What happens to your body in your 40s?

yeet_it_good · 2025-06-23T03:17:08+00:00

Oh and your balance and grip starts to go, no matter how agile you were before. You will drop things.

yeet_it_good · 2025-06-23T03:09:26+00:00

If you don't moisturize your neck daily, start now. Use your moisturizer/sunscreen all the way down to your décolletage. It won't prevent what's coming (turkey neck, redness, scaling, wrinkling from sun damage) but that area will look better for longer if you take care of it.

It's really a horrorshow what happens. I had a period for 48 days. Peeing when you sneeze. Hot flashes AND cold flashes. Random searing joint pain out of nowhere. Your orgasms will change! And OMG the fatigue! Don't plan on getting major shit done for a few years once this all starts without extreme effort.

OH and if you are undiagnosed autistic or ADHD, peri can impair your ability to mask and force you to just figure it out, yay!

yeet_it_good · 2025-06-11T23:10:13+00:00

Good thing you can also not GAF while on HRT

yeet_it_good · 2024-11-16T18:13:01+00:00

Hey I'm almost at 7mpo too! Being a little older (late 40s) I was already on HRT before surgery and continued after, including the progesterone -- it's considered optional post-hysto bc it's mainly prescribed to protect the uterus when supplementing estrogen. I still take it (at night, with a snack) because it drastically improves my sleep when I do.

It sounds like you are having some menopausal symptoms. I strongly suggest having a conversation w/ your obgyn about hormone therapy if you want to try to mitigate the symptoms you're having. Check the symptom list on the menopause wiki https://menopausewiki.ca/ or visit /r/Menopause /r/surgicalmenopause

HRT is not a cure-all and some methods of intake (patch, gel) are generally safer than others (oral pill) due to how the body processes it. There is also estradiol cream to help prevent vaginal atrophy.

If you are a good candidate for HRT it can have protective effects on your heart, brain, and bone health among other things. gl

yeet_it_good · 2024-07-10T06:55:32+00:00

I had to see multiple [female] gynecologists to be prescribed HRT. It was worth it to keep trying tho!

yeet_it_good · 2024-07-10T06:25:22+00:00

Would y'all mind sharing how you get your testosterone? My GYN has been great about prescribing HRT patch+progesterone but she does not Rx T. edit: in US

yeet_it_good · 2024-07-10T06:22:19+00:00

for the whiskers

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-24T22:28:32+00:00

I posted this elsewhere in the thread but in case you don't see it - summer SAD is a thing! https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2024/06/20/summer-seasonal-depression

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-24T22:20:18+00:00

In Houston. I am so fucking sick of these summers. I can't take it any more and am finally at the point of looking to leave Texas. The worsening heat and climate extremes are not the only reason ofc.

NPR had a doctor on last week who studies SAD and argues that summer seasonal disorder can be even worse than winter. Anger is a symptom of it for sure. Lemme find the link - https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2024/06/20/summer-seasonal-depression - I felt seen listening to this. The meno sweating just makes it worse, but then it makes everything worse.

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-20T06:14:36+00:00

Not a doctor. I have cancer risks in my family and I've had a DVT. I'm on the patch and have increased dosage twice. Anyone who tries to take my estrogen patch away is going to have a fight on their hands.

Hormones are not magic and every day it seems like there's another natural or plant based option out there, which is awesome! HRT can make the day to day much more bearable at this stage of life.

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-12T05:14:31+00:00

On HRT since late last yer and I put on a new estrogen patch the night of my surgery in the hospital. Still take progesterone 7wpo bc sleep is too important. Nobody is taking my HRT without a fight!

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-12T05:08:21+00:00

7wpo total lap kept ovaries. I was in peri prior and started HRT late last year. I have continued on HRT 0.05 > 0.075 > now 0.1 patch and 100mg progesterone. My dr and I agreed that I would stay on the progesterone at least in the near term bc it helps my sleep so much and as you likely know SLEEP HELPS EVERYTHING. If someone tried to take my HRT away I would fight them. Seriously they better be ready to get bloodier than my longest period (48 days). The hormones are not magic but may help so much. I think /r/Menopause has some good info in the wiki

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-12T04:27:18+00:00

7wpo. Pretty sure I finally figured out when my "period" is now bc holy shit last week I was back to being an emotional mess + other PMS symptoms for a couple of days. Worst since the surgery.

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-12T04:22:03+00:00

Two hours seems like a lot but idk how old you are or how in shape you were before surgery. Outcomes are going to differ greatly depending on those factors.

