Hey everyone, since the purpose of this blog is for women over 40, I was thinking that on Mondays we will discuss the issue of menopause.  Some of you probably haven’t started this journey, or some of you are right in the middle of it like I am.  Can those of us that are say, crazy time?  I have never felt so out of control about my body as I do now.  My mother didn’t talk about menopause, she was that kind of woman that didn’t talk about those type of things with anyone, period.  I had a hysterectomy in July 2009 and that was the beginning of what has been the longest 2-1/2 years of my life.  I remember my doctor telling me that she wouldn’t take my ovaries if she didn’t have to.  I had some other issues going on which resulted in having a complete hysterectomy and the immediate start of menopause.  My doctor started out with a low dosage hormone, but I decided after 3 months to do this on my own, with all the reports of the damages of taking hormones can do to you body.  I admit, I kind of half researched this, I wanted to be a Superwoman.  Please….you don’t have to prove anything when you are going through menopause.  You just need to let your family, friends and co-workers know if you cry at the drop of a hat, eat everything in arms reach, take off as many clothing articles that you can without offending anyone, don’t have you committed….it’s just menopause. 

Hot flashes, hot flushes, personal summer moments…however you want to describe them, are real and the number one thing that has prevented me from a decent nights’ sleep since I had my surgery.  You actually feel your body temperature go up to what feels like boiling!  I have ruined a many hairstyle from night sweating (which is one of the reasons I’m going natural).  I have to sit up, grab my fan that is on my nightstand or open a window.  During the summer months, I turn that air down as low as I can get away with.  I know, I should and will consider hormone replacement therapy or HRT.  Trust me I am as we speak because I am definitely no Superwoman.

Let me say this right now, I am not an expert and I have been and will continue researching this subject to make sure anything I say about menopause I can back up with references.  We’ll get into this subject more, including things like how diet affects menopause, taking anti-depressant medication, and just how we can support one another at this time of our life.  Remember, it’s a journey and anything we can do to support one another we should.   Please don’t forget my sistas, God is with us and protects us as we go through any journey…menopause too!

Whitney