Wearever Panties
This wonderful guest post by Jessica Harlow has her preparing for the Big M and one of its more disturbing symptoms: leakage and incontinence. She already has a remedy – enjoy!
Saving Common Cents For Menopause Goddesses
It’s coming…The Change.
I turn 40 in a few short months and I’m pretty sure I’m circling the target. The worst part of this promised physical and emotional upheaval? I have no idea what to expect or when to expect it.
Unbearable hot flashes, uncontrollable hormonal (and emotional) outbursts, uncomfortable weight gain, unexpected acne flare ups, unwanted facial hair…I’ve learned these are just a few of the unwelcome side effects.
I can’t expect my husband to relate or even begin to understand, despite his best efforts. He’ll get to go through this with me (lucky guy), but on the sidelines. I would more than likely look to my Mom for some guidance, but unfortunately she’s not here to figuratively hold my hand and tell me it’s okay and “normal”. I wish I’d thought to ask her questions about menopause when I had the chance. I miss her every day.
I’m left with being proactive. Researching on my own, finding supportive communities online, surrounding myself with other women (who are reluctantly pondering the same things) and educating myself on what to expect and how to handle it.
What I’m finding (so far) is there is an amazing amount of women my age asking the same scary questions, for example:
Am I really going to go 6 months without a period…just to be totally mortified in a white skirt at a parent teacher conference?
Will I be competing with my husband for the title of most facial hair?
Why will my jeans feel tighter even if the scales say I haven’t gained weight?
Honestly, peeing when I sneeze or cough?!
I was actually able to personally review Wearever’s reusable incontinence underwear. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I did get a smirk from my husband when I told him I was trying them out. The verdict? These panties were actually incredibly comfortable and no one could tell I was wearing them. There were no frumpy bumps and no plastic crinkling when I walked. And, they saved the day.
True story: After two hours running errands, I found myself in the last aisle at the grocery store. Picking up just a few things (with the kids in tow) is never as quick as it should be. I reluctantly passed the restroom and charged towards the registers. I really had to go, but the kids were bickering over who got to pick what flavor ice cream and it was escalating to an almost tantrum level. Definitely time to get going. I made it through an almost 10 minute checkout, another 5 minutes to get the groceries loaded and kids buckled in, drove 5 minutes home, got everyone out of the car, unlocked the door, bypassed the dog, and RAN to the bathroom…almost in time. It wasn’t a full on “peed my pants” episode, but if I hadn’t been wearing the incontinence panties…I would have been changing my pants for sure. And when you are potty training a 3 year old the last thing you want her to see is Mom peeing her pants too.
When it comes to beginning, enduring, and finishing Menopause there is no specific sequence of events, no check marked list of what to expect and when. Every woman is blessed with her own personal journey. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t share our anxieties, personal perspectives and first-hand knowledge with other women…like when we find a product that really works. Make a note: Wearever reusable panties are now on my list of menopause must-haves.
My attitude toward this inevitable journey is to find a way to embrace it. There’s no use fighting it or trying to flee. There are no detours from menopause. In one form or another, The Change is coming for all of us. So, it’s time for me to pull up my “big girl” panties (or Wearever reusable incontinence panties, as it may be) and get on with it.
Read more of Jessica’s tips for “Saving Cents While Living Life to The Fullest” on her blog. Click here: Saving Common Cents
