World Menopause Day: testimony

We are approaching the 18th October. For several years now, this date has been World Menopause Day.

This type of regular event is more than welcome as we all should try and put an end to the all too common phenomenon of invisible menopause.

Menopause, this unavoidable transition through which all women around the globe will go through, still remains a taboo subject in our modern societies. And this taboo aspect contributes to making it poorly known by those very people who are the first to be impacted in their daily life, women.

Test your knowledge

A recent study showed that the number of women discussing the subject of menopause with their GP or gynecologist barely exceeded 30%. And yet, the symptoms of menopause impact the lives of nearly 80% of postmenopausal women!

Menopause is often like a stranger with whom, nolens volens, we have to share our daily life.
It usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, but the associated symptoms often precede the final end of menstruation.
Many are the women « taken by surprise » by these symptoms.

So once again, anything that contributes to the awareness of women, but also of those around them, both in their private and in their professional life, is extremely welcome.

And on the eve of the 18th October, in honor of this upcoming World Menopause Day, we have chosen to publish an extract¹ of testimony from one of these women among others that the arrival of the symptoms of the menopause was « taken by surprise ».

One’s experience is everyone’s treasure.
Gérard de Nerval

We hope you’ll enjoy this « slice of experience sharing » !

Did you ever entertain the thought that you might escape the worst, and that you would end up having no symptoms at all?

Sophie, 53 y.o. : Hum … not really. It was rather that I wasn’t that much knowledgeable about it, and I thought symptoms would come only after I would stop having my period.

I hadn’t at all realized that with pre- and peri-menopause, you can experience symptoms already ten years, sometimes even more years before your final period.

So I started to have some early symptoms.

Not really characteristic ones, that’s why I also didn’t immediately make the connection with menopause: I was feeling like I was having adrenaline rushes. It was a time when I was a little bit stressed but not too much either, so I went to see a doctor. And he told me it was just because I was stressed, he didn’t tell me it could be related to menopause. Yet he knew very well that I was in the age range where this kind of thing can happen. He gave me some herbal medication… and it didn’t work very well. I kept getting those adrenaline rushes.

And a few months later, I began to have trouble sleeping. This was completely new to me, because I am rather a very, very good sleeper.

To continue reading Sophie’s testimony … and more : Menopause Story(ies)

Are you interested in the experiences of women at different stages of their menopause? Would you like a reminder of the physiology of menopause and the main symptoms? Download our free ebook, Menopause Story(ies).

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