In my post Why are we so cranky all of a sudden? I talk about how during menopause we can quickly go from ‘go with the flow’ to ‘raging lunatic’ at the drop of the hat. Silver & Grace guest post author, Katie Gates, tells us how she has to contend with an unannounced hormonal visitor, whom she not so affectionately refers to as That Bitch.

The first symptom of menopause came early to me.

I was not quite 39 when I started having hot flashes. And while they were tremendously uncomfortable, I gradually learned how to deal with them. It’s about dressing in layers. It’s about getting ahead of the surge.

By my mid-40’s, I was nonplussed by my body’s unique sense of seasons, and I had no qualms about making public adjustments. Onlookers be damned, I’m going to take this jacket off and put it back on as many times as I please.

The next symptom presented itself as what I call “word issues.” While I rarely had challenges at the keyboard, I would find myself frequently stumped in live conversation. I’d be in the middle of a statement, and I’d feel compelled to stop.

“The next word,” I would say to my listener, “is an adjective. It has three syllables, and several R’s…”

A few more years passed and another manifestation of menopause became apparent: insomnia. Now, I must admit that for me, this symptom is a bit hard to detect. Fact of the matter is, I am relentlessly nocturnal. (I have been since I was a kid.) Particularly when I am on a creative jag, my productivity soars when everyone else is sound asleep.

For right-brain activity, I love the nine-to-five shift that begins after most people have had dinner. BUT, if I would rather sleep during the nighttime hours, I deeply resent my inability to do so.

(Moreover, as I watch late-night television, which features countless commercials for sleep aids, I apply that resentment to the ad copy. I don’t know which of the drugs boasts enabling one “to sleep in a non-habit-forming way,” but whenever I hear that line, I absolutely want to scream. I already sleep in a non-habit-forming way!)

Speaking of wanting to scream, this is where it becomes dicey. A couple of years ago, when I was dealing “only” with the hot flashes, the word losses, and the insomnia, I thought I was doing okay with menopause. I figured those symptoms were my cross to bear, and I was glad that no one else was suffering.

But then, SHE returned. The PMS bitch. The woman with absolutely no patience for anything.

I have a favorite anecdote that best describes the PMS bitch. It comes (as so many favorite anecdotes do) from my years as a waitress. Okay, so picture this: I’m working my station at my midtown Manhattan lunch place. It’s the informal, burger-in-a-basket type of restaurant, and the day in question is one of the month’s majority of days – which is to say, I am not in need of an exorcist. I pleasantly approach the party of four who are sitting in one of my booths. I deliver the four burger baskets, and one of the gentlemen looks up to catch my eye.

“Could I have a slice of raw onion?” he asks.

“Absolutely,” I reply, smiling. “I wouldn’t think of enjoying a burger without a raw onion!”

I then skip merrily to the kitchen where I retrieve the succulent garnish, and I deliver it to him quickly and cheerfully.

Okay. Same scenario on one of two days during that same month:

I pissily approach the booth where four obnoxious, irritating people are taking up space in my station. I slam their burgers down in front of them.

One of the jerks looks up at me and asks for a raw onion.

I sneer at him, make an abrupt about-face, and stomp back to the kitchen. En route, I mutter, “Fucking asshole should have asked for the onion when he ordered the burger.”

Notice the difference? (I realize it’s subtle; feel free to read those paragraphs a second time…)

Needless to say, I never liked that hormonal so-and-so who used to possess my body and spirit on a monthly basis for anywhere between 24 and 48 hours. But at least I knew when to expect her, and I knew that she would leave fairly shortly. I also knew that she wasn’t me, and that I could control – to a degree – how much she interacted with others.

That bitch is still not me, but she has become the fourth manifestation of menopause. The problem now is that she has absolutely no schedule. Soy (yes, soy is used deliberately) as I might, I cannot control or anticipate her arrival. She just shows up (most recently, in Rite Aid, when I was trying to find cotton balls).

The good news, I guess, is that she doesn’t seem to stay for very long. For that matter, I sometimes go an entire two months without a visit from the hormonal hellion.

But still… I don’t like her, and I am so over this stuff!

My sister once theorized that all these menopausal issues prove that God is a man. Her reasoning? A woman would not do this to another woman.

I don’t know… it might depend on that woman’s “time of the month.”

But I shouldn’t imply that I’m at odds with my sister’s sense of feminism. In fact, I share it. In fact, I have my own theory around the same general subject area. I believe that if men had periods, tampons would not only be free, they’d be delivered. And by now, the boys in charge undoubtedly would have found a “cure” for menopause.

I would love to hear your thoughts:

• Are there times of the month when you feel like Sybil, inhabited by personae that surely cannot be you?

More information!

A resident of Los Angeles, Katie Gates is a writer and artist. She also serves the nonprofit sector as an independent fundraising consultant. She can be found at Katie Gates: Stories and Opinions.

