I hate to tell you this, but you’re 44 years old, and it’s better to be prepared, but …
Perimenopause started for me at 42 with massive panic attacks. I would wake up in the middle of the night, drenched with sweat, and thinking I was going to throw up. (I do not throw up.) Shocking myself with ice cold water in the shower and/or lying naked on the bathroom floor with a cold washcloth or two or three, would eventually get me through them. Nowadays, just getting a cold washcloth on my vagus nerve/chest area at the first signs usually heads things off at the pass (in addition to meditative breathing and guided imagery.)
I am 50 now, and wear an estrogen patch and take progesterone. If you’re not already, start reading about what you can do to have a healthy transition to cronehood! I also chose not to have biological children, so sometimes it feels a little isolating, going through perimenopause, since the majority of women have birthed children. Menopause is all the rage right now, as I’m sure you know.
Beautiful piece, Sara. As a fellow panic attack pal, I feel you so hard on all of this. (And I will second the comment above: perimenopause has been a rollercoaster that I was in no way prepared for, and it’s changed my mental landscape in so many ways…oof.) Anyway, sending you deep breaths and devil cats 😼❤️
Great job on the video.
I hate to tell you this, but you’re 44 years old, and it’s better to be prepared, but …
Perimenopause started for me at 42 with massive panic attacks. I would wake up in the middle of the night, drenched with sweat, and thinking I was going to throw up. (I do not throw up.) Shocking myself with ice cold water in the shower and/or lying naked on the bathroom floor with a cold washcloth or two or three, would eventually get me through them. Nowadays, just getting a cold washcloth on my vagus nerve/chest area at the first signs usually heads things off at the pass (in addition to meditative breathing and guided imagery.)
I am 50 now, and wear an estrogen patch and take progesterone. If you’re not already, start reading about what you can do to have a healthy transition to cronehood! I also chose not to have biological children, so sometimes it feels a little isolating, going through perimenopause, since the majority of women have birthed children. Menopause is all the rage right now, as I’m sure you know.
Sending you love for the stored trauma. ❤️🩹
Beautiful piece, Sara. As a fellow panic attack pal, I feel you so hard on all of this. (And I will second the comment above: perimenopause has been a rollercoaster that I was in no way prepared for, and it’s changed my mental landscape in so many ways…oof.) Anyway, sending you deep breaths and devil cats 😼❤️
I love you, my friend. Thank you so much for sharing this and for being so fucking awesome.