Dr Michelle O'Driscoll: The best places to seek out support for menopause

FEELING increasingly anxious? Experiencing night sweats, or reduced libido? Fluctuations of weight, fatigue or a change to your periods?

Symptoms like these would prompt you to consider your hormonal health, and what could be going on in that regard.

Menopause is a natural part of ageing, when a woman stops having periods. It comes with a wide range of symptoms, both physical and mental.

Peri-menopause is the time leading up to menopause when hormones in the body start to shift, and symptoms begin to present. It’s the time before periods stop completely.

Unfortunately, a 2021 report by Athone Institute of Technology showed that a huge proportion of women (77%) were not prepared for the menopause. Knowing what to expect and making adjustments to lifestyle and/or medications as necessary can really help with the transition, which for the majority happens over a number of years.

It can be difficult to know where to go for evidence-based information and support however, and the subject of menopause still carries a lot of shame or embarrassment in Ireland, although progress is certainly being made.

If you want to know more about current symptoms or what you may experience in the future, as well as its management, below is a list of some of the best places to seek out that support.

Pharmacist – your local pharmacy is the provider of HRT and medications to support mental health in menopause, and therefore have a wealth of knowledge in this area. They are also well placed to signpost you to appropriate information or services.

Ask to use the consultation room for a quiet, private conversation, and know that you can pop in any time, without an appointment required. If prescribed something for your symptoms, the advice will be further tailored to you, and will include lifestyle changes that you can make to naturally support your hormone balance.

GP – your GP is an excellent point of contact if you have any concerns about how symptoms are affecting your daily life. Full bloods can be carried out to gain a clearer picture of the situation, although these results change very frequently according to the time in your cycle. They can help however to rule out any red-flag issues. Some GPs specialise in women’s health, and others may advise referral onwards to a consultant or women’s health specialist practice where deemed necessary.

Mental Health Ireland – the mental health impact of peri-menopause and menopause should not be underestimated, and MHI have co-produced an information booklet with tips and signposting, as well as the experiences of others who have gone through this challenging time. As one person said in their recent report, there can be a “double stigma of having mental health challenges and menopause” which is important to tackle. They also provide an excellent checklist for advocating for yourself in appointments with healthcare professionals.

Women’s health clinics – these are excellent settings where all the resources required for holistic women’s health are housed.

In particular, things like GP, physiotherapy for pelvic issues, and CBT for the mental health challenges encountered can be helpful to avail of. It’s worth checking whether any are located in your area, if you’d like specialised care in this regard.

Menopause café – a really helpful initiative, run by a charity organisation that arrange for local volunteers to host pop-up, not-for-profit gatherings where people can meet to discuss their experiences and connect with others in similar situations to them.

This really helps to boost mood and morale, and reassures people that they’re not alone in their symptoms and challenges.

Peri-menopause and menopause are significant life events, that often occur during other challenging life events, such as looking after a family (young kids and/or ageing parents), and work pressures.

Making sure that you arm yourself with information will ensure that you take appropriate action if symptoms ever become too much. There’s plenty that can be done, once we reach out for help.

About the author 

 Dr Michelle O’Driscoll is a pharmacist, re searcher and founder of InTuition, a health and wellness education company. Her research lies in the area of mental health education, and through InTuition she delivers health promotion workshops to corporate and academic organi sations nationally. See intuition.ie