Menopause - New Growth or Going to Seed

Posted on Jun 27 2008

I’ve been spending the last several days photographing and looking at flowers. In all stages. Buds, opening blooms, full-on vibrant blossoms, fading flowers. All different. All beautiful.

Since the advent of the Big M, I’ve suffered some confusion as to whether we goddesses are blossoming anew or beginning to wilt. Certainly, for me, the answer depends on the day. Or the hour. I sometimes feel like I’m the subject of one of those time lapse films where the flower goes from closed to open. Then in a diabolical turn, the film reverses and I go from open to closed. Closed, open. Open, closed. I don’t know if I’m blossoming or going to seed.

But what if it isn’t one or the other? What if it’s both? It seems that the nature of the menopause transition makes us more comfortable living with paradox. It sure makes us more comfortable dealing with change! Each of us may be growing and blooming into a new form, a new “me”. At the same time we have seeds of wisdom that we disseminate to ourselves and one another. Like the rosebushes in the garden, we are budding, bursting forth into the sunlight, flashing our brightest colors and dropping a few petals here and there. All at the same time. All different. All beautiful.

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A Bubble Bath at 33,000 Feet

Posted on Jun 21 2008

A while ago, (I can’t remember exactly when, but that’s the Big M for you.), I wrote that menopausal women should not fly. In airplanes. Jet lag can make an already cranky goddess downright vicious.

Yet, now that the worst of the hot flashes, moodswings, and brain fog are in my rear view mirror, I can truly say that I love air travel, particularly long flights. Okay, I hate the packing and the obsessing and the security lines and the endless crap leading up to the flight. But once I’m in my seat and have snapped the buckle of my seatbelt into place, I am a happy woman.

No one can reach me. No phone, no email, no faxes, no doorbell. Plane flights are a modern day version of the old ads from the seventies where a woman indulges in a bubble bath to escape the cares of the day. “Calgon, take me away........” While there are no bubbles, there are “attendants” who shut the world out when they close the door handle and bring you cool drinks. And not a few of them are menopausal goddesses themselves.

I climbed on such a flight a few days and nine time zones ago. My initial flight was diverted due to bad weather and we sat on the tarmac in San Antonio, Texas. Needless to say, we had those little air vents cranked to maximum. Then the weather cleared and we took off for Dallas, our original destination. In minutes, the cabin was FRIGID. (aka just right.)

People were starting to complain when the honeyed tones of a southern flight attendant explained that the A/C was working now that we were in the air and if cold, all we needed to do was close down our little vents. “And if you’re menopausal, honey, just open it up all the way and enjoy.”

I love menopausal women. And flight attendants. And I love that we are not afraid to talk about the Big M anymore. American Airlines, take me away..........

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Help Protect Access To Bioidentical Hormones

Posted on Jun 14 2008

Back in February, I wrote about a disturbing action taken by the FDA under pressure from Wyeth pharmaceuticals, the makers of Premarin and Prempro. (See blog entry titled “Bioidentical Hormone Access Threatened - Act Now” dated Feb. 7, 2008.)
Wyeth took a financial hit after the Women’s Health Initiiative study found some serious adverse effects to synthetic HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy.) Market share severely affected, they persuaded the FDA to restrict access to bioidentical hormones. Nice!

Briefly, the FDA has stopped compounding pharmacies from dispensing estriol (a naturally occuring estrogen in our bodies) unless they have an investigational drug permit. I don’t have time or space to explain how hard it is to get and implement such a permit. It’s like unraveling a Gordian knot with your teeth.

I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I don’t believe that drug companies in general or Wyeth in particular are evil. They are just protecting their interests in a capitalist economy. We women and health care professionals, however, MUST be vigilant that this normal self-protective mechanism does not infringe upon our health options and liberties.

Fact: Bioidentical hormones have not been extensively studied for safety.
Also Fact: Physicians have been prescribing them safely for decades.

Even if we assume the very best motives on behalf of the FDA and Wyeth, we must vigorously oppose this “regulation” by one of our watchdog agencies. Now is the time to write our congresspeople again to make our voices heard.

