I went through menopause before my mom did. I was 32 years old, just diagnosed with cancer, and had a hysterectomy. I woke up in the hospital room the next morning and it was 6,000 degrees.
Thus began my great adventure with the Big “M”.
This video is fun, and unfortunately, a lot of it is true. But aside from the jokes, menopause is not always a laughing matter for we boomer babes. Sleep doesn’t come as easily as it once did. Weight shifts. Tiny black hairs pop out on your chin. And there are other issues, some very intimate.
My next two posts will be about menopause. How did it affect you? What do you use to help? Estrogen or no estrogen (and what about the boomers, like me, who can’t use estrogen because of breast cancer risks)? Sleep tips? Skin and beauty helps. Let’s dive deep into the Big “M”.
For me, sleep was the biggest issue–or at least the most life-altering. In the last year I discovered that if I went to sleep in my sleep window (around 9:45 to 10ish when I feel tired and sleepy), that I could sleep. A revelation after nearly 10 years of interrupted sleep, long nights of hoping my mind would settle down so that I could sleep, laying in bed still because at least then I could rest, though I didn’t actually sleep.
What I realized is that I normally pushed past that sleep window. And then struggled.
We’ll talk more, I promise. We peri or post menopausal women have a lot to share. Tell me any of your Big M tips or helps, or maybe your struggles so that we can pull together and empathize, because we know. . We really, really know.
PS: I won’t get to talk back on this round. As I’ve done for the past five weeks, I’m posting ahead of time because I’m on a plane heading to speak at Youth Encounter’s Edge National Event in Kansas City, MO. (Who picked Friday as my blogging day? Oh, yeah, I did.)
I’ll be easy to find at that conference–the only one over 30, and the only one who blogged about menopause this week. : )
8 Comments
Suzie,
This is an answer to unspoken prayer. Just yesterday I was wrapped up in online research trying to understand all this craziness and only this morning conversed with a friend on the topic.
Looking forward gleaning from others and thanks for the much needed laugh today!
Hilarious in a serious sort of way (been there done that!). Menopause is the best and the worst thing that ever happened to me! Breast cancer forced me into it at the age of 40, but now that I’m passed the hot flashes and night sweats…I’m loving it! Of course, I had off the chart PMS, so anything is better than that!
This isn’t our mother’s menopause is it? We can talk about it!
Hmm, yeah not our mother’s menopause is right! I think they went crazy - poor women. Imagine for so many years not being able to talk about this kind of stuff or (I know some women like this) not having the foggiest idea what was happening. At least we can laugh about stuff now. I guess. I’m not quite there yet but i’m sure it’s coming and I’m surrounded by coworkers who daily shed shoes and bits of clothing in moments of hot flashes. And they smile at me as if to say, “your day’s coming, honey!”
Timely topic for all us boomers. At 28, I was told I was “pre”, then just 4 years later, I’d been having some problems and a different doc ordered a biopsy of my uterus lining. The test was conclusive - I was having “post-menopausal bleeding.” HA! I’ve never missed ONE period!! Not then, or since then - over 11 years ago! I continue to have hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and of late, I’m extremely sensitive to noise of all sorts.
Our bodies are our own. I learned at an early age to “read” my body - most of the times I know when I need sleep, water, a hug, peace & quiet, a mood swing, and chocolate (yes, that’s one of the necessities of life!) I know my body better than the doc - I don’t always like it, but I know it.
One book I read that was helpful to me back when I was first diagnosed as pre - was “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Menopause.” One of the recommendations was progesterone - and it has helped TREMENDOUSLY. Enough so that I feel “normal” most of the time.
Thanks for the great post - looking forward to more. Will be praying for safe travels for all of you!
I am in the “peri-menopausal” stage. Some months I have extreme PMS like I haven’t had in years, some months it’s not so bad. I have days when depression sets in and I have to struggle with the the feeling to get in my car and drive far away. I just had lunch with a friend the other day. I was having one of my bad days, I had been having crying fits, I wanted to leave, I didn’t want to be a wife, mom, employee, or anything to anyone. She had been through all of this before me, so it’s great to have someone to go to who can say, “I know how you feel, I have been where you are and it will get better.” One of the most depressing issues is WEIGHT GAIN!!! I have been walking, swimming a little, trying to get out and work a little more in the yard, just move more. I have been trying to stay away from junk fook, sodas, etc. I can’t seem to drop the weight and it all seems to settle right in the middle. ARGH!! But, I’ll keep trying.
Also, I just picked up Chicken Soup for The Soul, In Menopause.
There are some great stories in there, funny too! I recommend you go out and get it.
Gerri
Great topic for boomer women. I’m perimenopausal and am on a low dose of the birth control pill which has helped me tremendously. It has helped with bleeding, hot flashes, and most importantly, mood swings. I don’t think I could live without it.
For some great articles on the topic, visit http://www.nabbw.com, the National Association of Baby Boomer Women where Cathy Taylor is our resident expert on the topic.
Just returning home from speaking to some awesome teens in Kansas City, MO. Fun moment one day was I was sitting in a cold room. Everybody around me was freezing, and suddenly it was HOT, HOT, HOT. Just a flash, of course, but it was something I couldn’t talk about with a bunch of teens. But thank goodness we can talk about it here among friends.
I’m thru the torture of Men-o-pause (that’s another story) but let me tell you that I use to sit and wonder what my children would taste like; marinated. I was not a nice person to be around during those days.
There’s three grocery stores I can no longer visit and simply because they found me in the frozen section. Twice. I mean, literally. Inside.
Hey, it was hot; what can I tell you?
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