the tides have changed...

The tides have changed.  I've turned a corner.  Somehow I feel like I flipped a switch.  Crazy.

I started this blog when I had my hysterectomy because I wanted to document my experience, my research (as it were), and have a place to put my feelings down on the proverbial paper.  But as I was living through menopause I realized that it just wasn't going to work.  Frankly I think I was just too close to the subject to be any good at sharing in a productive manner.  Some times were fun, some I would rather have done without.  But what a huge experience to live through.

I often wonder why we don't discuss menopause, or many things in life for that matter.  The women who came before me never told me what to expect.  And that's probably okay, but sometimes it's just nice to know that what you are experiencing is normal.  That your partner may think your crazy, but this too shall pass.

This Christmas it's just nice to be enjoying the holidays, no stress, no worries. Well, other than the "normal" ones!  It's a good way to end the year.  Merry Christmas!

Can allergies be menopause related?

I found an article that talks about developing allergies during menopause. I found this to be fascinating because since I hit menopause I have developed somewhat "severe" allergies, but instead of hives, wheezing, sneezing, or other unpleasantries in reaction to my surroundings I seem to have developed allergies to food groups.  Three years ago I became terribly allergic to anything that contained cows milk.  Sadly I had to give up cheese, milk and therefore cereal, and so much more.

Imagine going to a Mexican restaurant and ordering enchiladas, and then asking them to please hold the cheese.  It was difficult at first, but once I went without dairy it became very easy.  I tried lactose pills and that helped for a short time but not always successfully.  In the past year I have had 2 slices of Swiss cheese and possibly 4 bites of sour cream.  Oddly enough the only dairy product that I had NO negative reaction to was frozen yogurt. Interesting!

Somewhere in the last year I realized I was having a reaction to wheat as well, so I am taking wheat out of my diet slowly but surely.  Although I won't give up pizza, it's been hard enough to not have cheese on my pizza.  But pizza with no cheese AND no crust, well, that's just not right!

Two weeks ago, after three solid years of no dairy, I got fed up, tired of missing a few of my favorite things, and bought a small wheel of brie.  Pre-dinner we enjoyed some French brie with some rice crackers, and voila, no reaction.  A week later I tried brie again.  And again, no reaction.  The next day I had cottage cheese, no reaction.  So I bought some milk and some cottage cheese at the grocery store yesterday.  And I will slowly add in some select dairy items back into my diet and see how it goes.

Is this menopause related?  I don't know.  To be honest, maybe and maybe not.  But for 45 years I have had not one allergy and now I am definitely having negative reactions to food groups, so I think the chances are pretty good that it's menopause related.  I hope so, and hopefully it will pass as well.

And now going wheat free, well that's just a new adventure!