For some time now I’ve wondered why we are never educated about the “change”. Menopause the word means end of menstruating (periods) or as another site put it “the period when your monthly bleeding ends.” Period to your period. Others like to take the mickey and say it’s a time to enjoy a pause from men.
Throughout our lives we are taught and shown diagrams of female and male reproductive systems, the changes to our bodies, safe sex, masturbation, how a baby is made, birthing, breast feedings and so on. The word menopause doesn’t become part of our vernacular ‘til much later in our lives. I have found many women of my mums era uncomfortable talking about this and other personal female matters. So women continue to enter the menopause with no or little knowledge of how it may affect them.
Of course I’d heard of flushes (or flashes) and night sweats but until I experienced these, I had absolutely no comprehension what it meant! Even now I hunt for ways to describe a flush. If you can imagine a volcano and there you are climbing your way up, sweating profusely, until you reach its rim. As you stand there you slowly feel the sheer verocity of its heat. Then with no control you fall into its mouth feet first engulfed by the the molten river, helpless, no control. And there you have it, a dramatic interpretation of a flush. Mind you, one does recover unlike the horrific end I just described! 
For some, it starts with the bottom half of their body, others midway of torso, heading upwards towards your head, leaving you with the look of a steamed red beetroot. Gorgeous. By this point you would give a million dollars to be somewhere where you can strip off and climb into a fridge for instant relief. As for all you cold bods out there, don’t be surprised during menopause that the you who had to go to bed dressed in pjs, socks, covered by a doona with the electric blanket on or hot water bottle, suddenly finds herself sleeping naked, kicking off the covers in winter and maybe even needing a fan on to boot. And one wonders why your other half stares in surprise perhaps with a twinkle in the eye only to learn soon enough this is NOT an invitation.
As I mentioned flushes and sweats are only two of 34 common symptoms recognised by the medical fraternity. I shall list them below for being forwarned is being forearmed.
1) Hot Flushes
2) Night Sweats
3) Irregular Periods (perimenopause)
4) Loss of Libido
5) Vaginal Dryness
6) Mood swings
7) Fatigue
8) Hair Loss
9) Sleep disorders
10) Difficulty concentrating
11) Memory Lapses
12) Dizziness
13) Weight Gain
14) Incontinence
15) Bloating
16) Allergies
17) Brittle nails
18) Changes in Odour
19) Irregular heartbeat
20) Depression
21) Anxiety
22) Irritability
23) Panic Disorder
24) Breast Pain
25) Headaches
26) Joint Pain
27) Burning Tongue
28) Electric shocks
29) Digestive disorders
30) Gum problems
31) Muscle tension
32) Itchy skin
33) Tingling extremities
34) Osteoporosis
Still in a hurry to see the end of your period! Don’t worry there is much help at hand starting with something as simple as a change of diet. There are some fantastic natural therapy products available but I would recommend going to a registered practitioner to get you started. And of course HRT is available through your doctor.
To get a more comprehensive take on each symptom please visit 34 Menopause symptoms It will also give an extended explanation of things available to you.
I do think if both women and men were instructed on the said changes, partnerships would have a much better chance of surviving through, firstly, understanding the changes and then managing them, during this natural transition in a womans life.
And yes there is such a thing as male menopause but that’s for next time 🙂
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