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[Sue B]

Hello Nearly 50
Thank you for the unison guidelines. I think you should push this issue through your union. Surely they (management) need to make 'reasonable adjustments'?
A friend of mine had a similar situation in her school where she wasn't allowed to turn the heater down in her classroom. She had a long battle with her headteacher to recognise her need for a cooler working environment. 

[cubagirl]

Sue B, please don't be offended, but maybe don't post your email on open forum. 

However, I think female teachers need to be accommodated.  I was only a nursery nurse, but for teachers in HE, trying to cope with menopause & stroppy pupils must be horrendous.  My SIL used to tell us tales of pupil's behaviours which were hard enough for teachers to deal with, never mind the added horrors of the menopause.  As for your doctor, well words fail me, especially as your doctor was a she!  Must have been young! 

[Sue B]

Thank you cubagirl- I'm not offended and appreciate your advice  Is there any other way of contacting people without being able to post a direct message?

[cubagirl]

Think most could pm you through this website, but you can't pm them until you've been on a bit longer.  Used to be after you'd made a 100 posts, but think it's maybe less now. Someone will know the answer I'm sure.

I wish you luck with your research though. Sure many women, who are still employed in whatever line of work, would benefit from findings. I fear it may be my daughter's or maybe my granddaughter's generation who will eventually reap the benefits from such research.

[Cazikins]

"Used to be after you'd made a 100 posts, but think it's maybe less now."

I think it's 10 posts.

Sue B - your email address is still showing. If you want to remove you can go back & select the edit option to remove it (just as a precaution).
 

[Sue B]

Thank you cubagirl and Cazikins. I think I may be up to 10 posts by now so that's good to know.
I'll delete my email asap.
Important research into menopause and work is available and some unions have guidelines. The more research we can manage to do, the better. Teachers working through a menopause often face particular problems, and given it is a highly feminised profession, it is surprising the level of taboo that exists within staffrooms and with our employers. When I have completed this study, I hope to do more research in this area.

[Springer]

Sue, great you are doing this! I'm not a teacher but I have certainly experienced impact of peri meno on my confidence, concentration, mood and this has impacted on work performance. Younger women rarely "get it". It should be less of a taboo. Thank you for sharing x

[nearly50]

Hello Nearly 50
Thank you for the unison guidelines. I think you should push this issue through your union. Surely they (management) need to make 'reasonable adjustments'?
A friend of mine had a similar situation in her school where she wasn't allowed to turn the heater down in her classroom. She had a long battle with her headteacher to recognise her need for a cooler working environment.

I've spoken to my line manager who told me I couldn't impose what I wanted on other people and so couldn't turn the heating down. I said I'd have to go to the union and was then told to put in an official request so have done so, with a quote from the Unison guidelines. Will let you know how that goes.

[peegeetip]

Hi Sue

sorry if this has been mentioned before but you mentioned not taking HRT?

Then you mentioned having a hysterectomy?

Studies have shown that ladies in your situation actually lower their risk of Breast Cancer on Estrogen only HRT!

This was a hidden fact in all those HRT scare stories for years.

So just want to make sure your aware of that.

However your ovaries will not keep you at any good level of estrogen hence you have symptoms and problems.

[Hurdity]

Sue B, please don't be offended, but maybe don't post your email on open forum. 

She is using her work e-mail and people who post requests for research usually do give their e-mails for contact - in the press section and info for surveys. It just means if it gets discovered you might get more e-mails than you wanted including some nutters? Not sure if this has happened to anyone asking for research 

Hello peegeetip!

SueB good luck with your research - such an important area. Wasn't there a publication about menopause in the workplace recently? Just found the thread Emma posted in November - I'll bump it. http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,33924.0.html

Hurdity x

[nearly50]

Just as a wee update, I was allowed to have 2 of my 5 radiators switched off which has made a big difference. Quoting the Unison guidelines and involving my more sympathetic HT worked wonders. Thanks SueB for this thread as I probably wouldn't have pushed it without it.

[Lesley Joy]

Hi,

I'm also a primary teacher but only do relieving work now. It does mean that I usually get  2 or 3 days a week (more in Winter). Relieving comes with its own stress, as I don't know which school I will be at until they call me.

I also have CFS so find I can have significant brain fog, which isn't good when teaching. I'm amazed at the amount of pressure full time teachers are under these days, mountains of paperwork, then there are the meetings! I'm also 60 so really only have another 5 years of career left. Part time would be great but there are not many vacancies for that here in NZ.

Lesley x