Menopause

Why is it that menopause often feels like a secret struggle women endure alone? Join me, Queen, as we embark on a raw, heartfelt exploration of menopause's emotional and physical rollercoaster. We'll uncover what it means to say goodbye to monthly menstruation and how this significant life transition can reshape a woman's identity. We look at the critical role mothers, aunties, and grandmothers play in demystifying menstruation for young girls, setting the stage for how they’ll later approach menopause. This episode is not just about biology; it's about shared experiences and the stories that shape our understanding of womanhood.

Menopause isn’t just hot flashes and mood swings—it’s a profound shift felt in the heart and home. We dive into the unspoken mental and emotional challenges women face, from heightened stress to fluctuations in sex drive, and how these changes ripple through their relationships. This candid conversation aims to foster empathy, especially from men who might be puzzled by their partners' transformations. By sharing insights and personal experiences, we call for patience, support, and a deeper understanding of this life stage. Tune in for an honest, compassionate discussion that promises to bridge the gap between confusion and comprehension.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
the views and opinions expressed on this
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Any content provided by ourbloggers or authors are their
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(00:26):
anything.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Welcome to A Queen's Opinion.
My name is Queen, my voice, myopinion and your listening ears
and your listening ears.
We are continuing our opinionon health and wellness, and this
episode is called menopause.
Do you wonder why it's calledmenopause?

(00:56):
Could it be that when a manrealizes that his woman is going
through this tremendous changein her body, Her behaviors or
moods change hair falling outshort-tempered these changes can
make a man pause and askthemselves the question.
You know the question should Itrade her in for a new model or

(01:22):
not?
Trade her in for a new model ornot?
Menopause can be confusing forboth men and women.
To some men, they can't handlea woman going through such a
life-changing event.
Some men complain that theirpartner is too sensitive or she
is mean as hell.

(01:43):
I understand why some men mayfeel this way.
Maybe they're not taking thetime to understand what she is
going through.
So I wanted to take just alittle bit of time to give our
men an inside peek into what itmeans to go through menopause.

(02:06):
I want to share three mainpoints of menopause from a
woman's perspective.
What does menopause mean to awoman?
First, the monthly menstruationperiod stops, or the monthly
friend, as my grandmother calledit stops coming.

(02:27):
This is a blessing to somewomen because we don't have to
worry about getting pregnant.
Our bodies stop releasing eggsto be fertilized.
We don't have a need topurchase feminine products every
month because the friendstopped coming.

(02:49):
On the other hand, it is scaryand very sad because you realize
you can never birth childrenagain.
Some women feel child birthingis one of the main
justifications that make you awoman and separates you from

(03:10):
being a man.
Women are caught in a weirdspot, realizing menstruation
timeframes.
When it starts, we are way tooyoung.
I wanted to say that slow weare way too young.
Menstruation can start as earlyas 10.

(03:32):
Yes, you heard me correctly asearly as 10 years old.
At this age, children and girlsdon't understand why this is
happening to them and what itmeans.
It's also the time mothers,aunties and grandmothers have to
sit the young child down toanswer all the questions and

(03:55):
explain how to take care of yourmonthly friend requirements.
We are told that now you aremoving to a stage, stage one of
becoming a big girl.
We explain what private partsare on their bodies.

(04:16):
We tell them that they aregoing to be a big girl, but they
have to go through step onefirst, and there are many steps
to becoming a big girl.
And now they will experiencestep one and mama will guide
them through the process.
We teach them about all thefeminine products available and

(04:40):
how to use them.
Regarding their friend as youcan imagine, fathers are not
part of this conversation andhow to use them.
Regarding their friend as youcan imagine, fathers are not
part of this conversation.
It makes them so uncomfortableto think about their daughter or
granddaughter starting theiradministration.
This is when men get theirfirst glance at the process.

(05:03):
For women, during thismenstruation journey, Our
hormones are raging andbehaviors begin to change.
Fathers are going to bechallenged, for sure, by all the
women in the house.
Number two what happens to awoman's behavior or moods,

(05:28):
mental and physical changesduring menopause?
Just asking this question istriggering, because we just want
understanding from peoplearound us, not questions.
We get cranky and patience isshort yes, very short.

