23 Comments
Jul 30Liked by Christene Barberich

Once again,you share yourself generously and with grace, Christene, and with an honesty that makes me feel a little more brave, because you show how it’s done! xx

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Thank you Jolene...you are TOO KIND!

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Jul 30Liked by Christene Barberich

2 things from a 74 year old STILL having hot flashes - the extraordinary perscription hormone replacement Duavee - even after having breast cancer my surgeon at MSK agreed the studies were wrong and it was fine to take .

The perscription drug Veozah was just released . It contains no hormones .

Relizen an herbal remedy has helped me a lot . And Revaree for vaginal dryness .

text if you ever want to talk xo Brooke Garber Neidich

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Thank you Brooke! I love all of these suggestions...researching Relizen asap! Your wisdom and experience are SO appreciated...xx

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Jul 31Liked by Christene Barberich

“I’m hot. Not just because it’s summer. And not just because I’m officially menopausal. I’m hot because it’s summer AND because I’m menopausal AND because my natural state is to be on the very verge of anxiousness and sweating—all day, every day. “

All of this. It’s like you are describing me. And also, I’m still pretty fucking hot. As are you.

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It's US...pretty fucking 🔥🔥! xx

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THIS! This comment made me feel so seen. I've been a face sweater, head sweater, neck sweater my entire life. It's darn near impossible to mask sweat in these locations. Wear a hat some say. So I can trap the heat and make me even hotter?! It's diabolical. The sweating and the anxiety and the anxiety about the sweating...an evil circle. Thank you for making me feel not alone.

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Aug 21Liked by Christene Barberich

I love this piece. Thank you for your truth and beautiful writing, Christene.

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Oh thank you Robin!

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Aug 20Liked by Christene Barberich

An introvert living an extrovert’s life…This and so much more that you shared resonated with me this morning. Thank you as always X 🦋

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Oh Mimi thank YOU❤️

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Aug 1Liked by Christene Barberich

Love you so much! HRT is so helpful! Happy to talk with you about it anytime! ❤️❤️❤️

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I can’t wait to hear! Thanks Colu❤️

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Jul 31Liked by Christene Barberich

I just read your 34 yo piece (thank you for linking) — that’s me right now, with all those hopes and fears and questions. It’s a time that I haven’t really heard spoken about before like you have, and it’s really special to feel part of a longer and ongoing story and community. Thank you for seeing me / you / us all and for the open-heartedness in this piece and always 🌻💛

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Thank you Maeve...I hear you. And you're SO not alone. I wish so much I could have felt how expansive that time of my life was...how expansive this time of YOUR LIFE is. Instead of just feeling this void. I don't take any in-between time for granted now. I know it's a gift and I need to use it and appreciate it for what it is...a beginning. xx

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Jul 30Liked by Christene Barberich

I work in an office where I am the oldest (at 59) woman on the floor, and most of my daily interactions are with people at least a decade, and more often two decades, younger than I am, and boy did I feel that sweat-filled prose. I am glad that the last vestiges of my ability to care about how they (not everyone, but certainly my youngest colleagues) see me are slipping away, in a trail of perspiration down the back of my neck.

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You know, Lisa, that's a very good point. Not giving a shit. At all. I'd like to think when/if I ever return to an office setting, I will have a much more easy-going attitude....of others as well as myself. I think I just wanted to write about this because it's been so hard for me to disentangle what is my anxiety and what is just my body doing it's menopausal thing. Also, the last line of your comment is just 😎🪭.

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Jul 30Liked by Christene Barberich

Fun times, dear Cb. I'm in the camp adjacent, minus Graves and Olympic-level (your best line, imho). It's because it just happens with a 1.5-sec. warning and because it feels so damned uncomfortable. This is my first summer keeping a very pretty (non-motorized) fan handy in my purse for just those moments. Oddly, it makes others feel cooler just watching me fan myself so everybody wins.

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Whatever it takes!! And you know, if it wasn't so foreign and surprising half the time, it does make me giggle. Like, this shit is SO CRAZY...why did no one ever tell us about this??

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Thought I was the only one who marveled at how we women change every decade. We are fascinating – seems science should've paid/should be paying more attention to us (my chronic rant)....

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Jul 30Liked by Christene Barberich

I can relate to so much of what you wrote, Christene! The anxiety! The sweating! The internal microwave aka hot flashes! I asked my GP about HRT even though I’ve been in menopause for several years and he wouldn’t even have a discussion about the possibility. I ended up getting it from an OBGYN and 5 weeks in can already see so many positive changes! I call it my HRT glow up. ☺️ Recently, Miranda July addressed the freedom that comes from menopause in her book All Fours and there was a great article in the New Yorker about an artist whose most prolific years started in her 60s. It made me hopeful that joy and freedom will also be a part of my menopause journey.

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I'm bringing All Fours on an upcoming trip with me, I can't wait. And I'm so happy to hear HRT has helped you. I'm excited to try it...and will report back! Thanks as always for reading and sharing, Stefanie! xx

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