Is it just me or is it really HOT in here?Sadly – and VERY prematurely – it happens to be “just me.” See, I boarded that non-stop train for menopause a wee bit early. Doctors say it’s genetic. Thanks to my grandma, who went through “the change” at 38, I’ve been cheated out of the sexiest years of my life. “Hot and sweaty” has a whole new meaning now.
Menopause marks the end of childbearing years. OK by me. But as the ovaries prepare to cough up that last egg, your body goes through hormonal hell anywhere from six months to 10 years prior to it. During “premenopause,” estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels decrease and become imbalanced, causing mood swings, sleeplessness, depression, fatigue, unexplained weight gain (no, you can’t lose weight from night sweats) and other unwelcome problems.
All this time, I thought it was the side effects of single parenting. What a relief to discover that so much of my erratic behavior in the last five years can be blamed on hormonal imbalance:
Impatience with my kids. . . hormones. Dates I never called back . . hormones. Angry blogs I banged out . . . hormones. Thelma and Louise flooring it into the Grand Canyon . . . DEFINITELY hormones.
The big question is: Did hormonal imbalance cause the breakup of my marriage? I’m not going to let the ex off that easily, but it does make me wonder. Hormones are mysterious, yet powerful little boogers. Anyone with PMS can attest to that. An imbalance can cause moodiness, despondency, overreactions and a low sex drive. Little things that, over time, can erode any marriage.
I’ve talked to enough doctors and perused countless websites on this passage in a woman’s life -- from raging hormones to whimpering ones -- to know that hormonal balance is critical to our overall well-being. It’s why I made the decision to go on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (their molecular structure mimic those produced naturally by the body). “Fill ‘er up with estrogen, please.”
In the three years that I have been on BHRT, it has done wonders for me. I sleep better, have amazing energy and my skin glows. Suzanne Somers makes a very convincing argument for bioidentical HRT in her controversial book, “The Sexy Years.” Not all doctors and menopausal women are in the Somers camp. But at the very least, you should have your doctor check your hormone levels. Perhaps the reason you feel so empty inside is because you really are.
OK, maybe, just maybe, imbalanced hormones played a small part in the demise of my marriage. I should talk to the ex and explain the whole silly thing to him. We’ll have a good laugh, get back together and live happily-ever-after on natural hormone replacement therapy.
Hey . . . I’m menopausal. Not crazy.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Don’t confuse bioidentical HRT with the synthetic versions -- Premarin and Provera -- which have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, stroke and heart disease according to a study by the Women’s Health Initiative.
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