Date - 31st May 2024
I should have started this a year ago. That’s when I really started to notice the changes I was experiencing in my body. Although I feel like things are ramping up more recently.
I will start with some background for those that are new and don't know me.
I’m 43 years old. I am a Personal Trainer and a qualified Nutritionist and around 18 months ago I realised I was working with more women my age and older. The conversation would naturally go to the menopause and I realised I knew nothing about it aside from the usually hot flushes. I started learning, podcasts, courses, articles, studies and real life experiences from my clients. I became a little obsessed. I wanted to advise my clients as best I could on how I can help them without going into the “thinking I'm a doctor” lane.
As I was learning I became very hyper aware of my own body. I’d seen a change in my cycle up to then but nothing too crazy, I mean, I was far too young to be worrying about the menopause right? Wrong!
Fast forward 18 months and I feel I am fully in it.
Some weeks not so much, others it's intense but I think that’s what it will be like for the foreseeable.
A quick fact for this first entry that I think is important to know
When we go through perimenopause our oestrogen and progesterone levels are declining.
Today I just want to talk about oestrogen (AKA Estrogen depending on where you are from)
We have oestrogen receptors all over our body.
This includes our hearts which can show up as symptoms like increased blood pressure or cholesterol
Our brain - brain fog and memory loss, depression, and anxiety
Our lungs - asthma or changes in breathing
I’m literally scratching the surface here.
There is so much happening during this phase in our lives that we put down to other things.
It’s intense!
I wanted to write a diary of my experience for a few reasons.
Firstly, I really love to write. I am no expert, my grammar and spelling may be bad and I write down what I think, so if you are here for literary geniusness (a good example) this is not the place for you. I don’t have a copywriter checking my work and if I aimed for perfection, I really wouldn’t get anything done. I just love to write.
Secondly, I have started tracking my symptoms in an app but I quite often want to write in more detail. This is where I got the idea to start a diary, for myself initially. There is a lot of info out there from doctors and “experts” but there are not many real accounts. This is where I decided to share it with others.
Thirdly - I would like to bring awareness to the fact that peri and menopause is not just hot flushes, there is so much more we need to know. I speak to a lot of women who have zero knowledge of it, I would love to be part of changing that so women can go on to make informed and empowering choices for themselves in terms of managing it.
I’m not sure how this diary will look. I assume there will be no consistency as there doesn’t seem to be consistency in my symptoms yet and I want to keep it relevant rather than a diary about my life. I will keep it real, honest and vulnerable. I will bring a mix of anecdotal and science based facts, I think it’s important to do a mix of both. I will share what I learn as I go.
I called it The Diary of a Peri-Girl as that’s what I still feel like, just a girl. A girl who is keen to make sense of what is going on with my body so I can manage it better. Menopause has such a stigma too it, old, passed it, dried up (that’s the worst) and that is the totally opposite of how it needs to be.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I love writing it.
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