(05:50):
Sometimes we are feelingstressed out.
We're feeling stressed abouteverything from the job kids,
husbands, the house, pets,friends just everything.
Our hormones are taking overthe body and our sex drive has
changed baby.

(06:11):
Now we are stressed about thehusbands yes, you, the husbands.
Why?
Well, we know his patience iswearing thin and he might be
asking the question abouttrading in the old model wife
for a new girlfriend.
He wants more sex, or askingyou to keep the current flow in

(06:37):
the bedroom, but you have nodesire to have sex or make love.
Both of these activities are ano for you.
We understand how important sexis to a relationship, so we do
what we have to do to keep thatdamn peace.

(07:01):
Men don't realize that ourbodies are not producing that
sugar and honey elixir they areused to in the bedroom.
Our sex drive is not the same.
In addition to our bodies notproducing the bedroom elixir, we
are peeing more often, havinghot flashes and sweating out our

(07:24):
clothes and hair.
This alone would make anybodyfrustrated, irritable, mad,
upset, sad and depressed.
So we ran to the doctor'soffice to seek a little relief
for the menopause symptoms.
He tells you hot flashes andsweating is all normal for

(07:47):
menopause.
You need to drink more waterand stay hydrated.
And in regards to sex, oh mygoodness, just get some
lubricant from the drugstore formoisture.
What the hell?
That's what I'm thinking right.
Then, finally, he writes you aprescription for hormone

(08:12):
replacement to help youstabilize your hormones and
hopefully increase your sixdrive, irritability and energy.
We can get a break.
Your six drive, irritabilityand energy.
We can't get a break.
And in the same fashion, thehairstylist tells us our hair is
thinning.
Your hair is thinning, it's dry.

(08:33):
Ooh, it look like it's fallingout.
What All these changes are dueto menopause.
Our hormones are taking overthe body and the mind.
Anxiety or depression haskicked in and we don't know if

(08:56):
we are coming or going.
We feel lost and alone becausewe think no one understands how
we feel.
Our mind is cloudy and it takesus a few minutes longer to
receive, analyze and respond toquestions.
Our mind is saying please getthe fuck out of my face right

(09:20):
now, but we respond with a morepleasing and acceptable answer.
Number three what does a womanneed as she goes through
menopause?
What do we need?
She needs patience,understanding and that

(09:43):
unconditional love.
She needs to know that she hasa man by her side that is going
to be understanding when shetells him I'm not in the mood to
make love.
Or she may say something like Idon't feel like making love or
having sex tonight, somethinglike I don't feel like making

(10:06):
love or having sex tonight.
She needs a man to step up andhelp her out a little bit more,
just a little bit more.
In the house, you can preparedinner for the kids.
You can wash the clothes, drythem, separate them and put them
up.
She may ask you to even helpthe kids with their homework.

(10:26):
Take them to the practice,football, cheerleading, soccer,
tutoring, wherever they need togo Just do.
What does a woman need?
What does a woman need as sheis going through menopause?
She needs your support with allaspects of her life.

(10:48):
She needs to know that you aregoing to be her ride or die man
by her side.
You won't judge her, criticizeher or drop her for a new young
thing.
What does a woman need?
She needs you to understandthat she is changing physically

(11:09):
and mentally.
She needs you to understandthat she has no control over her
body changing.
This is something that allwomen go through.
What does a woman need?
She needs you to give her grace.
Do you wonder why it's calledmenopause?

(11:31):
The word meno means month inGreek and meno means minus or
less in Latin.
The word pause means tointerrupt.
This is what menopause does toour lives.

(11:52):
Menopause interrupts our bodiesfrom head to toe, left side,
right side, front and back.
Menopause causes our minds topause and put cloudy thoughts in
our heads.
Menopause puts a pause in allareas of our lives, every day,

(12:19):
month and year.
Well, my opinion is thisMenopause means a monthly pause
or monthly interruption of lifeas we know it.
We must learn to adapt to thechange and start a new phase of
our lives.
A new phase of our lives.

(12:48):
I hope this episode gave youmale listeners a better
understanding of what menopausedoes to women.
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(13:09):
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(13:30):
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(13:51):
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(14:13):
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