I hope this story from Carol can be an encouragement to you.  She emailed me and I asked her permission to post her story.  I've changed her name to Carol, just for privacy, and the photo is there simply to let you know that real people are going through the same thing.  Thank you Carol for sharing with us.

The Big M, that’s what many of my friends call it. I really never did understand why people make such a big deal out of menopause. Women that I knew when asked just didn’t seem to know anything about menopause, the symptoms or relief. My mother, grandmother, aunts and cousins all went through it as if in denial. It just wasn’t a subject that was discussed. I really didn't know what to expect, but I had a few years left to figure it out and prepare for the big event.

Then all of a sudden, there I am being diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer at 42 and needing an emergency hysterectomy. My body went into full blow menopause meltdown with a few cuts from a scalpel. Of course I didn’t have any symptoms for the first few weeks, however after about a month I was about insane. I was so hot I couldn’t sleep and sweating so much the bed had to be changed constantly. It was January, the temperature a very chilly 30 degrees Fahrenheit and I would find myself outside with the cover pulled back from the edge of the swimming pool and my feet in it. While back in the house my husband had on 4 layers of clothes and a blanket wrapped around him just to keep warm.

So at that point I began to understand and know all about menopause. Hot flashes and night sweats seemed to be running my life and not only at night. Other menopause symptoms I began having were cravings for foods that I didn’t normally eat such as ice cream. Of course giving into this caused me to gain weight and when I gained weight I got depressed about it. Then as if that wasn’t enough, my poor family had to deal with my moods, which made Jekyll and Hyde look tame.

Of course since I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer, HRT was out of the question, so I had to look for alternate ways to find relief from the menopause symptoms I was having. So I did some research to find out what I could do to help get the menopause symptoms under control. Everything I read pointed to healthy living.

Then I thought what did I have to loose other than some very uncomfortable menopause symptoms.  That’s when I began to go to the gym and work out at least 3 times a week, I cut sugar out of my diet completely, I started eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and less meats. I also started taking vitamins and supplements on a daily basis. I also began doing some Yoga, which helped me to learn to relax.

All of this took a lot of will power on my part, especially since I had led such a sedentary life before. I was amazed at the difference, within a few weeks I began feeling better, the hot flashes dissipated and I wasn’t waking up in a pool of sweat. Of course the fact that my body was toning up and looking better and I was losing weight was a big bonus.

So listen up, it’s been just over 2 years when I was forced into menopause and believe me, it’s a cakewalk.

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