Let’s Talk About the Menopause

Let’s Talk About the Menopause

World Menopause Day Blog by Lucy Malarkey

I’ve just recently returned from a holiday with 7 girl friends to Santorini, it was a rather belated 50^th birthday celebration for us all. Delayed for over two years, in part due to Covid and in part to busy lives. We had an amazing time, sunshine, great food, so many laughs and a LOT of discussion about the menopause!

All of us are currently experiencing it, all of us in different ways with symptoms at varying degrees and all of us are managing it (or not) having had very different experiences from medical professionals.

For anyone reading this of menopause age, or anyone who has listened to what the high-profile menopause champions are saying, none of those observations will come of any surprise. The subject can become all-consuming and it’s very true that there’s an even more minutiae factor than a post code lottery when it comes to menopause medical support – it really does depend on the doctor you see and that day of the week on which you have a blood test (if this is even offered).

Out of the eight of us, two are managing, for now, without any extra hormones, four are on HRT and another two are desperately trying to get their GPs to understand their symptoms and the impacts these are having on their daily lives.

Because without doubt the menopause does affect our daily lives, the lack of sleep from hot sweats and night time anxiety, the erratic nature of bleeding, brain fog and memory loss and an increase in insecurity and lack of confidence.

The trouble is that we are just not talking about and discussing the menopause enough. Yes, it’s improving and high profile figures like Davina McCall are making a significant difference BUT we’re not all high profile and we don’t all work in organisations that will proactively approach the menopause….

So, what needs to be done to improve the current situation?

As individuals we should be talking and listening more, learning about the menopause and the effects it can have, being supportive and allies for those who are experiencing it. And as organisations we should be promoting an open environment in the workplace to encourage positive discussion, providing training for line managers so they know about the symptoms and how to offer support and reviewing policies and practices around workplace adjustments, flexibility and sick leave.

It's not rocket science and yet it’s obviously not happening. A recent study of over 4,000 women aged between 45-55, as reported in Women’s Health, found that over half said menopause symptoms were affecting their ability to do their job, nearly 85% said there was nobody in the workplace to turn to and 10% had quit their job as a result!

World Menopause Day on 18^th October provides a perfect platform for employees and supportive allies to start the very necessary conversations about the menopause.

Let’s get talking!

https://www.imsociety.org/education/world-menopause-day