Help available in Mid Sussex for debilitating symptoms of the menopause

There is increasing interest in menopause within the workplace and how it affects women’s careers and mental health.

I see women in their 40s and 50s all the time who have been suffering for years and not known how to get help from their GP or what to ask for, or not realised that their symptoms could be due to hormone changes.

Here are some facts which readers might find useful.

What is the menopause?

The menopause is when women’s periods stop. From puberty onwards women’s bodies start releasing an egg every month to prepare for possible pregnancy.

If the egg is not fertilised a period occurs. Eventually the ovaries stop producing eggs and, after a year of no periods, a woman reaches the menopause.

The peri-menopause is the time leading up to the menopause in which hormone levels start to change.

This can last for several years during which the levels of the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone go up and down, then gradually drop as the periods stop.

This can cause distressing symptoms affecting the brain, skin, joints and genitals.

For many women the peri-menopause and menopause is a really difficult time.

We know from studies that 50 per cent of women feel it changes their life for the worse.

Women in their 40s and 50s are often balancing multiple demands such as work, teenage children and elderly parents.

Feeling exhausted, anxious and unwell can make all of this seem impossible, and many struggle with work, sleep and relationships.

It is really common for women not to realise that these changes are caused by hormones, and to put them down to normal ageing or stress.

What are the symptoms?

The classic symptom of menopause is hot flushes and we know that 80 per cent of women will get these at some point.

The most distressing symptoms which I see, however, are those that affect the brain. Many women find themselves suffering from debilitating anxiety, even if they have never been anxious or low before.

Sleep is often disturbed and unsettled, either by hot flushes, anxiety or stress. Women often describe a ‘brain fog’; feeling increasingly forgetful or struggling with things which used to be simple before.

Overwhelming fatigue is also common, and this is made worse by lack of sleep.

There are a variety of common and annoying symptoms that are also affected by hormones.

Women often notice that they cannot exercise or train like they used to, or that their joints are achy or stiff.

Skin and hair changes and itchy skin often improves with hormone treatment, as can palpitations. Another distressing symptom is pain or dryness in the vulva and vagina, which can make sex uncomfortable and painful.

Treatment without hormones

Keeping yourself healthy during peri-menopause and menopause can help the symptoms. We know that being overweight makes hot flushes and joint pains worse. Research shows that a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables and unprocessed food helps sleep, anxiety and hot flushes.

It is really tempting to drink alcohol to help with anxiety and poor sleep but we know that this makes both those symptoms worse. Exercise helps mental and physical health and reduces your risk of many cancers.

There are a number of herbal supplements which people try during the peri-menopause but there is little evidence that any of them help. CBT is a psychological intervention which can work for hot flushes and poor sleep. There are some prescribable drugs like venlafaxine and gabapentin which can be used for hot flushes in women who cannot have, or do not want, HRT.

Hormone Replacement Therapy