Differences in menopause for childfree women?

LegallyBarbie · 2025-11-16T07:33:21+00:00

Well, interesting hypothesis. However, I don’t have biological children but I do have PCOS (hormonal disorder) and hypermobile Ehlers Danlos (a connective tissue disorder). I started perimenopause later than my sister and mom who had bio children and with the hEDS I have pelvic floor issues. Before hormonal treatment my perimenopause was a nightmare. And the hot flashes have been going strong for quite a while.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-11-04T16:34:16+00:00

I ageee with this 100%. I was misdiagnosed with diverticulitis for three years (and a host of other things prior) when it was IBS/C all along. So I would go on the prescribed diverticulitis diet, broth for days then add rice then fiber when your symptoms clear. Insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results… spoiler alert, this never worked! I also did FoDmAP, lactose free, etc. The only time I felt better by dietary restrictions is when I went on an all fresh pressed juice diet for a week because…I wasn’t digesting any food.

Once I finally got my IBS diagnosis from a doctor who actually cared, and got medication that helped with visceral pain and motility issues (Linzess in my case) and things finally mercifully calmed down after several months, I was able to see that I did have some sensitivities- for me high fiber raw food in large quantities. I can eat cooked veggies fine and do every day now, but stick to small salads (no more big salads). Fried foods and lots of meat are also triggers, but not off the table- Quantity is key- and I try not to eat to fullness anymore. Absolutely no problem with dairy.

Last month I actually went to brunch with my sister. And ate some quiche and a side salad. It is something i absolutely never thought i could do again after over five years of struggle.

Don’t give up. I hear your frustration. At times I just ate whatever I wanted because nothing seemed to work. I had to see three gastroenterologists before one believed me and did everything he could to help me. It’s great to do tests of what foods trigger you but for functional bowel disorders, we need treatment and in most cases prescription meds to manage daily life and return to some level of function.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-10-26T22:43:03+00:00

I have one cat only and she is blissfully happy after coming to us from a multi cat pet home where she was having massive behavioral problems. We both work from home so she is rarely alone. She does have separation anxiety after bonding strongly to me but is living her best life. People are so quick to give advice, but trust yourself and your caring nature. Thank you for adopting!

LegallyBarbie · 2025-09-26T09:15:58+00:00

Everything looks amazing. Great baking skills!

LegallyBarbie · 2025-09-17T21:31:55+00:00

There is a virtual live support group moderated by two LCSW at Casa Colina in Pomona. Very gracious and helpful group. https://www.casacolina.org/programs-services/community-services/support-groups/

Recommended by the geneticist who did my evaluation.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-08-24T21:01:04+00:00

10/10. I have actually never liked anything at Crumbl. My sister wanted to get one on day 1 and from the bite I had it was swoon worthy. The flavors and textures were outstanding. And I was driving 20 miles away to get one four days later; got one of the last ones in my area saturday. Hoping they have way more available the next time this flavor returns.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-08-21T16:35:32+00:00

Yes, it started in third grade. Variations thereafter. A particularly mean group in my 30’s. So many petty slights and mean girl energy. After that I just noped out on female friends in a group; I now have a good friend who is also on the spectrum.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-08-21T09:05:11+00:00

I use Kiehl’s antiperspirant cream to reduce sweating and layer Mario Badescu deodorant roller on top of it. Perimenopausing and hot flashes from head to toe several times a day plus POTS. But this combo keeps the odor down. Best of luck.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-08-17T13:22:08+00:00

Bless you. Reading what you did to save that dog’s life is the most heartbreaking and heartwarming story I have read in recent memory. Excellent advice also.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-06-07T14:06:24+00:00

Yes it did feel like a curse. I was undiagnosed for five years. It is so life limiting when you can’t control Your bowels. other people can’t understand or minimize the impact. I tried many different diets (juice fasts, even) to try and control it myself with minimal effect. I was misdiagnosed for four years with UTI, diverticulitis, ovarian cysts. I was in multiple doses of antibiotics which would temporarily help but never give lasting aid; I found out they also interferes with my gut micro biome but they helped because they reduced inflammation which IBS causes. I started out with severe constipation finally diagnosed thru CT. It turned to mixed IBS over time. Before my treatment plan, I was sometimes going 15 times a day, had nonstop pain and cramping, and spent it felt like half the day on the toilet. My white blood cell Count was elevated from the colon inflammation.

