This doesn’t really answer the question. It is more regarding to what others have posted.
My mother is going through it now. It started a few years ago. I really hope I don’t take after her. She gets hot flashes often ..she’ll begin sweating and looking like she’s about to faint. Then there are the moods…omg. She will be all nice and sweet, then it’s like her emotions do a poltergeist spin and she’s flipping out about nothing. Seriously. Here would be an actual conversation:
Mom: (laughing to me on the phone) Yeah, the horses are doing great and… Holy shit, Jesus f*cking Christ, I’m so stupid, stupid, stupid! I have to go! (click, she hangs up).
Me: (calling back later) How are you doing now? Everything ok? What happened?
Mom: Oh, nothing. I forgot to… (she starts sobbing).
Me: Huh?
Mom: (starts laughing) So how have you been, how’s *****?
And so on.
This happens often. My sister isn’t as supportive to her as I am – which causes some really dramatic and wild tangents between the two of them (that I get pulled into). I try to explain that it’s the menopause but she just doesn’t get it. It is awful and I really feel for my mom. But if I go through all this some day… gah! My poor partner.