“A British Menopause Society survey earlier this year indicates that women are still not sufficiently well prepared for the menopause and the significant effects it can have on their work, social and sex lives,” says Chairman Dr Heather Currie. “They’re still not seeking help. The ideal is that all women are aware about menopause and possible related health issues, and we’re not there yet.”
Dr Currie is contributing to a new media campaign aimed at breaking the taboo against discussing menopause, which is perceived very negatively in the west.
Dr Currie believes that individual awareness and communication are vital to changing perceptions. “Women need to know that it’s not a weakness to have symptoms and seek help,” she comments.
“It’s most important to understand the effects – not just things like hot flushes, but possible later consequences such as osteoporosis, higher blood pressure, and heart disease. Understand the stages, what to expect, and when to seek treatment.”
Professor David Reid, Consultant Rheumatologist and specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis agrees.
“Women lose about 1% of bone density every year after the age of 45,” he explains.
“One in two women over the age of 50 will have an osteoporosis related fracture in their lifetime but the good news is that fracture risk can both be predicted and in many cases safely prevented.”
The primary first line therapy for osteoporosis used to be Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), however many women have been put off using HRT due to the associated risks, which have been over-stressed by the media.
“We are beginning to see an increased number of fractures as a result of patients not taking drug treatment but the benefits greatly outweigh the very rare negative effects,” says Professor Reid.
Many experts now agree HRT it can be used safely up until the age of about 60 without significant excess risk of heart attacks, strokes or invasive breast cancer, and some specialists would say that some preparations of HRT can be used for a much longer period.
Dr Currie concludes, “If you’re fit and healthy, with no symptoms, you may not need to do anything. If you have symptoms, there’s plenty of information out there which can make your first consultation with your GP more meaningful. There is no single treatment; it’s all about what’s best for you.”
The time of a woman’s life when her ovaries stop releasing an egg (ovum) on a monthly cycle, and her periods cease
Full medical glossary