Waking up 10 years older! 🙈 episode 3 Menopause and Me

Waking up 10 years older - Episode 3, Menopause & Me

Let me tell you about the aching feeling that you get in your body with perimenopause.  Seriously, the bones hurt, the muscles are constantly tired and on some days, I have actually felt like I am just dragging my body around the place trying to get from A to Be but wishing for bedtime to be here soon!  This is what I mean by waking up 10 years older! 

I mean it's maybe not as bad as that, so let's not exaggerate eh, but it could feel as bad as that for some. Literally going to bed feeling OK, then waking up the next day to a tired body that feels like it's aged over night! 

It really is a symptom to be aware of as if you haven't had a fatigued body before, it can be a bit of a shock.  For me, this feeling of tiredness in the body happens around the time of my cycle, the window before, during and after.  Best thing I have found for it is a compassionate approach to how I move, having the odd bath, rubbing oil into my legs, back and joints, taking things just a little bit more slowly and generally adapting the pace of life.

Some of the other symptoms I've experienced that might resonate with some of you are pins and needles, jumping legs and the devil that is tinnitus!!!  Pins and needles I can cope with, it comes and goes and is one of the more mild symptoms that doesn't have much rhythm or reason to it, it just turns up and fades away.  I haven't quite worked out the pattern, but it seems to be related to tiredness.

Jumping legs, are aggravating, horrible and I have to say are often related to the booze!  It might be that this symptom isn't perimenopause at all, but given it features in a lot of articles I've read I wanted to include it.  I love a glass of wine whilst I am cooking dinner, normally only on a Friday through Sunday, but I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that more than 2 drinks, 3 max, is going to cause several things to unfold.  1)  Sleepless nights.  2)  Jumping legs which isn't a nice experience at all. 3) Anxiety.  So, my favourite tipple on too many occasions just might not be worth it anymore. 

Then there is my good friend Tinnitus.  This has had a place in my life (more like my head and ears) for some time, I would say as far back as 3 or even 4 years.

Sometimes, it lasts for ages, other times it can come and go in seconds.  There is a variation of frequency to my symptoms and no two bouts are ever the same.  Again, I would say this is (at least at the moment) one of the least worrying of the things I have to put up with in perimenopause.

I do want to keep talking about symptoms, and I hope it's helpful to those reading so that they can see themselves in this story and get the help they need, knowing that you are not alone and you are not going mad!

Before I pop off for this week, I want to fast forward and bring us up to date on my story.  3 weeks ago (I am writing this on 20th Oct 23), I went to the Docs and had the conversation about HRT.  I was ready.

I walked in, with all the information I felt that I  needed to hand, and I felt equipped and in a good state of mind to see this through. I had done my research, I stood in my power!

Leaving that session, I felt a mixture of relief and empowerment.  It's early days, but I'm on Evorel Sequi, patches that I change twice weekly and slap on my thigh as I do!  It's early days I know, but no side effects at this time, I am feeling some benefit but I am very aware that just 'doing something about it' might have been what I needed to change my frame of mind and give me the lift I needed.



So far, I am less tired and I feel like I have more energy when I wake in the mornings.  I seem to feel lighter somehow and I am noticing that I am laughing, joking and smiling a bit more than I was.  Yesterday, I caught myself singing whilst cooking, it's been a while since that happened and it made me chuckle to myself when I noticed who I was being in that moment.

Am I starting to find myself again?  Who knows.  Time will tell.  One thing is for sure, if things keep going in this direction, life may feel quite different by the end of 2023 to how if felt at the start.

Keep you posted!

With love, as always my fellow warriors.

Let's take back control.

Stephanie X


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