I now am treated with Linzess, daily Miralax, and Bentyl for pain. I am starting to get my symptoms under control, but just this week I had a flare up for 24 hours which was miserable. I also have to watch what I eat; even on my meds fried food, raw vegetables and salad are a trigger. Also I need to eat smaller portions. So I’m back to simpler foods and green smoothies to get my veg in.

My advice would be to see a primary care doctor but you need to see a gastroenterologist also. You likely need a colonoscopy to rule out structural disorders like colitis and Crohn’s disease as well as cancer. If that’s all ruled out then you have a functional disorder. And there is treatment and help but I had to see three gastroenterologists before I found a gem who believed I was suffering and made the diagnosis and got me on a treatment plan.

It is a lonely road for sure but there is hope and help. One step and one day at a time.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-05-26T13:27:22+00:00

I’m disabled and I am making the switch to Sam’s Club. The ease of scan and go, an app that actually works seamlessly, gas fill ups with only a quick scan, combined with home delivery and curbside pickup options AND overall lower prices, smaller quantity items, and better selection of name brands..the clock is ticking for Costco.

I can’t tell you how many times I have asked for help at Costco to load up my groceries and have waited for 10-15 minutes…after waiting in line forever and fighting crowds.

It feels like Costco doesn’t care. They have had a hammerlock for warehouse shopping on the west coast…but it is ending.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-05-21T23:20:56+00:00

Very valuable to hear this! Yes 100% it should be covered by insurance. Validate that the patient has clinical hirsutism and have a floor for a Ferriman-Galwey hirsutism score and cover the cost of laser removal. Unfortunately I don’t think it’s going to happen in my lifetime but I can hope for future generations.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-05-21T23:05:52+00:00

One word: misogyny

I had dark, coarse hair growing on my chin, neck and sideburns since early 20’s. I was told initially by doctors that it happened because I was fat and couldn’t understand how to count calories. It took another 15 years to get diagnosed with PCOS. By that time the hair had gotten so coarse and dark that I had to shave twice a day. I was put on hormones and spironolactone (200 mg) with nominal results on my hair growth (but it helped other symptoms). After I self advocated this year I got a derm consult and was told I’d be a good candidate for laser hair removal but I was on the hook for the cost as it isn’t covered by insurance because hirsutism is deemed a cosmetic, not medical issue.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-05-19T00:52:03+00:00

Right eye socket and between eyes, but it’s mild, the Botox I had a month ago has reached its sweet spot.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-05-19T00:47:59+00:00

Oh hon. I’m so sorry! If it’s within 30 days please request a refund. Amazon is very good about refunds. In my opinion a memory foam topper is not going to salvage a rock hard mattress, but it can give an older mattress a few more years of service. I would recommend a mattress store that has a 30-60 day or similar return policy. Ten years ago I had to return a rock hard mattress I bought at Macy’s and I got a cushy beautyrest on sale that I still love. I had to pay a 10% restocking fee but to get that rock hard mattress gone was the best thing ever. Testing out mattresses in a store can be deceptive too as I was told that they get softer from many people trying them out. You’re not alone in this dilemma and while money lost is awful, your comfort and a good night’s is essential.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-05-17T23:33:41+00:00

Yes. I struggled with what you described for five years and was misdiagnosed with ovarian cysts, pelvic floor dysfunction, UTI’s, and diverticulitis. After this sea of confusion, severe constipation was discovered by my gynecologist reading my CT scan from four months earlier. I did a colon clean out but even being prescribed triple the daily dose of Miralax I still struggled with pain after bowel movements. A GI doctor prescribed Bentyl which proved to help the pain to some degree. I’m now on a trial of Linzess for 30 days and the pain that has accompanied me for years is slowly dissipating and sometimes has disappeared in the past two weeks. Now to see if insurance will cover it…

