I've just been told I'm going through early menopause. I'm only 33. Does this mean I won't be able to have children?
First, I want to say how sorry I am to hear you are going through this at 33. It can be quite a shocking diagnosis and sadly, premature menopause is on the increase.
Whilst early menopause will affect your ability to have children naturally, you do have options. You may still be able to have children by using IVF and donated eggs from another woman or using your own eggs if you had some stored. Surrogacy and adoption may also be options for you. I really recommend checking out some online forums if you want to chat to other women who have been through this experience. They are great places to find useful information and support.
I've always been healthy, but since I’ve been peri-menoapusal I've had so little energy I can barely get out of bed. What's wrong with me?
There are many reasons for lacking in energy. If we are feeling more stressed than usual, going through hormonal fluctuations, or working out more, we might need to adjust our diet and to focus on higher protein sources and making sure we are getting enough iron in our diet. Another dietary tweak is focussing on drinking two litres of still water a day.
Ensuring our sleep hygiene hasn’t slipped is essential, so turn off those devices and the TV an hour before bed to allow your nervous system to wind down and make sure you are getting enough sleep.
If you have done all those things and are still struggling with not having enough energy it might be time to book in with your GP and get some tests done as fatigue can be a symptom for some underlying conditions like Diabetes or Thyroid issues. If the tests come back with no obvious issues, I would recommend seeing a health practitioner or nutritionist who can see if they can offer support with supplements such as magnesium or diet to get your bounce back.
Since going through the menopause, my mum has been an absolute nightmare, and she's constantly in a bad mood. Will she always be like this now?
This is such a challenging situation. Our hormones are so implicated in mood. Menopause is like going through a long-term bout of PMS where we are snappy at everything. If it’s any consolation many of the women going through the menopause are very aware they are in a constant bad mood and really don’t want to be, but don’t have the hormonal capacity to stop. Other women are unaware that their moods are affecting others and having a gentle conversation can be a catalyst to encourage them to get help from either the medical or complimentary route, whichever they are more comfortable with.
The good news is my answer to your question is no, it won’t last forever and when her hormones settle down, she will have more emotional stability. The bad news is that for some women that can take up to 10 years so this does take some understanding and communication from everyone involved to be able to process it compassionately and effectively.
I've got high blood sugars, and despite eating a healthy diet they're still not coming down. Why is this?
Blood sugars are affected by a variety of things, not just diet. To ensure its not diet related make sure that you are eating a protein source at every meal from meat, fish, eggs, tofu or clean protein powders (not the ones filled with sugar and fillers). If you are already doing this, have an honest conversation with yourself about stress. The stress hormone cortisol spikes our blood sugars and too much stress can be a cause of diabetes even if your diet is perfect. Another way to control blood sugars is to make sure you are exercising enough. Exercise is one of the best ways of reducing blood sugars (but don’t work out too hard or you can be adding to your stress). If you are concerned speak to your GP or work with a health practitioner or nutritionist who specialise in blood sugar management.
