Ok, ok, we need to talk and discuss the M word. Nope it does not stand for Me or Michaela it is Menopause! Yep, that is correct, Menopause!! Although,I am not sure really why it has the word MEN in it as it does not affect them physically. (although I believe that they are affected mentally through us!)
I will be 52 years old at the end of the month. I don’t feel 52, I don’t believe I look 52 , whatever 52 is meant to look like! However, my body is behaving like a 52 year old and honestly I am a little rattled! According to medicine.net the average age a women reaches menopause is 51. So I guess I am right where I should be. Well, technically I am not in menopause but still peri-menopausal.
So what is to be expected during this wonderful transition of our lives? Hot flashes where you burn from the inside out, where you literally feel your body burning and if I could take off my skin for the one minute I feel it I would! But it passes quickly. Stiffness in my body , with exercise and moving daily it also is nothing too unbearable. Fatigue comes and goes and with good vitamins it has gotten better.
But what I was not told of and had no idea about is that you can actually develop menopausal anxiety!?!? Who knew. I have never suffered from debilitating anxiety before so this took me for surprise! Sure I worry like every person but it has never stopped me from leaving my house or doing what I want to do. But a few weeks ago I suffered an anxiety attack that had me shaking uncontrollably and shivering for 30 mins and when it started again the next night I took myself to the hospital to be checked. Of course everything was fine and it was anxiety which I believed was brought on by a series of losses and illness in the family. How strange it was for me and so out of character, I thought I was losing my mind….until I was telling a friend who informed me that she too has developed it and it is related to menopause.
What a relief to hear. Apparently the fluctuation in estrogen and progesterone can cause anxiety or depression.
Knowing all this, I am now prepared for any anxiety I feel coming on. It is almost as if I feel a surge of my wonderful hormones and I can now recognise it and breathe my way out of it.( There is a terrific app called Breethe which has been a great help.) I have also consulted with my naturopath and started on vitamins which have shown great results in dealing with menopausal symptons including anxiety. Now I am no Dr or healthcare professional, I can only tell you what is working for me. A healthy diet eliminating coffee and alcohol helps with reducing the hot flashes. I even read that whole grains including quinoa contain Vitamin B which can help manage stress .
I think that it is important for women to be more open in discussing this next stage of our lives. We will all go through it so it is nothing that we should be ashamed of or embarrassed about. Embracing aging is a great attitude to have but sometimes it can make us feel quite crappy as our hormones have a party inside our bodies! So be proactive, talk about it, research what works best for you and if all else fails speak with your Dr.
For me, eating healthy and limiting alcohol and certain foods right now seem to help and taking daily vitamins. Exercising has always been important to me but now more than ever so move your body. Exercise is a wonderful stress reliever.Don’t be afraid to accept what you are going through and speak to your immediate family so they too can try to understand. Remember to laugh, relax and know that it will eventually pass and on the other side you will be hormonally balanced and able to begin the next stage of your live with vigour , strength and alot of wisdom to impart!
Would love to hear your story