Perimenopause, are we there yet?

Bloomed!
Originally uploaded by frascelly.

Last week I felt like an alien had taken over my body.

Ugh. Would be the understatement to describe the amalgalm of feelings that swept over this midlifing mama. It was like being an adolescent again.

First you are weepy. I found myself crying over the simplest of things. Then your pants become too tight! Argh. Bloating is the bane of being in the 40something years. Then you are so tired on certain days for no reason at all! You feel so run down even after an hour at the gym. You just want to lie down under the covers in a dark room and shut off the entire world. You don't sleep well on certain nights. Waking up at the un-Godly hour of 3AM and breaking into a sweat. So you have to wake up and change your night dress. Then thankfully, you go back and fall alseep immediately.

When "Flo" finally gets into town, she arrives later than usual. And before her arrival you wrack your brains and wonder to yourself, "Shucks, am I pregnant?" When she finally gets here, her visit isn't quite the same as the usual. You panic? Omigosh. What's happening? So you begin to surf like crazy and find out all that you can about this alien that has taken over your body...

Welcome to the world of perimenopause. Yes, I think I'm on that exciting road right now. And where other women would probably deny it or delay it's arrival as much as possble, I'm actually intrigued by the possibility. It really should come as no surprise as I've always come ahead of everyone my age in terms of physical development and many life changing experiences.

I wore a training bra in second grade, at the age of eight and entered puberty in 4th grade at the age of 10. Yes, you read that right, 10. I was second in batch to do so. I lost my father at 16, way before anyone else did, and lost a son at the age of 34. So it shouldn't shock me anymore if I find myself perimenopausal at the age of 41.


The Mayo Clinic defines perimenopause as "The time when your body begins its transition into menopause. Perimenopause encompasses the years leading up to menopause — anywhere from two to eight years — plus the first year after your final period. It's a natural part of aging that signals the ending of your reproductive years." The site lists several signs and symptoms and among the most notable are menstrual irregularities, hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems and mood changes. I'm now beginning to understand why some of my older officemates look very run down during certain weeks of the month and look absolutely gorgeous on other weeks. It's really all about hormones.

So is there a solution? Well I've scheduled a visit to an endocrinologist just to see and understand even better what is going on inside. Education empowers you to understand the changes you are going through. So rather than wait again next month and feel the alien take charge of this body, I'd better get a step ahead of her and see what changes I need to be making. I figure there are two ways of looking at this phase, when you say , "Oh no! that's it! The end of my reproductive years! My youth is gone yadah yadah...." you view the glass as half-empty. But when you say, "Ta-dah! I'm entering a new phase, I don't have to worry about birth control anymore!" then you view the glass as half-full. It's all in the mind really.

One just has to equip herself with the information - that's what the web and doctors are for, honey - that is needed to navigate the journey ahead. Besides, in the end, it's God who figures out the timing of our reproductive history. I can almost imagine Him saying, "You're done now girl. On to the next exciting phase of your life..." And as in all things, it's always best to just go with his plans for me and my body. After all, everything is under HIS control.