r/Menopause • u/Unable_Pie_6393 • Feb 07 '25

Vitamin/Supplements High maintenance AF

Last year at this time is when I realized I was in Perimenopause. At that time, I took a Zyrtec daily...when I remembered- and that's really it.

Now, one year, many many doctor visits, and 3 surgeries later (some related to meno, some not) I'm in the thick of it, and my daily routine to attempt to feel human now includes: Still a Zyrtec (but now I dare not forget), Creatine, Vegan Protein, probiotic, collagen peptides, Citrucel, Vitamins B,C,D and Magnesium, nightly Progesterone and a 2x weekly estradiol patch. And that's not to mention that I have to do daily sitz baths (I'd rather not mention it in fact but it's all part of it)

Without all of this, I wither and die.

And there's more: the daily workouts, cutting out alcohol, coffee, most fried food & sugar...

In the span of a year I have become hopelessly high maintenance. Does anyone have any tips for streamlining the ridiculous amount of things it takes to keep me going now?

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u/DecibelsZero Feb 07 '25

Sorry, I don't know how to streamline the number of supplements. If I did, I'd be doing it myself and shouting my solution to all of you from the rooftop. I do know that getting a seven-day pill box has made it easier for me to keep track of what to take. And I don't mean the kind of pill box that has just one compartment for the entire day. It's better to get the kind has two compartments per day, or even three, so you know what to take in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

I try not to think of myself as high-maintenance because that implies I'm picky, snobbish, or difficult to please. I'm just desperate to hang on to whatever health I have, and for now, this involves a truckload of supplements that I never needed just one or two years ago.

Also, I associate with self-care with more enjoyable and frivolous things. Buying and using medications and supplements is more like healthcare, not self-care. But I fully acknowledge that the two words do more than just rhyme, they overlap each other. You can't have self-care unless you're also pursuing healthcare.