Women going through the menopause feel isolated and unsupported, confused and invisible according to new research from herbal remedies manufacturer, A.Vogel.
20% of menopausal women said they felt lonely or confused and more than 50% felt unsupported in the lead up to the menopause.
Even in this day and age, many women were reluctant to “bother their GP” with concerns about the menopause and nearly 40% felt that experiencing menopausal symptoms was not a reason to see their GP.
Half of women surveyed felt they were ‘on the shelf’ and almost 30% felt there was little that could be done to relieve symptoms of the menopause.
Menopause expert, Eileen Durward, who answers women’s questions through the A.Vogel Menopause Health Hub and Helpline was unsurprised: “Sadly, these results reflect my everyday experience of dealing with menopausal women. There is so much confusion out there and women are desperate for information and support.
Advice is not necessarily free and doctors don’t always have the time, training or inclination to give women the help they crave.
“Women need to know they are not alone and there are things they can do to help themselves. That’s why I decided to write a blog sharing my own experiences.”
A key concern identified by the research was how to deal with hot flushes – one of the most common and well-known symptoms of the menopause. More than 70% of menopausal women said they found hot flushes embarrassing or difficult to deal with. A further 45% percent of non-menopausal women described this as one of the symptoms they were dreading. Eileen has some practical advice on this topic:
“Hot flushes can be very tricky to deal with, especially when they are unpredictable. Women in social situations or work may begin to panic when a flush starts and this can make it worse. The best thing to do is to breathe slowly and fully and speak reassuringly to yourself. It is unlikely that the flush is as obvious to others as you think. Many women find sage can also be a big help.
Sage can also help women who experience disruptive night sweats. If women are sleep-deprived this can affect their ability to deal with the onslaught of physical and emotional changes they are experiencing, so it’s really important to address this.”
