will i ever get my looks back??

[[ca...]]

i just turned 53 and i have to say that i look so much older, and like my mother, not a good look...i have lost all my muscles mass and am sporting this very sexy belly..i really need to color my hair and get waxed, but i sure don't feel like it..

 

just a quick share..i want to see if i'm not alone here...

 

i haven't worn regular clothes for 7 weeks either, my shoes have dust on them, i have no idea what size i am right now, i was a 10 or a 12. i have great lingerie but haven't worn that either, i live in my pj's because i'm so hot all the time and wearing elastic workout shorts is so comfortable..

 

my skin is a strange color and is all flaky and dry..i keep hearing "you need to be good to yourself" but i have no desire to do this...at night before i go to bed i put this great smelling body lotion on my arms and hands so my sheets will smell good, and that has been good enough until i get my health back..

[[De...]]

I just turned 50 and I totally hear you Yoga pants are my best friend cause they are stretchy

I was able to get to the hairdresser cause she is also a good friend and works out of her house

That's the only reason I am not totally grey right now Its hard to feel attractive right now I am hoping this will

return at some point For now I will plan all the procedures to be done when I am better 

[[ca...]]

thanks for sharing..gotta love the yoga pants..i know i do..as for the gray - well i'm going to have to color it some day soon, but since i don't leave the house much i will wait..i'm in desperate need of a mani pedi, again this will have to wait...

 

i hate looking in the mirror that face that is looking back at me is not my own..

 

so here's to recovery and what we have to look forward too...

 

have a good weekend..

[[Wo...]]

45 - feeling the same way. Can I ask you ladies how you have dealt with menopausal issues during your taper? Are you taking hormones and if so, did you start them before or after your taper?

[[ca...]]

hey workin - there are alot of us from cali here...

 

i really don't know if i ever had any symptoms at all..i do have hot flashes now but know that they are from the benzo side affect, and i only know this because i had a super long window and no hot flashes, and also now that im in this wave i've read a lot of posts from guys who have the hot flashes as well..

 

for me my dr didn't want me to go on any hormones...she told me that it can cause heart attacks or a stroke, i don't know if this is true but i chose not to take them, and really didn't need them at all..

 

this time is so hard on us women i think, we really rely on our looks and i have to say right now i hate looking in the mirror..it makes me sad, but i know when this is all over things will go back to normal..

 

i hope this helps..we are just all so different..it would be nice for more women to share, but i put this in off topic i thought it was the best place to share..i always have so many questions and this is a great source for information...

 

have a good evening..

[[Wo...]]

Tell me about it, I was a model for 20 years! Ouch!

 

Wishing you continued healing!

 

[[ca...]]

hey workin - wow that's gotta hurt...it's so hard to keep your looks in this state, i hate the way i look right now and the fact that there is no reason to get dressed or color my hair or get my nails done..i will have a day of beauty when this is all done...

 

have a great evening..hope more women post to this thread..i'm so curious to see what others are going thru..just glad we have somewhere to share and know it's a sx not just us..if that makes sense

 

thanks continued healing to you as well... 8)

[[De...]]

Everything is so messed up right now hard to no what is hormonal or just withdrawal

Hormone replacement therapy can increase heart attack and stroke. My mom was on estrogen

until she was 80 yrs old but at 82 was diagnosed with breast cancer. So I have a close family member with

breast cancer I will avoid hormone replacement. Too much to think about 

[[ca...]]

i hear ya dexter - it's way too scary, i'd rather live with the hot flashes than worry about my heart..

[[ih...]]

Am the same age as you, CAGR & at 11 months out, look better than I ever did on benzos. No doubt for me that they are aging.

 

I do workout with whole body workouts, including weights & have always eaten fairly cleanly.

 

Went into meenopause while tapering & I am on bioidentical HRT which works well for me. I have post grad biomed qualifications, (research, not GP) & I don't agree with your MDs assessment of the research but don't want to debate this as there is already a detailed thread here on HRT & its totally a personal choice.

 

HRT aside, your looks will improve off bzs if you exercise & provide optimal nutritional support, particularly plenty of healthy oils.

[[ca...]]

hi ih - i can't wait until i'm done with all this crap. i eat really healthy, but right now i can not work out, i can't stand for more than 8 minutes at a time i start to feel very faint..

 

i know i went thru menopause but didn't have any symptoms at all - i saw the thread about hrt and if i had just one dr who told me what the side affects were but i have 3 drs at the va and 2 civilan, so i have to think that they are giving me the best information...i have lots of friends who aren't taking any either because of the fear, plus my mother in law, and 2 aunts who refuse to take them as well..i made my own decision about this one, and decided it wasn't safe for me..i'm glad people do take them, i have no idea what to believe, but i'd rather be safe than to risk my health..

[[Di...]]

