Menopause, we need to chat.
Menopause costs women more than $17 billion per year in lost earnings and superannuation, according to the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees.
Recent studies indicate as many as a quarter of menopausal women experience debilitating symptoms leading to long-term absences from work or forcing them into early retirement.
“We know that women have had to resign or reduce their hours because of symptoms,” a spokesperson for the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees said.
Management and treatment options for menopausal symptoms are available.
The national not-for-profit organisation, Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, says “it’s time to talk about it”, and when better than World Menopause Month?
Jean Hailes for Women’s Health was founded in 1992 in honour of Dr Dorothy Jean Hailes, a visionary in the field of women’s health who established the first women’s health clinic in Australia dedicated to midlife and menopause.
It was one of the first menopause clinics in the world.
Dr Hailes was an advocate at a time when advocacy was unheard of in the field of women’s health.
Today, Jean Hailes for Women’s Health continues to dedicate itself to improving women’s knowledge and understanding of complex health issues, and has been a leader in the field of menopause and women’s health for 30 years.
Chief executive of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, Janet Michelmore AO, said she was not surprised by the statistics concerning women and menopause.
“We know that in Australia, 80 per cent of women experience menopausal symptoms that can range from mild to extremely severe,” Ms Michelmore said.
“Many women have had to resign, reduce their hours, or go part time because these symptoms can last up to 10 years.”
Ms Michelmore said with October being World Menopause Month, it was time to increase awareness that menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life.
“Important conversations and increased education for women and their health practitioners around menopause have to become the norm,” she said.
“We need to break taboos around menopause and find ways to keep women in the workforce.”
Management and treatment options for menopause are available.
“The Jean Hailes website is a rich source of expert-reviewed and recently updated menopause information, with fact sheets, booklets, podcasts and videos,” Ms Michelmore said.
“We need to break taboos around the topic of menopause and encourage women, their partners and families, and workplaces to acknowledge this life stage and talk more openly about it.”
When ovaries stop releasing eggs, periods stop; menopause is when you have your final period.
Menopause can happen naturally, at the expected age, typically between ages 45 and 55 or earlier.
Premature menopause, menopause before the age of 40, affects about one per cent of women and can be because of premature ovarian insufficiency, surgery or cancer treatment.
Gynaecologist and advanced laparoscopic surgeon from Jean Hailes for Women’s Health clinics, Dr Pav Nanayakkara, said menopause was different for everyone, and symptoms varied.
“Menopausal symptoms are different in everyone but can include a combination of physical symptoms such as irregular periods, hot flushes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, vaginal dryness, loss of libido, bloating, urinary symptoms, weight gain, aches and pains, to emotional symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, forgetfulness, low mood, mood swings,” Dr Nanayakkara said.
“By definition, menopause occurs when you have not had a period for 12 months.
“This can happen naturally (the average age is 51) or occur early because of reasons such as premature ovarian insufficiency, surgery or cancer treatment.
“Women often go through a stage called “perimenopause” when symptoms of menopause start occurring.
“For some women, these symptoms are mild and can be managed with healthy lifestyle changes.
“For other women, depending on their stage of life, relationships and general health, symptoms can be more significant and may require complementary therapies, menopausal hormonal therapy (MHT) and prescription medications,” she said.
“It is always worth having a chat with a women’s health doctor to ensure that quality of life is optimised.”
For women suffering uncomfortable, painful or even debilitating menopause symptoms, there are home remedies that may help alleviate discomfort.
“Herbs and traditional medicines have been used for many years to manage symptoms, but ongoing research is required into effectiveness and safety,” Dr Nanayakkara said.
“These include black cohosh, dong quai, evening primrose, hops, Korean ginseng, linseed (flaxseed), red clover, St John’s wort and wild yam.
“For low libido, tribulus, maca and horny goat weed have been reported to help.
“Lemon balm, valerian and passionflower had been found to help with insomnia, anxiety and fatigue.”
When it comes to the treatment of menopause, Dr Nanayakkara said it wasn’t a case of “one-size-fits-all”.
“Treatment options can vary depending on the stage of life, general health and well-being and severity of the symptoms,” she said.
“Symptoms can be managed conservatively with strategies such as natural medicines, herbs and complementary therapies. Medical treatment can include hormonal therapy with oestrogen +/- progesterone and non-hormonal medications, including antidepressants, gabapentin and clonidine.
“A women’s health GP, menopause specialist or gynaecologist can help understand your symptoms and formulate a management plan tailored to the woman.”
Dr Nanayakkara said menopause was a turbulent time in a woman’s life.
“The stigma associated with sexual problems, age-related changes and mental health can leave many women feeling unnecessarily secluded,” she said.
“With a growing workforce of women, conversations around menopause and a greater understanding of its impact can foster an inclusive environment by optimising well-being, developing meaningful solutions and supporting women through their individual challenges.
“The best way to normalise the transition is to understand and talk about the changes involved. There is no shame in looking after ourselves and each other.”
