Hi guys, wow diary entry number 3! Time fly's.
So the picture i have chosen this time represents something i noticed recently which I feel is connected to my HRT - my skin! And also Dave, my hubby gets to put in an appearance this time, well he has been on this journey with me.
So, I have just finished my 3rd month on HRT and about to go into my 4th month on Sunday. The symptoms I mentioned in diary 1 & 2 have been kept at bay by the replacement hormones and will stay that way (fingers crossed and everything else crossed too). So, just to recap, my insomnia is much better as I do sleep through occassionally and if I wake I can get back to my slumber pretty quickly (thankyou oestrogen) Oestrogen is the hormone that helps us stay asleep and Progesterone is the hormone that helps us fall asleep. Which also means my night sweats are non-existent as they are what woke me up flinging the sheets off every 5 minutes. My achey hips and knees are also a distant memory, amazing result thankyou HRT.
So, last weekend I took this little selfie with Dave when we had a little trip out to Symmonds Yat for a lovely wonder around the woods by the side of the river. We also had a beautiful roast dinner at the Sarecens Head which was lush. When I later looked at the photo, I started reflecting on my skin. Certain things have been coming up for me the last couple of weeks, you know when something pops into your head out of the blue for no reason. My thoughts were:
*oooo my lips look a little fuller
*my skin seems a bit plumper on my face
So, this picture confirms what I have been feeling, my skin/lips do look more plump in my humble opinion. Now if we relate this to the science, our declining oestrogen levels mean we loose water quicker and our skin is unable to return to its previous form which means dryer skin, wrinkles, duller sagging skin. Dr Corinne Fletcher a menopause specialist from Harley St at Home says "Oestrogen can help with the production of collagen and collagen helps with the moisture of the skin and also helps with the production of the oils that skin needs. When oestrogen declines during peri-menopause so does the collagen which means a reduction in the oils being produced. All of which results in dry/itchy skin. Also the epidermis thins which is the top layer of the skin and that means retaining the moisture is difficult so skin becomes dryer more quickly.". Previous to topical oestrogen (Ovestin) and HRT I have had lots of issues relating to my skin drying out namely:
*dry/itchy eyes
*dry lips
*UTI's
*Vaginal dryness
All of these issues happen because the declining oestrogen isn't reaching the receptors (the cells), in those areas. A case of not enough oestrogen to go around! So since starting HRT 3 months ago, my oestrogen levels have managed to creep back up and amazingly the receptors in those areas are getting what they need once again - amazing right?
In my last post, I talked about the fatigue I had been experiencing and the blood tests and proceedures the doctor had done. I've since had more bloods done and my thyroid is back to normal levels... yipeeeeee. My blood count level is normal... second yipeeee but my anemia is still out of whack... not so much of a yipeeee. I have had several up and down days since my last blog and even though most of my days are full or energy and zest for life, other days are really crappy and I have almost no energy at all. Hopefully the iron tablets will bring those levels back up and all will be well.
During the low energy days I have been thinking about my yoga practice and how it has got me through. Yoga for many may be all about the asana (the poses) but I have realised that yoga is so much more. I have found my internal dialogue occassionally dragging me in to a negative place but through my yoga teacher training and practice I am able to 'flip the lense' and turn the negative into a positive. So for example my internal voice has been saying things like:
'Omg I don't have energy for my physical practice'
'How are you going to set up and run a business when this fatigue keeps setting in?'
'I do not feel like the gym today'
'I just want to eat my way through the entire kitchen cupboards because i'm tired'
'You haven't got time to rest in bed'
'I've just started chair yoga teacher training, what a waste of time if i have no energy'
By flipping the lense and using yoga namely the first limb of yoga the Yamas, I have practiced Ahimsa (non-harm), Satya (truthfulmess), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (non- excess) and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness) by changing that internal dialogue to:
'Ok, I can't do the physical asana practice so I will do Yin (a more restorative mainly floor practice). I will practice pranayama (breathwork) to calm my mind and restore my para-sympathetic nervous system so as to bring me into a rest and digest mode instead of fight/flight. I will meditate more too'
'I will do as much as I feel I can with my business and appreciate that I am moving forward with baby steps. I will keep teaching first and everything else, all the behind the scenes stuff will have to line up and will be done as soon as i feel up to it, i have the rest of my life to teach yoga'
'I will go to the gym on the days my body allows and I will enjoy it. I will have compassion for myself on the days that I feel fatigued and I will rest in bed if needed and I will be truthfull with myself on those days'
'I recognise the fatigue makes me hungry and i will not fight that. I will do everything I can to practice Brahmacharya but on those days that I just want to eat, I will and I will try to find Ahimsa the balance and self-love for my body when I feel my body changing. I will enjoy the food I eat and not be possessive over my body and the way it looks and feels by practicing Aparigraha. My body will change until it is given everything it needs to ensure it runs properly, namely the anemia tablets. It's been through alot with my thyroid playing up and that is why i've put a few pounds on. Now that the thyroxine is sorted, those few pounds will come off'
'I will recognise and rest in bed when my body asks me to do so. I will listen and not cause harm to myself by pushing. I know my body and when it feels well enough, I will encourage it to move on'
'My chair yoga teacher training will be there on the days I feel energised, it will all be fine, trust the process and I will get there, no rush, i have time'
So, I may not have been able to practice as much of my yoga asana these last few weeks as I would have liked to but, I have practiced yoga none the less. I have used the yogic framework and ticked off the limbs of yoga in one way or another. I've looked at the bigger picture and treated myself with kindness and had gratitude for myself and everything I do which makes life a joy.
In conclusion, my menopause journey these last few weeks has been a rollercoaster ride, mainly ups with a few downs! But, through using everything in my toolkit namely, diet and exercise; rest; reducing stress; yoga; HRT and medication I am moving forward which fills me with hope. This menopause journey is huge for us as women and affects others in our lives aswell. All of the pieces make up the puzzle which cannot be completed without using them all. Use all of your resources, everything in your toolkit to live this wonderful life which is sometimes filled with lows aswell as highs. Connect with people, listen to their story and do as much as you can to love yourself and accept yourself as you are enough right where you are today. Reach out and know that you are not alone on your journey, there is so much information and help out there, you just need to research it and figure out whats best for you.
Here are a few things that you may want to have a look at which i've been looking at and listening to:
www.harleystathome.com - a website for everything menopausal, they are offering the first month free at the moment with this code FACEBOOKFREE , why not say yes to putting yourself first and go and have a look, they have classes from yoga to reflexology to live talks with menopause doctors and so much more.
The Dr Louise Newson Podcast No#8 Migraines and Menopause
No#17 The Benefits of Yoga
The Zen Shed in Worcester holds some lovely warm vinyasa and warm yin yoga classes, i've just finished their 30 days for £30.00 trial. The warm classes allow time for your body to warm up and then you can stretch a little further into the pose...beautiful especially on a cold evening.
Wildlove Yoga by Victoria Waits - I have attended some of her online live sessions and she is a really lovely, knowledgeable teacher.
www.alexbannard.com Alex Bannard is a yoga and mindfulness coach and has just started a menopause clinic which is free and takes place one thursday every month in Evesham. I went to her first one and connected up with other women going through the same as me. Its a really lovely group if you have a couple of hours spare once a month and you live close by.
Much love Debs xxx
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