I'm 54 and I became menopausal prior to taking valium. Actually, it is the fault of a very negligent naturopath, who was supposedly treating my severe menopausal symptoms, that caused me to became dependent on valium (long story).

 

I eat a very healthy and natural diet (well most of the time…. ), but I'm not at all happy about my weight at the moment. Hopefully that is something I can start tackling when I've finished my taper in a few months.

 

However, I am constantly told I look much younger than my years (comments are usually that I look around 40-ish), and that I have lovely skin, so I'm happy about that. Apart from my valium issue, I am extremely healthy, blood pressure is very good, and all my blood test results were excellent last time they were taken about 6 months ago. In fact, my cholesterol, which was already quite good, was even better than in the previous tests. My only real issue is low Vitamin D3, but that's fairly common here in Australia, where we've been schooled so well into being scared of skin cancer, that we either don't go out in the sun at all, or when we do we smother ourselves in sunblock.

 

I also take bio-identical hormones, and I agree with ihope. I also don't plan on stopping them any time soon. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of doctors who give very out-dated information for some reason. I can only think that they don’t keep up to date with the current research, which shows that bio-identical hormones are actually very good for brain, heart and bone health. The fear factor about hormones is largely caused by an over-zealous media, and a lot of unknowledgeable people making a lot of inaccurate claims. However, I've been through enough debates, both on this forum and others, to know that it is a hot-button topic for a lot of women. So I prefer to just state my opinion and not get involved in justifying it now.

 

Everyone has to make their own choice about hormone therapy. I only implore women to make their decision based on accurate information, and not just what you read in the media or even what you get told by your doctor, because we all know how knowledgeable doctors can be about medication (benzos anyone….??). If you think a lot of them are clueless about benzos, that’s nothing compared to how clueless they can be about menopause and HRT. Trust me, I’ve seen and heard it all since my meno symptoms started 3 years ago. I only trust my own research now, and the research of others I trust.

 

[[ca...]]

hi dp - thanks for sharing, but i think back and i know my dr.s said xanax was safe..and of course i believed him, and look where i am now??

 

i know this is a hot topic and i'm glad for those who are ok with it take it but i guess all the research ive done online still tells me it's not safe..maybe it's kind of like being a democrat or republican, or those who are fighting the decision about abortion - roe vs wade and that topic just won't die either....people will never agree on this..

[[ca...]]

ok this is really sad for me - since it has been so hot i've been wearing work out shorts and i'm seeing age marks on my legs and arms..i'm going to have to buy some lotion that makes these disappear..i have them on my face as well, i've spent so much time in the sun...i hate my body image right now..i can't wait until i can get back to the gym and start working out again..

 

i wish there had been more information about skin cancer and the importance of spf lotions.. :(

 

i've also lost lots of weight in my face, wrists and feet weird areas to lose weight in..

[[Pi...]]

Hullo cagrr1 . I just read thru this thread. I am 55 and always looked younger. But I haven't felt happy with my looks lately. I think apart from benzos.... And ageing .. I feel bad about myself because I sort of lost who I am. Lets face it when u hit 50 ish gravity is an enemy too.

I relate to the clothing issue too. I mainly wear cotton pjs. As in pj pants and singlet top.

I do have some lovely clothes but like u I am so hot and sweaty it is a waste of time to put them on.

As for my hair....I have only this yr decided to let it go grey! So I went into the hairdresser for a tint and came out with a no7 buz cut.i love it! So easy. My head is wet mostly so I don't have to worry. Normally I have almost black hair. Now it's 70% grey with a silver skunk patch at front. Sounds unattractive but its ok.

Menopause? Yes me too but I don't know what symptoms are what. I have been struggling with w/d s

So it's all bundled in one.thats me for now. Regards Pinkee

[[Be...]]

I'm 52 and I actually have men tell me I look good, since I've lost so much weight in this w/d.  Thank goodness I had many extra pounds to spare and needed to lose weight anyway.  If they only knew how I lost those lbs.  Wasn't the healthy go to the gym eating healthy wanna lose weight type of diet.  Just can't eat with no appetite usually.  But, I bet my triglyceride numbers are more normal now.  My hair's growing out gray, since I just don't have the desire to color it now.  I don't go anywhere anymore, mostly housebound with fear and agoraphobia. 

[[...]]

Omg....who cares about looks when all you want its to be connected to reality..

 

 

 

[[...]]

I'm in my mid 20's and I still get carded for cigs, unless I let my beard grow out. If I don't have a beard, I can pass off as 21.

 

Over the past 4-5 years though my looks have seriously went down the drain. I used to weigh 40 pounds more, and have had stomach problems for the past 3 and a half years that have caused me to lose an incredible amount of weight. So instead of being a healthy 5'11, 170 like I was when I turned 21, I'm now 5'11 130 and unable to gain weight at all. Thanks celiac disease and a number of other GI problems that I have!