18 October is World Menopause Day. It is a good moment to gather in one place the questions women most often ask themselves, and rarely ask out loud.
1. What exactly is menopause?
Menopause is the last menstrual period of a woman's life. In practice it is identified in hindsight: after 12 consecutive months without a period. Everything before that is perimenopause, and the time after it is postmenopause.
2. When does it start?
Menopause most often happens around the age of 50, but perimenopause usually begins several years earlier, often after 40. For some women it lasts a few years, for others up to a decade. That is why many women put the changes they notice after 40 down to stress, tiredness or "just age" instead of seeing them as one picture.
3. What changes are typical?
The most common are irregular periods, hot flushes, poorer sleep, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, dry skin and mucous membranes, and changes in body shape. Not every woman experiences all of them, and their intensity varies a lot. We write more about connecting the dots in Perimenopause: it is not "just age".
4. Does it mean something is wrong with me?
No. Menopause is a natural stage that every woman who lives long enough goes through. The problem is often not the change itself, but the lack of knowledge about it. When a woman knows what is happening to her body, it is easier to look after herself and go through this time calmly.
5. When should I see a doctor?
It is worth talking to a gynaecologist when the changes make everyday life harder, when you have bleeding that worries you, or simply when you want to know which stage you are at and what your options are. A doctor will also help choose tests and discuss possible treatment.
6. What can I do myself?
The basics sound ordinary, but they matter: regular movement including strength training, sleep at regular times, a varied diet with enough protein, limiting alcohol, and time to rest. And conversation: with a doctor, with loved ones, with other women going through the same. Food supplements can be one element of a daily routine, but they do not replace a balanced diet, a healthy lifestyle or medical advice.
7. Why is it so hard to talk about?
Because for years menopause was something spoken about in a whisper. Many women never talked about it even with their mothers. That is exactly why World Menopause Day exists: so that the subject stops being taboo.
This article is for information only and does not replace medical advice.
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