If you’re new to the forum, please take a moment to introduce yourself here. We’d love to get to know you a little better. Since this is a brand-new space, it’s completely normal to feel a bit shy, but we hope this thread helps you connect with other women and feel at home. Have fun!
Hey, I’m Kate!
I’m here to learn more about helping myself, and helping others, especially in the realm of menopause.
I do trauma based tattooing in the GP region, and I have been coaching women in many ways, along the way.
Hope I can help in any way I can!
Hi Kate, nice to meet you! You are welcome here. Hoping this will be a safe place for women to obtain quality information on all things related to women’s health, including peri menopause and menopause. Your background sounds fascinating.
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Hi Dr. Murigu, I’m Angela 
I was fortunate to become one of your patients last year. When I learned that you specialize in women’s health, particularly menopause and perimenopause, I was even more grateful as a woman in her mid-40s. I truly believe you are exactly what women in the GP area need. Thank you for everything you are doing to support and advocate for women’s health.
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Thank you - that is very kind! It was lovely to meet you last year, and glad you feel supported.
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Hi I’m Michelle,
Mid 40’s and I have been Perimeno since my late 30’s. I have a small circle of friends who are all going through different stages and there seems to be a wide set of symptoms. Just here to listen to others experiences and gain more information as I continue to move into this stage of life.
Worst thing so far. I had a hot flash drank a ton of ice-water and then nearly froze to death. So I won’t make that mistake again. Not even sure if the ice-water caused the freezing cold to happen afterwards or if it is normal. So listening to others talk will give me a better idea on what I can do to manage what does crop up in my day to day life.
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Hi! My name is Cindy. I am 50 and have been trying to get help with menopausal symptoms for 6 years now. My current provider doesn’t seem to want to discuss it which is frustrating. I am hoping to learn more and hopefully finally be able to get some relief from some of the issues I have been experiencing. Thank you for bringing your expertise to our corner of Alberta. I look forward to learning more.
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51 and have been experiencing hot flashes, night sweats and weight gain for a year. Looking for ways to minimize these symptoms
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Hot flashes can be really intrusive, can’t they? They occur in peri-menopause and menopause due to changes in circulating estrogen levels. During peri-menopause, these levels start to fluctuate, and they gradually taper down over time. This has an impact on the hypothalamus in our brain, which is the part of our brain which sets our natural thermostat. So the big swings in temperature regulation result from big swings in hormone levels.
The good news is the hot flashes (or ‘vasomotor symptoms’ as we call them medically) are usually very treatable with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Often, when we give estrogen back to the body (with progesterone alongside to protect the womb lining), the increase in circulating hormone levels is sufficient to switch this intrusive symptom off. These symptoms are some of the ones which respond most reliably to HRT.
Lots of things to consider here, which range from lifestyle adjustment (such as cutting out alcohol and caffeine which can make hot flashes worse), to speak with a healthcare professional to discuss management options. Sweats and flashes often respond really effectively to hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Welcome, Cindy. Good to have you here. You would be welcome at any of the menopause cafes in Grande Prairie, which will be running on alternating months at the Primary Care Network and the library. Hopefully there will also be some helpful discussions on this forum as well, to support you in accessing reliable information to help you manage your health.
One cup of coffee a day and one can of Coke.
Hi there! I’m Vanessa I’ve been dealing with perimenopause since my early 30th’s and I’m 40 now, trying to get my dr to not just prescribe birth control to deal with the hot flashes as it’s not working at all, also the brain fog is terrible! Would love to meet some ladies going through similar experiences.
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Welcome to the forum, Vanessa. Hope you find it a helpful and safe space to meet other ladies who are going through similar things.
Hello, I’m Christine. I’m 47 and haven’t seen symptoms yet unless bad brain fog counts… but been questioning if it’s due to age, too much on the go, not enough sleep, etc. I’ve been on ‘the pill’ (Indayo) for probably around 20yrs. I stop and have a period when I spot, as I’ve always done, so about every second month. Its fairly light. Been starting to wonder if I should be stopping the pill at a certain point?
Good evening I am Jo. Proud mother of 2 and Nana of 2. I am 52. I am a teacher who supports students with various needs. I am passionate about my family but admit haven’t been as kind to myself and haven’t always taken best care of me.
Peri menopause hit me hard as my hormones are believed to out of wacky. I began to have extreme ocular migraines, lost my words and can’t remember details of things. My electronic calendar is my external brain. The brain fog is by far the most traumatizing part of menopause. The hot flashes come and go. I thought I was finishing menopause but then three months later cycled again. So guess not.
The mood swing take a lot of self control to not allow them to take over.
I have had problems with my cycles and various things since early 20s. I Literally have suffered immensely. I had a LEAP in my 20 as well as several other procedures. Controlled cycles with IUD which changed my life for a long time. When changing it to the next one my doctor realized he forgot to remove the first one. So off to surgery ai went again where I had student phsysians observe what is traumatic for me. Do not know if this has been a factor to my worsening conditions.
I am to the point now that I can not take the pain and pray every month cycles finally end.
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If I can be of any assistance, I would love to help!
I had a hysterectomy at 29 and went into peri-menopause about 6 months later. I am 41 now, and still going through it.
I’ve experienced so much during this time, and with my history of trauma, C-PTSD, and my late diagnosed autism, I definitely have enough experience that I can completely understand and empathize with so much. I also have developed ways of coping and healing, and I am also certified in trauma informed care, along with taking many other types of trauma healing courses.
I will always lend an ear for anyone who may need it, so please feel free to use it, if you require one!
Thanks for joining the forum and sharing your experience @NANAJO . It sounds like you have been through quite a lot there! Mood swings, hot flashes and brain fog are frequent complaints related to the menopause and many women have benefitted from HRT.
My hope is that this is a place where you, and other women, can come to and discuss your experiences, without any sales pressure or coercion. At the very least, women coming to the understanding that their experiences are shared and that there are some evidence-based measures that can be of help to many. These are also usually available under AHS provisions, either directly from your family physician or via referral to menopause specialists.
How do I get a referral? Is it to you?
Yes - I take menopause referrals from any family doctor (including walk in clinics). I see patients at my office, which is on the second floor of the Service Canada building in Grande Prairie. Here is a link to my website which provides the full details about the referrals process: https://www.drnadinemurigu.com