Soooooooo, it appears like everyone wants the #menopause gist! Hmmmmmmm. I wonder why?
Here we go BUT be warned, it might be a long read. I'll start with two stories though, please permit me.
Story One Earlier in the year, when we were all still 'normal', I was at a party and this lady came in with a hand-fan (you know, the battery operated one?), lamenting about hot flashes, etc (all those menopausal things), I actually rolled my eyes and thought to myself 'what's with the exaggeration, Aunty?' as I had thought I went through them and hey, I wasn't dying (or so I thought).
Story Two Late one night (or early morning), Dr. M gets called out for an 'emergency' around 1am and he returns with a smile. Strange right, if it was an emergency, why the smile. It turns out that some poor man had been scared out of his wits with his wife almost going into a rigor - rigors are episodes in which your temperature rises - often quite quickly - whilst you have severe shivering accompanied by a feeling of coldness ('the chills'). The fever may be quite high and the shivering may be quite dramatic. The poor man actually had no shoes on (that was how serious it was). Dr. M gets her sorted and explains to the man what was going on (of course after speaking with and diagnosing the patient) and he ends the conversation by telling the guy to relax, '... It's normal, I have my own' ojuju', I'm dealing with right now too.' That explained the smile, so he must have been thinking of what he's experienced so far as he recounted to me. Interesting right!
Wait o! I must have tortured this man o, abi... Maybe not. Do you think he was referring to me? 😉 Anyways, lets move on. Nothing medical about this gist o, just my personal experience which I hope will and can help someone reading this right now. Several years ago, I started experiencing those hot flashes, not sleeping, being irritable and so on. Watching that lady (with the fan - story one), I thought I was 'queen' (I mean, I thought I had seen the worst 😳), imagine my shock when I got into the 'real' flow (SHOCK o!). A friend on Facebook once said, 'if you have to check to see if the ac is working, then it's bad', SO NOT TRUE, especially in 'this situation'. Imagine driving happily one minute, the air-conditioning is chilling and all, the next minute, you are asking (if there are other people in the car), 'is the ac working OK, for you?' That's been the bane of my existence. Right now, my most enjoyable nights, are those, when the air-conditioning works through the night, such that Dr. M chose to make the sacrifice of having the air-conditioning run on generator (after a while, I honestly had to 'beg' him to stop, I'll manage) but PHCN has kinda been good, they try and I try too 😕. In essence, what are you reading (right!) and why are you reading this?
I realized that, this period or journey is a stretch for both parties (husband and wife) and understanding, honestly, is very important, on both sides. I started managing better, when I was put on a daily regimen of Evening Primrose Oil and Codliver oil (maybe ladies can start taking this from age 40, to maintain hormonal balance BUT, talk to your doctor first, please. No self medication). I gather some include calcium and Vitamin D (I'm getting enough of that naturally, I believe.) What exactly is menopause? Let's google, for the simplest definition as there are soooooo many (it isn't a funny 'condition', I tell you🙄). The following information is culled from MedicalNewsToday (online) and I hope this helps someone reading. What's Menopause? Menopause is the stage of life that follows the end of the menstrual cycles. Each person may experience menopause differently. It can last for several years. Stages of Menopause There are three stages (just note the three stages as it might help you better understand yourself or your partner): Perimenopause is the transitional time that starts before menopause and includes the 12 months that follow a person’s last period. Menopause starts either 12 months after the last period or when menstruation has stopped. Postmenopause refers to the years after menopause, although it can be difficult to know when menopause finished and postmenopause starts (this here?). Truth is, it's difficult to know when you transition in between all three BUT be rest assured, someday, it should hopefully be over🤞. Some signs and symptoms (as Dr. M jokingly says to the girls, 'we are still discovering and learning more as we watch you🙄'). See my life! 1. Lower fertility 2. Irregular menstruation 3. Vaginal dryness and discomfort
The last three (as detailed below), I can write a thesis on, so I added the extra details as they have been my own challenges. 'This' will and might affect us different. 4. Hot flashes Hot flashes are common around the time of menopause. They cause a person to feel a sudden sensation of heat in the upper body. The sensation may start in the face, neck, or chest and progress upward or downward. A hot flash can also cause: - sweating - red patches to form on the skin Some people experience night sweats and cold flashes, or chills, in addition to or instead of hot flashes. Hot flashes usually occur in the first year after menstruation ends, but they can continue for up to 14 years after menopause👀. 5. Sleep disturbances Sleep problems can arise during menopause, and they may stem from: - anxiety - night sweats - an increased need to urinate Getting plenty of exercise and avoiding heavy meals before bedtime can help with managing these issues. 6. Emotional changes Depression, anxiety, and low mood are common during menopause. It is not unusual to experience times of irritability and crying spells. Hormonal changes and sleep disturbances can contribute to these issues. Also, a person’s feelings about menopause may come into play. For example, distress about low libido or the end of fertility can contribute to depression during menopause. While feelings of sadness, irritability, and tiredness are common during menopause, they do not necessarily indicate depression.
However, anyone who experiences a low mood for 2 weeks or longer should see a doctor, who will be able to advise about the best course of action.
What's worked / working for me? Apart from the daily supplements, I can say the following have also helped one way or the other as it's a journey and I'm learning daily - 1. I try to Exercise - (Monday, Wednesday and Friday with my Coach. I walk and run sometimes - Tuesday and Thursday. When I don't go out for cleaning on Saturday, I walk and garden).
2. My garden takes my mind off a whole lot (stop and smell the roses - YOLO) - Pottering around, watering and weeding as well as planting / re-potting. 3. I loved drinking hot tea (anytime). I had to stop, yeah, I stopped drinking hot tea. 4. I had been told years ago to stop drinking coffee, I didn't. I would stop intermittently and I noticed that whenever I drink it again, I had or would have some related symptoms especially the hot flashes. 5. I loved taking hot baths, I have had to stop that as well. Doing more of lukewarm and cold whenever necessary. I ALWAYS now have an evening bath before I sleep, no matter the circumstance. 6. A quick tip. Don't laugh, I read it somewhere and now I do it always. I massage my entire feet before sleeping with olive oil, they say it makes you sleep better (maybe it's my mind BUT hey, it works 😉).
Like they say, don't judge me until you have walked in my shoes and possibly, they won't even fit because we all have different paths BUT for this, I hope someone learns a thing or two that could help them cope better. Incase you have other tips / suggestions you want to share. Please do, we appreciate everyone's contribution.
As usual, it's me,
Tee...
Buzz or send an email - its bantzwithtee@gmail.com and bantzwithtee on ALL socials.
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