One day last week I thought I was coming down with something as I had all the symptoms of a fever - hot clammy body, then cold clammy chills, then hot clammy body all with aching bones and muscles - by about 3.30 I thought I'm going home because obviously I am coming down with something. The symptoms lasted all night. Next morning woke up fine and dandy. Strange I thought.
Then this week a similar thing happened and I was talking to one of my "sisters" who is younger than me and is already going through menopause as she said - yep - that's menopause for you. However her symptoms are slightly different in that she get hot from the heart region up her neck until her face is red and she can on some days have up to 20 off these a day - some of the hot flushes are followed by goose bumps and chills and some are not.
Mine seem to be my whole body gets hots all at once, there is no rising heat - it is just suddenly something flicks a switch and I am hot and I get a fine sweat over my whole body - such a good look (not) - I probably get red in the face as well but no one has commented yet.
My hot flushes can also last up to 30 minutes and the minimum seems to be about 3 or 4 minutes. I get the chills too - although not all the time but when I get those I am soo cold my bones ache. Then the night flushes are interesting - I once read you can soak the sheets in sweat - something to look forward too!! I on the other hand just wake up hot and have to kick of the sheets and whatever else is on top of me and lay there uncovered for ages before I cool off again. Usually while I am waiting I go back to sleep and consequently wake up freezing and have to drag the covers back on again. All this hot and cold is not doing wonders for my DISH and I have woken up this morning with my back and shoulders so tight I can hardly move - so stretching exercises are a must this morning.
If you look up and read the symptoms of menopause there are pages and pages and pages of lists. So I have stopped reading - not because I don't want to know, of course I do - forearmed is forewarned - but I don't want to depress myself with what may come when the reality of menopause is that it is so different for every woman.
So if you have someone in your life who is menopausal or peri menopausal be as supportive as you can - it is a roller coaster of emotions that you are sometimes not in control of and somethings just like PMT you don't even know it is happening until it stops.
It never fails to amaze me how much information women have in these modern times about what can happen to their bodies. Is it a good or bad thing???
ReplyDeleteWay back in my mother's day (she was born in 1897) (you, dear blogger will know who this is)there was none of this knowledge whatsoever so these things happened to them and the got on with their lives.
When I was young (I was born in 1932) there was perhaps a little more knowledge available but we had never heard of PMT although some of us would put on pounds in weight, perhaps get irritable (we weren't really allowed to do that then) and I guess we knew why this was happening to us but didn't dwell on it. Just used to say "it's that time of the month!"
I am not saying it is not good for women to know more about their bodies (especially to have regular pap smears and the like which were not available years ago) but I sometimes wonder if we begin to look for these things happening.
I remember a wise old GP that was my doctor many years once giving me a prescription for antibiotics (they used to hand them out willy nilly back then!!) and said he hoped I wouldn't have any side effects. I asked him what side effects were likely to happen and he said "If I tell you that then you may imagine you have them." I think that helps support what I am saying.
I know a little knowledge is a dangerous thing but perhaps too much knowledge can be a darned nuisance.
Whatever any of you are suffering right now I hope it won't go on and on as it did for a friend of mine who had to remain on HRT well into her 70s (or did she imagine her hot flushes which could perhaps have been associated with her bad heart which can cause strange events too?).
I was fortunate when on HRT for a few years as I didn't have to have progesterone having had a hysterectomy some years before. If they are not dangerous perhaps some of the more natural products may be better.
Menopause is a very natural part of womens' lives affecting each one differently. Most of us get through it successfully and come out the other side leading full and productive lives for many years afterwards. My best wishes to everyone of that certain age...you will survive especially if you are surrounded by people who love and care for you.
Dear Anonymous Blogger,
ReplyDeleteI am one of those who will eventually 'come out the other side and lead a full and productive life'. I am guessing this comment is supposed to give me hope.... I am an intelligent woman and know that I will survive as did my foremothers. I do not go looking for symptoms to imagine, as I have enough of my own to deal with. Having said this there was a moment when I understood how a woman could murder another human being. I believe now we as women talk about what is going on for us instead of pretending that all is ok. I hope by talking that I have played a part in helping my mother understand what her journey has been about. I hope my daughter finds permission in my talking so she too will speak up when there is something happening for her so she can understand. I do wonder about the stressors that each generation faces and how they might impact on our physical bodies, emotional selves and our spiritual beings. I truly welcome this phase of my life. I don't mourn any losses as I understand some women do. I thank my sisters for their sharing.. I feel bonded with them. Please know that being menopausal and on occasions feeling like I might spontaneously com bust,I lead a full and productive life NOW. I don't need to wait till after the symptoms have stopped cos I have my sisters to share with and we encourage each other through (mostly with a good old fashioned laugh).
Gotta love the sisterhood.
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