Menopause

What is the menopause?

• Menopause affects all women or people registered female at birth.
• Typically, menopause is a point in time where a women’s periods have stopped for 12 consecutive months
• Most commonly in the UK, it is experienced around the age of 51, although it can affect people at any age as a result of other health conditions.
• Peri-menopause is the stage before full menopause, where hormones start to fluctuate and periods change. This stage can vary in length from months to years.

Females around 45-55 years old will naturally experience a decline in their reproductive hormones, eventually leading to their menstrual cycles and periods ending, and some symptoms might be expected as a result.

Some of the most common symptoms of menopause include anxiety and depression, hot flushes, night sweats, weight gain, acne and skin problems, tiredness and sleep problems, low libido, hair loss, dry skin and vaginal dryness – but there can be many more.

It isn’t ‘normal’ for menopausal symptoms to be debilitating or distressing, and they shouldn’t be seen as something to endure. If symptoms start to become bothersome or affect daily life, then it’s time to seek medical advice.

It’s worth noting that a blood test to diagnose menopause is not recommended for most women of average menopausal age, because existing hormones in the body will fluctuate erratically during the perimenopause when periods have not yet completely stopped.

Typically, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be used to treat the symptoms of the menopause. Depending on your individual circumstances, medical needs and preferences, options might include an oestrogen patch, spray, gel, or implant, a Mirena coil, or progesterone tablets.

At the moment, testosterone hormone replacement will only be offered if a woman reports low libido (sex drive) but there are studies underway to look at whether testosterone could help with other symptoms too, such as lack of energy and low mood.

More information about the menopause symptoms and treatments can be found at on the NHS Wales website here.

What are we calling for?

Our overall aim is to improve awareness of the signs and symptoms of the menopause and ensure those experiencing it have access to the support and healthcare they need in Wales.

Menopause will affect every woman or person registered female at birth. For some of these, the effects can be debilitating physically, emotionally and psychologically. FTWW members (and many others) report problems with sleep; often experiencing interruptions with sleep that will affect their well being in subsequent days. This then affects their cognitive abilities (often called ‘brain fog’), making it more difficult to function and perform their normal tasks during the day, such as at work, looking after family or the home.

Menopause typically happens when women are aged between 45-55 years old, however there may be many reasons for younger women to experience menopause (such as surgery to remove their uterus (womb) and ovaries, medical treatments which stop the ovaries working, or a hormone imbalance which causes premature or ‘early’ menopause).

In most cases, menopause symptoms can be much reduced with replacement hormones (oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone) if the person chooses, but there are also lifestyle changes that can support wellbeing such as diet, exercise, and talking therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

Therefore are calling for:

• More awareness about menopause amongst public, patients, and healthcare providers
• More research into menopause
• Better, more equitable support in primary care (General Practice)
• Improved access to specialist menopause services across Wales

In Wales, there continues to be a huge lack of awareness and education in society about the menopause, which means that many women struggle to get the help and support they need.

• Healthcare professionals do not always have an adequate level of education or training about the menopause.
• Despite celebrities raising awareness, we continue to hear from our members that they’re not getting the care they need from their GP. Some of our members have reported visiting the GP more than 10 times before they receive the level of support they require. Many tell us that they have to do a lot of their own research to help them understand, track, and report their symptoms and what might be needed to help address them..
• In most cases, women should be offered HRT by their doctor as a part of discussions where they can make an informed decision but, too often, we hear this doesn’t happen. Many women tell us they have not been offered HRT or had their requests for it denied. Sadly, lots have told us that they continue to struggle with their symptoms and getting their voices heard.
• Evidence suggests that 1 in 10 women leave their jobs, reduce their hours and are overlooked for advanced career options. This incurs a significant cost to both the economy and women themselves. Ideally, all workplaces and industries should provide menopause awareness and support to their female employees so that they can continue with their careers.
• ‘Unemployment due to menopause symptoms has a direct economic impact of approximately £1.5 billion per annum with approximately 60,000 women in the UK not being in employment due to menopause symptoms’ Women’s health economics: investing in the 51 per cent | NHS Confederation

What have we achieved?

Our campaign activity to improve the lives of those experiencing the menopause is extensive. Some of our achievements are outlined below:

Menopause stories

Many women find it difficult to discuss health issues and seek support, even if these health issues are having a significant impact on their lives.

We're working with our community to develop tools and tips to help women to speak up, and provide guidance for people who would like to support their loved ones, friends, colleagues or patients who are living with health conditions.

Useful links and documents

Easy Read guides by Learning Disability Wales