That first hot flash or night sweat is enough to make any woman sit back and wonder what’s ahead. If you’ve recently entered menopause, you probably have a lot of questions. The great news is that there are many tools you can use to make sense of things like sleep disturbance, hot flashes, loss of libido, vaginal dryness, sleep disorders, and more. From mobile phone apps to support groups, therapy, blogs, and books, the information’s out there for menopausal women looking for answers. If you or someone you love is entering menopause, read on for three resources to help manage it.
1. MenoLabs App
Any postmenopausal woman will tell you that menopause isn’t easy. From changes in estrogen and other hormone levels that cause mood swings and night sweats to nausea and sleep disorders, some even report feeling a total loss of control. For some, managing menopause symptoms means prescription medicine. For others, it means becoming a Google scholar about everything hormone-related.
Whether your side effects are extreme or minor, MedLabs has an app that allows women to track everything from hot flashes to menopause insomnia while comparing themselves to other women with similar menopause symptoms. A great way to normalize what you’re going through and to help you feel connected, this app works for perimenopausal women, too. If you’ve started the hormone changes that are causing sleep problems or make you wonder if you need hormone replacement therapy, this app is a great place to look for answers.
2. Therapy and Support Groups
If you need something more personal and face to face, another answer could be seeing a therapist. While a mental health therapist can’t offer hormone therapy, they can certainly listen to your problems and provide a safe place to vent your frustration. Maybe your depressive symptoms have you asking Google things like “is court reporting school difficult?”, when you would have leaped at the challenge of learning a new skill like court reporting in the past. Maybe you’re legitimately concerned you’ve developed a mood disorder because of sleep issues and a change in appetite. Seeing a licensed and trained professional might be enough to give you peace of mind.
While you should always see your primary physician for medical symptoms like iron deficiencies or changes in blood pressure, a mental health provider can help you work through things like emotions relating to aging and empty-nesting.
Perhaps even better than a therapist is a group of other women going through menopause, too. These women would understand exactly what you were experiencing and be able to provide their own testimonials of how they’re managing symptoms. A place to meet new friends and go through menopause together, it might be worth asking your doctor or therapist if they know of any support groups for mature women.
3. Books and Educational Blogs
If you’re a person who naturally researches everything from CBD oil for anemia to chronic pain symptoms, you probably already know to do a Google search for books on menopause. Go further than that with your research. Look for blogs, vlogs, and pages or groups on various social media platforms. Challenge yourself to find informational material on things like menopausal hormone therapy, but also funny things. Laughing at this temporary state with other women is a great way to pull through.
In the end, remind yourself that menopause is only a temporary condition. While it may feel like you’ve been juggling hot flashes for a long time or that none of the treatment options are right for you, the reality is that menopause has an important role in your life as a natural phase of development. As you head into your golden years, do what you can to live in the moment. Those hot flashes prove that you’ve survived a life well lived and will again. Good luck to you on your quest for the right menopause resources!