Autistic Women?

I'm newly self diagnosed too. 51.  What a wild ride to this point i's all been, eh?

Wild yes. I’m actually finding things harder now than ever. I sometimes wonder if autistic women hit a bit of a wall when they reach menopause. We’ve been just about managing to cope and then the menopause just adds more anxiety etc and then we can be pushed into crisis. 

Wild yes. I’m actually finding things harder now than ever. I sometimes wonder if autistic women hit a bit of a wall when they reach menopause. We’ve been just about managing to cope and then the menopause just adds more anxiety etc and then we can be pushed into crisis. 

Hi Kate Kestrel Did you decide to do the HRT? How is it going?

It worked immediately. It was amazing. I might have some weight gain side effects, but I don't think so. I think it's just that taking the HRT has coincided with a huge period of overeating right before I was finally diagnosed. I tend to binge eat when I'm coming towards a shut down period, and while in the shut down as well. That's kinda been going on since last November, right around the time I started HRT. Good luck Kate

Hi Stella - thank you - I didn’t realise you were in Australia. I haven’t heard of Tibolone Lupin - I’m not sure if it’s available in the U.K., - I’ll look it up. I’m glad HRT has helped you - how long did it take before you noticed an improvement? And did you get any negative side effects at all? 

Hi Kate, sure. I'm on Tibolone Lupin 2.5 mg. I'm in Australia, so it's subsidised a bit by the government, but I still pay around AU$35 per month. I think it's a good idea for you to try it. As my doctor said, you can stop it straight away if you don't like it (there are no withdrawal symptoms), but I can honestly say (as someone with multiple chemical and food sensitivities) that all it's done is good. I went from multiple daily hot flushes and horrible night sweats to none at all. Seriously. Good luck

Hello Stellaluna - I’ve decided to try HRT. Can I ask you about it please? I asked my GP about Body Identical HRT (which I’ve heard is excellent) but she says the NHS don’t provide it. Do you get your HRT from the NHS? And can I ask you what it is you take? I know so little about this and would really appreciate any advice you can give on what has worked for you. 

I am also generally very not keen on medication but I have been considering HRT (out of desperation to be honest). 

Kate Kestrel said:

I’ve been tempted to try HRT

Kate Kestrel HRT is one of the best things I've ever done, and I determinedly avoid meds as well

Yes. It’s good to hear about things getting better ‘on the other side’. I’ve been tempted to try HRT - which is odd for me as in general I determinedly avoid medication if I can. Shows how desperate I am that I’m tempted to try HRT to be honest. I don’t think I will though. 
It may my illness last year that made me more worried about our isolation - it made me view me and my whole family as more vulnerable. The three of us (me, my husband and my youngest) depend on each other entirely for friendship and basically everything. We get on so well but we’re all autistic and we find lots of aspects of life so difficult and we have no outside support at all. It’s a worry. 

Interesting about menopause. I have now gone through that although still occasional flushes. I noticed as I went into menopause I missed the times when hormones helped with some positivity. On a positive note things do improve although a bit different on the other side.

I am also with you feeling like a family island. I too have a supportive husband. As my son has got older contact with other families has gone. Friends and aquaintances with neurotypical children don't get our lives.

That warms my heart.  This feels like the only place online or in person where I walk away not having to process what was said. It just makes more sense here. 

Nice to meet you Kate!  

Yes. I’m not doing well at all at the moment. I have PTSD after a (physical) illness last year and that has made things much worse for me too. I’m shattered to be honest. I’ve been getting panic attacks and I get a rush of heat during these - and it suddenly struck me that these might be menopause related. I’m just so tired. I have a wonderful husband and children but apart from that we are fairly isolated. I’ve struggled with friendships and to be honest didn’t really want them most of the time. However recently I’ve felt the need to connect with other autistic people - which is why I came on here. I’m so glad I did because it’s so nice to see how much I relate to what people write on here - it all makes so much sense to me. It’s a relief to be honest. Sometimes I feel like me and my family have been on an island for years - not really connecting with the outside world in many ways.

Bingo!  I wonder that too. 5 years ago it became so hard maintaining everything, and bit by bit I start to stop.  I came isolated myself as maintaining friendships got too hard, my gym bunny persona died as I couldn't handle all the people and small talk in gyms etc.  Everything just stopped for me.  It still has.  It's a complete fluke that led me here. I is still a wild ride, but it it's a bit clearly now as I recognise the route a bit. Not sure what do do with all the information yet though.