You’ve heard about hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings, but women suffer with many more menopausal symptoms that even doctors are struggling to recognise. Dry eyes, UTIs, frozen shoulder - there is a list of symptoms that can be attributed to many things other than menopause. So how do you know if hormones are to blame?
Doctors recognise that It’s not straightforward when it comes to diagnosing menopause-related symptoms, especially those that are not commonly known. “Menopause can be incredibly confusing, as many symptoms can have other causes or be age related,” explains Dr Robin Noble, Gynecologist and Chief Medical Officer of Let’s Talk Menopause.
However, staying informed and being aware and accountable for your health will help you get the right treatment. “People need to be their own advocates and realise that many doctors are in the silos of their own specialty,” Dr Noble explains. “Menopausal care really requires a holistic approach and a wide lens to recognize important connections. I find it one of the most challenging areas of medicine because people experience it so differently - some with no symptoms at all and others with all the symptoms we mention.”
If you are in the age bracket when menopause and perimenopause is likely, Dr Noble advises women and doctors to assume, rather than not, that any new or worsening symptom could have a hormone connection. “I had a patient who had been seeing ophthalmology, struggling with dry eye syndrome, yet no one had recognized the potential connection to menopause. Moreover, her dry eye syndrome was so severe that she was not a candidate for needing cataract. So I still see that common relationships are too often overlooked - like the start of recurrent urinary tract infections, worsening migraines, palpitations, joint pain and stiffness, and various immune related disorders.”
“Hormone therapy can be a game changer for treating these unexpected symptoms. And many women, including the woman with the dry eyes, are experiencing a significant improvement. I have had cases involving skin manifestations like eczema, psoriasis - both improved with hormone therapy,” Dr Noble explains. “If hormonal fluctuations are playing a role, and if hormones are not contraindicated for some reason - hormone sensitive cancer, stroke, clot, significant cardiovascular disease or history of myocardial infarction (heart attack) - then a trial of hormone therapy can often answer the question and provide significant relief of symptoms.”
Recurrent UTIs were a symptom experienced by Samara Daly, Co-Founder of Dalygonzalez and Let’s Talk Menopause. "During the early months of the pandemic's peak, I endured several months of UTI-like symptoms,” Samara explains to HELLO! “Unfortunately, my gynaecologist couldn't see me in person due to COVID restrictions, and the antibiotics prescribed for a traditional UTI only exacerbated my condition. It wasn't until a trusted friend enlightened me that these symptoms were linked to perimenopause, not a typical UTI. This revelation was eye-opening! Determined to seek proper care, I consulted a certified urogynecologist. Within just a month, the debilitating symptoms subsided.”
Samara’s experience fueled her commitment to co-found Let's Talk Menopause as she believes that sharing the right information can help menopausal women feel more supported and prepared. “I realised the urgency to raise awareness and provide support for women navigating similar challenges.”
Experts agree that education is key for helping menopausal women navigate this period and improve the quality of their lives. And this is what motivated Tamsen Fadal, award-winning journalist, author and board member of Let’s Talk Menopause sharing videos about perimenopause and menopause on her social media platforms, she was shocked about the confusion and lack of information that women have available when they hit this often turbulent time in their lives.
“Women find themselves navigating perimenopause symptoms in isolation, often with more questions than answers,” she explained to HELLO! “The stigma surrounding these experiences can leave many feeling silenced. During my 40s, I grappled with such intense brain fog that I felt as though I were losing myself. It eroded my confidence at work, and the lack of information around the issue left me feeling isolated. With no clear answers readily available.”
The good news is that thanks to organisations like Let’s Talk Menopause, the tide is changing and education about symptoms is beginning to filter through and women feel more empowered to talk about their symptoms and share their stories. “This phase should be among the most inspiring and insightful in our lives, not overshadowed by confusion and shame,” Tamsen adds. "As I witness the flood of messages and women sharing their symptoms with one another, I'm struck by a mix of emotions. There's a sense of sorrow stemming from the lack of information available, yet intertwined with it is a profound excitement - no longer are women remaining silent about their experiences."