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When I have the opportunity to exercise outside, my activity of choice is power walking. However, I do try to get to the gym three days a week and my machine of choice is the treadmill.

My mother bought a treadmill a number of years ago to keep her weight down during the winter when she cannot golf. We get a good chuckle out of it, because her treadmill is basically in a closet. Puts us in mind of a gerbil spinning along in on it’s exercise wheel. But, in all seriousness, it helps her maintain her health and weight.

This is a guest article written by Anna, who tells us how using a treadmill  helped her own mother become healthier and reduce the discomfort of menopause symptoms. Anna shares with us the treadmill workout her mother uses.

(Eliza’s due diligence disclaimer: always consult your health care professional before starting any new exercise program.)

Menopause is a natural process that every woman must undergo at a certain age. But let’s face it: “natural” doesn’t eliminate “hard to deal with”. There are symptoms, effects and even permanent risks that make menopause difficult to manage.

The changes that the body must endure are extremely uncomfortable, which can lead to a primary effect: depression. This major distress is backed up by night sweats, sleeping disorders, decrease of estrogen level (which leads to decrease of sex drive), mood and skin changes, vaginal changes, but most of all, hot flashes.

Hot flashes are a sign that a woman is definitely going through menopause. It is caused by hormonal change and its manifestations include bursting into sweat or instant blushing. Although not all women must go through this distress, it is most uncomfortable for those who do.

But there is also good news. There are measures that every woman can take in order to diminish the distressing hot flashes, and they are all based on physical activity.

The logic is simple. Exercise balances the hormonal level. A balanced hormonal level reduces radically the intensity of hot flashes. At the same you improve blood circulation and oxygen intake for your cells. Plus you improve the health of your bones, you sleep better and you improve perception of yourself.

There’s no doubt exercising is the answer to all questions. And treadmills workouts make a very good exercise choice. A treadmill is right in your home, which frees you from worries regarding bad weather, inappropriate running surfaces or the unavailability of a running surface. Moreover, for a woman entering menopause comfort is essential. And treadmills provide that.

My mother started to go through menopause changes and hot flashes episodes one year ago. She was 51 at that time and she wasn’t the most active person. Plus she was a little overweight. All changed a few months ago when she bought herself a treadmill.

This is a treadmill workout she does daily and which helped her a lot (physically and psychologically). I want to mention that this is not a program designed by a professional trainer, but a simple workout she feels comfortable doing and which you can customize on any treadmill.

The workout is divided in 3 segments: Warm Up, Exercise and Cool Down.

Start with the warm up for 4 minutes: 2 minutes at 0 incline and 1 mph speed then continue with 2 minutes at 0.5 incline and 1.5 mph speed.

The exercise is divided in 30 seconds segments. You should repeat it 5 times, in the order listed below:

• 30s with incline at 1.5 and speed at 2 mph.
• 30s leave incline at 1.5 and increase speed at 2.5 mph.
• 30s decrease incline at 1 and increase speed at 3 mph.
• 30s decrease incline at 0.5 and increase speed at 3.5 mph.
• 30s leave incline at 0.5 and increase speed at 4 mph.
• 30s leave incline at 0.5 and decrease speed at 3.5 mph.
• 30s increase incline at 1 and decrease speed at 3 mph.
• 30s increase incline at 1.5 and decrease speed at 2.5 mph.

Finish with a cool down for minimum 4 minutes: 2 minutes at 0.5 incline and 2 mph speed, then 2 minutes at 0 incline and 1.5 mph speed. You can extend this period for as long as you need to.

If you can use a wireless chest strap to control your heart beat (and keep the intensity of your workout in your targeted heart rate) it’s even better.

Now my mother does this exercise for 30 minutes daily. Before she bought the treadmill she had hot flashes very often which caused her high discomfort. After using this treadmill workout for 3 months, she is now more energetic and optimistic.

And, her hot flashes episodes are now history.

More information!

Anna is a treadmill user and tester at RunReviews. This website includes a special section dedicated to Treadmill Workouts where you can find more valuable training tips.

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What is it?

Black cohosh is an herb. It is also commonly known as black snakeroot, macrotys, bugbane, bugwort, rattleroot, rattleweed.

The magic of black cohosh is actually found underground in its stems and roots. It is used fresh or dried in the form of teas, capsules, pills or liquid extracts.

What does it do?

It does just about everything, it seems. Commonly known for relieving night sweats and hot flashes, it is also used for menopausal depression, vaginal dryness and menstrual cramps.

But is it safe?

Ah, now that is a good question! I am a bit cynical by nature when it comes to miracle cures, so I decided to investigate.

First I started with my resource library. Seems my favourite menopause authors are all for black cohosh.

Ann Louise Gittleman, Before The Change, recommends 4 to 8 milligrams daily for hot flashes and vaginal dryness.

Nisha Jackson, Perimenopause: Balance Your Hormones Naturally, also recommends it for hot flashes and night sweats.

