Topic: Chemo and Menopause
Log in to post a replyPosts: 62
- Posted on: Mar 13, 2008 09:16 pm
I am wondering if the rapid onset of menopause will cause a person to become even more irritable than they already are during the normal aging process during pre-menopause. My friend often comes across as hostile during interactions and because I know her I know to look beyond the obvious and see the intent. How and what affects can she expect from menopause caused by chemo, etc.
Do women become more aggressive from this kind of treatment as opposed to a natural aging process?
One of my personal concerns is that she may lose her ability to come across as nurturing, which is difficult at best now and she even isn't in chemo yet. Why do I care? Because I want her to be able to be happy and out in the public as she has been. That said, I am not familiar with how this will affect her, I am not to well versed in what affect menopause will have on her and if she can't take hrt than does this suggest that her ability to be more consistent with her emotions will be less likely?
Just a few concerns that I have that may very well be the words of a ignorant man.........
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Cynthia1962… Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 716 |
Mar 14, 2008 02:50 am
Cynthia1962 wrote:
Chemo doesn't cause menopause, it causes what's called chemopause because it isn't true menopause. Depending on her age, she may go directly from chemopause to menopause or her cycles may resume. Everyone is different, but many women do experience fluctuating emotions due to the changes in their hormone levels caused by chemo, not to mention having to deal with the side effects of treatment, etc. Irritability isn't a common part of "normal aging". If you want her to be happy, then support her in anyway you can, and give her behavior the benefit of the doubt because whether she's feeling the way she does because her hormones are wacked from chemo or because she's overwhelmed with her situation, her feelings are valid. "Be who you are and say what you feel because the people who mind don't matter and the people who matter don't mind." (Dr. Seuss)
Dx 1/11/2007, IDC, 2cm, Stage IIIa, Grade 2, 4/18 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- |
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AnnieBird55… Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 168 |
Mar 20, 2008 02:27 pm
AnnieBird55 wrote:
Well said Cynthia: "her feeling are valid". |
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mailman Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 62 |
Mar 21, 2008 02:33 am
mailman wrote:
You ladies are right. Feelings are not right or wrong are they? They are what they are and it's important that they are acknowledged. Doesn't mean that others have to agree but to be heard is important right. I have often tried to explain others how I feel about certain things and when I am not heard I feel a bit frustrated. So having you ladies put the way you did makes it easier for me to see the error of my own thinking . |
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nixieschaos… Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 44 |
Mar 21, 2008 06:01 am
nixieschaos wrote:
ok, so this is going to sound weird, but I work in a dementia community and teach that even with dementia, FEELINGS are valid, as you said, and they must be validated, even though we might have no idea where they are coming from, or the behaviors get worse! My irratibility comes from the frustration of having this stupid illness, that came along at the most inconvenient time...when IS it convenient to get this! I get furstrated and irritable occasionally when I want the world to revolve around me and it doesn't. I get frusterated at being CONSTIPATED.. get really frusterated with the temporary chemo brain for a few hours after chemo...oh could I go on. With dementia, we need to get to the cause of the behavior. Try to find out what is causing the irratibility at that moment and help her work her way through it. Help her laugh. I see the humor in everything, and it helps me through. I will cry to my mom and wind up laughing at myself. I cry to my husband and have to laugh at how terrified he gets when he think I am going off the deep end. Bleh. No one said this was going to be easy... We are warriors and this disease has invaded OUR world. This is my life and the enemy can't take it from me
Dx 10/10/2008, IBC, 6cm+, Stage IV, Grade 3, /0 nodes, mets, ER-/PR+, HER2+ |
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AnnieBird55… Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 168 |
Mar 21, 2008 11:08 am
AnnieBird55 wrote:
Yes - humor is an excellent way to lift someone out of an "irritable" state of mind. My dh has had a lot of stress at work; so much so recently that he has been very irritable evenings. Thank goodness for TV programming changes where we have Drew Carey and America's funniest home videos in the evenings!! Nixie - I am wishing you a good weekend with lots of laughs  -Anne |