I don't know where I am in this process. My periods stopped a few months ago, not sure when but it's been a long time, like maybe 4 months.

Moods? Who can tell. My job is fairly high stress so it's hard to tell when I get irritated if it's my "mood" or because people are just ridiculous.

But my hair is getting thin, my waist is thick...and my body just does NOT want to give up the pounds. So how do you tell if you've successfully "reached the other side." - wait for a year to see that you haven't killed anyone?

Kate

I heard somewhere that when you haven't menstruated for a full year you're on the other side.

Well wouldn't you just know it... along the lines of picking up a great magazine while waiting in a doctor's office, you get called in; getting up to the front of the grocery check-out line, you forgot the bread; right up to the ice cream counter, they run out of pistachio; just when you think you're (I'm) having no more periods.....here it is.

Sign me Krampy,Achey and evidently NotDone

BONE SUPPORT
Six Vital Nutrients for Bone Health

Yes, we need calcium. But without these other bone builders, too much calcium can cause brittle bones, joint pain and can even lead to a heart attack. These 6 vital nutrients not only STOP bone loss; they help build stronger, more flexible bones.

This study/article was developed and written after years of research by women doctors for Womans Unique Nutritional Needs. The 6 nutrients for stronger bones are:

Vitamin D3 (as cholecalciferol) 200 IU

Vitamin K1 (as phytonadione) 300 mcg

Calcium (as calcium citrate milate) 150 mg

Magnesium (as magnesium glycinate amino acid chelate) 150 mg

Boron ( as boron aspartate-citrate) 1 mg

Silicon ( as orthosilicic acid) 5 mg

Now you could try and take all 6 but getting the dosage correct isn't easy so;

Woman's Preferred
P.O.Box 467939
Atlanta, Georgia 31146-739

has the ingredients in capsule form for $22.45. I have mine auto shipped each month, no S&H.
Phone number is 1-800-728-2288

Those of you with brittle bone worries should be taking this. They carry alot of Nutritional Need items and I'm sure a catalog would be available.

You can have a blood test to determine for sure if you've hit menopause. I started having hit and miss periods when I was 43. A blood test said I was perimenopausal. By 46, the blood test showed I was menopausal.

Not good to hit it so young with all the health side affects. They did a bone scan on me and found I'd lost some bone density in my spine. So for about 6 months I've been taking Actonel. It's too early to run another bone scan to see if the Actonel is building my bones back up like it's suppose to but I've only heard good things about this medication. I also take a calcium supplement with vitamin D.

Chatty, agate, and dj, I marvel at your knowledge. I definitely need to talk to my doctor about all this.

This could be a dumb question, but who do you think knows more, GYN or GP?

Dotsie, I think it depends totally on the doctor. Ask questions thats really all you can do.