So glad I can inspire you to see yourself anew. ha ha.
I have been telling everyone all my hormonal dysfunction and harassing every woman I know who has gone before me for the last 5+ years for information and it is disturbing how few women want to talk about something that takes over life. Or who even want to acknowledge how whacked we get during this time. I can't tell you how many women have said something like, "oh I don't know that I noticed anything." That is some deep denial. More TMI on this topic!
I think every man and woman who is still married at the end of this crazy deserves a metal! How is the divorce rate not higher at this age??? (and I do think it is pretty high) I too have thought mid fight, is this hormones? But honestly that just pisses me off further.
I made it 224 days without a period last year and at absolutely no time during those 9 months did it occur to me I would not eventually get my period and have to restart the clock. Now on day 73 of my second attempt at menopause. I am 50/50 it will stick this time.
Every single woman in my family had a hysterectomy before menopause. I am literally leading the way for all the women in my family and the nieces who will come behind me. I have one cousin my age who had a hysterectomy but kept ovaries so she gets all the symptoms but no period. Which seems like a reasonable trade off even if you never know the exact moment you are done.
Also, if you have anyone who has gone before you, does the crazy end when you hit the one year? Because honestly I felt pretty great during those 224 days. I mean hot flashes and a few other annoying symptoms but mostly I felt pretty rational and stable with decent energy and no period pain. I could get behind feeling that way the rest of my life. Might even agree to a little weight gain and random warm flashes (mine aren't dying hot and FYI after being told by several women they couldn't be real hot flashes I did some research and discovered that warm flashes are the same thing! So there all you dismissive people!) as a trade off.
Yes, I have a friend from high school from whom I moved an ocean and a continent away so she couldn’t keep contradicting my self-hating bs. She still does! Thank Goddess!
We need more menopause-for-thought and shares.
I’ll be there at the world domination summit amongst the rakes and the hoes 😂. With 🥿 🥿
I’m interested in the logistics around these milestone chips. And their applicability outside perimenopause. Are they allowed to be cashed in for naps? Because I’d support a world where I could bump my head into a box like Mario and pile on those nap coins.
I loved reading this! I have a couple of friends too who call me out/challenge me after reading my blog posts. I will have forgotten something that shows me in a better light or maybe have focused more on the negatives of a situation or trait and they gently point out some opposing viewpoints. They see me so differently to the way I see myself and it's always an interesting reminder.
Women should get more chips and tokens generally. I just had a baby and feel should be lauded with awards and trophies for all the night feeds and the sheer amount of milk I am producing, spilling and navigating.
I'm right there with you on the "low-to-medium risk" perception of myself. Coincidentally, it was the topic I wrote about for my morning pages first thing this past Monday morning. I made a list of what I thought were 'all the things I tried to do', only afterwards I realised I had actually DONE most of them, and curiously, most of them were things that were slightly risky, better done with a partner than alone, and some were even quite physically challenging. As a young girl I did none of those sorts of things.
I didn’t think I was daring at all. In fact, I often chastised myself for being reticent and not taking chances. My mother strongly advised the low risk-options in life: Don’t take chances, better to be safe than sorry. Follow the safe path. Go with certainty.
It took so many years after not living at home for me to hear my own voice, the stubborn one, the let’s go for it one, and I wasn’t always sure if it was mine. Apparently it takes a long time to shake off our early self-talk! And thank goodness you have friends who help you acknowledge your strength. It's so valuable to get that outside perspective. Thanks for another enjoyable post!
When you said "chips" I was thinking the potato or tortilla kind. That would be a great marketing idea though, special pre/peri/menopausal chips. What would be the defining characteristics of each? I feel I'll get in trouble if I try to come up with the specific unique qualities of these chips. I give you this idea for free.
As a husband to a woman in peri-menopause, quite possibly menopause (I don't know the number of days -- but she is convinced getting rid of all her pads/tampons was what brought her period back at 9 months) this thread has been illuminating.
And excellent way to end your post with a cliffhanger -- I must know what subject you don't talk about publicly!
Hey there. I’d be interested in the class on 6/26
So glad I can inspire you to see yourself anew. ha ha.
I have been telling everyone all my hormonal dysfunction and harassing every woman I know who has gone before me for the last 5+ years for information and it is disturbing how few women want to talk about something that takes over life. Or who even want to acknowledge how whacked we get during this time. I can't tell you how many women have said something like, "oh I don't know that I noticed anything." That is some deep denial. More TMI on this topic!
