You've heard of "Dear Abby", now we've got "Dear Minnie" to respond to your questions about going through menopause or just getting through the "middle-rages" and making sense of all the issues that only a woman who has gone through it could do!
"Minnie" will answer as many of your questions as possible about where to find the information you need to make your life (as it is now) easier! "Minnie" cannot answer medical questions, but she will try to direct you to the best possible place to get answers, whether it is an internet site or a specialist in your area.

Dear Minnie:
I saw "increase in allergies" on the list of symptoms of menopause and said "That's me".  I am 48 years old, and have been experiencing most of the perimenopausal symptoms for the past three years.  Only in the past 6 months have my allergies gotten worse.  I have the same basic allergies I've always had, but my sensitivity and reaction to the allergies has dramatically increased.  My medicine is not strong enough anymore.  I have not found much literature on this.  Could my increased sensitivity to allergies be due to the menopause?  Do other women experience this?  Thanks...Nancy in Memphis

Dear Nancy:
yes, many women experience the problem you mentioned. I haven't read through all this info, but this site seems to have some answers: http://www.onlineallergycenter.com/hormoneallergies/

Hope you get some relief soon!
Stay cool!
Minnie

Dear Minnie:
I would like to know about anxiety.  Whats happening with me, is I have no reason to be nervous but lately I just get this feeling like something is wrong, I feel nervous, unsettled and ill at ease and can't figure it out. I can be fine for awhile then boom.  Is this menopause or something else.
Thanks for your help.........Fran

Dear Fran,
Hi Fran......nearly every woman out there experiences some or all of the feelings you described. You didn't mention your age, but it certainly could be part of peri-menopause. As soon as the hormones start fluctuating, even a little bit, it's common to feel "a little off". You're way ahead of the game by asking yourself if this could be the beginning of menopause, but you have a lot of research ahead of you if you want to manage this experience (could be several years) with confidence and understanding of the basics. Some women don't want to do the work.....they want a magic pill or someone just to tell them what to do, but we're all too different so there's no one answer. I've tried to gather some resources for my readers that will narrow things down a bit, but then you need to find what will work for you. Here's my links page: http://www.minniepauz.com/minnie2.html

For your question about anxiety, if you don't find something in the pages I recommend, I would go to a search engine and type in "menopause and anxiety". You will find thousands of sites (information overload, I know!) to browse through and I can almost guarantee you will find something that sounds "just like you". :)

I am suggesting this so that you will be somewhat more prepared when you see your healthcare provider (if you have one). It's good to print out the list of symptoms and make notes by each one that pertain to what you've been feeling. It helps the physician to get a clearer picture of your situation.

The main thing is to realize you're not alone and these feelings are extemely common among women who are starting to change........ I wish you a pleasant "journey" and am very glad you're onboard with Minnie Pauz! :)
Best wishes,

Sincerely,
Minnie