For something that happens to every woman, menopause is still a life event shrouded in myths and mystery. It can be not well understood or well managed. The symptoms are often not recognised by women or their doctors. As a result women can be undertreated. Until recently, menopause and its symptoms have still been something of a taboo subject.

“The impact of the menopause is still massively underestimated,” says Miss Tania Adib, a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist, who runs a menopause clinic at the private HCA Lister Hospital in London.

Adib says, “On a daily basis in clinic I will see women who say they want to quit their jobs, or they are losing their marriage because they can’t cope with their menopause symptoms. These can include brain fog, memory problems, anxiety, joint pain, depression, lack of sex drive, and insomnia, as well as hot flushes and night sweats.” 

As many as 42 symptoms of the menopause have been identified. Other symptoms that Adib has seen include burning mouth, dry eyes, and “a sensation of insects crawling under the skin”, as well as heart palpitations and vaginal dryness, itching and burning.

“We don’t talk enough about all these sorts of problems,” she added. “They can be very debilitating.” 

There is one statistic in particular that stands out: “One in four women going through the menopause say they’ve felt suicidal, such is the impact of their symptoms,” explains Dr Nighat Arif, an NHS GP and women’s health expert (@drnighatarif). “Another two out of four will have symptoms that impact their daily life.” 

Dr Arif says that while some women will sail through the menopause and only experience short-lived symptoms, others have multiple biological and psychological problems, some of which are severe and can last years.

“But midlife doesn’t have to be a depressing time,” added Dr Arif. “It’s also a time of regeneration and finding new opportunities. Some women are glad to be free of their periods, for instance, and looking forward to a new phase of their life.”

The good news about menopause

The good news is, there are ways of tackling menopause. 

The deficiency of hormones can be treated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or other treatments and lifestyle changes. In this course we bust some of the popular myths that persist about menopause and lay out the real facts. You’ll come away with the facts and information to get the treatments and support you need. 

To start, our top experts will give straight answers to your most common questions.