Session 2: Symptoms and strategies

Introduction

The menopause is often identified by the symptoms that the sufferers experience rather than the physiological changes caused by falling levels of hormones produced. In this session we explore some of these symptoms and the impact they can have.

To introduce this session, watch Video 1 in Activity 1 where members of the public are asked what they think are the significant symptoms of the menopause and what can be done about them.

Activity 1 Menopause symptoms

Timing: Allow 10 minutes

Watch Video 1 and note down the symptoms mentioned and also what the contributors think can be done to improve the experience of menopausal women.

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Download this video clip.Video player: Video 1 Symptoms of the menopause and what can be done about it

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Transcript: Video 1 Symptoms of the menopause and what can be done about it

SPEAKER 1

Night sweats and hot flushes, really. And they sort of go together. But yeah, that horrible feeling of heat rising up your body and then just being so hot you don't know what to do. That was, to me, the worst bit.

SPEAKER 2

She went through phases of being angry. And I think that's more down to pain. Lack of sleep was a huge thing for her. Not being as mobile, she used to walk a lot. She was always conscious of her diabetes as well. So she was always trying to make sure her diet was well. She was struggling with that. Eating was a problem as well. It was multiple things for her.

SPEAKER 3

Maybe ‘thought fog’, I think maybe that's not the right term to use. But yeah, some kind of problems processing some of that information. I know some physical changes around heat, hot flushes and things like that as well, which can make people uncomfortable in a certain environment.

SPEAKER 1

I think it's about education and understanding. And so for example, if you are feeling really hot, there's always that dilemma if you're sharing an office. Can you open the window? What can you do about it? So, I think, for me, understanding is the most important thing.

SPEAKER 4

I used to work with a wonderful woman who, when she was going through the menopause, had very, very extreme hot flushes at work. And everyone would just carry on like nothing was happening. And she'd be sitting there boiling and fanning herself. And everyone would just not say anything. And I used to think at the time, should I say something? Should we open a window? It just wasn't discussed at all.

End transcript: Video 1 Symptoms of the menopause and what can be done about it

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Comment

Night sweats, hot flushes, pain, anger and thought (brain) fog are all identified by the contributors. Hot flushes are described graphically as the feeling of heat rising up your body and you are so hot you don’t know what to do. The emotion attached to the descriptions makes the symptoms sound more serious that when we read them.

The worst thing that we can do is carry on like nothing happens while being educated and showing understanding are two positive things we can do to understand the experiences of other people.

By the end of this session, you should be able to:

• identify common and less common symptoms associated with menopause
• appreciate the effects of menopause on people’s lives and work
• understand the main approaches available in treating menopause symptoms
• understand the role of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).