The Ipswich Library hosted an information session about menopause last night and I decided it would be a good opportunity to learn more about what to expect. There were about 50 of us who attended this online session on Zoom. Co-host Lissie Turner (a former Triple J radio announcer) instantly caught my interest when she mentioned having to pre-write and read out her introduction for the session, because of the brain fog she was experiencing at this time-of-life. I too have been getting a lot of this brain fog, but thought it was related to my iron deficiency (which has been treated by multiple iron infusions).
The main part of the session was presented by health practitioner / researcher Dr Nicola Gates, who wrote The Feel Good Guide to Menopause. Nicola shared her personal story as a cancer survivor who had to have all her ‘woman parts’ surgically removed. Overnight she began to experience horrible hot flushes – several of them an hour – about five years ahead of the normal age for women to start menopause.
Nicola shared lots of interesting points:
- Women are born with all the eggs they will produce during their lifetime, and all foetuses are genetically female, until the Y-chromosome emerges (from insemination) to develop the male characteristics.
- Women generally weren’t included in medical research until the 1990’s – our more complicated endocrine systems a probable factor. However it is now compulsory to include females in medical studies.
- We go through the peri-menopause stage, which is when all the disruptive symptoms occur – the hot flushes, brain fog. When there has been no menstruation for at least 12 months, you are considered to be in menopause when your body is no longer producing hormones to the same extent (there is still some oestrogen production from adipose – fat cells). Post menopause is whenever you think you’re over it!
- Hormonal changes affect decision making – not a good time to make life-changing decisions. The quality of your relationships will impact the quality of your menopause. Our oxytocin levels are boosted by safe relationships – big (six second) hugs make us feel better and increase our immune systems.
- Menopause might trigger mental health issues if these have been experienced earlier in life. Confidence goes down, stress and anxiety go up – but studies show women are just as capable as ever, there is no deterioration in mental ability.
- On the plus side, menopause liberates us from hormone-driven behaviours such as the compulsion to say yes everytime we are asked to take something on!
Important advice for women in menopause:
- It is important to continue all the things that good health requires, but at a gentler pace – healthy diet, gentle exercise. Yoga, walking and weight training are good options.
- Also should do things that bring us joy – start your day with an attitude of loving kindness, give yourself a big smile in the bathroom mirror – guaranteed to get a big smile back đŸ™‚
- Pay mindful attention to your mind – get into the ‘NACK’ mindset – Non-judging, Acceptance, Curiousity, Kindness
- Learn to dance to your own song – you are 50 – 60% of the way through this remarkable journey called life – it’s time to celebrate individuality and embrace your own uniqueness.
We had opportunity to ask questions after the presentation. I asked if symptoms varied between women, for instance could one experience lots of brain fog, but no hot flushes? I was kindly told yes, there is lots of variation between women and we could even have different experience from our own mothers and grandmothers. Lissie mentioned Nicola’s book has lots of case studies showing different experiences by women in menopause – I may even check it out.
Overall a very positive and reassuring outlook for the years ahead. And there will be more hugs to Jo and Mum (COVID virus notwithstanding).
Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust – The Travelling Companions is an 1862 oil-on-canvas painting by British artist Augustus Leopold Egg. Sometimes interpreted as representing two sides of the one person, it could be me and Jo – I am the one napping, Jo is the one reading!