Menopause is upon me and I have recently stopped having periods. While it does mean no more worries about that monthly friend surprising me when I don't have pads, I didn’t realize this new phase of my life would take me on such a roller coaster. Everyone told me to what to expect, but somehow these symptoms
snuck up on me anyway.
1. Hot flashes: I heard discussion of hot flashes. I thought, OK, so I’ll get a little warm. No big deal. Now, I really know about hot flashes… like it is 30 degrees outside, and I feel like wearing shorts and a tank top and putting my face into the freezer. In the middle of the summer, I strip and stand in the cold shower for an hour.
2. Fatigue and memory loss: My mom used to forget stuff when she went through menopause, but I forget everything. If I didn't have a calendar that dinged for important appointments, my life would be chaos. I even forget to enter some appointments and had to call and apologize: "Hi, I forgot. So sorry, I am going through menopause." I can sleep standing up at the grocery store. I will look at a person and fade them out as I take a minute nap.
3. Weight fluctuation: I hate the weight gain and loss. One day I am up 20 pounds because of water retention. The next few days, after sweating and constant visits to the bathroom, I lose all the weight. Then the vicious cycle starts all over again.
4. Dry skin: Somewhere in the back of my brain, I know all these changes have to do with hormones and lack of estrogen, but when I am slathering the lotion on five times a day because my skin is cracking, I don't care why. Just give me some relief.
5. Vaginal dryness : The worst part of all these changes that I only read and heard about is the dryness in my womanly areas. Sex is something I think little of these days. It seems to be absent because, well, it can hurt sometimes and I am so moody. My poor husband gets to hear me whine and cry. "You don't find me attractive anymore because I am fat, ugly and dried up."
By Mary Hill.
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