last year I was having some extreme fatigue evenings for weeks at a time, having to lay down after dinner for 1-2 hours naps.
I chalk it up to perimenopause.
I am 53 and have been having some symptoms for years. Occasional night sweats that has been going on for approximately 3 years. They say we can start having symptoms and go thru the motions but not completely free just yet for 10 years.
sigh
I just want it to be done.
I think that is one reason I have been unstable, periods have been irregular.
sigh
I am sure I will be on my period in europe, wonder about bathrooms there, I flow heavy changing tampax every hour at times, hate it!
sorry friend if you are reading.
bizi

Naps are a temporary fix. The purpose of nighttime sleep is to recharge our batteries and undo the damage we've done over the course of the day.

I'm so sorry that you're dealing with such terrible symptoms from menopause. I wish it was over with for you, too. I looked up the effects of menopause on BP when I was researching mormon replacement therapy for you. The majority of patients experience increased depression, but the majority of BP patients are BP II. Hypomania and mania can increase due to the hormonal changes during menopause, it's just less common.

I'm sure there's a way of looking up if they flush sanitaries over there or not, but you could always dispose of them in the trash. You may have to bring a couple of boxes… lord knows what they use in Europe and I know I'm prett particular about what I use.

It's unfortunate that you even have to factor this into your happy trip

(((HUGS)))

I need to bring euro coins to use the bathrooms!
bizi

That's so funny! Are all public restrooms over there pay toilets? If they are, does that mean that they are cleaner?

No necessarily cleaner.

1 http://rickzullo.com/bathrooms-in-italy/
Also this:

================
2 Rick Steve on Bathrooms:

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-ti.../toilet-tricks


He mentions women who work in the men's bathrooms:
================
3 New Toilets in Rome (underground?)

http://excuseme-whereis.com/Rome_Toilets_Overview.html
================

4 SOMETIMES if you buy water or something in a cafe, they will let you use the restroom.

Also, sometimes, bathrooms sometimes have tip jars
================

5 https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g...he.Locals.html

================

6 Or this American:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgTU-X-vKQE

these are great mari!
thank you for posting them.
bizi

All interesting Mari…

I'm sure a lot of people have a hard time because of the lack of restrooms. We all know people who have to pee every five minutes.

I can't see how it would be in the best interests of pub owners to not have bathrooms. When you drink you have to pee a more. People won't stay as long if they can't pee.

I loved those two adorable kids in the You Tube video

I think my pdoc just took a course on bipolar. This is the first time in 13 years that she has asked me to do a mood chart or talked about rapid cycling 3 or more episodes in a year. She wants data to kow what to do with me so am doing the best that I can documenting my days.How do I document my excitment over our trip with out appearing hypo?
bizi


Mood values/numbers:

0=suicidal
1=depressed
2=low mood
3=baseline mood
4=a little above baseline
5=hypomanic
6=manic
7=psychotic or an episode requiring zyprexa

4-24 Mod 3 pints last day of festival!, mood= 4
4-25 AF, slept 7, mood= 3
4-26 mod 2 root beers, slept 6, mood= 3
4-27 AF, slept 6, mood= 3
4-28 AF, slept 7, mood= 3
4-29 Mod 1 pint, slept 8, mood= 3
4-30 AF

Drinks per week= 7

5-1 Mod 3 pints, slept 8, mood= 3
5-2 AF, slept 7, mood =4
5-3 AF, slept 7, mixed mood=4/2 extreme fatigue 1 hour nap
5-4 AF, slept 7, mood=3
5-5 AF, slept 6, mood =4 planning trip
5-6 Mod 3.5 beers, slept 7 , mixed/mood =4/2 extreme fatigue, 2 hour nap
5-7 mod/dd 4 beers slept 6.5, mixed/mood= 3/2 extreme fatigue again, no nap

Drinks per week= 10.5

Goals for week:
5-8 AF
5-9 AF
5-10 AF
5-11 AF
5-12 AF
5-13 Mod 2

bizi

Bizi, your mood chart looks good to me - I hope that it will help.

I hope that you both have a great time on your trip .

I'm glad that your pdoc is doing this NOW.

I can't believe this is the first time she's brought up rapid cycling… But she may not have been aware that you were a rapid cycler until you showed her the records you keep of your drinking. Sometimes it's hard to tell if you're hypo if you're drinking a lot and other symptoms are mild so self-reporting is an issue. I went through that.

Taking such great records of your drinking is going to pay dividends here. I hope that your pdoc is able to help you get better control over your BP and that should help you better moderate your drinking.

I think you're going to be able to differentiate between the excitement of the trip and being hypo is by pattern (things you start to do during past hypo episodes such as heavier drinking) and the emergence of new hypo symptoms. Where is #5 on your mood chart though?

You're doing really well moderating your alcohol use Bizi