Menopause Awareness Month - Things I Wish I Knew
Over the course of the last few months, I have been speaking with class members, friends and family members the things they wished they had known about the menopause. This is what they had to say:
I thought I was too young at 42 - 42 is not too young to start the menopause, early menopause is classed as before the age of 45.
I didn't realise it lasts 9 years (on average) - We go through a number of stages (Perimenopause, Menopause and Post menopause) Whilst post menopause starts the day after the menopause, it lasts the rest of your life, symptoms do ease off after 7-9 years.
A few years in, I was informed that we often mirror our mums menopause commencement age - Your mums menopause age can give clues as genetics influence roughly half of when you reach menopause. If your mum experienced early menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency, your risk of earlier transition is higher.
I thought night sweats only happened at night - When night sweats occur during the day, they are referred to as "hot flushes" They are both caused by the same vasomotor symptoms driven by a miscommunication between the brain's thermostat due to fluctuating hormone levels.
Oestrogen does so much more than regulate periods - Oestrogen is one of the key hormones in a women's body. It is responsible for brain, Cardiovascular, bone, joints, muscles, skin, bowel, nerves, bladder, liver, and vagina health. When the levels drop, all of these are impacted which is what leads to the vast range of symptoms and why symptoms can be so different.
I did not realise how many things were down to the menopause. My frozen shoulder, itching and exhaustion were all connected - A common ailment during the menopause is a frozen shoulder, this is due to the sudden drop in oestrogen which directly protects the body's joints and connective tissues. Oestrogen also regulates collagen production, which keeps tendons, ligaments and joint capsules flexible.
Had I been more knowledgeable, I would been able to better advocate for myself and saved myself a lot of suffering. - Only a third of women are aware of what is going on with their body as they begin peri menopause. This largely due to a lack of knowledge and embarrassment. Having conversations with friends can be really helpful as when you do, you won't feel alone. Keeping a symptom diary is also crucial to understand and to better articulate when you go to the DR. There are many sources of information on the internet, and it can be difficult to find a trustworthy source, I have listed some at the bottom of this page.
You don't have to wait to be asked if you want HRT, you can just ask - Following a GP appointment where you have expressed your menopause symptoms and how they impact you, the GP will ultimately decide if HRT would be beneficial. You don't need to wait for them to ask you, ask the GP if it can be considered. HRT helps with a wide variety of symptoms, and it is most beneficial to keep a symptom diary, be sure to include everything that is new as there are more symptoms than you think!
Sources:
The menopause charity
NHS
The British menopause society