The Truth About Menopause... It Sucks

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What is the Deal With Menopause?

Often referred to as the Change of Life, menopause is if nothing else a definite change. As girls we get our first period and take on the role of a blossoming woman. Shortly thereafter, we learn to hate our monthly cycle, and once we are done having children, we can't wait for the whole mess to stop.

Is menopause a blessing in disguise?

Perhaps, but it is not something that is easily tolerated.

The symptoms are pretty harsh, if you ask me. The understanding that we get from partners is very important, and bless them for going with the flow, as it were, since the whole thing makes us women more difficult to live with.

Symptoms

The onset of menopause is different for everyone, but it is typically said that one doesn't experience menopause until the first anniversary of their last period. That is usually around age 51. However, pre-menopause can begin years earlier than that.

Symptoms:

# irregular periods
# Decreased fertility
# Vaginal dryness
# Hot flashes
# Sleep disturbances
# Mood swings
# Increased abdominal fat
# Thinning hair
# Loss of breast fullness

Sounds fun, eh? Not!

Personally, I wish that rather than having my tubes tied, following the birth of my last child, I would have had a hysterectomy instead. It would have saved me 12 years of PMS and this awful thing called menopause.

For A Laugh...

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My Experience

I began menstruation at the tender age of 11. I was so excited about becoming a woman, I didn't mind having a period at first. Then I learned about PMS, first hand, and decided that God had played a nasty trick on me, and all women for that matter.I mean who needs cramps, bloating and violent mood swings each and ever month? And the bleeding... what a God awful messy drag.

I have often wondered if being a man would be better.

Now I am in my mid-40's and I have to go through menopause. How unfair!

Birth control pills always kept my periods regular, like clock work. Even after stopping the pill, 12 years ago, my periods were regular, but no more! Now they come and go as they please; leaving me to guess.

One month I may feel as though I am bleeding to death and the next month it is hardly noticeable. The pain involved has not gotten any better either. Some months I am lucky enough to get two periods for the price of one.

I hope you can feel the sarcasm; it is awful to have a period twice in a month.

I am one who is not upset at my declining ability to have children; I'm done and have been for 12 years now. I don't want more kids, so why can't this whole menopause thing hurry up and be over with already?

I remember my doctor trying to talk me out of having my tubes tied after my youngest child was born, and reluctantly sending me to surgery. Oh man, if I'd have had the choice, I'd have had all the plumbing yanked out.

The weight gain is an issue too. I haven't put on a lot of weight, but the distribution of what I've got is not appreciated. It seems as though it is all in one lump in the front.

Do I sound like I am complaining? I am. First we spend years bleeding for the privilege of being able to reproduce, then we go through the pain of child birth, just to end up going through more Hell for the privilege of stopping this monthly cycle. I can't sleep when I want to; I sleep during the day and can't get any shut-eye at night. Sure, I fall asleep around 7:30 P.M., but I am wide awake at 1:00 A.M.!
I feel bloated ALL the time, and I gain weight without eating.

I can burst into tears at the drop of a hat, or be in your face in seconds flat. I forget things that I would never have before. Where are my car keys? Why did I come through that door? I pee when I sneeze and I do a lot of that now. Where did my energy go? I lost it somehow.

Anywho... I just have not been myself for the last few years; happy one minute and then next in tears.

My Memoir

Forever and Always...A few years ago, I watched the movie, 'The Secret,' for the first time. I was drawn to the message in a powerful way. I could instantly see how the Law of Attraction had worked in my own life, and how I was responsible for the direction my life had taken. Before then I was in the habit of blaming others for the misfortune in my life, but like being hit by a brick, I could see that my thought process had been responsible for everything.



As a teen, I fell head over heels in love with a boy I'd met by chance, and could not forget him. Rather than trying to put him out of my mind, I fantasized about being with him, and dreamed that he would one day return to me.



After 17 long years and many trials, he did come back to me. I never gave up on my love for him and it paid off in spades. He and I have been happily married for 13 years now.



Ours is an amazing story, so I wrote a book about us. Forever and Always... A True Love Story, is my memoir and testament to the power of belief and the Law of Attraction.



Mine is a story of love, life, and determination to rise above the challenges I faced. My life has been interesting, to say the least, and my story contains the message that each of us has the power with in ourselves to change the course our ship sails.



