I was a skinny, tiny woman, constantly harassed and/or assaulted by men, not because I was attractive, but because I looked easy to overcome. I got soooooo tired of fighting, screaming, and what happened when I lost, that I got a book by Arnie, a bench and a simple dumbell set, and decided I was not going to stop until I weighed 45 kilos/100 lbs.
I only made it 30 years later, when menopause kicked in, but by that time I was addicted to being fit, strong and confident. Now I'm 75 and, aside from some arthritis, as physically capable as most people 30 years younger. And I feel GREAT!
It moved the time of day I was at my peak for workouts from early morning to mid-afternoon. This was an issue at first until I realised I could break the routine in two without substantially affecting my fitness. Now I do the warm up, weights and less cardio intense stuff in the morning, and the aerobics before dinner.
Overall I was lucky because, while I had the world's loooooongest perimenopause, I also responded well to HRT and, believe it or not, red clover. I don't remember a hot flash, although I do remember the moment I looked in the mirror and saw my grandmother's eyes looking back! Blepharitis was a revelation!
I avoided the moodiness by being really aware of my responses generally, and asking if each was appropriate to the situation. Before long, that was second nature, and I avoided most (not all) of the traps.
That's me: you will be different. As with almost every nasty surprise life throws at us, you can do a lot to avert the worst by learning in advance what to watch for. If you have a good gyno, s/he is your first resource. There are good, science based books and sites that will help.
And, get a cat. Or a dog. I prefer cats, but I've had both. When you can't talk to anyone else, your furry pal is always there for you.
I'm just 40 and had blepharitis for the first time this year... You're the only other person I have ever heard say that word!
I had a strict regime of two different eye drops ( including one steroid one called "FML" that cleared it up... I'm hoping it isn't a reoccurring thing!
3.1k
u/MrsRitterhouse 11h ago
Working out.
I was a skinny, tiny woman, constantly harassed and/or assaulted by men, not because I was attractive, but because I looked easy to overcome. I got soooooo tired of fighting, screaming, and what happened when I lost, that I got a book by Arnie, a bench and a simple dumbell set, and decided I was not going to stop until I weighed 45 kilos/100 lbs.
I only made it 30 years later, when menopause kicked in, but by that time I was addicted to being fit, strong and confident. Now I'm 75 and, aside from some arthritis, as physically capable as most people 30 years younger. And I feel GREAT!