The survey
I have been involved with our Menopause Pages and Live Chat for nearly two years now – it has been an amazing experience and I myself have learned so much from the contact I have had from other menopausal women. One of the main continuous themes I have noticed is just how difficult it still is for women at this time to get good help, information and support. It does sadden me that, even in this day and age, women are still feeling isolated and misunderstood.
We recently conducted a Menopause Survey and, to be honest, none of the results were a complete surprise to me so what I thought I would do is look at the results and try to offer suggestions and information that might help with any of the points that resonate with you.
66% of women said they had experienced symptoms of the menopause
One of the main issues that crops up all the time is that most women think that they are going to have a terrible time. Although two thirds of women will experience symptoms, for most women theses symptoms will be minor and manageable. One third of women will have no problems and sail through.
The three most difficult or embarrassing symptoms women said they experience are hot flushes, night sweats and mood swings
This ties in with the majority of questions I get about symptoms but do remember that other issues such as stress, low iron, low thyroid and low vitamin D often appear at around the age of menopause. These can all cause similar symptoms so it is always best to get these checked out by your doctor just to rule them out. Sage is the main herb recommended for flushes and sweats and is considered to be very effective in most cases.
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The herb Hypericum/St John’s Wort is often helpful for low mood in the menopause and a magnesium supplement is great for mood, relaxation and sleep. Remember, magnesium is your ‘happy mineral’!
One in five said at times they felt or feel lonely and isolated and nearly 20% of women felt they didn’t or don’t have enough support
This is a huge issue, as it can be very difficult trying to explain to people how you feel when you don’t really know how you feel yourself. Partners and pre-menopausal women often don’t realise what an impact the menopause can have on daily life. I would love to see a menopause support group in each medical centre but until then our menopause webpages will hopefully help you to understand what is happening and how you can help yourself. If you have any further queries why not contact me directly via Ask A Question.
Two in five said their sex life was impacted due to menopausal symptoms
It is very difficult to feel amorous when you are fatigued or run down or in the throes of hot flushes and this can seriously impact on relationships, especially when your partner doesn’t know what is going on.
Communication is very important but, as above, it can be very difficult explaining how you feel without hurting their feelings. An easier option may be to hand your partner a copy of our free booklet on the menopause!
Supplements such as fermented soya or herbs such as Siberian Ginseng and Maca are known to help with libido. Remember that for some women the opposite happens and their libido increases!
If vagnial dryness or painful sex is the problem, try Sea Buckthorn Oil, as this can help the production of mucus.
60% of women said they feel attitudes to older or menopausal women are more negative than they should be
I find this a really sad one. In many cultures, the older you become, the more you are respected. I do think, however, that as ‘older’ women, we need to take some responsibility for this and keep reminding people that we have a voice!
Almost a quarter of women don’t know where to go for information or find it difficult to find answers to their questions and nearly 40% don’t feel that menopausal symptoms are a reason to go to the doctor. More than 20% worry that contacting their GP will be seen as a waste of time
This is really quite shocking in both instances and one of the reasons why we have built up such an in-depth menopause section to try and rectify this.
The number of women contacting me via the website, Live Chat and telephone has increased dramatically over the last year and only goes to highlight how much more is needed. There are some great doctors out there who really do all they can to help their menopausal patients but from the queries I am getting, there are a lot more who are very dismissive. No wonder so many women are reluctant to see their GP!
Regardless of how you feel, it is important to go and see your doctor even if it is just to get confirmation that you are indeed in the menopause and then you can look at other options to help yourself.
Get in touch!
I will continue with the results of the study in part two but in the meantime if you have any further queries on this blog or anything else, please do get in touch with me.
