You know growing up, we would hear our grandmothers, and if we were lucky; our great grandmothers mention hot flashes. As we got older our mothers would start mentioning hot flashes. Of course asking questions lead to the original answer of “the change” not menopause. Time leads to the inevitable “why didn’t my mom tell me about all of this!” What my mom did not tell me about menopause is a lot.
Hot Flashes?
Never would I have thought that a person’s body could get so hot so quick. The hot flashes have been almost debilitating for me, especially before I realized the adrenal aspect (more on this here). Sometimes the hot flashes would hit and I would feel physically sick. Investing in a chillow pillow helps and having a fan blow on you is crucial. During a hot flash, I can hardly stand to touch my own skin much less anyone else touch me! I do find it interesting that I can go from extremely hot to extremely cold in a matter of minutes.
Body Changes and Fat Stores
Body changes could have been one of the top subjects that my mom should have told me about. This would have prepared me for the overwhelming misery I came to feel during this process. Realizing that my body starts to store fat differently and slows down on burning the fat has been frustrating. That is why I have been doing low carb or keto off and on.
Being overweight most of my life was something I was use to. For the most part my extra weight was distributed in areas that made me look curvy. So I was fairly comfortable with that. This menopause stuff caused my fat to move in different areas that has caused me to become uncomfortable in my skin. I have been starting to not feel like myself anymore.
PMS and Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde
The mental aspects of menopause is simply PMS on steroids. Going from calm to crying my eyeballs out is not fun. Some days I have felt like I do not even know why I am so upset or even what could have caused it. My husband has probably thought of me as a female Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. He has been a very supportive friend!
Even though I no longer have my monthly flow, I do still have PMS. Sometimes I get a migraine and cravings for sweet/salty foods. I get irritable and very stressed. Lots of times I just want to stay in bed and not do anything. These things along with other symptoms (read this) can contribute to more stress and depression.
What Your Mom Didn’t Tell You About Menopause
Maybe a lot or nothing at all. These things we go through in life varies from person to person. Thank you so much for joining me as I write about my life experiences. I hope that this enlightens you on one aspect of a woman’s menopause journey. Comments are very welcomed!