Menopause is becoming a familiar topic!

In the last several weeks I have had the pleasure of talking with women a little younger than myself who are experiencing the symptoms of menopause. Not that that is a pleasurable topic by any stretch of the imagination but one can find pleasure knowing others have struggled through the change of life and are now experiencing freedom. For so many, going through menopause sucks the life out of their lives and for those who do not have any difficulties (I think they're in denial of getting older and won't admit it) they have no compassion for the hurting friend.

I always seem to run around with ladies who are younger than me. In fact, my husband is 5 years younger than me and that might be a contributing factor. So when I started into "the change" I described my symptoms to a close friend and was surprised at her response. She felt that it was all in my head and that when she reached my age she would be able to pray it away. Well, I gotta tell you that I was hoping she would feel my pain when she reached my age. Not a real Christian way of thinking but I must tell the truth. And so I didn't tell anyone else for fear that they would think of me as a whiner and complainer. Once the panic attacks started though I had to talk to someone, anyone...besides my family.

My husband is the one who loved me through the transition. And now looking back I really did put him through a lot. Even though we had a good marriage, the tension was oppressive and our emotions got away from us at times. I can't say that I am completely on the other side but I can see the shore. And it's a beauty! I feel more alive and free to be me than any other time in my live. And so I am happy and even excited about sharing my tough times with other women. My hope is that every lady will have that special person to love them through the difficult journey; be it their husband or close friend. We need to know we are not going crazy and yet we must learn how to handle our raging hormones and the anger, depression, and weight gain that goes with this normal change in our lives.

Medications can be helpful and many that I have talked to are under a physician's care, but I chose not to take hormone replacements other than a low dosage of birth control for about a year. The pill helped with some of the symptoms but the side effects were horrible for me and so I just tolerated the hot flashes, night sweats and sleep deprivation. If I were to have a do-over, I would take sleeping pills. And there is a good reason for that but right now it's late and I'm sleepy. Now I have no problem falling asleep and oh' that feels good too! So I'll pick this conversation up again tomorrow.

My Interpretation:

Menopause is a normal function of life and one that we should embrace as a passage into a free and wonderful "new normal" as an older wiser woman.