What would you like to tell your younger self?

The multitude of symptoms and also the fact that you are likely to go through perimenopause for a long, long time before the actual menopause. No-one discusses this with you when you are younger! It's been a bit of a shock to me. I've used my own detective skills to work out what could be going on.

- Information around what age you should be more aware of signs - What the signs are to look for - Who to speak to if you are worried about it. - How to be more pro-active about it so that you can manage it when it happens - Having information around the overall types of experiences- e.g.; case study of women that highlights their experiences and how they've managed it.

That all my symptoms were normal and not unusual and that it would go on through my entire 40s and into my 50s rather than just something that would happen for a year or so when my periods stopped. I had no idea beforehand about peri menopause.

I wish I knew that it could affect memory as well as mood and your muscles. I thought of all these symptoms as separate, but it was quite eye opening to learn that they could all be connected to the menopause.

I think it's something which should be taught in schools. Sex education was just focussed on periods and sexual intercourse really. I wish there had been more celebrities talking about it (only recently starting to happen). I wish there was more acceptance of it in society.

That I would bloat a lot.

Enjoy myself more.

Try not to stress so much as this makes it worse.

Take time out for yourself, if you can, talk about your symptoms & don’t be hard on yourself!

To realise that the first panic attack is just hormonal anxiety and not to be afraid, and to use the welcoming technique, as what you resist persists. So welcome more of the anxiety sensations and they will just melt away, rather than fight them. Stay away from progesterone pill.

To prepare for the menopause wished I’d have sought help sooner.

There is help out there, just keep going .. and don’t give up. You're worth it.

Keep getting plenty of sleep and having plenty of sex! RELAX more! Don’t get fobbed off by doctors saying it’s just your hormones, and it will pass - it doesn’t!!

Not to listen to everything you hear, and do my own research on hrt etc and ask for help when you need it.

Try to eat more healthy and exercise more in your younger years.

Research beforehand and talk to others about their experiences.

Don't go through this on your own, talk about how you are feeling and take time for yourself.

Your younger years may not be your best. Puberty, periods, gender.T hey however mould you into your choices of your future.

Nothing.

Keep fit & eat well.

Don’t worry about the small stuff or how you look or what people think about you.. and definitely try not to be a people pleaser.. and most importantly.. take care of yourself... your health is your wealth! Oh, and try to be happy and enjoy the simple things in life .. that’s all we need really.. 🥰

Eat more tomatoes.

Be born 5 years later you would know about menopause symptoms then.

You know your own body and when it is not working well. When dealing with healthcare professionals don't let them fob you off - stand up for yourself, but in a polite and respectful manner.

Look after yourself and love who you are.

I'm 54, got sciatica, arthritis as well as osteoarthritis in my hips, feet and lower spine. I was born with juvenile arthritis and was in traction for a while, also have a policeman's heal blaverfateriers (not sure if spelt right).

Don't put up with problems - seek medical help - it's well worth it! It doesn't last for ever - old age is fabulous - I should know, I'm 82!

Do kegels (never told about them). Seek help from a lady doctor - I'm sorry... but male Drs (in my experience) don't understand our concerns enough.

Listen to and pay close attention to your body. Inspect your body it is not playing with yourself but examination and paying close attention to sign given.

Don’t take your health for granted! Look after your skin and eat well!!

Be persistent with your GP - ask for a second opinion of needed.

Be kind to yourself and find a GP (probably a woman) who really cares and is prepared to read NICE guidelines for menopause treatment and if necessary to examine you.

Warn me and let me know about it. I had no idea it would be so bloody horrible.

Nothing I could do to change the situation.

I would tell myself get on that HRT.

It’s not easy but there is help out there if you need it.

I would say there is no rule book about what happens when, how it might affect you, how you 'should' react or how others might react. All you can do is prioritise yourself and your needs - not in a selfish way or a way that is detrimental to others, but in order to protect yourself and let yourself have the support and treatment you need. It may be a totally natural process that many women go through but all humans are individual and unique, so what it means will be different for everyone.

To make the connection between all the different symptoms and realise they might have a hormonal basis and be aware that these can start in your 40s (the perimenopause). Also I'd ask my GP for trial of HRT to see if it eased my symptoms and not just put up with it. But I'd stress the symptoms don't last forever and you will feel better eventually.

I would say that menopause is real. All the mystery pains do happen. Pay attention to the body, try to tell when some of the normality has been switched off. Get used to new way of living. Seek help. Look online for new information and solutions to look after the body. It will pass. Going in to your 50s will be rough mentally but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Talk to people about it, get a moral support. Because you will need it. The physical strength will diminish. It is normal and your body healing takes longer. Only eat and drink what agrees with body. You will realise these foods and drinks are fewer than you normally had in your lifetime.

