Anti-Aging in Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Menopause and Giving in to the Mystery

By Menopause Goddess, Lynette Sheppard

Early in my Menopause transition (euphemism for hellish maelstrom of horrifying hormonal events), so many things bothered me that I couldn't keep count. As the preliminary WTF freakouts of perimenopause and volcanic upheavals of The Big M are now mostly in my rear view mirror, I realize that some irritants that used to upset me simply don’t any longer. And that’s a real blessing.

For example, I used to be confounded and annoyed by the backhanded compliment "You look good…for your age." Now, heck, I'll take any compliment I can get without overanalyzing it for nuance or even honesty. I'll just focus on the "look good" part and thank the complimenter with sincere gratitude.

Being called ma'am initially was both disconcerting and horrifying. My mom is ma'am. And she just barely. I felt old and frumpy every time I was addressed in this fashion usually by someone only recently out of diapers, waiting on me in the store or bank.

But now, I gotta say, I'm okay with ma’am. You might say I've grown into it. Ma'am. Short for madam – now there’s a racy little thought. And when someone calls me "Miss"? I know they're just sucking up or trying to sell me something. I no way qualify for "Miss" anymore. Another thing in my rear view mirror and I don’t really miss it.

I've heard some of my friends and sister goddesses over the years complain about being invisible. And I've certainly experienced that evanescence myself when a clerk looks right past me to wait on some hot young woman. "Hey!" I'd want to yell. "I"m right here taking up space. Service me – or at least wait on me." (No I never did yell, I'd just clear my throat and say, "Excuse me, I believe I was here first." Which either worked or didn't.

However, now in my post menopausal incarnation, I find that I enjoy a certain anonymity, thanks to this decreasing visibility. I can slip in and out of places faster than a greased pig. Hawkers on the street miss giving me flyers. I love that.

And if I'm having a bad hair day? Or a fat day? Who cares? I'm invisible in the very best way and can just go about my business, carefree and happy. I don't have an image to keep up. I'm ma'am now, remember?

No, I'm not letting myself go – just letting myself be. So much easier when you aren't noticed that much anymore. Whew, what a relief. Forgetting things drove me absolutely stark staring mad in the beginning of my transition. Not so anymore. I'm used to it. I have workarounds to make my life work. I am the Queen of ritual and OCD in organizing stuff.

I just can't trust my formerly prodigious memory any longer to pick up the slack. And honestly, I can't get all worked up about it anymore. I exercise my brain as well as my body but neither are going to be in Olympic condition any time soon. Or ever. Hence the workarounds.

Lastly, not knowing the why of things sent me into an info gathering tailspin. Not all bad. I've learned (and shared) so much about the crazy Menopause journey through my incessant desire for understanding. And while I can learn and understand a lot, some things will remain incomprehensible. Maybe forever.

Like why I had hot flashes to the point of nausea and my friend Susan had nary a flush. Or why black cohosh works for some and not others. Or why I and others lose our hair while some women boast luxurious manes all their lives.

Overall, I've come to an acceptance that some things may never be clear. In a sense, I’m on a need-to-know basis – and apparently the great mystery has decided that I don’t really need to know. So be it.

Maybe the biggest change is this: I'm just going to enjoy the Mystery, however it plays out, whatever challenges or wonders await me 'round the next bend. That might be one of the secrets to aging gracefully. Maybe not. Then again, maybe.

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Nearby Results Your search returned 71 nearby results

  1. Joseph Carluccio MD

    Bloomfield, NJ (About 4 miles)

    Phone
    (973) 338-3300

  2. Aurora DeJuliis MD

    Bloomfield, NJ (About 4 miles)

    Phone
    (973) 338-6300

  3. Carol Skipper MD

    Jersey City, NJ (About 6 miles)

    Phone
    (201) 547-3555

  4. Thomas Tupper MD

    New York, NY (About 6 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 246-5888

  5. Jacque Moritz MD

    New York, NY (About 6 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 603-4160

  6. Mahshid Assadi MD

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 315-3322

  7. Jeffrey Delson MD

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 206-0629

  8. Ronald Hoffman MD

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 779-1744

  9. Priscilla Uychich DO

    Elmwood Park, NJ (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (201) 796-0866

  10. Erika Schwartz MD

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (866) 373-7452

  11. Ellen Blye MD

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 877-2833

  12. Lonnie Morris ND, CNM

    Fort Lee, NJ (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (201) 969-1759

  13. Deborah Coady MD

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 941-0011

  14. Eden Fromberg DO

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 941-0011

  15. Nancy Mellow MD

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 242-0430

  16. Eric Braverman MD

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 213-6155

  17. Robin Leder MD

    Hackensack, NJ (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (201) 525-1155

