By Cathy Bussewitz, Associated Press
New York (AP) – It took five years in Crystal Burke to put a name for the symptoms that haunted it.
Heart palpitations. Insomnia so serious that it only slept two to four hours a night. A new struggle to make decisions in her nurse work. Confusion when it comes to statistics, which it used with ease.
“It affected my work, it affected my relationships, it affected everything,” said Burke. “I felt lost. I haven’t told anyone about it.
Then, Burke saw an advertisement on a face cream that contained estrogens, one of the two hormone ovaries produced less and less with aging. She started talking with her friends about her symptoms. And she connected the points: the menopause.
At just 38, Burke had thought she was too young to go through the stage of life when menstrual rules stop and women can no longer become pregnant. But menopause is more than the stereotype of pop culture featuring women in the fifties with hot flashes. Symptoms can start much earlier – during perimenopause, time leading to menopause – and goes far beyond hot flashes.
The many manifestations include insomnia, migraines, brain fog, loss of concentration, memory problems, mood swings, depression, anxiety, heart palpitations, hair loss and weight gain. If that was not enough, some people experience heavy and painful periods or recurring urinary tract infections.
Chronic insomnia can make concentration difficult. The fog of the brain leaves the affligeurs who fight to find words during meetings. But social stigma and lack of information have left menopausal people dealing with only serious symptoms that may have an impact on their work. Many remain silent, fearing that they are considered to be underperformants or weakness.
Some women occupying management positions leave their employment or reduce their hours following the debilitating side effects of the menopause, said Lauren Redfern, executive director of hormoneally, a non -profit organization that offers training as a workplace and women’s health education. But those who feel supported by employers during the transition are more likely to stay at work, she said.
“When you open a space to talk about these things, people are desperate to have a conversation,” said Redfern. “The symptoms are so diverse and so far and so prolific that they have an impact on all areas of someone’s life.”
Promote changes around “change”
Menopause affects approximately half of the world’s population at some point in life. However, due to the epidemic of silence around her, women, non -binary people and transgender people often do not recognize the beginning of unpleasant physical and emotional changes as side effects of the drop in hormones.
Finding trained health care providers to identify and treat their symptoms can be difficult. Certain startups have sought to change this by giving access to references or tele -anted meetings with doctors or therapists specializing in the treatment of menopausal patients.
“When you do not know that something can be repaired, it is very frightening,” said Joanna Strober, founder of Midi Health, whose company connects women to professionals who understand menopause. “If you think:” For the rest of my life, I will have a cerebral fog and not remember someone’s name, and I will continue to lose my car in the parking lot and I will continue to gain weight “, then it’s very demoralizing.”
Burke found relief when she started replacement hormone therapy. Inspired to help others, she co -founded the Menopause Clinic in Louisiana to provide Télésantée -centered on menopause.
“The most important thing is for women to know what the perimenopause is, what menopause is and that there are options,” said Burke. “Suffering is not necessary.”
Replacement hormone therapy is not an option for those who have certain medical history, and some doctors do not want to prescribe it. Some experts recommend acupuncture, food changes and exercise to help manage symptoms.
The Mayo Clinic estimates that the symptoms of menopause lead to $ 1.8 billion in losses of working time per year in the United States, approximately 5% of employers offer benefits or household housing such as the capacity to work at home or a cool room, according to the NFP consultation company.
Here are some steps you or your employer can take to make the workplace more welcoming for people with menopause.
Start a support group
Finding support colleagues can help fill knowledge gaps. If your organization does not have a menopause support group, you can start one. Once established, the group or the human resources department can call on facilitators to teach the entire workforce – not just women – on menopause.
Sarah Daniels, communications director, launched a support group entitled “Menopause Matters” at Arriva Group, a public transport company based in the United Kingdom. The male predominance company already had a gender inclusion group, then Daniels joined and organized the menopause group as a ramification.
The group’s monthly meetings take place online during opening hours. Participants exchange notes on supplements, teas, treatments and beauty products. Daniels thinks that the group improves productivity because it gives members a feeling of belonging within the organization.
“I know how much it is alone when you get through these things, because you think:” Does that happen to me? “” She said. “I had a utrician infection (urinary tract infection) which was so serious that I passed out on a train. My period was so heavy that I couldn’t leave the house. »»
Arrived has a policy that says that the bosses must listen to and make reasonable adjustments for employees struggling with menopause. This could mean more toilet breaks, uniform adaptations to help with heat puffs or flexible working hours, said Daniels.
Press the advantages
People working for employers who do not subsidize care and programs related to menopause can model similar services after the small percentage of companies that do it.
When Shevonya Noble joined the Genentech biotechnology company as the main leader in quality and compliance, she was connected with a defender of care who helped her find a nutritionist, a wellness coach, a career coach, a mental health supplier and a physical support coach to tackle her symptoms of menopause.
The appointment fees were covered by a service provided by Maven, who joins forces with employers and health plans to provide targeted care about women. The benefits of Genentech also include classes and support groups specific to menopause.
In a former employer, nobleman felt that she had to hide the hot flashes that interrupt her sleep and disrupted her concentration while making presentations because she has not seen anyone else attacking their office furiously.
“The conversation on menopause must be extended to include men, not only men in our lives, but also in the workplace,” said noble. “It is important that we do not fear the subject but include it in our conversations and that we simply distance the mysticism of what is happening with women at this stage of life.”
Appropriate
Talking about symptoms can also help. When women experience hot flashes and cerebral fog at work, they are often considered less competent, but if they say: “It is menopausic, I am treated for this” “, discrimination disappears and they are again considered powerful leaders, according to the founder of the Midi Strober.
“You have to call it. You must say: “Oh, it’s a hot flash”, not just sweaty at a meeting, because then they simply dismiss you, “she said. “But if you call it, you can resume your power.”
Have you overcome an obstacle or make a deep change in your work? Send your history questions and ideas to cbussewitz@ap.org. Follow the coverage of the APs, focusing on well-being, fitness, diet and mental health at https://apnews.com/hub/be-well.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
