Women's-only topic .....

Uh, this might not be the appropriate place to bring this up, but .....

After diagnosis and after starting on my cpap, I was happy to see that my cpap was helping in a few areas of my health, although it's been baby steps. Slow but positive. One area I noticed a change (which was viewed as both positive and as a bummer) was a regularity returning to my...... how shall I say this? .... monthly friend. (?) ...... (friend doesn't seem quite the right word).


Ok, I said it. Whew!!
I say "bummer" because I'm of the age where I can look forward to saying goodbye to my "monthly friend" and hello to the wacky world of menopause. Oh, lovely.

And during the six months preceeding my OSA diagnosis, my so-called friend had seemed to have left the premises. I was thrilled by this. Sure, it meant I was getting older, but I was actually looking forward to some of the advantages of this newfound health issue. But, once I started my cpap, my "friend" returned, thumbing it's nose at me, saying, "Thought you were rid of me, didn't you? Ah Ha!!" How cruel. Now, I'm wondering if it wasn't the overall health problems which had escalated prior to treatment that had caused the temporary disappearance of my "friend." I know personally that depression and other health issues can affect this lovely friendship. So perhaps that's what it was.

Did any of you experience something similar? Or am I alone in this embarrassing story?


And if you're a man reading this and you "experienced" any of this, then I'd say you have more problems than I do......

My "friend" finally said bye-bye for good last May (at least I hope so). I wish I could tell you it was the cpap but this part of your life is like that. You can skip up to 11 months and have it come back out of the blue. Irregularity is just a part of perimenopause. Apnea doesn't have a lot to do with it. I've known several women who don't have apnea and have had irregular periods the same as I did. Get a check-up from your doctor to make sure everything is o.k. You're not considered to have reached menopause until you skip 12 months. It can take several years for it to happen. Just about the time you think you've made it, here it comes again. Sorry to be the bearer of not-so-good news. I have two more months to go and I'm officially in menopause. I hope I make it this time!!! I can truly say that I haven't missed it one little bit!!!!!!!!

Hi! I'm 45 and until I received my CPAP about 7 years ago I didn't really have a "friend" - perhaps a dozen visits in about 25 years. I had always wanted a family so over the years I went thru all kinds of treatments (daily hormone shots) and eventually gave up on that. Getting my cpap was the end of my marriage, guess he couldn't deal with sleeping next to "Darth Vaders sister" at night (among other things).... Anyway, about six months after separation I started seeing someone. Being clever I went to my gyn and insisted on taking birth control pills before (well, you know...) . My Doctor thought this was dumb (waste of money, don't have to worry cause I couldn't possibly get pregnant....) HA! Had wonderful "well, you know..." twice and now I'm a single Mom despite the pill! Please don't misunderstand - my precious 5 year old son is the best "ooops" that has ever happened to me but nonetheless I'm sure that there are other women out there that also "can not get pregnant" and should be made aware that use of a CPAP can cause pregnancy (WOW! - always thought it was just from "well, you know...")

My son was breast fed and since weaning I have visits from my new found "friend" as regular as clockwork. It has been a very interesting experience becoming a "pubescent" mother at an age in life where you start to think about menopause....

rustynail,

Hi, I'm the first guest who posted my embarrassing topic.
I loved your story about "(well, you know)." Thanks for the warning, however. My so-called friend insists on still visiting. I thought I was too old for any pregnancy consequences from "(well, you know)." And considering some "(well, you knows)" are in my immediate future, I will take what you've said as a kindly reminder that the doctors can be wrong and that my body can turn on me when I least expect it. Not that a child wouldn't be welcomed, it's just....well, you know.....

Thanks!