didn't miss a step - it was very easy for me.

Wow, glynn- that is early! Hope you are watching your bone mass carefully! Im sure it contributed to my break in October being so severe. I tried drugs like actonel/fosamax for several years with no improvement- also was very active with weights and running and my bone mass got worse. Two years ago I had the reclast IV and just recently they saw a slight improvement, so I will get it again. Glad you didnt have a lot of problems.