Fugging Hormones

Boy, is it fun being a woman in her early forties. All that's missing is the funnel cake and the Main Street Electrical Parade.

Every month something else changes - nothing is stable anymore. Just when I think I've adjusted to the new routine, it changes again.

There used to be a predictable schedule - recognizable events, which now are a jumble and occur at seemingly random times of the month.

No longer can I expect my face to asplode with fantastic zits a week before The Bleed - now it happens throughout the month, whenever it feels like it.

The Bleed starts, stops, then - Surprise! - returns for a day or so just in case I was starting to miss it.

No longer am I moody and depressed for just a few days before my period - now it's pretty much throughout the month. Most days, if I didn't have to leave the house for work or other critical reasons, like for coffee, I'd never change out of my fleece robe.

Now, in just the last couple of months, I'm having trouble falling asleep at night. Me. The one my family was certain had narcolepsy, the one who could sleep anywhere (and most of the time still can).

When I get into bed at night, tired and sleepy and happy to indulge in 7 hours on the Tempurpedic, I lie there wide awake. Thinking about nothing. Just awake. Not asleep. Not even close. Sometimes for over an hour.

And the newest event I'm not at all pleased with - one morning a few weeks ago I woke up soaking wet. That was neat. I'd been swimming laps in bed. Or maybe I'd just peed myself. A lot. All over. What a lovely way to start the day.

This is just straight up bullshit. All of it. I don't want any part of it.

I am not Suzanne Somers with limitless access to personal physicians who can administer delicious bioidentical hormones in the perfect amounts to stave this off for however long. That would be nice... I wonder if Blue Shield covers that.

For now, I stand in the vitamin aisle at Trader Joe's reading the back of the Estroven package unwilling to put it in the basket, thinking Not yet... I'm only 43... I can't need this... yet...

Menopause ROCKS!

I can't wait for "the change." My body might already be prepping for the transition, but I'm psyched about the complete cessation of my menstrual flow.

I just read a great article about understanding menopause and I had no idea how big a change it will be.

Turns out, according to Berkeley gynecologist Risa Kagen (Nina Hagen?), "A woman may spend the last third to half of her life post-menopause; and it can be a life of quality including dating and new jobs."

All this time, all I'd ever heard about was the hot flashes, mood swings, horrible musicals, depression, potential weight gain, vaginal dryness, and ending up with a cupboard full of useless tampons.

I never knew that once you're in menopause, you can start dating again. David was surprised, too, but supportive as always. He said he'd be glad to take care of the house & pets so I won't have to worry about that when I'm out for drinks with my boyfriends.

Mood Wheel

Boys have it easy. Except for adolescence, boys don't have to deal with an ongoing roller coaster of hormones throughout their lives that means each day brings a new mood adventure.

The cycle is always in flux, it changes with age and there's no warning. "Please note, in approximately 10-15 days you're going to start to feel some mild depression - more like a harmless mope. Remember, it's only temporary and due to an ongoing hormone shift. Thank you and good day."

Or it could just as easily be a notice that in a few days I'll feel especially giddy and that I should take full advantage of the goofy moments because those hormones will start to subside a day or two later. I'd like to know why it happens and have some forewarning. Just like the weather.