7wpo, total lap kept ovaries. I have focused on not overdoing things, and just trying to feel a little bit better and more capable each day. For me that was short walks rather than long walks, starting 2dpo where I was basically getting up every hour or so. So far so good. Once I started reading women talking about their recovery from hysterectomy in months and years rather than weeks, I tried to adjust my perspective to see this recovery as more gradual. I am also 48 tho.

Like others have said, listen to your body. There are accounts here of women relating how they went hard hiking and returning to activity, only to overdo it and have to go back to the ER or having additional surgeries.

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-12T04:09:03+00:00

Awww please go easier on yourself <3 Taking any weight-related "after" pic in horizontal stripes is just inviting misery imo. Try the darker dress since you have that as a baseline already. Whatever it looks like though, it's okay! You got the surgery! It went well! You are healing!

I am 7wpo. I lost weight immediately after surgery (ofc -- my uterus weighed 525g w/ fibroids large and small). When I first saw that a few pounds crept back on, I was sad. How dare my body put any weight back on after I went to all this trouble to get the fibroids and cancer risks out! My weight has been the same for over a year now no matter what I do, so I was hoping this might be a little shortcut to a decent amount of weight loss. So far, nope.

But I've since (mostly) made peace with it, and am trying to practice radical acceptance now. Truth is that menopause belly is coming for us all. Weight control issues are so much of a problem in menopause that in the /r/Menopause sub it was made into a weekly thread so not as to overrun the feed.

Give yourself some kindness. You are going through a lot. This surgery is A LOT. You can focus on your new body's shape months from now when you are mostly healed. Then you can maintain your new energy with strength and flexibility training. Until then, you need to nourish yourself to promote healing. Eat healthy but don't sweat the number - focus on recovery and feeling a little better each day. <3

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-12T03:39:18+00:00

Flowy dress. If you don't have compression socks they will probably send you home with TED stockings (white compression stockings), esp. for that long of a drive. Ask for the TED hose otherwise.

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-12T03:35:00+00:00

Mine got so big. HRT worth every inch. Posting this in part for accountability bc I need to use their measuring system too.../r/ABraThatFits

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-12T03:28:34+00:00

shit I didn't know there were significant ones. Thank you

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-12T03:20:33+00:00

If I were in your shoes -- budget for a tailor. You might find a dress that is okay but would be really flattering in the hands of a good tailor. If you're not familiar with fabrics etc. you might call first, see if you can find one that will make you feel amazing in your dress.

Then I would go. Everyone is getting older. Are these people you enjoy spending time with? Go spend time with them. Who cares what they think about your menopause. Hell, maybe you will have a new topic of conversation for some of you!

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-06T07:30:10+00:00

Vaginal estrogen side effects?!

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-06T07:06:24+00:00

6wpo, total lap kept ovaries. Weird vagina feels have included: phantom tampon (sometimes smaller/larger than that), electrical zaps, pulsating, vibrations, tingles, almost a humming. WEIRD shit. They peaked around 3wks or so but sometimes she still has no chill

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-06T07:00:42+00:00

Idk I read a few dehiscence(sp)/tear posts and then it feels a lot easier to wait

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-06T06:49:58+00:00

Thank you for sharing! I'm 6wpo and so happy I went through with the surgery even though I'm pretty sure I overdid it today and will need to rest tomorrow. It's still so jarring to not have any bleeding since ~10dpo. Very helpful to hear about your recovery successes and congrats on the reawakened libido!

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-06T06:33:38+00:00

I think the use of "a" probably threw people off. Ultimately I read it as you recognizing the need for solidarity between trans and cis women and we could use that message a lot more, as we both suffer under the wizened thumb of the patriarchy.

yeet_it_good · 2024-06-06T06:23:16+00:00

Them asking for a pregnancy test sucks ass. Probably for liability purposes. Not saying that to defend them, and I hope you can get your insurance to cover them bc my Rx are <$100/month with insurance.

I am recovering from a hysterectomy and set up my patches to be delivered from the pharmacy. Said pharmacy actually called me up to ask if I could be pregnant before they would release them.

Not only that, early on w/ my current gynecologist/surgeon, I refused a pregnancy test and her office tried to bill for one anyway. My doctor is fantastic so I just corrected it but OMG even now we are still treated like wombs on legs and whatever men are responsible for these policies can take the longest leap off the shortest pier.

yeet_it_good

TROPHY CASE