THE mysterious "affliction" became noticeable in my fourth decade of life. The symptoms: Walking down the hallway to get something, then forgetting what it was; waking up at 2 a.m. and not getting sleepy until 4; feeling murderous right before that "time of month;" and the pesky little needle on the bathroom scale going up, up, up despite regular exercise and Spartan diet. Middle age
and (gasp!)
perimenopauseWhat in woman's name was happening to this forty-something body?
Recently, one theory surfaced in the health section of a big-chain book store: a colorful book cover featuring a female cartoon character holding her head and looking distressed.
The tome's title: "Could It Be Perimenopause?" by Dr. Steven R. Goldstein and Laurie Ashner (Little, Brown and Co., 1998). The blunt and super-descriptive subtitle: "How Women 35-50 Can Overcome Forgetfulness, Mood Swings, Insomnia, Weight Gain, Sexual Dysfunction, and Other Telltale Signs of Hormonal Imbalance."
Perimenopause? That's it! By Georgette, I think I've got it!
Despite my ob/gyn doctor's laughing fit on telling him about the newest addition to my library, the premise is worth considering.
According to the book jacket, "If you are a woman in your late 30s or 40s and are experiencing mood swings, free-floating anxiety, memory lapses, inability to concentrate, sleep disturbances...it is not all in your head, and you are not alone.
"Many of these symptoms result from fluctuating levels of unopposed estrogen -- the hallmark of a distinct stage known as perimenopause that begins up to a decade before actual menopause, long before your first hot flash."
Honest, I'm not trying to sell a bunch of books for the authors or advocate a school of thought still ridiculed by the medical mainstream. However, isn't it better to investigate what's ailing you, instead of just suffering and blaming it on old age?
If anything, women need to stand up for their rights -- especially the right to complain.
Too many of us have gone to the physician's office, shared our concerns about feeling lousy, and got a pat on the head and condescending look in return. Enough, already. Will somebody take our bellyaching seriously?
Dr. Goldstein and Ashner are. So are many other authors. They acknowledge that something is indeed happening to the female body as it approaches the menopause stage.
"Could It Be Perimenopause" answers questions such as:
THE chapters are presented in a woman-friendly manner, with titles such as "Should You Treat Your Symptoms Naturally?," "Rx for Black Moods," "Plain Talk About Estrogen" and my personal favorite, "You Don't Have to Feel This Way."What exactly is going on in your body? What hormones are you making in what quantity and why do these hormones matter?
Middle-aged women of the world who don't feel perfectly marvelous, unite! Read books, log onto the Internet and compare notes with gal pals.
Suffering went out with the suffragettes.
Diane Yukihiro Chang's column runs Monday and Friday.
She can be reached by phone at 525-8607, via e-mail at
DianeChang@aol.com, or by fax at 523-7863.