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!
Each week "Minnie" will answer your questions about where to find the information you need to make your life (as it is now) easier! "Minnie" cannot answer medical questions,  but she CAN 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'm 52 years old and feeling totally overwhelmed by menopausal symptoms. Night sweats, hot flashes, fatigue...I feel like I'm going crazy!  How in the world do I manage all these changes?  I don't think I can handle it.
Wired in Washtenaw

Dear Wired:
Hold on to your helmet...you're NOT going crazy.  But you ARE facing a challenging phase of life that defies easy answers. To date there are 35 (yes, THIRTY FIVE)  recognized symptoms related to menopause.  Many of us wake up not knowing which one (or, Lord help us, two or three) we'll be facing that day. Is it any wonder that it's tough to "manage" this time in our lives?

Take comfort from the fact that 50 million women are experiencing these changes along with you, and thousands of doctors are working on providing relief.  Plug into their knowledge TODAY and set out on a quest to find the best therapies for YOU.  Speak to medical professionals, join one of the many online communities that cater to menopausal women and learn about the myriad ways, from hormone replacement to yoga, that women are coping with menopausal symptoms. There's no need to be a victim of this natural process when you can research, experiment, and educate yourself.. and come out on the "other side" a stronger, wiser woman!

Oh...and as for your assertion that you "don't think you can handle it," think about this:  We women have given birth to the ENTIRE population of this here planet...we can handle a challenge and that includes you!
Sincerely,
Minnie
 

Dear Minnie:
Just wondering...what were your first menopausal symptoms?  And were you as "positive" and "upbeat" as you tell us to be?
Curious Carol

Dear Carol:
When the hot flashes started I was working in an office and wearing suits, pantyhose and heels. Yes, it WAS embarrassing to fan myself constantly and hide in the restroom putting cold water on my face, but that
wasn't any worse than sprinting to the High School Girls' Room clutching my package of Kotex and hoping I hadn't stained my new white slacks.

 I dealt with the mood swings by reminding myself that they weren't much different from my PMS symptoms.  And yes, I relied on humor to help me through: a few strokes of the pen and my obsolete office sign reading "PMS ZONE: Anything you say can and will be held against you" was updated to "Menopause zone."

I fully understand that some women have it much worse than others, but how you deal with menopause will make a world of difference. It really DOES help to laugh at ourselves (I do it at least once a day...). Our minds are very powerful and with practice, we can control the thoughts we dwell on....it always feels better to dwell on the positive!!   Yes, there are serious issues to deal with, but come on...let's stop thinking of menopause as a life threatening disease.  We deal with SOME kind of change at every stage of life.
Sincerely,
Minnie