U.S. Representatives Mike Ross of Arkansas and Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri have presented a “Sense of The Congress Resolution (H. Con. Res. 342) challenging the FDA’s new policy. The resolution is being co-sponsored by U.S. Representatives Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin), Michael Burgess (Texas), John Carter (Texas), Sam Farr (California), and Gabrielle Giffords (Arizona); deeming FDA’s policy as inappropriate and requesting reversal of the policy.

What can we do? We can protect our healthcare choices by writing to our senators and congresspeople to protect our access to bioidentical hormones. Even if you don’t personallly use BHRT (Bioidentical Hormone Therapy) like some of the Venuses including myself, speak up loudly for all menopausal goddesses and their trusted health care practitioners.

The Women’s International Pharmacy website makes it easy to find out who your congressional representives are and to submit your comments to them via email. Click on the link below or go to www.women’sinternational.com Do it today. Do it now.

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Menopause: Puberty to The Tenth Power

Posted on Jun 07 2008

Let me just say, for the record, that we Venuses have been on this planet long enough to realize in our very cells that life is not fair. But we also recognize that there are depths to some of the unfairness that need to be plumbed. One of the deep injustices of particular concern to us has to be the difference between puberty and menopause. Not only are the physical, emotional, and mental changes that occur during menopause akin to puberty squared (or maybe puberty to the tenth power), but the amount of external support for these changes is like the difference in the number of photons present in day vs night. Think we exaggerate? Okay, let’s compare the two side by side, with our tongues only slightly stuck to our cheek linings.

Similarities Between Puberty and Menopause
In puberty we suffer acne and skin eruptions, weird hair growth, wildly fluctuating hormones, body shape changes, breast tenderness, irregular menses, orthodontic problems, growing pains, and fatigue. We also are afflicted with mood swings, melancholia, bursts of anger, and the inability to concentrate.
During the Big M, we also suffer acne and skin eruptions, weird hair growth, wildly fluctuating hormones, body shape changes, breast tenderness, irregular menses, orthodontic problems, growing pains, and mind-numbing fatigue.
Sadly, there the similarities end. Where there is significant preparation and support for the passage of puberty, there is little to none for the transition of Menopause. Here’s a summary of the differences in emotional buttressing for these two pivotal events in a woman’s life.

For the prepubescent female, there is a veritable flood of information and prep for the coming transition. The adults in her life are prepared that she will need time alone to sulk, daydream, or write poetry. Support is offered for the “tough time” she is experiencing. People make excuses for her; “she’s just going through puberty.” A relative freedom from responsibilities means that she can truly attend to the process that she is experiencing; to grow into the new being that she is becoming.

For the menopausal goddess, there is a dearth of coherent information (so many of the blogs and sites out there are selling something or just repeating the senseless blather we’ve heard forever.) There is almost no preparation for the changes of the Big M. Time alone to sulk, daydream, or write poetry? You’ve got to be kidding! Support for the tough time you’re experiencing? Uh-uh! People making excuses for you, “she’s just going through menopause?” No way! Freedom from responsibilities? In your dreams!

And the final difference between puberty and menopause comes down to duration. Puberty is expected to last 5 years +/- 2. Alas, menopause lasts 5 years +/- 40. As cataclysmic transformations go, I think we’ve got to say that the Big M beats puberty hands down.

Okay, maybe it isn’t fair to do a side-by-side comparison of menopause with puberty, but we’ve already ascertained and admitted that life’s scales are unbalanced. What we CAN do is our level best to rebalance those lopsided weights by being vocal advocates for ourselves and each other. We can educate our loved ones, coworkers, and Venuses-in-training what to expect from the Big M.

After all, we’re women. We can handle these meteoric changes if we know what’s coming and that it won’t last forever. Not to mention that a little support would go a long way to making the transition easier on everybody. Note to mates, offspring, and others who deal with us: granting us a modicum of the compassion tendered to a fretful, pubescent teen could pay HUGE dividends. Seriously. All joking aside. We’re not kidding.
(This week's photo of Theresa Venus [top] and myself was taken by Dewitt Jones, my mate who actually IS being supportive of the Big M. Now. At last. Hallelujah.)

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