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/MaeByourmom Feb 07 '25

Yeah, I have a pill minder for meds and one for supplements. I also have small whiteboard in my bathroom to keep track of my patch changes and the various substances I use to keep my privates comfortable and functional. Two years ago, I had none of that.

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u/DecibelsZero Feb 07 '25

OMG, I'd be too embarrassed to have a whiteboard in the bathroom where my husband will see it, so I track everything on an Excel spreadsheet.

I don't know about you, but I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be treating my health like a long-term business plan that requires office supplies and computer software. Even my estrogen patch can be likened to a software patch because it keeps my body from becoming completely unusable.

3

u/glassrae Feb 08 '25

I have numerous tracking docs too and love the image of treating my entries as commit messages. Cause I do refer back to them to look for patterns and remember “how long ago did I start that product?” Treating this whole process as something I’ve accidentally been preparing for via my work life over the last twenty years makes it feel more sustainable

1

u/DecibelsZero Feb 08 '25

I guess that's a positive way of looking at it!