Spotlight: World Menopause Day 2024

Did you know that:

• 1 in 3 women have experienced or are currently going through the menopause
• 45% of women find the symptoms of the menopause hard to deal with
• Almost 1 million women have left their jobs because of the menopause

What are Salford residents saying about Menopause support in Salford?

We heard from attendees of Mind in Salford's Mindfulness for Menopause workshop, about their experiences.

Q1. Can you tell us about any good experiences with health services whilst you’ve been going through the menopause?

• I haven't really had a good experience, I ended up paying to go private, however my GP has recently agreed to take over my prescription for testosterone which is something good.
• I've only used the Mindfulness for Menopause face 2 face workshop. This was really informative & helpful, as that's the first kind of session I had been to since I started the menopause 6 years ago.
• ‘No’

Q2. Can you tell us the bad things about going through the menopause (any negative experiences/things you want healthcare professionals to avoid)

• Poor care given by my GP practice, for example I have recently been for a HRT review and I wasn't even asked if my periods had stopped, a crucial question as I take Utrogestan and will need to change the way I take this when my periods have stopped.  I've had lots of terrible advice from different professionals at the GP practice, initially I was offered anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication. I requested HRT instead after doing my own research. I was allowed the HRT but was told I would have to come off it in one year. Thankfully they haven't enforced this as yet.  Initially I was given patches and told to put them on the top of my arm, when I read the leaflet it said; must be placed below the waist!  I would like healthcare professionals to be properly trained and to not automatically think anti-depressants are the answer.
• My worst experience of going through the peri menopause and menopause is anxiety, which I've struggled with and at first didn't even know it was a symptom.
• It’s difficult to get in to see GPs and they have tended not to have a good level of knowledge about menopause. One doctor had to go out to ask someone more experienced (lady doctor) about my HRT. There is a doctor who is more knowledgeable about menopause but as she is the senior GP she is training new doctors and has no appointment availability.
• The lack of knowledge of HRT.  I think testosterone should be available from your own doctor if you need it. My testosterone level was at zero when I had blood tests – no wonder I was feeling so low and was struggling to feel motivated in life and had terrible brain fog and low mood. Out of desperation I went to see the BUPA menopause nurse and paid £299 to do so. I then had to pay for a private prescription which was around another £40/£50. Since doing this the good news is I have been able to get my GP to adopt this prescription and I can now get a testosterone prescription from my doctor and just pay the prescription charge. I have used the HRT prepayment prescription service previously, but this does not cover testosterone – even though this is also a female hormone.
• I had breast cancer in my early 40's and had chemotherapy which stopped my periods, so I missed the menopause altogether. I have GAD diagnosed last year (General Anxiety Disorder).  I had it as bad as you can get it and am under Mental Health.  I asked my Practitioner at the time what she thought of me doing the Mindfulness for Menopause Course and she said it'd be a good idea. I did try counselling beforehand but it didn't help. The Mindfulness Course has helped me and I thank MIND for putting it on.
• My Estradiol HRT prescription was to take 1-4 pumps daily. Sometimes when I felt low I used 3 or 4 pumps. My periods were terribly heavy and frequent, along with lots of pelvic pain and shooting pains down my legs. Some days I felt like I was struggling to function. I had also been prescribed stronger pain relief (Mefenamic Acid) and medication to reduce the blood flow (Tranexamic Acid). I was never tested for my oestrogen levels or told to reduce my dosage by the GP. I had gone to them many times because of the painful heavy periods. This went on for 2 years. I then paid to go private and found out this level or estradiol was too high and causing the bad periods. I was told to use 1 pump and have to 2 progesterone tablets daily. This has made a huge difference to how I feel and live my life. I feel that I didn’t need to suffer from the horrendous periods had my oestrogen levels have been checked by my GP sooner.

Q3. If you had a magic wand is there anything you would do to make things better for other women going through the menopause?

• I think just like being called for your Mammogram at age 50, you should be given a GP appointment around the age of 40 where a fully trained healthcare professional can explain in detail about the peri menopause and menopause, including all of the symptoms you can experience, all of the options of HRT, alternative advice and support such as Mindfulness, diet and exercise.  I think this would arm women with the information they need.  I struggled for a number of years not knowing what was wrong, all I'd ever been told about the menopause was about hot flushes. If I'd had the information early on, I would have got help sooner.  So in short my answer is a one to one appointment with a highly trained and knowledgeable professional for women reaching peri menopausal age and maybe a follow up a few years later.
• Not having the symptoms at all ☺️ or perhaps having a way to prepare the body ready for menopause. Encouraging women to attend menopause sessions to help them understand what might happen rather than waiting till it happens.
• We should be tested for menopause sooner, rather than waiting 6mths to a year, especially if woman's period become lesser, when prior to symptoms there was a regular pattern.
• Testosterone should be available from our GP if we need it and our levels our low. Just like other treatments.
• More menopause community groups – so we can talk to others and not feel so alone and stuck 

Helpful resources:

Understanding Menopause
An easy to understand booklet in English, Welsh and Polish. Written by Diane Danzebrink, the founder of Menopause Support
 

A short, animated film, Cycle of Change-Understanding Menopause
Created and co produced by our founder Diane Danzebrink, in collaboration with ForMed films. The film can be shared on websites/staff intranets/public screens and anywhere else you feel will be useful. You can find the film here
 

Supporting the women in your life through menopause
An article from ZOE giving simple and practical advice on how you can support people through menopause.