I don’t know. This was harder than anything

Always trust yourself, your body, ask for help and make doctor do those blood tests. So many horror story’s of hrt, I’m now better than I ever was on nothing.

To get checked out - don't just put up with / ignore symptoms as you think they'll go away. If they're affecting your life get it sorted. And don't think you're too young to be affected by menopause: signs can start earlier and you don't have to be in your 50s. I wish I'd got treatment sooner. Also if you're not happy with GP advice when you seek help, get a second opinion. I was lucky but so many others I've heard about seem to have had problems trying to access the right help for menopause.

Ditch the diet! Exercise need not be boring, don't worry about how you look in your swimming costume as you certainly won't look any better by sitting on the couch. Work life balance. Take time to notice yourself and what your body needs. As the poem says 'Buy a purple hat and dance in the rain' Don't forget what fun is and don't do what you don't like just because you feel you should. Don't worry about your 50's, it is OK!

I was fit and healthy so never imagined I would go through a bad menopause.

It will be okay. It’s all the phase a woman has to go through. Calm down and relax.

I would say to my younger self, be more understanding of women of a certain age and sorry to my co worker who was having a hot flush and had got the fan on high, I thought she was being over dramatic. Knowing what I know now words can’t express the strain and pain of the many symptoms of the menopause!

Find a job/career at about 35-40 years of age that you can comfortably do, that isn’t going to physically and mentally drain you and with employers that respect and support you.

All women go through this educate yourself so your symptoms are nothing like mine.

Get help, don’t try to muddle through and remember you are not alone. But the Menopause was a taboo subject up until about 1 to 2 years ago.

Try eating small, regularly, healthy and plenty of rest.

It’s a natural cycle with many ups and downs.

Take care of yourself better, eat healthy, exercise and don’t take on more work than you can physically do because you will pay the price for the neglect of yourself in later years.

What options for treatment there are.

The range of symptoms and the modern, low risk HRT can prevent severe symptoms. GPs do not recognise the symptoms and need training.

About the functions of the different hormones and that their fluctuation and loss can have enormous impacts.

I wish I knew how weak I would feel at times, if I knew I would have made a choice of pursuing self employment, so my health was not exacerbated by proving menopause to my employer.

Support networks - how to talk to GP, that more people suffer similar symptoms, that symptoms can start to happen quite young.

What to expect.

n/a

Symptoms.

n/a

n/a

I knew some details already about feeling hot and sweating profusely through elder siblings.

n/a

That heart palpitations were a symptom as even doctors didn't know what they were.

That I would lose my sexual desire.

Every possible effects and where to go when started.

Memory impairment and other symptoms not just the hot flushes.

Natural ways to ease menopause and more detail of all the symptoms. I read a book or two to get up to speed.

That it was happening. And what I should know, watch for, expect. That it was going to be ok. What support I could get.

What I could do to mitigate brain fog with diet and supplements.

Be good to know what if any stage I was at so some sort of test.

How it would affect my memory and mood. I was aware of hot flushes but nothing about brain fog and generally being angry at the world.

All the symptoms...there are so many and useful it people who have been through can talk you through their experiences.

Where is help available

n/a

I haven't started yet, but I really would like to be more informed and prevent if possible some of the worst symptoms.

Maybe just what help is out there if any, and more about the differences in hrt.

That all the symptoms are normal and in various combinations.

That it would make my hair so thin.

I'm still wishing I knew where a legit website was where I could find support and guidance and potentially. This may already exist.

Real stories from women who have started or are going through it. Also knowing at what age it can start and what my rights are if I am going through menopause and the changes are affecting my everyday living or may result in needed to adapt the way I work.

How the generation before had been impacted.

Which symptoms HRT could help. If there were any natural options that I could have tried first.

Just how to keep healthy and balance hormones with diet

I wished I knew more about natural treatment and what are the products natural and organic that could help through this period.

Not sure if I am going through the menopause. But if I am, as its not spoken about or seen alot information about it. Is all the facts. NHS don't really give all necessary details, especially if you google, other countries tend to give more information.

I wish I knew it could start as early as 42, because I was aware of what was happening.

All of it! And the fact it can start really early for some. I thought I was going mad.

That I can feel very hot and my memory will deteriorate significantly.

Just dealing with it emotionally.

How I can prevent adverse symptoms and how to deal with ongoing symptoms.

I wish I'd have been aware of the range of symptoms i.e. not just the hot flushes which everyone knows about. I also would have liked to been more aware of possible support and treatments

I wish I had known that you could be tested to establish if you really were at that stage.

n/a

I wish I knew what the range of possibilities could be for symptoms. How serious and debilitating they could feel. And more general public understanding of how severe and intense this can be for women.

Doctors not dismissing women can only have menopause from 50 onwards as that is too generic. So lack information until you are confirmed. Their lack of knowledge besides using HRT.