Forget about the predictable stuff like hot flushes and mind fog. I want to talk about all the other bull💩 that comes with menopause that may well be lesser known.
It’s like a crappy learning journey I didn’t ask for on a roller coaster I didn’t want to get on in the first place. Sheesh, men have it soooo easy!
Nausea, fuelling, weight gain
When I started to understand what is really going on here, it all just felt a little bit more 💩!
Menopause destabilises blood sugar. That means
- Body fat retention
- Your system can no longer burn fat stores and heavily relies on carbs very recently eaten.
- If there are no recently consumed carbs, nausea and dizziness happens almost immediately and without warning.
Well that’s a bag of crap! Let me tell you how I discovered this.
I was cycling on Zwift (as I often do.) I decided recently to start extending my rides and to work on hill strength. On this particular day in question I had been cycling about 35 mins when suddenly I felt very nauseous and dizzy. I had to stop cycling and get off. I wondered if it was fuel related at first (like runners belly) so I went searching the bike bits cupboard to find a carb gel. Almost immediately I consumed it I felt great again.
Clearly something more was at play so I asked AI and found out it was a beautiful side effect of menopause! Great! 😫
Now I have to carefully plan nutrition before during and after rides avoid this happening.
Not only that, but I soon find out when I have forgotten to eat lunch for example. 😕🙃
I haven’t even reached the how to stabilise blood sugary to lose weight part! Once I wrap my head around this bit, I’ll go in search of that answer next!
Breast pain
I had no damned idea at all that this could be blamed on menopause! I thought my crop top was chafing! I tried Vaseline, butt butter, chamois cream, the works. Nah. Nothing worked.
One night I couldn’t even lie on my front in bed!
I mean what is this crap and what did us women do to deserve all this?!
Ask AI and here’s what I get as solutions (!)
- Sleep bra (?!)
- Hot / cold packs
- Massage (nah, tried this myself!🤣)
- Evening primrose oil supplement
Seems I might be trying number 4 in that list!
Other associated crap 🤣
Hubby says it’s like god stopped paying attention with the menopause symptoms queue and thought, oh crap, well, she’s next I will give her extra to make up for those I missed!
- Headaches (never ever got these now I do. Thanks- not!)
- Bloating / incontinence (certainly aware of this on occasion)
- Dry itchy skin (yes! Ack!)
- Burning mouth (yes! This one really is 💩 and I wish it would stop)
- Tingling extremities (certainly notice this a lot in my fingers)
Oh what fun. 😤 come back soon for the next exciting instalment!
[oh and yes… I AM on HRT.. god knows what this would be like if I wasn’t!]
