Feisty Side of Fifty/Baby Boomer Women

Perimenopausal Madness

I know I come off as the Pollyanna of menopause—fervently and forever championing the great change. But I do want to acknowledge the struggles of my younger sisters. Perimenopause is no picnic. I was reminded of that fact reading a post by a dear cyber-friend over at the Magnolia Diaries. She has struggled through years of discomfort and is very honest and open about her journey. For those of you who are suffering, I strongly suggest you take a look at her blog.

The physical reasons behind all of that bodily turmoil are well documented. Gail Sheehy, the author of a number of books about life passages, tells us that estrogen is involved in a minimum of three hundred processes within the female body. So, it only stands to reason, when its levels are running amok with major fluctuations, many of the functions that were operating smoothly for thirty or so years are thrown into hormonal bedlam.

We ladies of a certain age know only too well the disruptions and tolls taken upon our bodies’ abilities to sleep, control temperature, manage moods, and various additional less than fun features of the experience.

So, to my sisters in the midst of this perimenopausal madness, I do want you to take heart. This too shall pass and there will be happier times ahead. Take it from one who’s been there and definitely done that—hormonal peace, emotional equilibrium, old dame confidence, and a renewed zest for living are waiting for you just around the menopausal bend.

I promise you’ll be hotter than ever—just minus the flashes!

If you like what you see, please share and enjoy:

March 17th, 2008 | Tags: 1960’s hippies, 50+, 60s hippies, aging, aging process, aging with grace, anti aging, attitude, baby boomer, baby boomer generation, baby boomer woman, baby boomer women, baby boomer women over 50, baby boomer women over fifty, baby boomers, body, body image, book, boomer, boomers, career, career development, career transition, careers after 50, connect, counterculture, creative, early menopause, Eileen Williams, emotion, empty nest, empty nesters, encourage, female forums, feminist, feminist history, feminist movement, feminists, Fifties, fifty plus, first-wave boomers, forum for women, forums for women, friends, fun, generation, goal, goal attainment, goal setting, groovy, health, healthy aging, hippie, hippie chick, hippie culture, hippies, hippies in the sixties, hippy, humor, inspiration, invitation, lifelong learning, M. Eileen Williams, making goals, marriage, Mary Eileen Williams, mature resources, mature women, maturity, menopausal symptoms, menopause, midlife, midlife crisis, midlife transition, old broad, older women, over fifty, peri menopause, post-menopausal, post-menopause, psychedelic, reaching your goals, retirement, retirement planning, senior discount, senior services, seniors, Seventies, share, signs of menopause, Sixties, speak, story, support, symptoms of menopause, the 50's, the 60's, tips for baby boomer women, turning fifty, voice, wisdom, women, women over 50, women over fifty, write, writer | Category: Menopause | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL

Debbie Stevens:
May 30th, 2009 at 4:24 am

You know, even though I’d been told ‘I was too young’ to experience the ‘changes’, my body KNEW diferently! I still shudder when i think how easily I could have been left upon the shelf with no support, an ignorant male doctor, and one VERY peri-menopausal woman.Now completely into menopause, my flashes had to be controlled with medication for high-blood pressure, as a history of thrombosis[blod-clots] left very little choices? Tried a few over-the-counter products, barely touched the sides.
We are all different, but we still share the same roads….thanks for this post Eileen.

Debbie

Jacqueline:
September 1st, 2008 at 6:04 am

Here’s the best article I’ve ever read about perimenopause symptoms/what to expect: http://www.womentowomen.com/menopause/perimenopause.aspx

Jacqueline:
April 29th, 2008 at 11:01 am

Hi — I’ve been enjoying your blog and links. Here’s a “Test Your Menopause I.Q.” Quiz that I — as a newbie to all this madness — found pretty useful:
http://www.womentowomen.com/community/survey/testyourmenopauseiq.aspx

Beverly Mahone:
March 28th, 2008 at 5:25 pm

Amen! “I’m still Hot–it just comes in Flashes now!”

Magnolia:
March 18th, 2008 at 8:18 am

Thank you Eileen! I am looking to you as encouragement and hope. To be honest, I’ve not known too many women happy about menopause. I grew up with a, shall we say, slightly bitter example set by the women around me?

I have certainly suffered through these periomenopause years and unfortunately my family has suffered along with me.

If anything, these years have taught me to be thankful for those that have ridden the hurricane roller coaster ride with me and haven’t divorced me or run away with the circus.

I absolutely appreciate your enthusiasm and postive, upbeat encouragement. I need it. We all need it.

Nothing is more unattractive than a dried up, bitter old hag. That is NOT who I want to be and you just keep reminding me that I don’t have to.

Many warm wishes and thanks to you.

Suzanne Langley:
March 17th, 2008 at 7:04 pm

I have called in on this location on many an instance now but this post is the 1st one that I have ever commented on.

Congratulations on such a first-rate critique and site. I have found it to be very helpful and educational – I only wish that there were more blogs online like this one.

I never disappear from this blog without learning anything, from time to time I may feel a tiny bit saddened that I may not agree with a blog article or comeback that has been made. But hey! that is existence and if every one decided to agree on the same thing what a boring old world we would exist in.

Please maintain your admirable work.

Having said all of this, and if I’m kindly allowed to continue with my entries I will come again to post on your blog site soon

Cheers, have a great day and thank you.