Menopause Matters Forum

Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: getting_old on March 09, 2024, 07:48:00 PM

Title: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: getting_old on March 09, 2024, 07:48:00 PM
I heard about these articles yesterday so found this link. It certainly makes interesting reading

https://www.medicalrepublic.com.au/empowerment-key-to-managing-menopause/105714 (https://www.medicalrepublic.com.au/empowerment-key-to-managing-menopause/105714)
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: CLKD on March 09, 2024, 08:01:34 PM
These ideas are all over the place - it's natural and although symptoms can floor many, it shouldn't be treated as a disease.  Women need to be listened to and believed.

Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: sheila99 on March 09, 2024, 09:21:39 PM
Perhaps we should castrate every man at 50 and then tell them all they need is 'empowerment' and they don't need to replace the hormones they've lost. I'm glad I don't live in Australia, it's bad enough here.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: Jules on March 09, 2024, 09:32:30 PM
I feel that in this country its more important to educate women about what to expect and provide appropriate medical treatment than introduce employment law that will never work, so that women like me don't reach 60 before they learn about the changes that are happening and have to find out about and ask for help when it should be offered.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: CLKD on March 10, 2024, 09:52:32 AM
As well as educating the medical profession ?
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: sheila99 on March 10, 2024, 10:20:19 AM
I feel that in this country its more important to educate women about what to expect and provide appropriate medical treatment than introduce employment law that will never work, so that women like me don't reach 60 before they learn about the changes that are happening and have to find out about and ask for help when it should be offered.
Spot on about the education. It should be taught as standard along with sex education (though the educators may need educating themselves first). I was another who had no idea when it hit.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: Penguin on March 10, 2024, 11:16:37 AM
I feel that in this country its more important to educate women about what to expect and provide appropriate medical treatment than introduce employment law that will never work, so that women like me don't reach 60 before they learn about the changes that are happening and have to find out about and ask for help when it should be offered.
Spot on about the education. It should be taught as standard along with sex education (though the educators may need educating themselves first). I was another who had no idea when it hit.

I also agree with you both. All I heard from my mum was it involves a few hot flashes and then your periods stop. She passed before I went into full peri so I couldn't even ask her about her experience. Mine has been dire so far and I wish I'd known even as early as secondary school that it isn't that straightforward. I am already talking to my 9 year old daughter about menopause as she has seen what I've been going through x
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: Jules on March 10, 2024, 11:54:29 AM
Reading this forum I realise I've been lucky, I had nothing that problematic. My problems were all downstairs and worsened from late 50s, Last 3 years most noticable in my 60s but I had absolutely no idea. If my mum has these problems she's never said.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: Joaniepat on March 10, 2024, 01:54:22 PM
I feel that in this country its more important to educate women about what to expect and provide appropriate medical treatment than introduce employment law that will never work, so that women like me don't reach 60 before they learn about the changes that are happening and have to find out about and ask for help when it should be offered.
Spot on about the education. It should be taught as standard along with sex education (though the educators may need educating themselves first). I was another who had no idea when it hit.
Menopause is on the school curriculum now. Diane Danzebrink campaigned for this. She was also involved in a campaign to make menopause training compulsory in med school, but sadly the powers that be said they didn't need it  >:(.
JP x
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: sheila99 on March 10, 2024, 03:01:34 PM
I thought they were changing it so it will be compulsory?
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: CLKD on March 10, 2024, 03:04:34 PM
I think that Mums/Grans didn't talk about it or mayB, because eating habits were different until the early 1980s, they didn't have such dreadful symptoms?  More processed foods in recent years, plus more sedentary life styles may well have an impact.

My relatives were more active: Dad had the car to go to work so Mum walked/cycled everywhere or used the bus.  Grandmas never learned to drive.  Food was seasonal. 
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: sheila99 on March 10, 2024, 03:13:57 PM
I think it's more that it wasn't talked about. My mum was bedridden for 2 years when they damaged her back for a cystitis operation. Can't help wondering if it was va not a urinary tract problem. Many of us only knew about flushes and periods and we have the Internet, they only had a small circle of friends/relatives.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: getting_old on March 10, 2024, 07:13:13 PM
Definitely the medical profession need better education because a lot of women don't have any knowledge so need guidance. Obviously education for everyone is best, but in some ways I'm not sure I'd remember what I was taught in school by the time I was in peri.
My mother never talked about it, however looking back she did have stuff that probably was related but was attributed to other diseases so the treatments never really worked. She passed before I got to peri, but I wouldn't have talked to her about it anyway. Honestly I was completely clueless about the whole thing. My periods had gone haywire for at least a year, maybe 2, before I even considered menopause!
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: Jules on March 10, 2024, 09:42:00 PM
I don't think I'd have been remotely interested in or remember anything I'd learned in school about menopause. At school age, 30 is old, you just think anything else is irrelevant
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: getting_old on March 10, 2024, 09:49:34 PM
I don't think I'd have been remotely interested in or remember anything I'd learned in school about menopause. At school age, 30 is old, you just think anything else is irrelevant

