Female matters

MEDIA time with cabinet secretaries and other government officials can be a most illuminating experience, especially when they elucidate further about their respective agencies’ policies. At last week’s Kapihan sa Manila Bay, hosted by Marichu Villanueva of the Philippine Star, reporters not only received helpful information about how the tourism sector has been dealing with Covid-19 and what steps are being undertaken for it to recover, but we also got an insight into the “state of health” of Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat.

Oh, no, she’s not sick, although I know some women in her place would probably feel like they are given her symptoms.

As Secretary Puyat talked about the health and safety protocols implemented by local governments in dealing with Covid-19, she said, “Kasi minsan naman [pagkuha] ng temperature, nilalagnat lang naman, mainit [lang ang panahon], or gaya ko may hot flushes na ako, may [high] temperature na pala ako, tapos menopausal lang pala.” She then let out a laugh.

Her remark amused Manay Ichu and another webinar speaker, but the rest of the guests were either unperturbed, not listening, or tried to ignore what the good secretary had just admitted to. Well most of them were men, and I guess this was one of those female matters they felt uncomfortable publicly acknowledging or commenting on.

At home, diligently taking notes while watching the online kapihan, I had to pause and laugh out loud too. This is not to suggest that menopause is a frivolous matter to joke about, especially if you’re undergoing the same, but no one certainly saw it coming, and the remark was so candidly dropped that it suddenly made menopause seem like an ordinary, normal subject to discuss.

And it should be. After all, close to 11 million Filipino women are currently dealing with menopause symptoms, if government’s population data are to be used. The early symptoms of menopause can manifest in women in their mid-40s to their early 50s. The bleeding which happens every month becomes less and far apart.

With hormone levels now fluctuating, there is a tendency for some women to be highly irritable. I remember angrily snipping off the electric cord of a refrigerator to spite my mother’s friend (short story: the friend was terribly annoying). Most people know my penchant to become louder than usual when pissed, resorting to colorful verbiage that would shame even a fishmonger’s wife. But I never take it out on anyone or any object, physically. Well, until THAT happened.

Then my skin started breaking out, as if I was a teenager. I have always cared for my skin diligently, washing and cleaning my face upon waking up, and removing every trace of makeup before retiring. I put on sunblock in the daytime and a moisturizer at night, but I still get tiny pimples on my forehead, or sometimes on my cheek. Ugh.

These days I have to contend with bouts of insomnia or restless sleeping. I love sleeping, and especially sleeping in. But now it’s impossible for me to peacefully slumber straight through eight to 10 hours, without waking up in the middle of night. It happens about two to three times toward the early hours, just as a new day begins, but old me is still struggling to get the rest I need. And, yes, there is the weight gain too, although the lack of exercise may be a contributory factor there.

But what’s super annoying are the hot flushes (also, “hot flashes”), that creeping sense of heat which starts from a woman’s crown to the entire body. Ergo, a flush. It happens even in air-conditioned rooms, or after one has just bathed, when the surroundings are cool. And yet, when the hot flush begins, the entire face and body perspires. So I find myself sometimes, after taking a bath, having to jump right back in the shower quickly after an episode. (I recommend women tour Central Europe in winter, which was the only time I ever felt any relief from my hot flushes. It was too cold for me to notice them.)

These hot flushes are also the cause of my sleeplessness in the evening. I switch on the air con, and it gets cold and comfy enough for me to sleep with the duvet over me. Then sometime in the middle of the night, the hot flush comes, and the duvet is off, and I’m splayed out spread-eagled on the bed, trying to absorb every bit of cool air. If the high temperature becomes unbearable, I get up to switch on the ceiling fan as well.

When the event passes, I’m back under my comforter again, trying to get back to sleep. This cover, uncover, cover, uncover routine happens all throughout the night until the next day, when I have to force myself to get out of bed to finally get to work, or have lunch.

My OB-GYN initially advised taking herbal supplements like black cohosh for the night sweats. It didn’t work. I also used to drink soy milk a lot because supposedly, the isoflavones in the milk mimic estrogen that is lost when a woman becomes menopausal. I also didn’t notice any difference.

She likewise suggested I avoid beef, which heats up the body. I try hard not to include it in my grocery list, but there are just so many beef dishes that I enjoy like steak, burgers, tacos, beef bourguignon and the like.

The doctor then said I could probably go the hormone replacement therapy (HRT) route, since my mammography and breast ultrasound didn’t show any propensity for tumors. But I have yet to take her up on it as the medical literature still suggests HRT as a strong contributory factor to breast cancer.

So what should I do? Tiis, I guess. Suffer, just like many other women out there. My older friends say all the physical discomforts, which menopause brings, will be around for a long period time.

In the meantime, I always carry an abanico in my hand bag, and sit in front of an air conditioner or electric fan when I’m out. At home, well, you can guess my Meralco bill has reached stratospheric heights with the aircon going full blast. Woe is me. n