My Journey of Menopause.
Untold Story My menopause journey started at 37—but I had no clue. At the time, I had two kids, ages 10 and 8, a full-time job with a two-hour commute each day, church commitments, plus being a wife, a friend, and in my so-called “spare time,” I was building a home-based business. I was doing all the things.
So when the first symptoms began creeping in, I brushed them off. I told myself it was just the price of a busy life, the side effects of wearing too many hats. I chalked it up to simply getting older.
But here’s the truth—it wasn’t.
The Slow Drip of Symptoms
It started with mood swings, random aches and pains, brain fog thick enough to get lost in, and exhaustion that no amount of coffee could fix. And sex? What sex. Between the sandpaper pain, zero desire, and being flat-out wiped, the switch was off—and stayed off.
Then came the migraines, the kind that sidelined me for 2–3 days every single month. I’d drag myself to the doctor only to hear the same tired lines:
Migraines? “Not hormone-related.”
Weight gain? “Just eat less and move more.”
That muffin top that morphed into a full apron? “Change your diet.”
And then there was the body pain—aching legs, sore feet, and cramping that took over just as I was trying to sleep.
The answers never changed. And neither did the problems. It was like shouting into the void, waiting for someone to finally say the word: menopause.
Life Kept Coming
On top of my own symptoms, life didn’t pause for me. My husband was diagnosed with cancer. COVID turned the world upside down. My hip and joint pain sent me searching for relief—chiropractors, physiotherapy, naturopaths, supplements, natural medicine. Some of it helped a little. But still, nobody said the word: menopause.
Now, 22 Years Later
I’m in post-menopause. The 5 a.m. sweats are still here, though at least they aren’t hitting every two hours anymore. But now my bladder feels like an old leaky faucet. And honestly? I am tired of it.
Tired of the silence. Tired of the lack of answers. Tired of women being left to figure it out on their own.
Why I’m Speaking Up
Menopause—and everything that comes with it—needs a voice. We don’t talk about it enough. We don’t share enough. We don’t connect enough.
And here’s the truth: when you live it, when you’ve clawed your way through the silence, when you’ve found even a glimpse of solutions and HOPE… it would be rude not to share.
So that’s why I’m starting this conversation.
If you’re in peri, menopause, or post—let’s gather. Let’s share. Let’s find real solutions, real support, and real hope. Because we don’t have to do this alone.
Are you ready to help another woman like you find help?
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Join me and other women inside my NourishHer community—we’re sharing real solutions, encouragement, and yes… some crazy-good recipes too. Let’s walk this together.
Denise Thibodeau - IWH-Certified Wholistic Health Coach
