I got married later in life and had kids later in life. I had my last baby at 39 years old. I went through all of the normal (or maybe not normal but common) postpartum issues, from ups and downs to exhaustion, hair loss, and not feeling like myself. And I got stuck there. When my youngest turned two, and I turned 41 a few weeks later, I realized that I didn’t feel much different than I had on his 1st birthday, and then I had to ask myself: Did I just go from postpartum to perimenopause?
More and more women are waiting to have kids until later in life. Besides just the reality that I’m physically older, I don’t regret waiting to have kids. I’ve loved the adventures and life that I’ve been able to have before kids and after having kids. But I don’t think it ever crossed my mind that I would have a pretty short window between having kids and going through menopause.
My mom was 46 years old when she went through menopause, so it’s not too far from reality that at 41 years old, I am experiencing perimenopause symptoms.
So, like with anything, I started reading and researching. I discovered that menopause isn’t talked about often, and symptoms are usually dismissed. In the last two years, doctors have dismissed my fatigue as ‘normal’ since I have three young kids. I’ve had to request further testing because my first set of labs were ‘normal,’ and I’ve had to learn a lot on my own.
I found that there are doctors who care and will listen, and there is a movement to educate people about menopause. And oddly enough, doctors who have written books on it are using social media to educate more and more women.
I started looking into OBGYNs in the Indy area who specialize or focus on menopausal care, and I made an appointment. She didn’t dismiss me because I’m in my early 40s; she listened and gave me some great options on what to try and a list of books to look into. She agreed that I could be moving from postpartum to perimenopause.
A few books that she recommended that I found helpful:
The Glucose Revolution–A book about how glucose impacts the body and ways to lower glucose spikes.
How to Do the Work–A book about reclaiming and recreating your life.
Come as You Are–A book that explores the why and how of women’s sexuality.
Maybe this is helpful. If you feel like you have symptoms that could be perimenopause, speak to your doctor and ask questions. Listen to podcasts and read books. I have lots of life to live, and I want to be the best me that I can be for myself and my family.
