(This is me, right after I had a complete hysterectomy. It's been several years, but this time in my life is indelibly imprinted in my mind....)

On the outside it appears as if I have everything a woman could possibly want. I'm living a fairy tale life with a wonderful husband, extraordinary daughter, and a beautiful home. But on the inside I am crumbling.

Disintegrating. And slowly. I'm trapped in a body that I no longer know, as if my mind and heart have been plucked from my old, familiar body and thrust into a new one that is not only foreign, it is falling apart.

EmpowHer Presents:
4Women.gov

WHAT IS MENOPAUSE?

That's what I've been calling it! Sometime in my mid-40's, I started going through the "change of life." Whereas I had weighed 110 lbs at most, the weight started creeping up. At first, that was okay, because, well, let's just say my childhood nickname (that stuck through college) was "Bones."

(HealthDay News) - Menopause, the hormonal change in a woman's body in which her menstrual cycle stops, can happen as early as before age 40, but most often occurs in women between age 45 and 55.

The Foundation for Better Health Care lists these common symptoms of menopause:

* Missed period for at least 12 months, with no cause other than menopause.

* Abnormal periods for you, such as spotting, different cycles or a different flow.

* Vaginal dryness.

* Changes in weight, difficulty sleeping, night sweats and hot flashes.

Night Sweats Resources

“Night Sweats—The Basics,” About.com article, 2006

“Night Sweats—Or Hyperhydrosis?” About.com article, 2003

By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay News) -- Giving hormone therapy to women in the first few years after menopause doesn't improve memory, although it does seem to increase sexual interest, a new study found.

The study looked specifically at combined hormone therapy, meaning estrogen plus progesterone, suggesting that progesterone could be the active factor.

By Amanda Gardner
Empowher's HealthDay Reporter

Giving hormone therapy to women in the first few years after menopause doesn't improve memory, although it does seem to increase sexual interest, a new study found.

The study looked specifically at combined hormone therapy, meaning estrogen plus progesterone, suggesting that progesterone could be the active factor.

(This is me, right after I had a complete hysterectomy. It's been several years, but this time in my life is indelibly imprinted in my mind....) On the outside it appears as if I have everything a woman could possibly want. I'm living a fairy tale life with a wonderful husband, extraordinary daughter, and a beautiful home. But on the inside I am crumbling. Disintegrating. And slowly. I'm trapped in a body that I no longer know, as if my mind and heart have been plucked from my old, familiar body and thrust into a new one that is not only foreign, it is falling apart.

By Kathleen Doheny
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Women who have the most severe menopausal symptoms may also be at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a new study suggests.

Thankfully, my days of hot flashes and evenings of night sweats are a thing of the past.

For me, what finally worked was to get on the correct medications. Once my hormones were back in balance, these unpleasant (to put it mildly!) symptoms went away.