I've had the urge to write, sure there's a million things I should be doing but write I will.
Why, because after nearly 8 years of this decade of my life I am finally understanding a few things and thought I'd share my experiences, mainly on that ever popular topic of peri-menopause and menopause.
TBH, you know me I'm a crack on, don't wallow sort of gal and there's so much drama and rah, rah about it all and I tend to shy away from all that.
Also, with the primary recommendations for minimising symptoms being, how I generally live my life - healthy diet, exercise, especially strength training, being mindful about stress, prioritsing sleep, reducing caffiene and alcohol.....
I'd chosen to take the approach that I'd be fine.
And generally I have been, it's been an amazing decade so far, 8 years of making our family and amazing new friends have found me and I truly feel so much more comfortable being me, with beautiful souls around me and doing things I really love. Some highlights- I've had a baby, ran a marathon and done other sporting feats, got back into swimming and trail running, stayed lean and in shape with low body fat and good cardio vascular fitness, explored and prioritsed yoga, mindfulness, had great adventures etc etc and carried on living and loving my life.
But among all that joy there have been some very noticeable things too, which only now taking a birds eye view and looking back can I link to the 40s and peri-menopause
So what have I noticed?
Well number one the effort I've put into everything over the 8 years has increased, I have been so much more purposeful with mind and body. I've got healthier in every way, learning more, applying more, so basically I've worked so much harder at it, so you could say I was in the best mental and physical state of my life to hit peri-menopause/menopause.
I've learned all about my cycle, how to eat, train and fast to support the hormones which are crucial to keeping us sane and functioning and not only have I learned I've done, delivered to the very best of my capabilities, I would honestly give myself a gold star.
And what has happened?
Well that's the thing, it's only on reflecting you go a-ha! It's been 8 years and lots of little things, not some dramatic event where you wake up one night all hot and flustered having a hot turn and fanning yourself forever more, the typical stereotype of a menopausal woman.
It's been an experiencing of seemingly isolated or random symptoms, which have all generally passed that only now upon reflection ,can I say, oh yes you were part of this chapter of my life's journey.
At 41 the skin on my quads changed, I can't quite explain it but doing a the yoga position/stretch downward dog my thighs just looked weird, the skin looser on the muscles and it's still like it now, the elasticity has never returned no matter how much coconut or avocado oil I cake on them and like I a fore mentioned I have worked harder physically than ever in my 40s and overall my muscle definition and legs are way stronger and look so much better, just not the skin!
At 42 the skin on my belly seemed to do the same, I hated seeing it as I still had a six pack and was eating even better than ever.
At 43 I had this 'elephant man' episode in December, omg it was so bad, my face swelled up and there was no rhyme or reason. I thought maybe I'd been stung in the sea as I'd certainly not changed any products or eaten anything different which is what the Docs were sure it was. Everyday for a good couple of weeks I'd wake up with a swollen face that as the day progressed calmed down and by evening was normal. As I say weird and random!
At 44 I went to the Docs with unbearable itchy feet. They drove me nuts and I had shares in every possible brand of athletes foot cream possible. The only thing that helped was Flexitol cracked heel cream. There was a Junior Dr in the room with the nurse practitioner I was seeing and she asked some questions, one being do you sweat a lot in the night and I did, the front of my nightie would be sodden. She advised a few blood tests but they all came back normal.
At 45 I was achey! I spent a fortune on trainers, practised running drills to improve how I was running, did countless foot exercises and massages, insoles and still hobbled to the loo in the middle of the night like a 90 year old! Likewise my wrist, randomly would give way and be super achey, I even had an X-ray on this and lifting the kettle was a two handed job on some days. It was always my right wrist and foot and not all the time just sometimes, like I say- random!
At 46 I noticed I couldn't remember names as well as I always had been able to and my words were definitely not as quick to come to my mind as they had been.
Another thing that happened was my periods stopped for 6 months, I honestly thought I was half way through becoming post menopausal until I discovered Dr Mindi Pelz and diligently followed her fasting/feasting cycling for two months and they came back.
At 47 it's the turn of sleep or lack of it. When I drank wine in my thirties I'd always go to sleep uber quick but wake up in the middle of the night unable to get back to sleep tossing and turning and wake up in the morning after a little snooze at 6ish feeling like complete death. Well that's what's happening now without the help of wine. Oh and why do I wake up? To go to the loo, despite not drinking anything from 6pm or having night-time water by my bed as just one sip goes straight through me!
Oh and as a post covid treat, since mid June I've had no period again.
Back in August too, when it was bonkersly hot, (remember that one week!) I did think maybe I had one or two 'hot flushes'. I can't be sure as it was very hot and we were in land visiting parents but that swiftly sent me back to Dr Mindi's Fasting cycles to feel better and I haven't had any since.
So why do I write this today.
Well number one it's important to note that none of these in any way stopped me living a full, happy and healthy life and each 'episode' could quite easily be attributed to just a thing that happened and that passed.
The one common thing they all had or have though, is that they seemingly came out of the blue and there was no reason for it. Take my lack of sleep on holiday as an example in my lovely big airy bed, relaxed and recharging, spending all my time outside, eating well, hydrating well, moving, having fun, reading resting and being with those I most love. No reason at all why I shouldn't sleep like a baby, but it was pants.
Peri-menopause/Menopause hasn't been like flicking a switch from happy to nightmare, symptom wise for me, it's been little things happening gradually, inexplicably and then stepping back and going a-ha, this has been my 40s my peri-menopausal years and things are just a bit harder but I've survived and in a few months I'll be post menopausal and things will possibly be harder still but again I know I'll be fine as I listen to my body and adapt again.
Unbeknownst to me I got myself in the best possible state for it physically and mentally and chose to work harder at staying on top of and minimising the symptoms as my 40s and the peri-menopause pursued. Had I not done that who knows how bad the symptoms and unexplained 'episodes' would have been.
Neither my Mum nor my Mother in Law could tell me if this mirrored their experiences, suppose it might have been seen a bit like child birth and breast feeding , just something you were expected to endure if you wanted a baby and the amazing feeling of feeding him/her. (Note they didn't tell me how painful and difficult these were either, just the knowledge they had done it assured me it was doable.)
Half the population go through menopause so of course it's achievable and the symptoms survivable but it doesn't mean it wouldn't be better if you were a bit prepared, so hence why I've shared this in the hope it will help someone else.
On Tuesday I visited Dr Rachel and I'm about to start a new chapter, the coil and a bit of estrogen gel, namely HRT- Why? To protect my bones.
When we tried to get pregnant with Dylan in my late 30's it took time, as it turns out I had high prolactin the hormone you produce when you are breastfeeding (A natural contraceptive) so no wonder getting preggers was hard if my body thought I had a baby and was breast feeding him/her already. Add that to our nievity and ignorance that by 38 a woman has generally lost around 90% of the eggs which she was born with, so nearly out of them, Dylan is in fact a miracle really!
The off set of high prolactin is low estrogen and that means increased risk of Osteoporosis as you age and having had a bone density I know my left hip has greater signs of Osteopenia than is typical in a woman my age.
HRT protects your bones and therefore as one of my goals is to still be doing all the things I love, from running trails to swimming seas and travelling the world, maybe even with my grand kids in tow carrying them, I need strong bones.
So I'll keep you posted, Dr Rachel isn't convinced my up all night peeing is down to 'the change' so has ordered a scan and a few bloods but my dear friend Ali is and her opinion goes a long way with me, she's a wise one our Ali.
Anyway best get on with my day job and just hope this bring a smile to your face and a bit of transparency to the crazy time that is peri- menopause and menopause.
Big Love Michelle
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