Your Story...

Menopause marks an important event in a woman's life. I would love to hear your story and have you share it with other women. My goal is to give women an idea of the types of things that they may encounter during this journey from start to finish. I realize that every experience is widely different, but perhaps through our stories, we can create a more realistic idea of what can be expected.

Women need to hear some of the specific details concerning this change of life. It is wonderful that you are willing to share your thoughts and experiences. What was it like for you? What issues did you have, either physically or psychologically? What did you know and what do you know now? What did you do or wish you had done to make the journey easier?

The more information we share, the better idea a woman will have on what to expect and the choices they can make. It can be emotionally satisfying to discover that someone else has a similar story. You can make a difference for someone who needs a little bit more information than the meager generalities that can be found online or in books.

I kept a journal throughout my own experience and found it helpful. Not only was I able to identify what was going on in my life and make adjustments, but I was also able to clarify my own feelings about what was happening to me physically and within the relationships around me.

Thank you so much for sharing your extremely important story. You are congratulated for offering clarity to women towards understanding what they may be experiencing with this important change of life event. You are participating in a valuable outline of this life experience that will have an impact on many women for years to come.


Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Barbara's Journal July 2011
     Hot flashes that have felt like a rush of “embarrassment” in my cheeks have now become an intense wave – like the roaring of a train moving from deep within the core of my body towards the surface and extremities. The warmth remains for what seems like a long time, but is really only five to fifteen minutes. How the heck does anyone survive this while living in a warmer climate? Thinking about moving to Alaska…
     I never had any “mood swings” in my life – only that 24 hour potential for rage about two to three days before my period. I wonder why some women have mood swings during menopause? Is it just a misinterpretation of a normal occurrence of their bodies trying to “kick-start” their period? The pituitary gland seems to be working so hard to pour out the hormones to get things going. Maybe that’s the cause of hot flashes?
     What can I do about these symptoms? Well, hormonal therapies are definitely out for me. I’ve read too many things about the horrors associated with the use of synthetic hormones. I’m more the homeopathic type anyway. Although research online reveals some problematic issues there as well, I learned a lot. Side effects limit my choices, but there are some good choices out there. Chasteberry seems to have the best results with no side effects that I can find.
     Research has always been a huge part of my life. So, after a thorough search, I made some decisions. One year ago I began to take a product called “Blood Builder.” This took about six months of daily use to stop the irregular and spotty bleeding that I’d been having for about nine months. I also began taking Vitex (80mg), which has the chasteberry in it, for regulating the irritating symptoms like hot flashes.
     To further reduce hot flashes, I have found that decreasing my caffeine and alcohol consumption (zero for the last six or seven months) worked tremendously. And returning to an exercise routine has helped.
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