I am new to this support group. I joined because I do not have anyone else to talk to about the things I am going through and let's face it, for the most part, our husbands/significant others just don't understand and neither do women who are not going through it. In my opinion, menopause is proof God is a man. Just when we are free to start thinking about and focusing on ourselves, when the children are well into their own lives, we are secure in our jobs and we have all that disposable income, BAM, menopause. Our libidos ramp up but our ability to attract rapidly fades out. And if you are married (and your other is around the same age as you) he is on the downslide of his sexual interest. I cannot beleive how, in a few short years I have gained over 30 lbs.(in places I never expected to), watched my body parts sag (and wrinkle and get lumpy)and spend more time crying than I did the entire previous 50 years of my life. I'm 55 now, have been married to the same man for 36 years and am not happy. I can't sleep through the night, I have to endure embarrassing hot flashes, can't cough or laugh without peeing a little, can't have sex without slopping up with lubricant, can't begin to remove all the hair growing in places it never grew before and can't seem to control the emotional merry-go-round I find myself on. I swear, some days I can stand in front of the mirror and watch myself age and deteriorate. Okay, I think I am done whining for now. Thanks for hearing me out.