Menopause Day

 Yesterday was World Menopause Day.

Now, I’m going to say something unpopular.

Menopause is great.

It’s not just great, it’s bloody fantastic. I use the word bloody on purpose because bloody is less a feature of your life.

I was lucky enough to go through menopause at the normal time, meaning that my fertile period had been effectively utilised. As transitions go, it wasn’t the easiest but the other side is fantastic. The problem with menopause being at the normal time is that it comes with a whole load of other transitions. Life changes for mothers and people with parents at around the age of 50 in more ways than is actually comfortable. 

But the benefits.

Not only can I now wear white trousers without suddenly looking like the Japanese flag but my mood is more my own. If I’m grumpy now, it’s because I’m grumpy rather than a sudden dip in progesterone. Obviously, I’m more irritable than I’d like because I’m getting older and my patience for things has worn out. My joints ache and my eyesight has got worse but doing all this without the monthly hormone party and anaemia inducing blood loss is something that should be celebrated. And while we’re at it let’s mention that cramping pain that had you doubled over every month, pretending everything was fine - gone!

Soon, a new celebrity will take over from Davina McCall, pronouncing that no one talks about menopause. She will be incandescent and say all the things that all the celebs have said before. Meanwhile, Davina will be having a great life in her white trousers, forgetting to mention how bloody fantastic the other side is.