Happy International Women’s Day!

Rocking it in purple on International Women’s Day 2023.💜👩🏻💜👩🏻💜👩🏻💜👩🏻💜👩🏻💜
Even though I wear purple most other days 😂😂😂

Even though I don’t really believe in these awareness days and what they are supposed to do, I would like to point out in particular the struggles that women of slightly advanced age like myself (avoiding the term “middle-aged”!) have to put up with when dealing with the menopause.

In my case, 2 hot flashes per hour, both day and night, keep me from functioning normally, and I haven’t been able to sleep through one single night for a year now. This is not only affecting my mood and my immune system, but it is also so embarrassing to constantly have episodes of profuse sweating (sweat literally running down my face and neck), especially in front of my students, which makes me feel so unprofessional every time that happens. And never mind that you can’t concentrate, your memory is totally shot, your hair is getting thinner, and your bladder can’t hold your pee anymore.

I also get nausea, palpitations and dizzy spells with most of the hot flushes, so much that I sometimes have to sit down when I’m out walking, and once that even happened to me whilst snorkeling, which could actually have been quite dangerous….

What’s worse, when you go to a doctor about it, especially a MALE doctor, I was told that I just have to just suck it up, and that millions of other women have to go through the same. My current doctor (a WOMAN) is so much more helpful and has been trying to help me with all kinds of options (short of HRT) and advice, none of which has helped so far, but I am currently trying a new supplement that she prescribed me, so that may or may not work. It’s too early to tell, it’ll take 8-10 weeks before I notice something.

So, SISTERS who are going through the same thing, let’s stick together and support each other (at least emotionally), and know that you are not alone…