What I Wish I Knew Beforehand About Menopause:
What’s one thing you wish you knew about menopause before you experienced the symptoms? Do you wish you knew a thing or two before the symptoms of menopause hit? In this blog, I’m sharing three things I wish I knew about menopause.
The hot flushes, stubborn weight gain on my midsection, and irregular periods. My periods were irregular from the very first one, my menstrual cycle was either too long or too short and the bleeding was also unpredictable. I had minimal to period pains so visiting a clinic or Dr never crossed my mind in my teens and early twenties, I thought all this was normal.
1. Symptoms Can Vary Widely
Overview of Menopause Symptoms:
- Menopause is a time when a woman stops having a period. Peri-menopause is a lead-up to menopause where a woman experiences the symptoms as a result of the decreasing estrogen.
- The tel-tale signs that a new era is about to kick in, vary from woman to woman. Sometimes they stay with you for a long time after you hit menopause, for some, they stop. I am talking hot flashes, mood swings, sleep disturbances, that provebal weight gain around the midsection, etc.
I found out I was going into menopause in my early thirties, and I had no clue what was going on. I visited a physician because I had not seen my period for a few months. Knowing what I know now, I know that the symptoms started before I turned 30! I had all the symptoms you can think of, and for me, it seems they are here to stay. The one thing I wish someone had told me is that it was not my fault. I spent a lot of time after finding out I had hit menopause prematurely hiding it from my friends and family while mood swings and depression were sending me down a dark hole. Had I known what was going on with my body in my late twenties I would have been better prepared when menopause finally hit in my thirties.
My encouragement to you is to
- Know your menstrual circle, track your symptoms, and consult a healthcare provider.
- Keep an open mind and be prepared for changes.
- Use your support system in the form of family, friends, online communities, etc.
2. Lifestyle Changes Make a Big Difference
Importance of Lifestyle:
- Diet, exercise, and stress management negatively or positively influence menopausal symptoms. Make lifestyle choices that leave you on the positive side of this equation.
- I delve deeper into this topic in this blog post.
- Taking care of my mental health, swapping processed foods for real foods, and making time for self-care have helped me see a huge change in my overall health.
- All these changes can be challenging, I encourage you to start small. Figure out one thing you can do now (like decreasing the amount of sugar you eat to help your body lose weight) and build from that six months later and keep going.
At the end of the day, you only have one body, so keep it healthy, because what’s a long life if it is only filled with years but no quality of life?
3. The Emotional Changes are Normal
Emotional Aspects of Menopause:
- Common emotional changes during this time are low mood/mood swings, anxiety, and depression. The early years when I hit menopause were also the most moody and anxious I have ever been. This is from someone already diagnosed with depression.
- I encourage you to pay attention to your mental state and to know that these feelings are normal and part of the process, however, never be afraid or embarrassed to seek help.
- Unfortunately, studies like this one, have shown that suicide rates in women around the age of 45-54 are higher as women go through this turbulent time. Speak to a health professional and lean on the community around you so you do not feel alone.
Had I known that this era brings exacerbated mental health issues, I would have established a better meditation and yoga routine, dipped into calming methods to deal with stress, and prioritized my sleep!
So, you dear reader have blogs like this one to tell you what lies ahead. I assume you landed up here because something is happening and you are searching to see what information is out there.
I hope these paragraphs have been informative, even if they gave you one thing you did not know. If all this information is not new to you, take courage in knowing that you are not alone!
Embrace the journey, because every chapter of life brings new opportunities for growth and joy.
ThobileM