Menopause Happens

 You know how Mother Nature brings in Spring? Cold one day and Hot the next and you don’t know how to dress? Well think of that every day. Hot flashes during the day Night sweats at night and chilled by damp clothes or too light of clothes when not having a flash and you have one of the most common side effects of menopause.

What you say, I am too young for menopause! Think again. Here is the long and the short of it; Menopause happens to every woman. The side effects are the variable. Do you remember puberty? Hormones raging, bad skin, mood swings, crying jags, greasy hair? Menopause symptoms are similar but due to estrogen decreasing. Mood swings, crying jags, thinning hair, dry skin, hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia and CRS. (Can’t Remember Shit).

Have you ever been talking and forgot a name but it will come to you later? Have you walked into a room and forgot why or what you were after? Have you ever wondered as you drive off to work if you left on the coffee maker, or shut the cat out, or locked the door? Does this happen frequently? CRS!

If you ever experienced after a pregnancy some of the side effects I listed for menopause that is just a taste of what can go on for years. Starting around 35-45, little changes are happening. Your menstrual cycle may change in frequency and intensity. This period has a name, ‘Peri-menopause’. You can take replacement hormones but they are linked to cancer. The medical protocol is if side effects of menopause are ruining your quality of life the smallest dose for the shortest amount of time of hormones can be prescribed. Bottom line; talk with your doctor, your friends, your family and find what can work for you!

Many women will not admit they are menopausal because they equate menopause with being old. I ask would you rather be old or dead?

Menopause and Mel Gibson

I recently read a story that Mel Gibson is suggesting his recent melt down was due to male menopause. He is alleged to say he was “menopausal”! Can there be a collective eye roll and disgusted sigh sent to Mel?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20017401-10391704.html

Menopause and menopausal symptoms get lots of jokes and blamed for many things that go wrong in women’s lives, some truly justified, but Mel?? Whether there is a male menopause or not is some -what of a debate. Men can lose some testosterone as they age, that is true. Menopause starts with the first 3 letters m.e.n. But I for one have to say blaming very bad behavior on menopause when one is a man, especially a celebrity, is not acceptable! Blaming very bad behavior on menopause for anyone I also think is not acceptable.

Help for menopause symptoms are readily available from physicians and many on line sites. If you Google ‘menopause’ a zillion pages come up to view, educate, interact, and help. Sites like http://www.empowher.com/ have doctors on line and a supportive chat area. A humorous site about menopause side effects done in good taste is http://www.minniepauz.com/. Dee Adams the woman behind the site and the funny cartoons calls her informational material “Humor Replacement Therapy”.

Menopause symptoms for those of us in the throes can be tiresome, irritating, uncomfortable, embarrassing and difficult, but hardly in the same category as Mel Gibson’s tirade! Of course I could be wrong. Am I out of control about Mel being out of control? That’s right, I’m not and I truly am menopausal!