River Eddy ©lynette sheppard
Theresa Venus sent me this horrifically funny clip about a woman of a certain maturity. Yes, I said horrifically. Because this video describes too much of this Menopause Goddess’s life. Maybe yours too?
I wrote about this phenomenon back in 2007 claiming that HDD (Hormonal Deficit Disorder) leads to Menopausal ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). While I can honestly say that the severity of the ADD has eased, I still have days that are reminiscent of being caught in eddies on a river. You know eddies. Those parts of the river, usually behind some obstruction near the bank, where the water swirls around in a circle actually heading upstream of the normal flow. Every good river boater knows that you can lose a lot of time and momentum in eddies.
One thing I have learned in my five plus decades as a woman and a river runner: don’t fight the current. Work with it, harness its power, use it to your advantage, and try to achieve some degree of harmony with the flow. Struggle never works. It will exhaust you and you won’t achieve the desired result anyway. We are not in control. And maybe that’s a good thing.
So on those days when my attention gets caught in multiple eddies, I just become part of the flow. And try not to leave anything burning on the stove.
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I’m so glad there is someone else besides me that has days like this! Hysterical and true
I’m all for going with the flow. Sometimes we just have to take it easy on ourselves. Tasks will get done, usually in a round about way. But the will get done. Great picture.
Thanks Cheryl and Holly – nice to know we are all in this together.
wow, that is what i’m doing and trying to run our business at the same time!!!! i tell you, everyone at work has to help me, everyone!!!!!!
I really like your site. At 56 I have had the most severe menopause of anyone I have spoken to/read about thus far. In my early 40’s I developed fibromyalgia. (My husband had throat cancer just after we had adopted 2 special needs infants at birth.) I started with turning bright red and getting really hot (no sweat) whenever I exerted. I lost weight that I had gained from stress. Had to leave hubby because radiation therapy had damaged his brain. Menopause hot flashes every 10 min or more for a couple of years. Then the anxiety hit,severe anxiety,(mostly physical) with restless legs, mood swings and exhaustion. In early April I brought my ex here for 6 weeks, to give him palliative care as he passed from lung cancer. Between stress, menopause and fibromyalgia I feel like I am living in near constant misery. I have tried every supplement including bio-identical progesterone cream. I have been suffering severely for the last 3 years with all the symptoms possible; the hot flashes are not so frequent but have become more intense. Will this ever end?
Wow, Rita! I thought my menopause was rough but your stressors have likely made yours even worse. When I was suffering the most, I went to see a holistic MD – he did a thorough workup and changed my diet, added supplements, and helped me more than I could have believed. I highly recommend finding a holistic or integrative practitioner and having them thoroughly work you up. Often there are multiple factors at play (especially given your history of fibromyalgia. (Google integrative or holistic medical practitioners to find one in your area. Then interview him/her to see if they feel like a good fit.) Good luck and keep us posted.
Thanks Lynette, I’m going to look into that. I replied to Rita’s post above. Lisa
Rita, I completely get it! I had stage 3 breast cancer in 2011, at the age of 47. I was already getting a bit warm from peri-menopause so when I started chemo… BOOM, full blown menopause in an instant. It was just awful. No easing into it for me. I’ve had SEVERE hot flashes, along with just being plain old hot for 6 1/2 years now. I can’t take hormone replacement therapy due to the type of cancer I had.. so I suffer and SWEAT. I also have the horrible forgetfulness, fatigue, memory loss, thank God no moodiness though.
I am going to look into the advice from the other woman who responded and see about a holistic practitioner. I can’t imagine living the rest of my feeling so incredibly hot, then having hotter flashes, for the rest of my life. Good luck to you and to all of us suffering from menopausal symptoms. Lisa
Thanks for the response Lynette. Holistic Md’s are not covered by Pharmacare here in Canada. You can get a partial reimbursement for Naturopath’s but must pay up front. I have started learning yoga from the internet in an attempt to improve my health. If I could afford a Holistic Md I would definitely go. I already don’t cook/buy refined foods and I drink plenty of water. My road to health has been a long journey already.