My Peri-Part of Life

It's happening to me...it's happening to me...that thing they call peri-menopause...I knew it would catch up with me eventually...and now it's really happening. I haven't had my period in over two months (and I bought several boxes of Tampax and Stayfree maxi-pads because they were on sale...will have to eventually throw them away...maybe this time forever)...this might be a good thing...although then I'll have reached menopause...that shouldn't fully happen until about 52 or 54.

Am I ready for the night sweats that are going to happen soon...and the hot flashes that are going to invade my body...should I go purchase a new freezer and put it in the bedroom...may have to get a portable air conditioner for my office at work too...or stock up on ice cubes during the day...I'll have to buy more pyjamas for when I have my night sweats and have to change clothes at midnight or 1:00 a.m....or maybe after all these years I should switch to nightgowns...they are easier to get on and off...I've never been a nightgown person...but I can change now that I'm approaching 50...it might be time to ditch the pjs and buy some sexy negligees...Victoria Secret here I come.

Better get my 49 year old body ready for this peri-stage of my life...before the full fledge menopause hits.

According to Dr. Barbara Dehn RN MS NP, from the iVillage website, "peri-menopause is the transition stage before a woman’s periods stop completely. There may be wide fluctuations in hormone levels which may lead to irregular periods and intense symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Many women liken this transition to being on a “roller coaster” because symptoms come and go and can vary in their intensity from day to day. The average age that women experience peri-menopause is in the late 40’s to early 50’s."

I never liked roller coasters when I was a kid and still don't...carousels are my favorite ride...I love sitting on the horses and going up and down and round and round...why can't peri-menopause be like a carousel...why does it have to be like a roller coaster...if I do have to prepare myself for this "roller coaster" world maybe I should go to Six Flags...or Universal Studios...or DisneyWorld this summer...maybe that's how I should spend my summer vacation during my 49th summer...go try out some real roller coasters so I'm better prepared for this peri-part of my life.

According to Nurse Dehn, those in peri-menopause can also experience more headaches and more hair on their face, including coarse hair on their chin, and upper lip...and possibly thinning hair on their scalp (I've been experiencing all of these symptoms in increasing amounts...I do peri-plucks quite often on my chin and have increasingly been bleaching my upper lip more frequently...I also try to keep up with my hair coloring and highlights to make the hair on the top of my head look nice and full...no Rograine for me...ooh...even the sound of it makes me shiver).

I'll have to read up more on this peri-stuff...like forgetfulness (I write everything down now...I have markers and pens in every dresser drawer)... and mood swings (I was yelling at my husband this morning...and my son...very stressed...will have to get one of those REBEL WITH A PAUSE buttons from the minnipauz.com website...and wear the button when I'm in one of my peri-moods)...bouts of bloating (yes...some days I do feel like you could pop my stomach like a big balloon)...sudden tears (will keep an extra box of tissues around and be sure to have a travel size pack in my handbag...just in case...wonder if they have a button on minnipauz.com that I can put on when I start crying).

Too much to think about...hope I make it through the next few years...through the peri and pause...then supposedly life gets really good...my libido should kick back in...and life should become a big carousel again...guess for now I'll just have to prepare for the roller coaster years...strap myself in nice and tight...and if it's scary...I can always shed a few peri-tears.

Judi