  18. Sabina Ostolski DO

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 253-5501

  19. Michael Aziz MD

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 906-9111

  20. Sophia Drosinos MD

    New York, NY (About 7 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 317-4541

  21. John Paciuc MD

    New York, NY (About 8 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 737-3356

  22. Shari Leipzig MD

    New York, NY (About 8 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 860-2600

  23. Gila Leiter MD

    New York, NY (About 8 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 860-2600

  24. Douglas Moss MD

    New York, NY (About 8 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 860-2600

  25. Richard Rivlin MD

    New York, NY (About 8 miles)

    Phone
    (646) 898-2749

  26. Karen Patrusky MD

    Englewood, NJ (About 9 miles)

    Phone
    (201) 871-4346

  27. Anne Cozien-Crenesse MD

    Brooklyn, NY (About 9 miles)

    Phone
    (718) 780-4851

  28. Larry Neuman MD

    New York, NY (About 9 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 568-7403

  29. Neil Share MD

    Fair Lawn, NJ (About 9 miles)

    Phone
    (201) 796-2025

  30. Rimma Sherman MD

    Livingston, NJ (About 10 miles)

    Phone
    (973) 597-1197

  31. Gary Klingsberg DO

    Englewood, NJ (About 10 miles)

    Phone
    (201) 503-0007

  32. Monique Vizel-Schwartz MD

    New York, NY (About 10 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 228-7645

  33. Eric Wahl MD

    New York, NY (About 10 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 674-8777

  34. Virginia Reath PA

    New York, NY (About 10 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 219-3440

  35. Roberta Lee MD

    New York, NY (About 10 miles)

    Phone
    (646) 935-2220

  36. Adrienne Simone MD

    New York, NY (About 10 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 627-1222

  37. Steven Goldstein MD

    New York, NY (About 10 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 263-7416

  38. Gary Goldman MD

    New York, NY (About 10 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 535-6100

  39. Richard Ash MD

    New York, NY (About 11 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 758-3200

  40. Eric Ganz MD

    New York, NY (About 11 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 641-4500

  41. Karen Paris PA

    New York, NY (About 11 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 779-2944

  42. Fred Pescatore MD

    New York, NY (About 11 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 779-2944

  43. Karlene ChinQuee MD

    New York, NY (About 11 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 861-3130

  44. Tina Dobsevage MD

    New York, NY (About 11 miles)

    Phone
    (646) 672-0763

  45. Elizabeth Poynor MD

    New York, NY (About 11 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 426-2700

  46. Anna Pavlides MD

    Staten Island, NY (About 12 miles)

    Phone
    (718) 273-5500

  47. Rita Shats MD

    Staten Island, NY (About 12 miles)

    Phone
    (718) 273-5500

  48. Janet E Norton MD

    Staten Island, NY (About 12 miles)

    Phone
    (718) 727-9125

  49. Eric Knochenhauer MD

    Staten Island, NY (About 12 miles)

    Phone
    (718) 761-6000

  50. Claudia Cooke MD

    New York, NY (About 12 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 213-0288

  51. Eileen Hoffman MD

    New York, NY (About 12 miles)

    Phone
    (646) 424-1530

  52. James Cowan MD

    Ridgewood, NJ (About 12 miles)

    Phone
    (201) 670-4124

  53. Melinda Huang MD

    New York, NY (About 13 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 423-3430

  54. Kathryn Shreve NP

    New York, NY (About 13 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 423-3430

  55. Alan Jacobs MD

    New York, NY (About 13 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 888-0002

  56. Florence Comite MD

    New York, NY (About 14 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 288-8123

  57. Gaetano Bello MD

    New York, NY (About 14 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 717-5500

  58. Tara Allmen MD

    New York, NY (About 15 miles)

    Phone
    (646) 784-7252

  59. Myron Buchman MD

    New York, NY (About 15 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 861-1950

  60. Mary Wilson MD

    New York, NY (About 15 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 439-1958

  61. Mark Gold MD

    New York, NY (About 15 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 288-8300

  62. John Reynolds PA

    Pompton Plns, NJ (About 15 miles)

    Phone
    (845) 364-9496

  63. Laura Corio MD

    New York, NY (About 15 miles)

    Phone
    (646) 422-0730

  64. Nargess Ahgharian MD

    New York, NY (About 15 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 759-6623

  65. Ellen Manos MD

    New York, NY (About 15 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 759-6623

  66. Cecilia Schmidt-Sarosi MD

    New York, NY (About 15 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 535-5350

  67. Alexander Kulick MD

    New York, NY (About 15 miles)

    Phone
    (212) 867-1777

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