Menopause Confessions: What’s it like to be in menopause?
Photograph: Copyright: boomeart/ Envato Elements
‘Menopause is a new chapter in our lives. For some it’s a breeze, for others it’s more a bumpy, blank page, ride! Learn to work on making your menopause a breeze. ”
Dearest Mia,
Okay, you’ve experienced your first hot flash.
Congratulations. It’s a natural part of us and need not be feared.
It is Mother Nature’s way of giving you a sign you may be on your menopause journey, and it's great that you're open to it.
You're handling it calmly, well done.
This is a natural step and a wonderful chance to focus more on yourself.
Menopause, believew it or not, is a time of great self reflection and eventual re invention. It is a time to reassess everything. While difficult at times, the end result is a more definite view of how you want to live your life.
Promise!
Let’s start..
Am I in Menopause?
Great question!
I want to share a few things about menopause, I wish someone had told me before I experienced my first hot flush on my 50th birthday.
Knowing this earlier would have saved me a lot of stress and anxiety about what was happening to my body when I didn’t understand the symptoms were telling me I was on my menopause journey.
What is Menopause?
Menopause is generally divided into three phases: (1) perimenopause, (2) menopause itself, and (3) post-menopause.
My experience, focusing on these phases as defined by the mainstream medical model, can be less helpful than focussing your time on understanding the symptoms associated with each phase.
The only thing helpful about knowing the phase you are in is potentially how long the symptoms may last and the intensity (ususally) subsides as you arrive at menopause (defined below as 12 consecutive months without a period).
The key for anyone in menopause, irrespective of menopause journey stage is symptom identification, solutions and ongong management where solutions are’n’t immediately identified.
Menopause Defined
Initial menopause symptoms can start in our 40s and usually appear from about our 50. Symptoms do subside and disappear over time with some remaining for some time after our mid 50’s.
The key symptoms to watch for include:
Perimenopause: This is when fluctuations in hormone levels can increase (especially estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) and can lead to, for example, irregular periods, hot flashes, fatigue, interrupted sleep and mood swings.
Less talked about changes may include random symptoms, such as increased sensitivity to histamine, causing symptoms similar to hay fever such as runny noses, watery eyes, mucus in the nose and throat.
Menopause: Officially defined by 12 consecutive months without a period. Symptoms you may have experienced up to date, often stabilize.
This may take some time as the body needs time to adjust. The body is dynamic and know whatever you may be experiencing will change with time.
For instance, our adrenal glands do start producing some hormones previously made by the ovaries, which is crucial for ongoing health in our menopause years. The key here is to ensure your adrenals are ready for the job - a topic for another blog!
Post-menopause: This stage confirms menopause for the rest of your life. Symptoms might continue but usually become less intense as the body adapts to lower hormone levels.
The Trick with Menopause
Menopause is a universal experience if you are born in a woman’s body, but how it affects on each woman can vary greatly.
This makes it difficult to know what to do next for many of us searching for personalized answers.
Symptoms can differ widely, so finding solutions tailored to your individual experience is key.
Be aware that menopause symptoms can be what I call stealth symptoms. Random and not connected. They can fool us for literally years. We can think the symptoms are somehting else when in fact it is the change in hormones that is sending our body, emotions or even our brain into a state we are not used to.
Remember this unususal time is very normal.
A contradiction isn’t it!
Even more reason why educating yourself and tracking your symptoms are crucial. Crucial to your self knowledge. To keep yourself centred and to reassure yourself you are going through something and there is a way through!
Not only to inform yourself but also your health care team.
Keep in mind that the three phases of menopause are somewhat arbitrary and mostly serve the mainstream medical model by providing a structured way to categorize and treat symptoms.
While primary healthcare providers often rely on these phases, they may not always offer clear guidance or solutions.
That is why it is very improtant to become your own expert in your own body and below are my suggestions on how you do this:
So, What's Next?
How do you confirm if you are in menopause?
Try these as next steps - I wish I had when I got my first hot flash at 50. It would have saved me alot of uncomfortable ‘not knowing’ moments as I endured and tried to work out ‘What was going on?”:
1. Track Your Symptoms: Data is vital for you and others in your health care team to understand what is going on for you.
