Who’s ready for another ‘Words & Wine Down Wednesday’? Last weeks post was pretty deep and pretty looooong. While I can’t promise tonight’s post will be any shorter, it may be a little less intense. Bear in mind however, I am a woman, I have a glass of wine in hand and at any given moment, I could change my mind. Afterall, we ladies do that, you know. Those darn hormones, anyway. It’s all their fault! Go ahead, ladies. You have my permission. Blame it ALL on the hormones. Speaking of hormones, with all these girls, my house is FULL of them. (sip) I know what you’re going to say. I’ve heard it a zillion times, “Your poor husband!” Yeah, yeah … don’t even get me going on who the moody one in the house is. The very brilliant and extraordinarily funny comedian, George Carlin, once said, “Here’s all you have to know about men and women: Women are crazy, men are stupid. And the main reason women are crazy is that men are stupid.” (I’ll sip to that) Few women I know would take issue with that statement. However, there is a certain time in our lives ladies, where as much as we’d like to, we can’t blame it all on the man. We have to own up, buck up, and blame it on the guilty one ….. hormones! It has nothing to do with us. We’re fine! Geesh! (sip)

This post is definitely a glass tipper, so if your a light-weight when it comes to the bottle, consider yourself warned. Hearing what I have to say may even require a shot. But I can only speak for myself. Alright, let’s just get it out there  … I am in full blown perimenopause! (gulp) O.K., maybe my holistic practitioner would think full-blown is a bit of an exaggeration. After all, I’m on the very lowest dose of Progesterone, and my estrogen levels are still hangin’ on. But I’m going to continue using the term ‘full-blown’ every time my husband asks me why I’m acting like a quack. Or when he says, “What’s your problem?” or try this one, “You need help!” My CALM reply to these statements generally consist of a mumble-jumble of a few choice words and something about hiring a good lawyer. Fortunate for my husband, he married someone with an easy-going personality. (time for that shot)

The obvious question is “why?” What happens in perimenopause that makes women feel like they are going crazy? (insert sip – it relaxes the crazies)

MOOD SWINGS DON’T HELP

Looking back, it’s easy to make fun of your nutty mood swings. But, when you are swinging back and forth between heavy, oppressive bouts of depression, and screaming, eye-bulging profanity laced-rages, I can assure you, it’s not very funny. Not that I would know or anything, just assuming there are some ‘crazies’ out there who get like this. No judging! Mood swings in perimenopause are due to the extreme fluctuations of progesterone and estrogen. When estrogen is dominant, women may feel irritable and edgy often flying into angry rages. On the other hand, when estrogen levels drop too low, women can feel sad, weepy, and deeply depressed. Once your menstrual cycle begins and your hormone levels are no longer fluctuating, women often feel a sense of calm, normal, and back to themselves again. This is why it’s so easy to see where women think they are going crazy in perimenopause because they are constantly swinging back and forth between depression and rage, and feeling ‘normal’ again. Lets take a look at a typical month … hubby goes to bed one night with sweet, little wifey-poo all snuggled up lovey-dovey with her unshaven, winter-porcupine legs. Life is good. BAM! Hubby wakes in the morning to a switchblade at his throat. (GULP) He thought all he was doing, was sleeping. But the ‘crazie’ came out in the middle of the night and REMEMBERED something he did, possibly decades ago that pissed her off!! As forgetful as we are ladies, we have a good memory (take a shot) … heck, take one for the team.

ADRENAL FATIGUE
Adrenal fatigue is said to occur when the adrenal glands become over-worked and are unable to produce adequate levels of the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and nor-epinephrine. The hormone imbalance associated with perimenopause can be a contributor. Crashing fatigue and burn-out is a common complaint among women suffering with adrenal imbalance. They may have high-levels of anxiety and/or panic attacks. As you might expect, adrenal imbalance can also contribute to mood swings as well.

FEELING POWERLESS AND OVERWHELMED

The hallmark of perimenopause is the erratic, unpredictable symptoms which literally seem to come out of nowhere. As a result, women often feel confused, powerless, and overwhelmed which, unfortunately, only exacerbates the symptoms and intensifies the feelings of losing control. If you are having a difficult time coping with the symptoms of perimenopause, it is very important that you understand it is not a sign of mental weakness or a lack of self-control. You’re not a ‘quack’! But you may want to get rid of the switchblade, just in case. Again, we are women, and we’ve been known at least once or twice to change our mind. Although it may seem as if the symptoms will never end, from what I hear, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Bring it! Please! Bring it! (big sip as you get rid of the switchblade)

Red Ruffle Coat: on sale here  | Over the Knee Boots: old, similar here   |  Infinity Scarf: old, similar here  |  Blush Handbag: old, similar here

as for tonight’s wine …

For such an inexpensive wine, Petite Sirah deserves some love. This wine is easy to find, around $10 a bottle and pairs well with some hard-to-pair-with dishes. Bogle Petite Sirah has a deep, rich flavor, accompanied by aromas of blueberry, spice, chocolate, and sometimes even cedar or eucalyptus, making it quite different from my cabernet loves. This is a great wine for young millennials just discovering wine. Definitely a recommendation from me with a solid 8 out of 10 rating. If you pick up a bottle for yourself, let me know what you think.

If you have not had an opportunity to read my previous ‘Words & Wine Down Wednesday’ blog posts, or see my wine hits or misses, check them out here: Leave People Better Than You Found Them, and Chit-Chat & Maybe a Little Complaining

Disclaimer: Beverages containing alcohol are often associated with sharing, pleasure, unwinding and socializing. However, there are times when drinking at all, or too much can be risky to you or to others. This blog post is for light-hearted, sharing ONLY! If you are over the age of 21, and choose to drink, please drink responsibly and don’t drink and drive.