Too Old for HRT #5

It's been over a month since I've posted an HRT update and everything is going well. As I told my doctor, I feel great despite ongoing knee pain and occasional back issues. LOL! I think as we age and things wear out in our bodies, this may become the new normal; after all, "the knee bone’s connected to the hip bone.”  But overall, I feel good!

Here are some of the benefits I've attributed to the HRT.

·      Vaginal dryness issues are gone.

·      The original increased weepiness is gone. Though I am still as sentimental and empathetic as always, I am not weeping daily.

·      The brain fog is gone.

·      I have clarity of mind, and my productivity is up unless I don't get enough sleep. Sleep is key for me; I am an "I need eight hours” kind of gal. I have an old, ailing pup who often wakes me two to three times at night. We are trying a new potty and sleep routine, so we'll see how it goes.

·      My skin looks and feels better, it’s brighter and less dry.

I won't have another bone scan until next year, so I won't know if the HRT is slowing or stopping the progression of my osteopenia until after that test.

My knee is much better and holding its own with a short-term “limited use lifestyle” while I wait for my turn in surgery. I swim with the dog most afternoons (until the pool gets too cold) and go to the gym to work out my upper body when I can get away from the office.

I’m getting back into my spinal maintenance routine of stretches and exercises, too. Truthfully, if I was doing my knee PT, spine and hip stretches, pelvic floor exercises, swimming the dog, and going to the gym daily, I'd spend most of each day exercising, trying to fix or maintain my aging body! Oy!

Who has time for all of that? I do what I can when I can.

Coming out of the thick of caregiving while in pain took a few weeks, but I’m regaining a sense of balance with my work/life schedule. I don't know if it's the same for you, but I fall out of my health routine whenever I'm under intense stress. It's funny; you would think that when your body needs the most support, nature would wire us to respond appropriately.

Unfortunately, when I'm under intense stress, my sleep becomes restless, and I crave carbohydrates and sweets. Thus, my focus on healthy eating comes to a screeching halt. And simultaneously, the need for a break entices me to stay up late watching movies or multi-seasoned TV series in a late-night binge-watching streak that can only be called escapism.

Of course, these things compound the stress by making me feel generally worn out and unhealthy. Since I injured my knee on July 1st, all this inactivity and stress has resulted in weight gain. It's incredibly disappointing after I worked so hard last year to lose weight and was almost at my goal!

I’m grateful that these stressful episodes eventually come to a conclusion, and I'm able to regain my focus and get back into a healthier lifestyle. I’m back on a weight loss nutritional program and trying to get as much exercise and stretching as possible.

Looking ahead on this journey of aging, it’s my plan

·      to do the best I can at any given moment

·      to care for my health, knowing that I will not always be perfect,

·      to help as many women as possible navigate Regency (45-70+) and alleviate as much of their suffering as possible,

·      and love my friends and family as deeply and wide as the sea.

Namasté

Dr. A.

"A Regent woman works to embody her potential. She is making choices about her future, what roles she will play, and how she will pursue her most authentic and fulfilled life."                

Dr. A. from A Regent's Manifesto Click on the name to download a free PDF copy.

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