It is possible your symptoms maybe pointing to something other than menopause. Data will help work out what is going on for you.
Keeping data will help get to the bottom of things much quicker.
So track: Date. Times. What you ate. Describe your symptom experience - was it physical, emotional, to do with your thinking. For how long did the symptom last. Did anything you did help - supplements, sleep, tea for instance.
All this sort of data provides vital understanding on what might be going on for you.
It is in your interest to track your symptoms, even just for a week. The data will surprise you - you may be surprised how many symptoms you have. How many you deal with without intervention. What may be troubling you and where you want help.
It is very empowering to walk into your primary health care meeting armed with data about yourself. No one can dispute this. It is about you. By you!
Keeping a journal of physical, emotional, or mental changes for you is your authority on what is going on for you.
This data will help you and others in your health care team, identify patterns, triggers, and improvements, making it easier to get to what is needed for you.
2. Consult a Healthcare Professional:
Find a an appropriately experienced primary health care profiession in menopause is very important.
Don’t rely on a title. Titles are deceiving.
I fell for the title thing and found myself consulting a specialist who mainly delivered babies and knew only text book information about menopuase.
I deserved better. So do you!
Make sure you reference check your specialist.
If you decide to go to your ususal or local doctor make sure they listen.
If your gut feel is they dont’have time or expertise.
Go elsewhere.
The quality of your care and outocmes for you will be affected greatly by this important decision.
Spend time thinking about who is on your team.
Consider including a functional nutritional coach as well. This coach can provide additional perspectives, beyond the primary ehalth care provider.
You are looking for a key team. You are looking for Team You.
3. Explore Lifestyle Changes: Nutrition, movement, sleep and stress management are keys to long term menopause symptom solutions and ongoing managmeent. These changes can deal with symptoms and genuinely improve your overall well-being.
4. Connect with Others: Oxytocin is a key ‘mother hormone’. It is know as the hormone of longevity and happiness. Micro dose this hormone through laughter, loving interactions, being with friends, pets and doing what you love - simple things like walking daily in nature.
Oxytocin also see-saws with Cortisol (our main stress hormone) so the more you favour Oxytocin daily moments, the less your body is flooded by too much Cortisol.
Focus on micro dosing oxytocin moments every day. Spread the word about this little discussed hormone.
It is a game changer!
5. Educate yourself - it is your body afterall: Educate yourself about menopause to understand the changes that are taking place in your body. Knowledge is a great enabler where you take the lead to make informed decisions about your health and well-being.
Remember also, menopause and your body are dynamic. This means you will need to recognize that change will continue. While your body, emotions and brain will stabilise, it is a good idea to get to know yourself very well.
Better than ever before. So you stay on top of changes that then inform whether you need to stop treaments, increase treaments or seek alternative options.
Make sure you surround yourself with a capable team that is not too narrow in its view of options.
Otherwise you will miss out on natural, long lasting options for your health in menopause.
6. You will adapt - this point is rarely discussed but vitally important. Having been on my menopause journey for about 20 years I can confirm that our body and symptoms do change.
Some symptoms disappear. Some subside and sometimes new symptoms appear. The overall point here is that your body does adapt and so do you!
I found myself becoming calmer and more adept at pivoting when new unknown symptoms appeared. Ultimately know that your body is dynamic and given time (after the big shock of such a drop in estrogen and progesterone and testosterone), you do adjust.
The game changers for me, especially after I rolled off hormone therapy without doubt was nutrition and movement changes. Stress management and focussing on quality sleep.
Take care, and remember, this is your time.
Focus as best you can on you!
Here if you need me,
Gra
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DISCLAIMER: This blog is not intended to provide assessment, diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice; it also does not constitute provision of healthcare services. The content provided in this blog is for informational and educational purposes only. Please consult with a physician or healthcare professional regarding any medical or mental health-related diagnosis or treatment. No information in this blog should ever be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. The author of this blog shall bear no liability for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this blog.
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