Menopause and ME - what's your experience?

[Kalliope]

I was asked today whether I'd heard if any ME patients got better or worse during menopause?

I've only heard that ME patients seems to enter menopause a bit earlier than what's usual, but not if it might have an effect on the disease itself. Said I'd ask on this forum to see if someone would like to share their experiences.

The reason behind the question, was that this particular ME patient is feeling a bit better after having entered menopause.

 

[TigerLilea]

I didn't notice any difference to my ME once I settled into meno. There is no 'usual' time for entering meno. The average age is 52, however, for lots of women it can be in their 40s. I know some women who are almost 60 and are still waiting.

 

[Trish]

You could run a poll asking what age women here with ME started the menopause, and whether it made their ME worse, the same or better. It wouldn't be a scientific poll, but it might be interesting. And those who don't want to identify themselves with a comment could still take part.

 

[Kalliope]

I didn't notice any difference to my ME once I settled into meno. There is no 'usual' time for entering meno. The average age is 52, however, for lots of women it can be in their 40s. I know some women who are almost 60 and are still waiting.

Thank you for answering @TigerLilea and interesting to hear you didn't notice any difference. Sorry if I worded it in a clumsy way, I was thinking of this paper
"Early menopause and other gynecologic risk indicators for chronic fatigue syndrome in women"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5745581/

 

[Kalliope]

You could run a poll asking what age women here with ME started the menopause, and whether it made their ME worse, the same or better. It wouldn't be a scientific poll, but it might be interesting. And those who don't want to identify themselves with a comment could still take part.

That's a good suggestion!

How about:

Did you feel any difference in ME symptoms during menopause?

Yes, an improvement in ME symptoms
Yes, a deterioration in ME symptoms
No, there were no difference in ME symptoms

 

[Trish]

Looks good.

Since you can have up to 10 options you could, if you want to also include an age question, like when did your menopause start:
under 40
40- 44
45 - 49
50- 54
55 or over

 

[Mij]

Symptoms made much worse with meno.

I started meno at age 52 which is the average age.

 

[obeat]

Orthostatic intolerance and cognitive fatiguability much worse since menopause. Oddly I had the best year in 25 years prior to onset of menopause, so it was a major shock to deteriorate significantly over 6 months.

 

[Kalliope]

Looks good.

Since you can have up to 10 options you could, if you want to also include an age question, like when did your menopause start:
under 40
40- 44
45 - 49
50- 54
55 or over

Yes. Great idea. I added them.

 

[Kalliope]

Symptoms made much worse with meno.

I started meno at age 52 which is the average age.

Thank you for answering. I'm sorry to hear you got worse.

 

[Kalliope]

Orthostatic intolerance and cognitive fatiguability much worse since menopause. Oddly I had the best year in 25 years prior to onset of menopause, so it was a major shock to deteriorate significantly over 6 months.

So sorry to hear that, @obeat .Thanks for answering.

 

[Kalliope]

Please feel free to answer the poll.
As @Trish says, you won't share your name/nick by responding to the poll.

ETA: Bah! A typo in the poll's question. "Fell" is supposed to be "feel". Hope people will get it

 

[Trish]

You're stretching my memory somewhat here, @Kalliope. My menopause started around 43/4 and I'm 69 now, so it's lost in the mists of time! I put no change, basically because I can't remember. My ME was mild at the time, and I continued working part time before, during and after.

 

[Kalliope]

You're stretching my memory somewhat here, @Kalliope. My menopause started around 43/4 and I'm 69 now, so it's lost in the mists of time! I put no change, basically because I can't remember. My ME was mild at the time, and I continued working part time before, during and after.

Thanks for answering, @Trish It really is hard to remember how one was doing many years ago. But no changes in part time work sounds like quite a good indicator.

IF a connection between ME and early menopause is confirmed, I wonder if the duration of the illness beforehand would have anything to say..

 

[TigerLilea]

@Kalliope When you say 'menopause' are you specifically talking about the time when a woman no longer has any periods, or are you referring to 'perimenopause', the period of time leading up to menopause? Menopause is the stretch of time from your very last period until you die.

 

[Trish]

That's a good point, @TigerLilea. When I suggested the age question I specifically wrote it as 'when did your menopause start', but of course that could include when did you start noticing symptoms, or perimenopause, or it could mean when did you have your last period.

 

[Kalliope]

@Kalliope When you say 'menopause' are you specifically talking about the time when a woman no longer has any periods, or are you referring to 'perimenopause', the period of time leading up to menopause? Menopause is the stretch of time from your very last period until you die.

Huh, good question. I think we'll just go for menopause for now, but I'm sure an exploration of perimenopause could be interesting as well.

 

[TigerLilea]

That's a good point, @TigerLilea. When I suggested the age question I specifically wrote it as 'when did your menopause start', but of course that could include when did you start noticing symptoms, or perimenopause, or it could mean when did you have your last period.

My peri started when I was 50 and then meno was at age 52. However, I didn't start having hot flashes until five months later.

 

[TigerLilea]

Huh, good question. I think we'll just go for menopause for now, but I'm sure an exploration of perimenopause could be interesting as well.

The reason I questioned it is some women think of meno as just being the years leading up to their last period and then meno is over. They don't realize that once you hit meno, it is permanent.

 

[Trish]

They don't realize that once you hit meno, it is permanent.

True, but for most of us after a few years the specific menopause symptoms like hot flushes go away.