Christiane Northrup, The Wisdom of Menopause, suggests using black cohosh for depression, vaginal dryness, hot flashes and menstrual cramps. Although, she does add the warning that it may interact adversely with medicines for high blood pressure.

So, far so good, but …

Next, off to check with Mr. Google. And here is where it starts to get dicey. There are lots of articles hailing the virtues of black cohosh, but some articles questioning it.

There is this from the National Center for Complementary and Alternate Medicine:

United States Pharmacopeia experts suggest women should discontinue use of black cohosh and consult a health care practitioner if they have a liver disorder or develop symptoms of liver trouble, such as abdominal pain, dark urine, or jaundice. There have been several case reports of hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), as well as liver failure, in women who were taking black cohosh. It is not known if black cohosh was responsible for these problems. Although these cases are very rare and the evidence is not definitive, scientists are concerned about the possible effects of black cohosh on the liver.

And over at Livestrong.com:

In 2006, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom all took such actions, and in 2008, the U.S. Pharmacopeia (an organization that sets standards for foods, supplements and drugs) recommended that black cohosh products include a cautionary statement about the possibility of liver toxicity.

There is also conflicting evidence on whether black cohosh actually does relieve menopausal symptoms or not, as clinical trials have only ever lasted for periods of six months.

Also need to watch for …

As with any supplement, there are potential side effects, even if only mild:

• headaches
• heaviness in the legs
• upset stomach
• nausea
• constipation
• irregular or slow heart rate
• low blood pressure

To black cohosh or not to black cohosh

I am not at the night sweat or hot flashes stage … thank goodness … so, I have not had occasion to try black cohosh. I am not frightened off of it by what I’ve read, as the health risk seems to be fairly low, if any at all. However, like anything new I put into my body, I will very carefully monitor my body’s response to it. Anything out of the norm happens, and I’ll be flushing the supplements down the toilet faster than you can say “Hot flashes suck”.

I will also combine using black cohosh along with other symptom relievers, such as proper exercise and diet. It won’t be my miracle cure, but part of a symptom reliever package. As my mother always says “Everything in moderation”.

Have your say:

Have you tried black cohosh? If so, did it work for you? How long did you take it for? Any adverse symptoms?

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Besides, stripping down to the buff tends to be frowned upon in many social settings.

What to expect

I imagine for those of you who have already experienced hot flashes, you know exactly what to expect. But for those of us who haven’t, here’s what we have to look forward to:

• a pressure that indicates a hot flash is on its way
• spread of mild to intense heat on the upper body and face
• red and blotchy skin on the face and upper body
• rapid heartbeat
• perspiration

All of this followed by a chill as the hot flash ends.

Estrogen and the hypothalamus

Remember biology class when we learned all about our brain? There’s a very important section called the hypothalamus, which controls, amongst other things, our body temperature.

When we overheat, the hypothalamus sends an emergency signal to our body: Ditch the heat! Now! As a result, we sweat to cool off and the blood vessels dilate to release heat through our skin.

This is a very good thing on those hot Summer days. However, when our estrogen levels drop the hypothalamus gets confused. It thinks we are overheating when we aren’t. Poof! Hot flashes.

Who experiences hot flashes?

According to the stats, 85% of us will frantically fan our faces for a couple of years as we enter peri-menopause. Some of us will have the not so good fortune to continue for quite a number years longer.

How can we reduce the number of incidences?

There are triggers for hot flashes. The trick is to pay attention and identify what sets yours off and avoid them.

Some triggers are:

• stress
• alcohol
• spicy food
• smoking
• caffeine

And, of course, actually being in already hot situations such as

• hot tubs
• saunas
• stuffy rooms

Making other lifestyle changes

As with all our other menopausal symptoms, developing healthy habits helps:

• increase your exercise
• take time to relax and de-stress
• eat healthfully

Consult your health care practitioner

If your symptoms are severe and disruptive, you can discuss medical options such as:

• blood pressure-lowering medication
• anti-depressants
• bio-identical hormone therapy

Be prepared

Given the inevitability of hot flashes, it’s best to be prepared:

• Dress in layers
• Avoid synthetic clothes; stick to natural fabrics such as cotton
• Drink ice water
• Use cotton sheets
• Keep the bedroom nice and cool

And worse comes to worse, stick your head in the freezer. Seriously!

We have a walk-in fridge. I suspect I’ll be spending some time in there. At least I’ll be well fed.

Your say:

• Any tips to share on how to reduce the number of hot flashes experienced?
• What do you do to find relief while you are in middle of a hot flash?

Suggested Reading:

All About Hot Flashes
Hot flashes
10 Ways to Relieve Menopausal Hot Flashes

Your turn

Do you have a personal story to share? Silver & Grace is always looking for stories that turn the theory into reality. To submit your story click here.

Is there a topic related to the spiritual or physical aspect of aging gracefully that you would like to see covered? Please send post ideas to Eliza by using the Silver & Grace contact form.

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