5 Things, I Wish, My Husband Knew Earlier About Menopause

Life seems to be an exciting journey from birth, ambitious and full of high expectations, against all the odds that await humanity. Being a woman, the physical changes that come with adolescence and into puberty and the attention all these bring in the society is no small thing. Then comes the glorious day of meeting and tying the knot with a ‘Mr. Right’, and the memory of all troubles is forgotten! The sweet memories of honeymoon and heaven on earth become the constant hope. Well, children will come and grow and then go, and that shouldn’t be a big problem, or so women would think, right? And the vicious cycle will come and hustle and juggle through life, and all that crosses the mind is aging gracefully! Naturally, attention shifts to homemaking, investing and diversifying resources, watching children become young adults as they chase dreams, while parents focus on retirement. You see, in the busy schedule of life, couples forget they were meant to be marital partners and instead are reduced to business partners. By the time menopause knocks the door, chances are that you are so detached in personal matters that your husband is quite clueless about the signs that come with this natural transition. And being a marital partner, husbands need to know these things, after all they will be directly affected for a while, and the earlier they come on board – the better for all of us! Yes, from the day you get married, you all possibly remember the never ending reminders that your husband will always treasure sex and constantly think about it. What no one says, is that someday he will be sexually anxious and excited, but as a woman, there will be no sex drive! By all means, this is no time to engage in fights and other forms of abuse. All husbands need to be told and be reminded from time to time, that just like other important stages of life with their pros and cons, so is menopause, and a reality women cannot run away from for that matter. Remember the wedding vow of ‘in sickness and in good health’ – well, this is the time! This is not the time wives should be left on their own, remember they are equally interested in sex, but the hormones are getting diminished and it’s neither easy for her. If a husband did his sexual homework well enough as he should, the journey may start slow but surely, and both will be glad they walked the journey together. Some of the talks you get to hear from many quarters is that there will be cholesterol changes, weight changes, hormonal changes, and almost every other form of change, which may not mean much to husbands. Central to this discussion, is the realization that menopause comes with vaginal changes. Yes, I said changes! With dwindling levels of hormones, the vagina loses its natural lubrication, bringing about another menopausal symptom known as vaginal dryness. What this would simply mean to my husband is that sexual penetrations during intercourse will not be as easy, causing pain and fear. Husbands should seize this opportunity to make life more endurable, and sexual life worth living for. Fortunately, he will not be alone in this pursuit. In consultation with your family doctor, he would seek the best menopause supplements, which are readily available within your vicinity, and rescue the situation. This way, wives will not dread the minute husbands come home – remember sex is something you should always look up to. In life, you will always need someone to cheer you up and to keep you going in the toughest times. You need the one person that will always clear all the doubt and rekindle in you a new spirit to give you the confidence you need to push on. Memory lapses and lack of concentration are menopause symptoms that may not only adversely affect life at work but also life at home, culminating in self-doubt. But this shouldn’t be the case. Some little bit of attention from a loving husband to check on how I’m fairing on would go a long way in keeping me on the spot – and every menopausal woman needs that. A husband becomes the generator that ensures there is power whenever electricity is disconnected. That is not too much to ask, or is it? The most unfortunate thing would be for my husband to suffer in silence, in the assumption that the tall order on me from menopausal symptoms is something deliberate on my part. Because of the mood swings and irritability, hot flashes and night sweat, it’s almost guaranteed that at some point you will do something your husband won’t take kindly. All I would ask for is, let us talk to each other and discuss issues. After all, a problem shared is a problem half-solved. Last but not least, this is no period for mou ing – the emotions may die but no one is dead – enjoy life and commemorate every major event, including menopause. Feel like baking a cake, do it! References: https://www.glozine.com/lifestyle/health/supplements-to-ease-menopause.html https://www.apsense.com/article/top-5-menopause-questions-every-woman-ask.html