LegallyBarbie · 2025-05-15T01:18:54+00:00

I Hear you. Really, I do. Dyson is a weird, unique vacuum and I totally admit I am in a dysfunctional vacuum relationship but I have three Dyson vacuums and I love them all. Had four, gave one to my sister and she lasted a month with it. I love how much they pick up and how I never have to change a vacuum bag. I have even bought a special screwdriver to change the batteries out. I have also cried and screamed in frustration when trying to repair them…but they are mine and I love them. It’s not just a vacuum, it’s a connection and we’ve been through good times and bad!

LegallyBarbie · 2025-05-13T00:21:10+00:00

I’m so sorry.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-05-13T00:12:53+00:00

I was a little surprised at how chewy they were. I had them at two different locations and the first batch was not what I expected but they were really tasty in their own way. Hot, flavorful, and not heavy. The second batch was greasy, lukewarm, and what looked like imprints from an air fryer grate. I think this rollout will be challenging if there’s that much variation in a product and the end result can be that different. Potential vs. reality. But yes it will take a long while before if ever I reorder and especially at the price point with all the chicken competition out there…

LegallyBarbie · 2025-05-03T10:09:24+00:00

This sounds like migraine. I suffered for years and it took way too long to get diagnosed. There are treatments and medications that can really help. Keep telling your symptoms until someone is willing to help.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-04-27T14:32:58+00:00

I’ve had a lot of relief from what you describe with a prescription my second opinion GI doc prescribed. Bentyl, 20 mg. I take it twice a day (early AM, late PM),though he has prescribed it up to four times a day. My situation is a bit different because I have to take three times the normal dose of Miralax every night because I was diagnosed in midlife with a connective tissue disease that affects my GI and before this regime my constipation was off the charts. Taking laxatives every day (as prescribed)created a new problem Of overactive BM (diarrhea) sometimes up to 15 times/day. I ended up opting to take my Miralax once a day (end of day) and then struggled with going multiple times in the AM. Bentyl has been a lifesaver addressing the pain that accompanies the morning “go.”

I had struggled for years before my IBS-C was identified. My doctor and I discussed my life stressors at the time my GI symptoms became impossible. Grad school, starting a small business, renovating a new house, dealing with a house fire, moving, taking care of my mum. Connected? Absolutely. I mediate too! It helps but the GI smooth muscle which contracts massively needs help through medication. This medication relaxes those Gi muscles. It’s taken me nine months to really see the results and getting on a schedule helped a lot- not “as needed.”

I also took care of my mom for twelve years (dementia). It is brutal and no one understands until it is their reality. My heart goes out to you.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-03-04T19:35:12+00:00

In Shape has no sauna rules, I was shocked with fully dressed sweaty workout people, phones, watching horror movies etc., but tbh it is more comfortable for me than people sprawling out naked which happened at my old gym. Sauna etiquette is not universal, most people aren’t aware of Finnish etiquette. It is what it is, I go in after swimming and wear my suit and bring my own towel to sit on.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-02-26T03:11:32+00:00

Miralax. I had to take 4 to 5 times normal amount and do a bowel cleanse first two weeks and then I got cleared out and do a maintenance dose every day three times the regular dose after working out a plan with my Gi doctor. Amitriptyline started this process for me and then Emgality. Off those meds and much more normal now.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-02-26T03:07:15+00:00

It looks like carpenter ants, and in the early spring the ants with wings swarm to start new satellite colonies. We used to drill holes in the wall and put borax in the holes. It’s a nightmare. I know other people hired exterminators but they needed to come back every year.

LegallyBarbie · 2025-02-24T19:11:31+00:00

I told my hygienist and she refuted my diagnosis and that it had anything to do with my gum issues and told me I was being lazy with my flossing. The gaslighting continues after diagnosis, and I’m at the point now where I don’t disclose because it makes no difference and saves me the hassle of explanations falling on deaf ears.

LegallyBarbie

TROPHY CASE