With the approach of World Menopause Day, it’s worth noting that recent research has shown that many women have limited knowledge and negative attitudes towards the menopause, leaving them unprepared to cope with the physical and psychological changes associated with this stage of life. Improved menopause education is required to improve quality of life during the menopausal transition and a most positive narrative of life post menopause.
In the literature that I’ve surveyed, some tips have emerged for managing menopause. They include the following:
Talk to friends, share experiences and advice, bring menopause out into the open
Educate yourself on the symptoms of menopause in advance, and if you begin to experience some of them talk to your gynaecologist or doctor to find out what treatment options and management strategies are available to you from the outset.
Make menopause a pause for thought – find new ways to be with your changing circumstances.
Explore practical resources that are becoming available, including apps being developed for women to manage their menopause in terms of their specific experiences of it.
Two of the issues that arise regarding menopause are [1] whether to go on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and [2] the problems that can be associated with menopause and the workplace.
HRT?
According to the Mayo clinic, the bottom line is that HRT isn’t all good or all bad, and medical advice should be sought about its use, taking into account individual symptoms and health risks, and involving regular monitoring through the menopause years.
Recent research has shown that it is the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms (VMS) such as hot flushes and night sweats, and that the benefits of HRT typically outweigh the risks for healthy, symptomatic women under age 60 years and those within 10 years from their final menstrual period.
Menopause and the workplace
Women are increasingly fighting the potential for menopause to be a career killer, with menopause still being considered a taboo topic in many workplaces, and with Australian research showing that “there was a strong link between the severity of symptoms and reduced engagement and satisfaction with work – as well as a higher intention to quit work.”
With the good news being that these problems can be alleviated, a new organisation, Menopause Alliance Australia, aims to encourage workplaces to acknowledge and accommodate menopause, by establishing policies that support women during this transitional phase. They include flexible working arrangements, access to cooling devices, and how to create a more inclusive and supportive workplace culture.
And that’s all part of a push to provide positive societal change to support and empower perimenopausal and menopausal women.
Anne Ring ©2024
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