Menopause and what I did not know

The definition of menopause is a woman that has not had a period in 12 months.

I didn't know that.  I thought it was the whole hot flashes, etc. stuff.  It can or cannot include the miserable stuff.  And if you've had a hysterectomy, you're considered in menopause.
CONGRATULATIONS!

Postmenopause - interestingly enough has the same damn definition.  However, bloodwork can also determine whether you're post or not.

I'm post.  FSH, LH, and Estradiol tests were done on my blood.  I'm not even wavering on the border.  I'm definitively post.

I see my doctor in about a week.  I'm hoping to get some relief from my hot flashes.  They haven't been as bad since I made some changes to my bed and the pajamas I wear.  But I'm not looking forward to summer at all.

My hot flashes/night sweats started out very mild.  I'd get warm at night, wonder why the AC didn't click on, and throw a leg out from under the sheet.  Then they started feeling like this flush of intense heat from my waist, creeping up, my skin would feel prickly, my back would sweat, and then it would go away.  Or if they happened at night, I'd wake up feeling like someone peed the bed because my back was soaking wet.

I'll update this after my doctor visit to see what she does with me.

The good thing about hot flashes/night sweats is that they normally go away after 2 or 3 years.  I'm hoping that I'm at the end of that and that they will go away before summer.  :-)