Originally Posted by Izzy's Mom

I hope things improved with your vacation. I'm headed to Boston for an overnight in a couple of weeks -- anything you recommend?

Hi. Fun! I will try. One night: I'd get off the Green Line at Arlington and go from there by foot. But there are lots of options.

The Public Gardens are classic, of course. There is a Hermes Boutique on the corner of Arlington and Boyleston, so gotta get the pic there . Right there is the Swan Boats...cliche and a must. Newbury Street is there with shopping/eye candy. I love Charles Street with the quaint antique shops (a block up--toward Beacon Hill) off Beacon Street.

We walked (15 minutes) from the Public Gardens to Faneuil Hall (or Government Center on the Red Line) and everyone but ds6 was fine. Lots of food at decent prices: ds13 and I had fried cod, very fresh and yummy. Lots by the water.

My niece loves China Town, http://www.boston.com/travel/boston/...ods/chinatown/

Canoli on the North End is a must try...I didn't get to but highly recommend the North End, which is an Italian area historically.

A lot was out of my league price-wise, but some fun tourist stuff I looked into: Prudential Building-- 20ish/person; trolley tours-- 40/person (ish) for the trolley tours. Doing the trolley tours is a great way to get acclimated and get some history, then I would walk the Freedom Trail, or some of it.

What days of the week? I found cheaper rates Th-Sunday. But we did score with our hotel: Sheraton Boston at 231 and 199, depending on the night. Bro was in Boston in October 2011 and paid about 600/night for the Marriott. Check both but I found more deals with the Sheraton, and it has pool. If more than one adult is traveling (or even just one), pay a bit more for the deluxe room (2-3 feet wider really makes a difference). Boston hotel rooms are small.

The Copley Plaza Mall is right there with multiple hotels connected to it. There is a food court, and bro highly recommended burgers. Definitely go to Pinkberry. But this group of hotels is not truly in Back Bay, imo. I saw the Boston Park Plaza on the taxi ride, and it is historic and cool, but no pool. Great location, though, very central. A tPFer also suggested the Marriott Long Wharf, and it looked great, but they were booked for my dates.

Honestly, if you are there any time, take the Redline into Cambridge and dub around Harvard Square. I used to chill there in grad school---lived in Cambridge.

The MFA is amazing. The aquarium rocks, all the museums, really: children's and science, too.

A little info. There is a great thread in the travel subforum.

Oh the good times: old lady smell AND hyper-pigmentation. On my FACE! Ugh.

Anyone around?

I'm wondering if severe fatigue the days prior to af are typical in the process. I literally sit on the couch and wake up the next day if the kids aren't home. Ridiculous.

So glad to visit this thread again! I am almost over the hump, as I haven't had a period in over 1 1/2 year and after baking constantly with hot flashes for about 3 years, keeping my fingers crossed, recently they finally subsided a little bit, yay:) I have other problems to deal with, but glad that the main "heavy duty" heat problem has gotten better. This thread is very good for ladies dealing with this:)

Originally Posted by thewave1969

So glad to visit this thread again! I am almost over the hump, as I haven't had a period in over 1 1/2 year and after baking constantly with hot flashes for about 3 years, keeping my fingers crossed, recently they finally subsided a little bit, yay:) I have other problems to deal with, but glad that the main "heavy duty" heat problem has gotten better. This thread is very good for ladies dealing with this:)

I got hit with a hot flash tonight that went over two hours. I was a mess, got anxious. It was awful.

When you say three years, what do you mean? For all symptoms? My body has been doing noticeable stuff for 9 years and been super weird for four with hot flashes, panic attacks (have meds in my bag for rescue), collagen disappeared and wrinkles really kicked and dry skin, and the severe severe fatigue with af. Four years of this mess. I'm like, "okay, body, be done already. I'm single, have my kids, go ahead and stop early." (I'm 46 so have been dealing with this since I was in my late 30s.)

Just checking in! Age 47 here!

I've had 3 periods this year. The hot flashes have increased a bit. I don't mind it in the winter! Ha! I've gained a few pounds. My mind is getting a little foggy at times. I hate that! I am looking forward to what next year brings with this menopause stuff!

