By Monica Jones
More than ever, we are talking about the men-opause. For too long, it was one of those TABOO subjects, skirted around, referred to as “the change” in whispered voices. October 18th is World Menopause Day. I bet most of us didn’t know that. I certainly didn’t, until I started researching this piece.
We went along to the local Menopause Café in Sunbury to find out how the conversation has truly begun. Menopause cafes (www.menopausecafe.net) are springing up all over the UK. Ladies get together to share concerns, listen to talks on health and wellbe-ing and offer companionship to each other. They started in 2017 in Scotland and out of nowhere a national support group has grown. The British Menopause Society has some interesting facts on their website about the menopause: there are 13 million menopausal women in the UK! Symptoms vary and it can kick in at any age. A small (and fortunate) number of us will sail through it with few, if any symptoms. But a staggering 25% will have debilitating symptoms which will affect them at home and at work.
Going back to those whispered conversations. How old fashioned! The menopause is a natu-ral part of aging and we should understand it and talk about it openly. I remember sex edu-cation classes at school (ok, a fair few years ago!). It revolved mostly around birth control and STIs. Menopause was never mentioned. How things have changed. ‘Menopause-The Musical’? Yep, it premiered in 2001. Funny songs covering menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, food craving and memory loss. In the 19th century you may have been pre-scribed opium or cannabis to relieve symp-toms. Other “treatments” were apparently powder made from dried cows ovaries or in-jections in the “lady department” of acetate of lead!!! And they wondered why menopausal women presented symptoms of madness! Thankfully these days it is much more about awareness, lifestyle and management. And thank goodness for HRT!
Symptoms include changes in sleep patterns, hot flushes, aching joints and mood swings. Everyone is different. I was intrigued to learn in my various chats at the Menopause Café, that changes to the body such as dry eyes, brittle nails, dull hair and itchy skin are also all symptoms. Some effects are debilitating. The Menopause Café I attended ran a talk on migraine in menopause. It was eye opening, very well presented and humbling. Helen, who gave the talk (photo above) is the sister of Sarah Herbert who started the local Meno-pause Café, inspired to help others cope bet-ter, after her extremely difficult experiences. The idea of the cafes is not to instruct, but to share advice and resources. We all had the chance to move amongst tables and meet each other, learn from each other and offer our own experience and advice. The youngest attendee was only 40. When she was plunged into the menopause at 36 after a hysterectomy to com-bat cancer, she found herself with little or no support and very little understanding, even from health professionals. Thank goodness then for a supportive environment like the cafes. They are game changing.
The cafes meet bi monthly at The Magpie, 64 Thames Street, Sunbury. The next meet-ing is November 10th 7.30-9pm. Entry is free but please register by emailing sunburyandsheppertonmenocafe@outlook.com. Do spread the word!