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I went through menopause in 72 hours and wouldn't trade it for the world: hysterectomy was very, very good to me. I wish you ease and speed in the transition.

If you are at all interested in a non-standard, feminist, clueful look at perimenopause, I highly recommend my friend Heather's book *What Fresh Hell Is This?* -- https://heathercorinna.com/project/what-fresh-hell-is-this-perimenopause-menopause-other-indignities-and-you-a-guide/

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author

Thank you Hanne! I have heard of this book and will order it - I definitely want to know more about what I am in for. :)

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I loved that book! And, I love waking up every day and looking in the mirror saying to myself "What fresh hell is this?" Please pass along my regards. It's a book I frequently recommend - a good mix of personal story and facts.

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I will happily pass that on!

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Aug 22·edited Aug 22Liked by Kari Bentley-Quinn

You are awesome to share your experiences here, Kari. I cannot believe that I received zero information about this at any point until it was my turn (like Hanna, I had a hysterectomy) I would have killed to be able to hear any first person talk about this while I felt like I was losing my GD mind. And the hormonal fluctuations mess with the meds? JFC.

(ps thanks for the shout out. I so appreciate you. 😘)

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Thank you for this quote in the post... "The main reason for increased symptoms is the fluctuations in our estrogen levels as we head into menopause." It's an uphill battle some days trying to convince everyone that perimenopause symptoms are due to fluctuating hormones and not necessarily the hormone levels (as everyone tries to push their doctors into testing their levels). I've felt yucky with high and low estrogen (I wasted dollars testing it before I knew better several years ago). It's not the levels, it's how fast it climbs high and then slams down.

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Yeah, it definitely seems like the up and down is the real bitch of it. I used to be able to predict more easily when my hormones were surging but now I feel like they surge and crash with alarming speed. Which does not help the ADHD or the general...situation.

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I'm 2 decades ahead of you and still haven't gotten rid of all my fucks. Most of them are directed at menopause being "over".

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