Menopause: everything you need to know – including navigating this stage of life

Until recently, the menopause was a topic which had been talked about in hushed tones. Due to media exposure and celebrities such as Davina McCall opening up about their experiences, that is no longer the case. The focus on menopause seems long overdue, explains Myla Health.

So why are we talking about it now? The menopause will affect 51% of the population of the UK so clearly isn’t a new issue. Until relatively recently, however, we had never been fully aware of the extent of the symptoms it can cause, or understood the significant impact it can have on some women’s lives. Women in their 40s and 50s are usually working, often have caring responsibilities for young children or elderly parents, and want to live healthy, active and fulfilling lives. It is important that awareness keeps on increasing, so that women can feel well supported and thrive at this stage of life.

With more understanding, and good evidence to support effective treatment for women, things are really moving forward.

In this article we use ‘Women’ to refer to people assigned female at birth. Not all people experiencing menopause identify as women. Transgender, non-binary and intersex people may experience the menopause.

What is the menopause?

Menopause is defined as the time when periods have stopped for 12 months.

Following puberty, most women’s bodies go through a finely balanced dance of hormones – resulting in the release of an egg followed by a monthly bleed.

As time goes on, the egg supply women are born with starts to diminish and hormone levels start to fluctuate unpredictably. Women may initially notice subtle changes with the cycle becoming a bit shorter. Symptoms may appear just at certain times of the month, such as the few days before your period. This is known as the perimenopause and can start up to 10 years before the menopause.

Hormone levels then decline to a point when there are no further cycles and periods stop. For most women in the UK this happens between the ages of 45 and 55 with an average age of 51.

What are the symptoms?

The majority of women will experience some symptoms. As hormones have an impact all over the body, symptoms are far more broad than the hot flushes and night sweats most people think of. Often the symptoms women struggle the most with can be those which impact them emotionally such as anxiety, low mood and poor sleep.

Many women can find that they can’t think as clearly as they did; they forget words or cannot focus in the same way. This can really undermine confidence, especially at work.

Physical symptoms such as palpitations, migraines and joint pains can often lead to a lot of concern, unless these are recognised as part of the menopause transition.

How women experience these symptoms and the impact on their lives

is very individual. It is estimated that as many as 25% of women will find their symptoms debilitating. Symptoms on average last between 4-8 years. For some women it can be much longer than this, with some still experiencing symptoms into later life.

One group of symptoms which do not improve with time without treatment are those affecting the genito–urinary system. Women are often embarrassed to discuss these, and they can significantly impact on quality of life. The most well-known symptoms are vaginal and vulval dryness, but women may also experience pain during sex, or vulval soreness, itching or burning. Urinary symptoms include recurrent urine infections, needing to pass urine frequently, and sometimes even incontinence.

These symptoms can usually be easily and safely treated even if you cannot take HRT, and we would really encourage women to discuss these with their doctor.

How do you know you are menopausal?

In most cases, blood tests will not be needed. In women over the age of 45, we can confidently say they are menopausal when their periods stop. Blood tests may be helpful in younger women and should always be done in women under the age of 40.

In the perimenopause, due to the fluctuating hormone levels at this time, blood tests can cause confusion as results can appear to be normal.

The best way to make a diagnosis is by monitoring symptoms. Your 40s and 50s are often stressful and busy- it can be difficult to unravel what is caused by stress and what by hormonal changes. Some women find symptom trackers available online can help. Have a look at our checklist at https://www.mylahealth.co.uk/menopause-symptom-checker

How can women navigate this stage in life?

Management of the menopause and perimenopause needs to be holistic and individual. Not all women will need or choose to take HRT, and some cannot. Management of stress, and optimising nutrition, exercise and sleep are very important and can really help to control some symptoms.

HRT is recognised as the most effective treatment for the perimenopause and menopause and can result in significant improvement in symptoms and quality of life. We know that for the vast majority of women under the age of 60, or within 10 years of their last period, the benefits of taking HRT outweigh the risks. Women over 60 can still take HRT but the risk/benefit balance is not as clear.

The decision to treat your menopausal symptoms needs to take into account the risks and benefits for you as an individual so that you can make an informed choice about your treatment. The first stage in managing your menopause is to talk to your GP- many of whom are excellent at managing menopause. If you would like a bit more time with a doctor, or need more expertise, then come and see us at Myla Health. Our team of menopause specialist doctors work in Hove, Haywards Heath, Sevenoaks and online.

Menopause can impact on all aspects of a woman’s life so it is so important that women are well supported by their workplaces. Myla Health has a comprehensive workplace programme including seminars, staff training and discounted appointment packages.

www.mylahealth.co.uk

info@mylahealth.co.uk