How Do You Know You Are Menopausal?

I spoke with a friend recently who mentioned she didn’t think she was menopausal any longer although she still suffers some hot flashes and night sweats. As we were talking she lost her train of thought twice. She also mentioned some mood swings. I suggested she was still menopausal and she snapped at me with a sharp retort, and eventually agreed maybe she was still a wee bit menopausal!

Here are the signs that menopause has a grip on you and how to cope:

CRS, Can’t Remember Shit    

1. Write everything down. Do not say to yourself that you will remember, you will not! Write everything down on a note pad that you keep in the same spot in your purse or on your desk so you can check it often and frequently.
2. Do not leave your to do list, or calendar only on your phone because you will forget to charge your phone.
3. Do you walk into a room and forget why?
4. Do you find milk in the pantry, socks in the frig, or other items temporarily placed and forgotten?

DGS, Don’t Give a Shit

1. You think you look better, younger, and sexier, than anyone else you know even when others may comment lovingly, critically or snidely to you about your dress, hair or overall appearance and you don’t care.
2. You think you used to be the smartest person in the room. You know that may not be the case because you cannot remember some words or have become dependent on spell check but who cares.
3. You cannot watch a Lifetime/Hallmark movie without sobbing. You hate criers at work and now there you are blubbering about someone’s story and you don’t care.

Mood Swings

1.  One day you are happy and satisfied and the next you want to sell the house, leave the family and the job to eat chocolate in Paris.
2. Are people saying things like “You just need your morning coffee”?
3. Do you have co-workers who only email you? 
4. Does your family ask “Why are you so sensitive?” 
5. Do you have sudden road rage? 
6. Have you gone Ape Shit in a public setting?

What can help? 

1. Try to get a good night sleep. Ask your Doctor for sleep medication. 
2. Not even when you were at the top of your game did you function well while sleep deprived. Shameless plug for our wicking sleepwear, www.haralee.com, can help! 
3. Try exercise of some kind. Whacking a ball in some sport or joining an exercise/dance class can help.
4. Talk with friends your same age. 
5. Just know it is normal, you are not going crazy or becoming emotionally unbalanced; you are menopausal.

I am sure I forgot an important tip or sage advice but you can comment here.