SCI and Menopause

Hey Tarabev, I find the topic very interesting, but at that time I can not comment on that. I have (hopefully) a few more years until I have to deal with it.

Pity, that nobody else wants to comment. Who knows, maybe it will not take me that long anymore (I'm 40 now). Then perhaps I will dig up the thread again.

I was in kinda the final stages of menopause when I had my accident.sweating was a real issue and my doctor prescribed gabapentin which really helped, though after a few months I was having memory issues and stopped taking it. It did get me past that part of menopause. So I am done with menopause.

C5/6 since 1964. I had a complete hysterectomy in 1992 and was put on estrogen patches which caused migraine headaches.  I had never had headaches in my life.  After many months on the patches, I called the OB/GYN to tell her that I was going off the patches, but wanted to make sure it wouldn't be dangerous to go "cold turkey."  The nurse was very upset that I would question their advice and snapped, "Well, you'll get hot flashes!!!"  I irreverently thought, "I live in Minnesota.  I might like a hot flash!"  Long story short, I have never had a single menopausal symptom. I had strength I never had because I was not low on iron anymore.  It was wonderful.  I got dry eye and dry mouth right after the surgery which I blame on the general anesthesia.  My optometrist says it was caused by the loss of hormones, but it happened immediately after the surgery and the estrogen patches had no effect.  I got night sweats once, but a pillow between my bony knees took care of that.  I loved those years after the hormones stopped!  I am now 75, so have shoulder & joint pain from 55 years in a wheelchair,  but am grateful to still be here.

Hi! I’m just at a year without a period... perimenopause seemed fine. A bit if an increase in temp control, but nothing really crazy. But, I’ve had 4 episodes of horrible headaches over the past 6 weeks and I’ve never had headaches before. Constipation has increased significantly with no other changes to timing of bathroom breaks, fluids intake by type or amount, diet or exercise. But, the absolute worst is the sweating. I’m a C-7/8 incomplete and have typically only sweat above my injury lines when having sever bladder or bowel related issues and it stopped immediately after I peed or pooped. BUT the past several weeks, I will sweat for 2 or 3 hours in the mornings. Well after I do my business. After I’ve eaten, taken meds, driven to work, gotten comfortable in my office. It’s horrible. A mild and consistent headache comes with it, but not terrible like an AD headache or the new hormonal headaches. My BP is normal or drops during these episodes. In the past I only sweated with high/AD BP levels. My blood hormone levels are well within the normal range for a perimenopausal/early menopausal 47 year-old, so my doctor doesn’t feel I need hormone replacement at this point. But, It’s becoming not only disgusting and uncomfortable, but worrisome. I think they’re hot flashes bc I’ll be flushed, burning up, sweating and freezing at the same time. 😢😢. There are really no SCI specialists near me, much less an OBGYN with SCI experience. I’ve been searching for weeks for any information on SCzi & menopause. So, if y’all find any studies or anything... Please tag me!