menopause isn't a disease!
Judy has been a stay at home mom since her first child was born twenty-five years ago. Right now she's experiencing the menopause and feeling very annoyed that her children walk around on eggshells expecting all manner of dreadful things to happen to her.
"They've heard all about the menopause from television and magazines," explains Judy, "and they've swallowed far too much nonsense for my liking."
"Nobody in their right mind can deny that menopause severely affects some women, but most fifty plus women sail through it with the only really noticeable symptom - and a blessed one - being cessation of periods."
"That a natural passage of life - like the start of periods in our early teens - should be blown up into a disease warranting a multi-million dollar medical and pharmaceutical industry to cater for it is something that defies logic," says Judy. "And worse still is that the menopause scam is causing real diseases to be misdiagnosed in middle aged women."
When she was 41, Judy contracted meningitis but it took four doctors to get a correct diagnosis. While she was doing the rounds getting these opinions, Judy nearly lost her life.
The first three doctors Judy saw told her that headaches are a common symptom of commencement of menopause, and that she should take some painkillers and relax a bit more. And, if the headaches persist, to consider HRT to regulate her hormone levels.
"When an 11 year old girl goes to see a doctor complaining about headaches," says Judy, "it would be a very stupid doctor who would attribute her headaches to early commencement of menstruation and send her home with painkillers, telling her to relax a bit more and, if the headaches persist, to consider taking hormones to make her feel better. Right?"
Judy is understandably furious that women in their forties and fifties are treated by some doctors as if all of their ills are due to menopause, and all their pains can be resolved by HRT.
"It is grossly negligent, and grossly unfair," complains Judy.
"I feel that women over forty have probably got a bad rap because so many women in this age group do have enormous life burdens and maybe their doctor is the only person who will listen to them."
"I have a sneaky suspicion that doctors are taught at medical school that women over forty are sexually frustrated old women who just need a shot of HRT to restore their sex drive and then they’re okay!" laughs Judy.
"I was thrilled to pieces when menopause stopped my periods, and caused my sex drive to drop to zilch," says Judy. "My husband’s sex drive had dropped to zilch years ago and now we're equal."
"There’s nothing worse," laughs Judy, "than being in a marriage where one party has a higher sex drive than the other. And when a woman has a higher sex drive than her partner it’s a real problem for the marriage unless she can find an accommodating man, or feels okay about masturbation."
Judy’s marital satisfaction - and that of her husband - has increased tenfold since her menopause. She is enjoying being affectionate with her husband without either party wanting penetration or earth-moving climaxes.
"And this," says Judy, "is just as well because with adult children at home I would feel uncomfortable with them hearing us making mad passionate love in the bedroom! It’s OK when the kids are young, but there does come a time when you’re aware that your children know what’s going on!"
"Actually it's no coincidence that libido drops in both men and women when children are in that curious pre-teen period," laughs Judy. "None of my kids are showing any signs of leaving so I'll just have to get used to having them prying into my private life - talking about menopausal symptoms that I just don't have!"
"Being a fifties woman," says Judy, "is really not so bad, but I remain upset about the medical profession’s warped view of menopause. I fear that any sickness I’m likely to get from now onwards is going to be attributed to menopause rather than to another cause."
Judy wants all women to accept menopause as a natural and beautiful part of life - giving as much as it takes away - and she wants all doctors to treat fifties women as normal human beings, with normal complaints, until such time as it becomes manifestly clear that a particular woman needs HRT or just someone to talk to.
Judy's story first appeared as the menopause scam? and is reprinted with permission.
"They've heard all about the menopause from television and magazines," explains Judy, "and they've swallowed far too much nonsense for my liking."
"Nobody in their right mind can deny that menopause severely affects some women, but most fifty plus women sail through it with the only really noticeable symptom - and a blessed one - being cessation of periods."
"That a natural passage of life - like the start of periods in our early teens - should be blown up into a disease warranting a multi-million dollar medical and pharmaceutical industry to cater for it is something that defies logic," says Judy. "And worse still is that the menopause scam is causing real diseases to be misdiagnosed in middle aged women."
When she was 41, Judy contracted meningitis but it took four doctors to get a correct diagnosis. While she was doing the rounds getting these opinions, Judy nearly lost her life.
The first three doctors Judy saw told her that headaches are a common symptom of commencement of menopause, and that she should take some painkillers and relax a bit more. And, if the headaches persist, to consider HRT to regulate her hormone levels.
"When an 11 year old girl goes to see a doctor complaining about headaches," says Judy, "it would be a very stupid doctor who would attribute her headaches to early commencement of menstruation and send her home with painkillers, telling her to relax a bit more and, if the headaches persist, to consider taking hormones to make her feel better. Right?"
Judy is understandably furious that women in their forties and fifties are treated by some doctors as if all of their ills are due to menopause, and all their pains can be resolved by HRT.
"It is grossly negligent, and grossly unfair," complains Judy.
"I feel that women over forty have probably got a bad rap because so many women in this age group do have enormous life burdens and maybe their doctor is the only person who will listen to them."
"I have a sneaky suspicion that doctors are taught at medical school that women over forty are sexually frustrated old women who just need a shot of HRT to restore their sex drive and then they’re okay!" laughs Judy.
"I was thrilled to pieces when menopause stopped my periods, and caused my sex drive to drop to zilch," says Judy. "My husband’s sex drive had dropped to zilch years ago and now we're equal."
"There’s nothing worse," laughs Judy, "than being in a marriage where one party has a higher sex drive than the other. And when a woman has a higher sex drive than her partner it’s a real problem for the marriage unless she can find an accommodating man, or feels okay about masturbation."
Judy’s marital satisfaction - and that of her husband - has increased tenfold since her menopause. She is enjoying being affectionate with her husband without either party wanting penetration or earth-moving climaxes.
"And this," says Judy, "is just as well because with adult children at home I would feel uncomfortable with them hearing us making mad passionate love in the bedroom! It’s OK when the kids are young, but there does come a time when you’re aware that your children know what’s going on!"
"Actually it's no coincidence that libido drops in both men and women when children are in that curious pre-teen period," laughs Judy. "None of my kids are showing any signs of leaving so I'll just have to get used to having them prying into my private life - talking about menopausal symptoms that I just don't have!"
"Being a fifties woman," says Judy, "is really not so bad, but I remain upset about the medical profession’s warped view of menopause. I fear that any sickness I’m likely to get from now onwards is going to be attributed to menopause rather than to another cause."
Judy wants all women to accept menopause as a natural and beautiful part of life - giving as much as it takes away - and she wants all doctors to treat fifties women as normal human beings, with normal complaints, until such time as it becomes manifestly clear that a particular woman needs HRT or just someone to talk to.
Judy's story first appeared as the menopause scam? and is reprinted with permission.
Labels: fifty plus, hrt, libido, medical industry, menopause, pharmaceutical industry, sex drive, women
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