On the weekend, the hubster and I headed off to see “Menopause the Musical” at the Redland Performing Arts Centre – and I must say, my Bear was one of only a handful of brave males in the packed theatre!
For those unfamiliar with the show, four very different women are shopping for lingerie in a department store, when they realise that they actually have something in common.
They could all sing. Menopause.
It’s full of laughs, and with pop songs from yesterday updated with lyrics to suit the theme, it was a great night of entertainment.
But it was also an educational experience of sorts for both myself and the hubster.
You see, I had a hysterectomy some years back – so I have no real way of knowing if I have hit menopause.
It’s also really hard when you don’t have a mother to find out what to expect or what it was like for her.
So I’ve had to rely on a musical to find out. Here are the signs that were mentioned in the show …
Signs of Menopause as seen in Menopause the Musical
- Sagging and wrinkles
- Weight gain
- Grey hairs
- The change in style of our knickers over the years
- Incontinence
- Night sweats
- Overheating – and can somebody tell me if it’s hot flushes, or hot flashes?!
- Difficulties sleeping
- Feelings of exhaustion (though I’m a lot better since starting CPAP)
- Memory lapses
- Moodiness
- Tuckshop lady arms
- Peach fuzz on the face
- Craving chocolate
- Going for walks – and finding that even though my thighs aren’t fat, I still experience “chub rub”!
So could it be that I’ve crossed the threshold into menopause?
Well, let’s just say the hubster made a mental list throughout the show and said he ticked off all of them, bar one!
Can you guess which one?!
Apparently I don’t have mood swings. Good to know!
Other Symptoms of Menopause
Mind you, there were a couple of signs of menopause which weren’t mentioned in the musical:
- Losing hair. A couple of years ago I did a course of Efudix treatment for a Squamous Cell Carcinoma on my nose, and noticed that I was losing hair in a way I never had before. I blamed it on the treatment, even if it was just applied topically. However it’s still happening whenever I brush or wash my hair …
- Surprise visits from Aunty Flo. I went to lunch with a group of other mature bloggers recently and the conversation turned to menopause symptoms, and I learned that it’s common to go for months without a visit. No sooner do women think it’s “all over Red Rover” … but wait, there’s more! And it usually visits at the most inconvenient times too. I was feeling very thankful for my little op 5 years ago, even if I did nearly die.
- Itchy skin. I wrote about my experiences with the dreaded midlife itch some time ago.
Fortunately, any symptoms I am experiencing are quite mild so I really can’t complain too much (besides, complaining is bad for you)!
Have you encountered any other signs of menopause – or have you seen Menopause the Musical?!