They say there are two unavoidable things in life, death and taxes.
We women can add menopause to that list.
While it may be unavoidable, how we handle the so-called, "change," makes all the difference.
It isn't a singular event that must be endured, but rather a condition.
In other words, menopause isn't an isolated event.
It is interwoven with all the other events in our lives.
While we earn a living, care for children, have relationships, care for parents, we deal with it while we live our lives.
It doesn't matter if you are sitting in a crowd at your daughter's graduation or having a romantic evening or sitting in a meeting with the social worker who is helping you to plan for your parent's care, the symptoms may suddenly arrive, in fact, stress often brings on hot flashes and sweats.
The conditions in our lives affect the situations we are in and let's face it, we're all in a situation.
While they often change with the years and seasons, our lives are affected by the conditions of our health.
How you manage menopause will have an effect on all the other things you do.
It may not be significant or it may be life changing.
Some of the symptoms listed below can change relationships and how effective we are in our daily lives.
The symptoms of menopause may vary from woman to woman, but will often include, night sweats, hot flashes, nausea, rapid heartbeat, sweating, skin flushing, sleep problems, decreased libido, forgetfulness, joint aches and pains, irregular heartbeat, mood swings, and even a feeling of suffocation.
I remember waking up in the middle of the night with my heart racing and getting up to pace up and down the hall.
The following day I would be tired and that added to my stress which just made the symptoms worse, until I took control and started doing things for myself.
For some women it can be a downward spiral, but it doesn't have to be.
There are things you can do to control the effects of a drop in estrogen, the cause of menopause.
First of all, don't fear it.
We all live through it and learn to cope and there is strength in numbers.
Women who have been through it or are going through it can often give you support and advice, so go ahead and talk about it with friends.
Listen to your body and what it needs and try to avoid stressful situations.
Don't go off the deep end and remember, everything that you do to your body, including what you put into it, has an effect, so start slowly and cautiously.
One way to start is by taking natural supplements made from herbs that have been used for centuries.
There are synthetic replacements and they may be the final answer.
Only you and your healthcare provider can answer that question, but before doing anything drastic, consider herbs such as black cohosh, don quai, rhubarb root, and chastetree berry, to name just a few.
Why not start with something that is readily available and all natural? You don't need a prescription for these over the counter products.
Natural supplements, support from friends and women who have been there, and learning to pace yourself and listen to your own body are intelligent ways of coping with a natural part of life.
As you go through the process you may be amazed to find that sense of humor will help you to cope as well.
While you may be bothered, frustrated, even angered by the symptoms, you will eventually see that some of the situations you will find yourself in are sometimes funny as well.
Menopause isn't an end, it is merely part of a very long process.