Menopause - I didn’t know

[Itsear]

Was watching the BBC Germaine Greer tribute last night and she mentioned having tried HRT to stop narrowing of the vagina so she could have sex. I had no idea this happened so I have been googling and it is....No-one has ever told me this and I am approaching that age. Are other women educated about this? All I hear is menopausal women talking about hot flushes, I am dreading giving up sex.

I know it gets completely dry like the Sahara, but didn’t know it narrowed. Does gg have kids??

I said exactly the same when I heard that- I had no idea! I’m not nearing that age yet, but I remember that there was loads I didn’t know about childbirth too: e.g. I had no idea you bled for ages afterwards. It made me realise there’s a lot we, as women, don’t talk about. My mum, for example, has always been incredibly open about the body, sex etc, and never mentioned either of those things.

Never heard of it either. I am mid 40's so this is all imminent. Dreading hot flushes but hoping I escape that - my friend says it's horrendous, especially at night

Google search shows gg doesn’t have kids. Can’t imagine mine going that small after two vaginal deliveries.

It’s vaginal atrophy. Not all women suffer with it but it is very common. Signs are cystitis but no infection, little paper cut tears, painful sex, lots of weeing, urgency, leakage.

All these have gone for me with the use of vagifem plus hrt patch. Some ladies only need vagufem or ovestin (cream) sine like me need it all

No it’s not nice and yes no one talks about it - luckily it’s relatively easy to sort and I’m a different woman now.

Oh god no! Never heard of this before and I'm mid forties so have that joy to come.
I also found lochia a huge shock.

No it’s not nice. Fortunately I did not need HRT and an OTC cream does the trick.

I'm 55, never had a hot flush. No dryness. No real symptoms at all. Maybe I'm used to them because I have PCOS?

I didn't know your boobs grew again. I'm almost half way through the alphabet now. Not a good look on someone who's 4'10. Oh yeah, and I've shrunk an inch too...

I’ve just learned that going off the taste of tea is really common too 😫

It’s the loss of libido that kills me. Always loved a good romp but now my body just doesn’t see the point. ☹️

Flooding. I'm going to have to dispose of my mattress by torchlight while wearing a balaclava.

My mood. I am not grumpy, I'm angry. About nothing in particular.

My memory is fucked. I used to have a great memory, completely buggered now.