I love hearing everyone else's experiences! It helps me feel more normal. :)

Merry Christmas!

Sorry No Cute to hear about your hot flash last night:( I am in my mid-fifties and had a long list of problems, from smaller one to bigger ones on and off for several years (basically my body going to the dogs...). 3 years of hot flashes, that's what I meant. At the beginning they came on sparse and super-intense, lasting about 1 hour - it felt like I had a flame-thrower pointed to my back. I remember taking cold showers and lying on the cold bathroom floor in agony. Then they normalized to quick heat but much more often, a little easier to deal with. Recently I would grade them to be like "ember", hopefully toward the end...? Some ladies found relief taking low doses of hormones. Maybe you can talk to your gyn. My doc advised it but I didn't take any.

Originally Posted by thewave1969

Sorry No Cute to hear about your hot flash last night:( I am in my mid-fifties and had a long list of problems, from smaller one to bigger ones on and off for several years (basically my body going to the dogs...). 3 years of hot flashes, that's what I meant. At the beginning they came on sparse and super-intense, lasting about 1 hour - it felt like I had a flame-thrower pointed to my back. I remember taking cold showers and lying on the cold bathroom floor in agony. Then they normalized to quick heat but much more often, a little easier to deal with. Recently I would grade them to be like "ember", hopefully toward the end...? Some ladies found relief taking low doses of hormones. Maybe you can talk to your gyn. My doc advised it but I didn't take any.

Thank you for your kindness. It was hard. But today is almost worse. Af is so intense, I'm nauseous and can't get off the couch. Keep falling to sleep. Awful. Makes an ablation sound worth the pain and anesthesia. Worst af since the fun began.

I can't do hormones, but I need to figure out what vitamins and minerals will help.

Any in home helps you can think of? I've been sick with af for nearly 10 days: before, during, and after. Fatigue to beat all fatigue, cramps, intestinal trouble, and when I cycled, I bled like a stuck pig. Help.

Calling doc today.

I get hot flashes and night sweats and the doctor put me on Effexor a depression medicine that helps to reduce hot flashes.

Does anyone here get phantom periods? I started getting them this fall in place of regular periods. On a regular 30-day cycle I get all the symptoms of a period, including cramps, acne, the big headache, etc. but no actual period. The worst part is that instead of a period I get the most intense hot flashes alternating with deep chills--for days! It's like I have a volcano burning inside that's at war with an arctic ice flow. Gak!

My question is: how long do these last? I've heard from older ladies that they last like until the end of your life. No, no, no! Ahhhhhhh!

i cool and estroven OTC have helped me tremendously and I mean tremendously.

Hi Fellow Hot Flashers. I've been away from the thread for a while and back to catch up.

I've been using the GNC Ultra Mega Menopause Vitapak for several months now. I got so tired of piece-mealing my vitamin regime. I love this stuff. The only thing I've added is the Tri-Flex Soft Chews in Chocolate (Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM) for joint issues. The Vitapak has everything women our age need in one packet. My hotflashes and night sweats have nearly stopped. How much this has to do with the fact that it's not 100+ degrees any more, I can't say. I just know I love this regime if for no other reason than it takes the guess work out of taking my vitamins.

I still work hard to maintain my weight, eat well balanced healthful foods and walk 30 minutes every day. I still have my Godiva Jones that I refuse to give up, however.

I've also gotten rid of hair dye completely and let my natural salt/pepper hair grow out. I went with a pixie cut so I didn't have to deal with the "skunk stripe" and find I actually like this length for now. Here's some before/after pics.

^^ PP you are gorgeous!!!! So glad to see you posting! I didn't think you were here anymore..!!

I've also gotten rid of hair dye completely and let my natural salt/pepper hair grow out. I went with a pixie cut so I didn't have to deal with the "skunk stripe" and find I actually like this length for now. Here's some before/after pics.


I wish I was brave enough to give up the hair dye. *I don't think I am ready yet but hopefully will be soon. *BTW you look great!