The fact that I was able to write this book is the Law of Attraction in action. I have always dreamed of writing this book, and when I put myself to the task, it came. Now I would be honored to share it with you.



Forever and Always... A True Love Story
ISBN: 978-0-557-43111-3



Trina L.C. Sonnenberg

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Forever And Always... A True Love Story
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The Change

Losing Your Hair

It's funny, but it's not... One of the symptoms of menopause is thinning hair. Men are not the only ones to lose their hair as they age, but they seem to get the most attention.

My hair has started thinning, and some local psycho decided to tell everyone in town that my thinning hair is due to meth use. What a joke! I can't wait until she begins the change. I hope she goes bald!

The truth is that each time I brush my hair, more of it comes out in the brush. It's a hormonal thing, not a drug thing. It is made worse by the fact that I have a thyroid condition that I take medication for, and have ever since my youngest child was born. The thyroid controls things like hair, skin, and nails.

I do not enjoy losing my hair at all; I once considered my hair as my best physical feature, having been born blond. It disgusts me that while going through a normal life change, I have been made out to be a drug addict. It's not like I am going to shout from the rooftops that I am going through menopause.

Being that the nature of gossip is to believe all that is said, no one has bothered to ask me what is going on, and I am not about to offer any information, so I have resigned myself to the fact that everyone in town now thinks I am a drug addict. It just goes to show you how ignorance can proliferate.

You know what they say about making assumptions...
Those who do it are asses.

Really, it's not like the emotional roller coaster ride and sleep disturbances are not enough, but now I am a drug addict who is going bald. My doctor had a laugh at that one. He said that he is not aware of any type of drug addiction that causes hairloss; and I have all my own teeth.

Videos on Menopause

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Articles and Information About Menopause

Menopause: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com
Menopause — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, treatment options and self-care measures.
Menopause Signs, Symptoms, Treatment & Information - Third Age | ThirdAge
Learn about menopause - signs, symptoms and treatment. Articles and information on perimenopause, pre menopause and post menopause, menopausal depression and weight gain in women and more from Third Age.
North American Menopause Society
Menopause Information
Menopause: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
Menopause?
The Basics of Menopause
WebMD gives you basic information about menopause.
How to avoid menopausal weight gain Video : : Howdini
Issues of weight gain during menopause.
Diagnosing Menopause Video Discussion
Identify Menopause - Some women enter menopause quietly, while others want to know when it's happening. Here's how doctors may identify "the change."

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My memoir contains the underlying message that women in abusive relationships can change their lives. I did it; anyone can do it. That the Law of Attraction is real; The main character falls in love as a teen and never gives up on that love; 17 years later she marries the man she fell in love with so many years before. Prior to their reunion, she survives not one but two abusive marriages and saves herself from a life of misery.


This is my life story! I'm sharing it with you. I promise that if nothing else, you will be entertained. Read It... I Dare Ya!

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Reader Feedback

  • DebMartin Dec 19, 2011 @ 10:24 am | delete
    Thanks for tackling an important topic.Great lens. I so try to love my daily, mini power surges (aka hot flashes).
  • aj2008 Nov 1, 2011 @ 10:22 am | delete
    Try being a Gemini going through the menopause! Being one person with mood swings is bad enough, but being two people with mood swings....my poor husband!!!
  • sandyspider Oct 10, 2009 @ 10:18 am | delete
    Womanhood has been a real pain for me too. But now I want to put menopause off as long as possible. I know it is there, just waiting for me. Nice share.
  • sukkran Oct 9, 2009 @ 8:47 pm | delete
    trina, it is a wonderful article, very informative about 'menopause'. thanks for sharing. 5* and my fav.
  • TylaMac Oct 9, 2009 @ 8:06 pm | delete
    I have had problems with PMS since puberty and I've had irregular cycles due to thyroid problems for over 15 years so believe me, I feel your pain. I'm now starting to have some of those peri menopausal symptoms and It's really not fun. And they say this phase could last 10 years or longer! I'm ready to investigate bio identical hormones.

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TrinaSonnenberg

My name is Trina Louise Christina Sonnenberg. I started my career online as a freelence commercial writer in 2000. My first online job was to edit a web... more »

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