I have not slept through the night since I had my hysterectomy back in October of 2007! My ovaries had to be removed, which hurled me violently into menopause at the MUCH TOO YOUNG FOR THIS CRAP age of 41. Some nights, I sleep better than others, but a good night for me is generally waking up only twice, and falling back to sleep in under an hour. I never wake up in the morning feeling completely rested anymore. I don't even remember what "rested" feels like! Sleeping pills are not the answer for me. I have tried them, and while initially they do make me fall asleep quickly...I still wake up several times during the night, feeling extremely drowsy, and frustrated because I cannot get back to sleep.Hormone replacement therapy has helped with some of the other symptoms. But, Hormone Replacement Therapy comes with it's own risks...some of which can be very serious and occasionally even life threatening. HRT is not for everyone, but I have opted to take them. For me, the benefits outweigh the risks. I take an Estrogen/Testosterone combination. Yes, I mean the male hormone, and no... I will not start to resemble the male gender. It's just a low dose. Woman normally have a low level of Testosterone, it is produced by the ovaries. Just as men normally have a low level of estrogen. When the ovaries cease to function or are removed, the Testosterone is gone, and for many women, so is their libido. In addition, loss of testosterone in women can contribute to fatigue, muscle and bone loss, and depression. Loss of Estrogen increases a woman's risk for heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and fractures.
One year before the hysterectomy, for my 40th birthday, I quit smoking. Although, I know that it is the best gift I have ever given to myself, sometimes I think that many things were so much easier when I smoked. Weight loss for one thing! Of course, going back to that nasty habit is not even an option. Like many others who have quit before me...I merely replaced my smoking habit with something else. In my case, that replacement has been FOOD! As pride crushing and embarrassing as it is to admit...the result has been a weight gain that is inching closer and closer to the 100lb mark. Of course I have been trying to lose it...but so far my efforts have not been very successful. When I start a diet...I am always raring to go! I'll lose a few pounds, VERY Slowly, and then lose the willpower to continue. Menopause slows the metabolism, but I am fairly sure that my metabolism has died or at the very least, lapsed into a coma.
