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- things you had never even heard about & had no idea they would happen
- things that were worse/better/different than you had anticipated
- things that were weird or even concerning until you learned that it was a totally normal part of aging
As I've gotten older and have experienced all the "joys" and inevitable "changes" that come with aging, I have found myself woefully prepared or blind-sided by many of those changes.
- For example, I didn't realize that even my eyebrows would start to turn gray! And why didn't anyone warn me about these pesky dark chin hairs?!
As a society, we've finally gotten more comfortable talking openly about periods and tampons and even childbirth, but I feel like there is SO much more that is never talked about. So many of us women experience and handle these changes all on our own despite the fact that these changes are almost universal (to some degree). I think all young girls could benefit from having an older lady warn them about what's coming down the line, ya know?
My big one is perimenopause. I knew about menopause but not peri. I just thought you stopped getting your period and then hot flashes etc would happen. I didn't know you'd still get your period and, actually, now your period is a waterfall that plows through an Ultra tampon in 30 minutes. I didn't know I'd suddenly have dry skin, dry vulva, mood swings, gut issues, joint issues at 38, all while still menstruating. So you're physically and mentally miserable most of the time unless you can convince a doctor to give your HRT.
I thought I had so many more years before this shit happened.