Big hugs. I sympathise with the crushing fatigue. It's horrid, so unpredictable and actually quite scary til you realise it's the damned hormones causing it. Only advice I can add, on top of what others have said, is to try to embrace it when it strikes. If possible (!) put your feet up and close your eyes. I find that 30 mins later I often feel withit again. If you have sympathetic family/colleagues, then be honest. It's
not the same tiredness as 'a few too many late nights' tiredness; it's crushing and debilitating. Explain this to them, if you think it would help: Someone gave me this advice - she pointed out that if I had asthma and had a sudden attack at work, it would be normal to rest for 20 mins. If you'd recently broken your leg, no one would expect you to walk up loads of stairs every day. Likewise, someone I work with has Lupus and sometimes has afternoons off if tired. (I am not comparing our suffering to something as serious as Lupus, but it's the same principle).
Menopause may be normal and natural, but not everyone suffers to the extent most people on here do. It's about time society wises up to this, rather than us being forced to 'hide' our suffering and 'pull ourselves together'.
I was scared to mention it at first in case I was judged, but it's been OK. I simply described it as a hormonal imbalance. Our H and S person was really helpful and even ordered a better desk chair for me to help my back pain. Even though I rarely cancel/alter things because of fatigue (and it's been miles better since taking stronger a estrogen dose) knowing I 'can' helps me emotionally, if that makes sense?
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