As a 50 year old woman, this topic is very relatable to me. I am technically what you would call perimenopausal. And here is a newsflash – no one wants to be in this club.
For me, one of the biggest challenges is always being hot. Not hot flashes, per se, just ALWAYS hot. I remember doing Girl Scout programming the summer before COVID, and I was showing the girls how to make friendship bracelets. One of the girls saw my hands shaking and asked if I was cold. Thinking back to the 30oz energy drink with 300mg of caffeine I guzzled on the way there, I joked that I was a middle aged woman, and we are never cold. She was confused, but left it at that. I can literally sweat through my clothes in an air conditioned house. WTF?!?
My other big struggle is the constant fatigue. That also started the summer before COVID. I have always prided myself by being able to do more than what normal people can do. The husband has always said “I get shit done.” But now I need more breaks in order to be productive. I have tried to embrace naps and know that if I have a day of big projects, the next day will have to be a relaxing one. This “not being able to do it all” is frustrating, and I have fought it hard and not come out the winner. Breaks and naps are sadly my new normal.
I try to feel grateful for my overall good health, but menopause feels like the universe giving women an extra F – you. Oh, and to time the onset of menopause around the same time your children leave home? An extra double F – you from the universe.