Sweat, Laughter, and Strength: My Menopause Journey

Here’s the thing: no one tells you about this stuff! Growing up in India, we were always taught to keep our bodies, and especially “women’s issues,” in the shadows. It wasn’t just silence—it was secrecy. In a place where even our sanitary napkins were wrapped in newspaper-like contraband, it’s no wonder menopause was treated like a mythical, unspoken event. We knew it happened, but no one talked about it. The idea of “the change” was so hushed that by the time it hit me, it felt like I was walking into a storm with no umbrella—wholly unprepared and caught off guard by the intensity.

By the time I experienced my first sleepless, sweat-drenched night, Menopause wasn’t some whispered mystery; it was a reality—and I had to face it head-on, fumbling through symptoms I didn’t even have a name for. I wasn’t just losing sleep—I was losing my mind and sanity. I remember one afternoon, I was sitting in a meeting when suddenly I was hit with what I can only describe as a heatwave from the inside out. I tried to play it cool, but when you’re fanning yourself with a file folder and sweating through your blouse in a fully air-conditioned room, it’s hard to act casual. It felt both hilarious and terrifying to realize I was navigating a life stage I had never been taught to expect

Looking back, it shocks me how little we, as women, are taught about this natural stage of life. Menopause is treated as something that happens in secret—something women just endure. For me, this wasn’t an option. The more I read, the more I realized that I didn’t want to pump hormones into my body. Not because I’m against hormones—this is a deeply personal choice for every woman—but I knew it wasn’t right for me. However, finding natural remedies was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

I’ve tried everything—from yoga and meditation to obscure herbal teas with names I still can’t pronounce. I became my own guinea pig, testing every tip and trick that promised relief. Some worked, some didn’t, and some made me laugh at my desperation. But the key was awareness—knowing I had options and choices that suited my body.

I’ve always been the kind of girl who had more guy friends than girlfriends— "I am allergic to too much estrogen", I would joke. But here’s the funny twist about Menopause: it has this sneaky way of bringing you closer to other women. Once I started sharing my experiences, it became clear that we were all on the same wild ride.

A woman I met on an online support group told me she was in the middle of teaching a yoga class when a hot flash hit her like a furnace. She thought she might burst into flames and darted to the nearest window for relief, while her students thought she was just demonstrating some intense breathwork! We laughed, we shared, and we connected over something so universal yet so rarely discussed.

That’s the thing about Menopause—it can be isolating if we let it, but it doesn’t have to be. When we connect with other women, we find solidarity. Whether it’s through online sessions, support groups, WhatsApp groups, or simply swapping stories over a coffee, it’s in these shared moments that we realize we’re not alone and that sometimes, the only way through is to laugh about it.

There’s a certain freedom in taking action. Menopause doesn’t have to just “happen” to us. I learned to embrace it as a time to reclaim my body, focus on my health, and make informed decisions. From adapting my diet (cutting back on my beloved late-night haldiram bhujiya) to practising mindfulness and finding ways to stay active, I’ve learned that Menopause is - a wake-up call to prioritize ourselves.

And let’s face it—Indian women have been conditioned to prioritize everyone else’s well-being over our own. But Menopause - It’s that undeniable signal from your body saying, “Hey, it’s time to take care of me now.”

Menopause doesn’t have to be the silent, shadowy phase we tiptoe around. It’s time to reshape our attitude and face it head-on. We need awareness, engagement, and action. We need to talk about it, laugh about it, and, most importantly, take control of our health.

Let’s start by making Menopause a word we’re not afraid to say. Menopause isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of a new chapter—one filled with self-discovery, resilience, and, yes, a lot of humour. So, let’s embrace it and show the world that women are unstoppable forces at every stage of life.