I’m going to go off on a rant here. It may be bizarre–it may be the most bizarre rant you’ve read all month–but make no mistake about it, it’s a rant. Laugh at me if you must. In fact, it might be for the best if you do – for all of us.
So, menopause. You’ve all heard of it. Even if you’re not there yet or you’ll never be there, you probably know about the hot flashes. Some of you may have read or know first hand about the mood swings. The books all tell us about bouts of unexpected crying, of possible depression, and of flying into rages over the littlest things. But what about the laughter?
Laughter, you ask? I’ve never heard of a menopausal woman flying into a fit of laughter. Well guess what? Neither have I? So why am I ranting about it?
Imagine this scenario: You’re trying to get your kid into bed but he’s busy playing with the dog. You’ve been asking him to get into his pyjamas for fifteen solid minutes. You’re trying to make his bed so he can actually get in it, you’re frustrated, harried from a long day, tired, about to lose your cool, and suddenly the dog jumps on you and your kid starts giggling. And then completely out of the blue, despite the fact that you were just about to blow your stack, you start giggling with the kid. UGGHHH!!! Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to start laughing when you’re trying to be mad?!?
And it keeps happening! Used to be when I was angry, I stayed angry. Wake me up six times through the night because you want to be covered up by me when you’re perfectly capable of doing it yourself, I’m going to be damned mad! I’ve got to get up in an hour, and I’ve only slept for 45 minutes all night! But now? By the sixth time I’m snickering and wondering if I’m ready for the funny farm!!
The only reason I can think of for this new bout of hilarity is menopause. Why didn’t anyone tell me it would be like this!!!???!!!
Is it just me? Is that why? If not, let’s discuss this well-kept secret so everyone can have it to look forward to, along with the damned hot flashes!
December 29, 2016 at 5:01 am
I have taken black cohosh and turmeric pills which help with the hot flushes. Adjusting your diet to GREEN spinach and everything green is a must! More exercise, more yoga, more moving your body, so you can survive this stage of life.
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August 25, 2016 at 10:06 am
So good to share all of your experiences – thank you
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August 25, 2016 at 10:23 am
You’re welcome. 🙂
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May 18, 2016 at 11:48 pm
Lol, sounds like a distant memory. Menopause, as aggravating as it can be, can provide a good source of laughter, even if only after the fact, lol. Why do you think I wrote a book about it? 🙂 If you can’t laugh, what are we doing here.
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May 18, 2016 at 10:50 am
And us men have the nerve to whimper about….. (well let’s not go into that, it’s all rather sad really).
Best wishes to you all ladies
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May 18, 2016 at 9:08 am
I’ll be so glad when the whole thing is over. Sometimes sleep dep does that to me. Sometimes it’s just too funny to stay mad. Beats the pants offa hot flashes and scary moments of despair. I choose to laugh with you! But I might realize I’m actually mad about it later today. One never can tell.
😉
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May 18, 2016 at 8:30 am
It just seems like a part of that emotional roller coaster that comes with age, menopause or not. Enjoy the ride. 🎢
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May 18, 2016 at 8:19 am
I was a late bloomer, went through menopause at age 55, (I’m 57 now). I admit I laugh more now than I did then…I’m not so emotionally angry or weepy at silly things now. Very seldom have angry outbursts, unless coerced by husband or son… thankfully.
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May 18, 2016 at 7:53 am
I can’t answer the menopausal-relationship question, but I can say that children and dogs can bring you to absurd laughter when you are quite within your rights to be mad.
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May 18, 2016 at 5:21 am
It isn’t just you. In fact, I have known more than one woman who went through the “merrypause” that you describe. I just assumed it was covered by the standard “mood swing” element of the whole thing and was, frankly, grateful that it was the easy option to be on the receiving end of. Enjoy it while it lasts, there’s worse things than a free laugh.
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May 18, 2016 at 4:49 am
ah! that’s it! )
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May 21, 2016 at 8:38 pm
🙂 I think it is!
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May 18, 2016 at 1:22 am
Mine was surgical in my late 30s. Best thing ever 🙂 The laughter thing somes with ‘advancing years’, I think. Less angst, more relaxed. It gets better as you go 🙂
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May 21, 2016 at 8:35 pm
Thanks for the encouragement, Sue. I don’t think I’ve wished to be older since I was a teenager, but after your comment… 😛 hehe
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May 23, 2016 at 12:45 pm
I’m thoroughly enjoying most of the maturing process, Linda 🙂
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May 24, 2016 at 9:16 pm
I know, right? My mother’s generation made it sound so depressing – just the process that is, not the actual depression it can cause… if that makes any sense.
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May 25, 2016 at 1:01 am
I was terrified 🙂 But to be fair, earlier generaions aged faster and with less opportunity to live a wider life than we do now.
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May 17, 2016 at 11:53 pm
I was thrown into menopause suddenly by an emergency complete hysterectomy when I was 32 so I totally can relate to the hot flash problems. I’ve never heard of the laughter problem but my guess is that it is a stress response. Laughter is better than anger any day, even if the anger may be justified.
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May 21, 2016 at 8:34 pm
This is true! Unless laughing makes you angrier. 😛
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May 17, 2016 at 11:39 pm
It seems every day I am discovering something else no one told us about menopause. It is such a crazy ride.
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May 21, 2016 at 8:32 pm
It really is, isn’t it? 😛
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May 17, 2016 at 11:19 pm
I’ll just stand back and watch fr this one – I might get laughed at unexplainably.
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May 21, 2016 at 8:31 pm
Ha! Hahaha!
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May 17, 2016 at 11:02 pm
I went through menopause at hyper speed due to an autoimmune thyroid condition. No – no laughter, just set the thermostat at 65 and rode it out!
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May 21, 2016 at 8:31 pm
I hope it didn’t last too long!
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May 22, 2016 at 12:14 am
I’m still moody – blaming it on menopause for the next thirty years 😀
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May 22, 2016 at 9:28 am
Haha! Good idea. 😀
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May 17, 2016 at 10:31 pm
LOL! Apparently I’ve been trapped in menopause my entire life. This does explain certain things that have gone wrong. 🙂
I have actually laughed hysterically at the most inopportune times since I was a teenager. Surprisingly menopause has actually been rather pleasant. There was a period of memory loss that drove me crazy, but it soon passed. I keep asking when the next shoe is going to drop, because so far it’s just made me feel better than I ever have.
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May 17, 2016 at 10:38 pm
That’s it! It’s the rage that’s weird and the laughter is just me popping in for a giggle! hehe. That would be more believable actually if it wasn’t for the circumstances that made me angry in the first place. 😛
But really, it hasn’t hit me anywhere near as hard as it did my mother. I’m with you, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I guess we’re the lucky ones. 🙂
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