Exactly! I'd be wondering why I needed to know and probably staring out of the window thinking about something totally random.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: sheila99 on March 10, 2024, 10:45:03 PM
So you don't remember anything from the sex ed lessons??  ;) My abiding memory is the biology teacher's face turning from her normal pale complexion to bright red. Knowing how many more possible symptoms there are would have been very useful, I'd have worked it out long before I did.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: Minusminnie on March 11, 2024, 07:53:19 AM
I can remember the biology teacher, it being part of reproduction and her embarrassment. It didn’t open up any further conversation with my parents/mum about anything either.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: Jules on March 11, 2024, 02:41:31 PM
So you don't remember anything from the sex ed lessons??  ;) My abiding memory is the biology teacher's face turning from her normal pale complexion to bright red. Knowing how many more possible symptoms there are would have been very useful, I'd have worked it out long before I did.
I didn't have any.  The difference is that puberty and sex is more relevant at that age. Menopause isn't. It's like teaching them about pensions. They'd glaze over
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: sheila99 on March 11, 2024, 03:36:57 PM
So you don't remember anything from the sex ed lessons??  ;) My abiding memory is the biology teacher's face turning from her normal pale complexion to bright red. Knowing how many more possible symptoms there are would have been very useful, I'd have worked it out long before I did.
I didn't have any.  The difference is that puberty and sex is more relevant at that age. Menopause isn't. It's like teaching them about pensions. They'd glaze over
Sex and reproduction weren't relevant to me then either. I disagree though. It isn't about knowing everything, it's about knowing enough to make the connection when the time comes. And more usedul to most people than quadratic equations. I would have listened, but then I'd have listened to financial and pension advice too.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: CLKD on March 11, 2024, 04:00:01 PM
I'm with Jules - glazed over about covers it.  I was aware of The Change from Mum, loss of periods and hot flushes  ::)

It might be that GPs should call in women from age 35 - the NHS offers various examinations etc. at certain ages so adding this important subject as a 'call in' service would help - both medics, Nurse Practitioners and women.  Our Surgery still doesn't have any menopause information on show!  >:(
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: getting_old on March 11, 2024, 08:20:10 PM
So you don't remember anything from the sex ed lessons??  ;) My abiding memory is the biology teacher's face turning from her normal pale complexion to bright red. Knowing how many more possible symptoms there are would have been very useful, I'd have worked it out long before I did.

I seem to recall the teacher mumbling something whilst extremely red-faced, along with half the class trying to ignore what she was saying and the other half giggling or making dodgy remarks. Not sure anyone actually learnt anything, and if they'd mentioned menopause I think it would have been similar reactions.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: getting_old on March 11, 2024, 08:24:19 PM
So you don't remember anything from the sex ed lessons??  ;) My abiding memory is the biology teacher's face turning from her normal pale complexion to bright red. Knowing how many more possible symptoms there are would have been very useful, I'd have worked it out long before I did.
I didn't have any.  The difference is that puberty and sex is more relevant at that age. Menopause isn't. It's like teaching them about pensions. They'd glaze over
Sex and reproduction weren't relevant to me then either. I disagree though. It isn't about knowing everything, it's about knowing enough to make the connection when the time comes. And more usedul to most people than quadratic equations. I would have listened, but then I'd have listened to financial and pension advice too.

We had one lesson on sex etc. and that was it. The school assumed it was the parents responsibility, but my parents never even broached the subject. These days I think people are more open and kids learn about it from both parents and schools, and it's the same with menopause.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: sheila99 on March 12, 2024, 11:26:15 AM
There are many, many posts on this forum from people saying they were clueless and wished they'd known more before they were hit with all the symptoms. And yet on this thread most of you seem to think we should keep future generations in the dark too. Sorry, I just can't understand this attitude.
  School is the only time you have a captive audience. You can't rely on parents, some won't know and others won't talk about it.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: CLKD on March 12, 2024, 01:31:35 PM
Certainly parents in my peer groups wouldn't talk so I would ask Mum and take the advice back to the Class  ;D.  Periods were enough to deal with at the time, plus issues in the house. 

When to inform ladies is a difficult decision.  Hence my suggestion that GPs/Nurse Practitioners should offer appropriate-age discussion.  But which age  :-\.

More info in GP surgeries is essential, which reminds me!
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: getting_old on March 12, 2024, 04:11:32 PM
There are many, many posts on this forum from people saying they were clueless and wished they'd known more before they were hit with all the symptoms. And yet on this thread most of you seem to think we should keep future generations in the dark too. Sorry, I just can't understand this attitude.
  School is the only time you have a captive audience. You can't rely on parents, some won't know and others won't talk about it.

I definitely think that it's important to educate people, but the issue is that a lot of kids aren't going to be interested if it's taught in schools because it's not affecting them at that time. I think if there was generally more openess that would be the way to help. I do see more people in their 50s talking openly about what has happened to them and how they're affected.
Title: Re: Menopause is not a disease??
Post by: CLKD on March 12, 2024, 04:13:05 PM
Menopause cafes may be a way to go, similar to Men Sheds etc. ;-)