Menopause Awareness Month: let’s keep the conversation going

Sometimes, the first thing a woman says to me is, “I just don’t feel like myself.”

She might still be working, looking after her family and doing everything everyone expects of her. From the outside, things may look much as they always have.

But she knows something has changed. Perhaps sleep has become unpredictable. Her confidence feels less steady. She loses her train of thought in meetings or feels anxious about things she previously took in her stride.

And beneath the symptoms, there is often another concern: “Is this how I’m going to feel from now on?” That is one of the reasons Menopause Awareness Month matters to me.

October gives us an opportunity to talk more openly about what happens in midlife, what support is available and what life can look like beyond the difficult bits. I want those conversations to leave women feeling informed and hopeful. There is much more to this chapter than simply getting through it.

Awareness should help us recognise ourselves

I am pleased that menopause is being discussed more openly. Women are asking questions, sharing experiences and challenging the idea that they should quietly put up with symptoms. But awareness needs to do something useful.

It should help a woman recognise that her changing sleep, periods or mood may be worth discussing. It should help a partner understand why she seems less like herself. It should make it easier to ask for support at work or book the appointment she has been putting off. Menopause is not experienced in one particular way. Hot flushes and night sweats are familiar symptoms, but changes in mood, concentration, sleep, vaginal comfort and sexual wellbeing can matter just as much. Symptoms can also change over time.

Some women experience relatively little disruption. Others find that symptoms affect their work, relationships and everyday enjoyment. There is room for all of those experiences in the conversation.

You don’t have to wait until your periods stop

One of the most useful things we can explain is that symptoms can begin during perimenopause, while periods are still happening. You may notice changes in your cycle, or you may initially be more aware of disrupted sleep, anxiety or difficulty concentrating. It can be confusing when you have always associated menopause with periods stopping altogether.

Menopause is generally recognised after 12 months without a period, when hormonal contraception is not affecting the picture. Perimenopause is the transition leading up to it. You do not need to identify the exact stage before seeking advice. Equally, we should not assume every new symptom in midlife is hormonal. Tiredness, palpitations, low mood or changes in bleeding may need assessment for other reasons. A helpful consultation makes space for both possibilities: recognising the role hormones may be playing while considering your wider health.

Being listened to is the beginning of good care

When a woman tells me she feels exhausted, I want to understand what that means in her life. Is she waking repeatedly? Struggling to get through the working day? Cancelling plans because she has nothing left by the evening? If she says she feels anxious, has that appeared recently? Does it come and go? Is it affecting her relationships or making ordinary situations feel difficult? The details matter because a symptom list cannot tell the whole story.

At The Dr Jenni Clinic, and through The Menopause Company, our approach begins with understanding your concerns, your medical history and what you would like help with. You do not need to arrive with a polished explanation. You can bring notes, describe a few examples or simply say, “Something has changed, and I’d like to understand it.” That is a perfectly good place to start.

Support should reflect your needs and preferences

There is a great deal of menopause information available now. Some is helpful; some can leave women feeling that they ought to follow a particular route. Your care should be individual. For some women, HRT can be an appropriate and effective treatment. Others may need or prefer non-hormonal options. Vaginal symptoms may benefit from specific treatment, and psychological approaches such as menopause-specific cognitive behavioural therapy can also have a role. The right discussion considers your symptoms, health history, preferences and the benefits and risks of the available options.

Practical support matters too: sleep, movement, nutrition and the demands of daily life all deserve attention. But I never want a woman to leave feeling she has been given another collection of things to achieve before she deserves to feel better. Advice needs to fit the person receiving it. If you are already stretched, we should discuss what is realistic and what would make the most meaningful difference first.

There can be a good life on the other side

Much of the menopause conversation understandably focuses on symptoms. Women need those symptoms recognised and treated. Alongside that, I think we need to talk about possibility. Midlife can bring a clearer understanding of what matters to you. It may prompt you to reconsider how you spend your time, which relationships feel supportive or what you would like more of in your life. That does not make difficult symptoms a gift, and nobody needs to feel positive about an experience they are currently finding hard.

It does mean that the future need not be defined by how you feel today. With appropriate care, understanding and support, there may be more space for confidence, enjoyment and new experiences again. You are allowed to want that.

Why connection belongs in this conversation

Medical care can be important. So can having people around you with whom you feel comfortable being honest. There is a particular relief in saying, “Has anyone else felt like this?” and being met with understanding. Midlife can change our opportunities for connection. Work becomes demanding, children need us differently, parents may need more support, and friendships can become something we keep meaning to make time for. That is part of the thinking behind The Wellness Prescription®. It brings women together through conversation, shared experiences and opportunities to look after their wellbeing in a way that suits them. Our menopause walks and talks, coffee mornings and gatherings create space to connect beyond a consultation.

Community complements medical care. It gives us somewhere to be ourselves, ask questions and enjoy the company of other women without having to organise everything for everyone else.

Coming together at Delapré Abbey

This October, I am looking forward to speaking at the Menopause Awareness Day event at Delapré Abbey in Northampton on 17 October. My talk, “Midlife, menopause and beyond: what’s really happening to your body”, will explore the changes women may notice, what those changes can mean and how we can approach this stage with greater understanding.

I want women to leave with useful information, a little more confidence in asking questions and a sense that there are options worth exploring. Events like this also make room for conversations that can be difficult to begin elsewhere. A question someone asks may be the very thing another woman has quietly wondered about for months.

If you are joining us, I look forward to seeing you there.

Let’s carry the conversation beyond October

Menopause Awareness Month is a valuable invitation to pause and pay attention. Perhaps that means booking an appointment. Perhaps it means telling someone close to you how you have actually been feeling, rather than automatically saying you are fine. It might also mean asking a friend, “How are you?” and leaving enough room for an honest answer.

What matters is that support continues when the awareness campaigns end. At The Dr Jenni Clinic in Blisworth, Northamptonshire, we are here to help you understand your symptoms and consider care that fits your circumstances.

If you have been feeling unlike yourself, you are welcome to explore our menopause and perimenopause services through The Menopause Company. You don’t have to work it all out before you come.

Let’s keep talking…and make sure those conversations lead to women feeling heard, supported and able to enjoy what comes next.