I think every man and woman who is still married at the end of this crazy deserves a metal! How is the divorce rate not higher at this age??? (and I do think it is pretty high) I too have thought mid fight, is this hormones? But honestly that just pisses me off further.
I made it 224 days without a period last year and at absolutely no time during those 9 months did it occur to me I would not eventually get my period and have to restart the clock. Now on day 73 of my second attempt at menopause. I am 50/50 it will stick this time.
Every single woman in my family had a hysterectomy before menopause. I am literally leading the way for all the women in my family and the nieces who will come behind me. I have one cousin my age who had a hysterectomy but kept ovaries so she gets all the symptoms but no period. Which seems like a reasonable trade off even if you never know the exact moment you are done.
Also, if you have anyone who has gone before you, does the crazy end when you hit the one year? Because honestly I felt pretty great during those 224 days. I mean hot flashes and a few other annoying symptoms but mostly I felt pretty rational and stable with decent energy and no period pain. I could get behind feeling that way the rest of my life. Might even agree to a little weight gain and random warm flashes (mine aren't dying hot and FYI after being told by several women they couldn't be real hot flashes I did some research and discovered that warm flashes are the same thing! So there all you dismissive people!) as a trade off.
I loved reading ALL of this.
Yes, I have a friend from high school from whom I moved an ocean and a continent away so she couldn’t keep contradicting my self-hating bs. She still does! Thank Goddess!
We need more menopause-for-thought and shares.
I’ll be there at the world domination summit amongst the rakes and the hoes 😂. With 🥿 🥿
I’m interested in the logistics around these milestone chips. And their applicability outside perimenopause. Are they allowed to be cashed in for naps? Because I’d support a world where I could bump my head into a box like Mario and pile on those nap coins.
Maybe I’m just tired.
I’m curious about your June event.
Relatable content. Have you considered being screened for adhd?
I’m in the ‘made it 11-months and had to start again’ club. Nailed it on my second attempt. 😭
Hydration and wearing layers are basics but really helped. 😅
"Sure you can!"
Dr. Ruth took it all out of the little gurls room. :-D
Go with the flow!
I loved reading this! I have a couple of friends too who call me out/challenge me after reading my blog posts. I will have forgotten something that shows me in a better light or maybe have focused more on the negatives of a situation or trait and they gently point out some opposing viewpoints. They see me so differently to the way I see myself and it's always an interesting reminder.
Women should get more chips and tokens generally. I just had a baby and feel should be lauded with awards and trophies for all the night feeds and the sheer amount of milk I am producing, spilling and navigating.
Thanks for sharing!
I'm right there with you on the "low-to-medium risk" perception of myself. Coincidentally, it was the topic I wrote about for my morning pages first thing this past Monday morning. I made a list of what I thought were 'all the things I tried to do', only afterwards I realised I had actually DONE most of them, and curiously, most of them were things that were slightly risky, better done with a partner than alone, and some were even quite physically challenging. As a young girl I did none of those sorts of things.
I didn’t think I was daring at all. In fact, I often chastised myself for being reticent and not taking chances. My mother strongly advised the low risk-options in life: Don’t take chances, better to be safe than sorry. Follow the safe path. Go with certainty.
It took so many years after not living at home for me to hear my own voice, the stubborn one, the let’s go for it one, and I wasn’t always sure if it was mine. Apparently it takes a long time to shake off our early self-talk! And thank goodness you have friends who help you acknowledge your strength. It's so valuable to get that outside perspective. Thanks for another enjoyable post!
Loved everything about this post, Jen! Yay to us ladies!
When you said "chips" I was thinking the potato or tortilla kind. That would be a great marketing idea though, special pre/peri/menopausal chips. What would be the defining characteristics of each? I feel I'll get in trouble if I try to come up with the specific unique qualities of these chips. I give you this idea for free.
As a husband to a woman in peri-menopause, quite possibly menopause (I don't know the number of days -- but she is convinced getting rid of all her pads/tampons was what brought her period back at 9 months) this thread has been illuminating.
And excellent way to end your post with a cliffhanger -- I must know what subject you don't talk about publicly!
Well that'll teach me to take a break from Substack. :( I missed the class! Enroll me in 2.0 please!
So much goodness and hilarity in this--just what the doctor ordered for hairy carrot days. I've missed Jen Zug Writes1