Picture this. You are walking down the street to get a coffee with a friend. Your friend is talking about her hybrid work regime again. You tune out hoping the raspberry white chocolate muffins won’t be sold out. Suddenly you are screaming in pain. You trip on a crack in the footpath. You break your ankle. Instead of coffee and a muffin you go to hospital instead. The doctor says you are fine and sends you on your way. There’s no discussion of bandaging, ice, or a brace even when you ask.

Imagine having a legitimate health concern and being turned away? I hope you wouldn’t accept that. You would struggle to work, take care of your kids, or enjoy your life. Your boss would encourage you to get another opinion. Other people would suggest ideas to help you heal your broken bone.

Now consider menopause.

Zoe told us she went to her doctor desperate for help. She was struggling with insomnia, anxiety, hot flushes and brain fog. Her doctor told her menopause is “natural”. Her doctor told her she was strong and would get through it. Her doctor declined to discuss HRT or any other options. Zoe left empty handed and deflated. She trusted her doctor, so she soldiered on. Within six months she quit her job. No one at work knew what she was going through. No one encouraged her to get another opinion. No one shared information or resources with her.

Imagine if Zoe had access to better support? Imagine if Zoe heard conversations about menopause at work? Maybe she sees a poster or jumps on to a workplace platform housing training and resources. She discovers there are options out there for her. Options to help her sleep better, feel more grounded, reduce hot flushes and support bone and brain health. She would stay. She would be loyal. She would survive and thrive.

New research shows 86% of menopausal women would like workplaces to support menopausal women. This research showed 50% of women cannot name the stages of menopause. It’s no wander 2 in 3 women are blindsided by menopause (been there, got the sweaty t-shirt).

We need to talk more about the challenges of midlife for women and men. Amongst family, workloads, teams, and caring responsibilities, it’s hard to prioritise your health and attend all those appointments.

How can we make it easier for women to become more informed? How can we reduce the stigma around menopause, so it’s discussed openly with facts and curiosity? How do we make it easier for women to access support options when our health systems are overloaded, appointments are short or scarce? How can we help women reduce struggle time and stop blaming themselves?

It was a TV program that helped Jo Caminiti connect the dots and take action to get the information she needed. In her case it was HRT. She said "I had nearly ten years in the wilderness there where things were just getting worse and worse and if I had known earlier, I could have done something about it earlier”

HRT is not for everyone. Whilst 80%-90% of women experience symptoms not everyone suffers with menopause symptoms. Others have medical complications and require other options. Every woman should discuss the benefits and risks relating to their own medical history with their doctor.

“Throw out your HRT” was the message my mum heard following the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study in 2002 and the decision to stop the study due to an increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease. 

Between media coverage and sensational headlines and stories, it’s no wander HRT is a confusing, loaded topic.

Questions about HRT remain the number one hot topic today.

The Australian Menopause Society states “The menopause is the final menstrual period and usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55 years. Around this time, women may experience symptoms such as hot flushes, sweating, vaginal dryness, loss of libido, irritability, sleep disturbance and muscle/joint pains. Oestrogen therapy is the most effective means of treating many of these symptoms. It will also prevent bone loss.”

A highlight for Meno Collective this year has been empowering women with information, support and a cheer-squad to make informed choices about how they manage midlife health, perimenopause and menopause symptoms. We have empowered women to manage stress, improve sleep, boost energy and self-belief whilst reducing a range of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms.

You asked, we delivered. A gift to empower perimenopausal women everywhere

If you are wondering…. Should I take HRT? Are there risks? Are there benefits? Who should I listen to? We delve deeper into this in our HRT Empowerment Masterclass with Dr Jane who has a special interest in women's health in midlife and menopause, and the promotion of healthy ageing. When it comes to your health care, we want you to know what great sounds like.

This month we offer you free access to the Meno Collective HRT Empowerment Masterclass. Click here to watch the masterclass.  

As always, any medication risks should be discussed with a medical professional. We wish you all the very best and plenty of rest this season. Thanks for being here and opening the menopause conversation this year.