women in their 40s and older...please look!

[hopenglory]

I am curious for us women that are approaching menopause and perimenopause...is there anyone out there with any insight as to what to expect? No one seems to deal with this topic directly but by reading alot of posts here and in other places...alot of us seem to be having much worse obs at this time in our lives than ever. Is this what many of you experience? Any helpful info? I do know that hormones cause alot of issues and can bring on obs but I can't imagine having to deal with this on top of all the menopausal issues as well that can affect the genital area. I really want to know what you have to say and what your experiences have been. I think it might help alot of us.

[bluefrog]

Well, I am 44 years old, and new to herpes. I was diagnosed in April 07, with initial ob, and had one more ob in July 07. It took me three months to begin to feel "normal" again, after the initial ob. I had alot of prodome symptoms each month since April, and my second ob was one day before my period started. I am due this Friday, and (knock wood), no symptoms, not even PMS symptoms. Go figure, not that I am complaining. I am hoping that as time goes on ( I hear the first year is the worst) and the effect of the lysine and other vitamins and herbs I am taking, that it is working to keep this virus at bay for me. How about you?

[hopenglory]

Well...I'm not sure about when I was infected. I had a neg blood test last year but a positive culture a week ago. The only person I've had any sexual contact with doesn't have it. So...I figure I maybe have had it for years and not known. Regardless, I am 46 and now having an ob and it is just debilitating. I can hardly function. Pain, irritation, run down...swelling so I can hardly walk. Exercise? Forget it. I am in the paranoid and depressed stage. And am hoping this whole getting older/perimenopausal thing isn't going to exacerbate and bring on obs.

[MsLucy]

I don't know if this will help you or not, but I'm 56, and was diagnosed last spring. I went through menopause early after giving birth at 41, so by the time I was about 47 it was all over. I really don't have a hormone issue. As long as I can kill someone every month or so, I'm just fine and dandy. Just kidding. But as far as the herpes goes, I can't say mine's any worse than anyone else's, and better than some. I don't get many ob's anymore, just occassional symptoms for a day or two now and then, and then they go away. I'm not suffering.

You may have a bit of a struggle until the menopause thing is over and your body settles down again, but after that I wouldn't worry. Honestly, aside from no more periods, I couldn't tell I was going through menopause. I couldn't understand what the big deal was. But I know it's rough on some women. My sister-in-law has turned into the psycho bitch from hell, and I can only attribute it to menopause. If it's not that, I think maybe she has rabies, and we should just shoot her.

Anyway, hope your ob clears up soon. They're a bummer, I know.

[hopenglory]

See...that sounds just like me sometimes! I think I may be the psycho bitch from hell. Although with me it's more of a psycho crybaby. I am one of those people who rarely if ever cries. With all this weird hormonal stuff...I am now just one big fountain. It's so pathetic! And this whole hsv and ob crap...not helping!

[bluefrog]

I am banking on: hearing that it is worse the first year and I have only had two obs but the first was excrutiating and the second; not even half of what the first one was, in pain, discomfort or duration. So.....this is good news!