To mark World Menopause Day today and as part of Menopause Awareness Month, staff are sharing their experiences with menopause and how it has impacted them. You can find out about events running to mark World Menopause Day here.
Azra talks about her symptoms, how it affected her and her work, and her advice for others.
How did the perimenopause affect you?
Concentration: I always had excellent concentration. I had just completed a master’s degree as a mature student, and at that time, I felt like I could take on the world! But within months, I started to notice that I couldn’t focus as well as I had previously. I wondered what was going on with my brain – was it fatigued or something else? It’s only now that I am fully aware of how estrogen declines during perimenopause, causing a foggy brain and problems with short-term memory.
Changes in mood: I remember this one day when I felt very low. I got into work and attended an in-person meeting where I could not stop myself from crying. When I was asked why I was so upset, I couldn’t explain what was going on, which made me feel like I was losing the plot. All I knew was that my body and mind were both changing at such a pace that I couldn’t keep up with what was going on.
Physical changes: During this transitionary change, I noticed that my energy levels would randomly change, making me believe that my body was losing its dependability. With time, I now understand that this was being caused by hormonal changes, but initially, the changes to my energy levels caused me a lot of anxiety.
What impact did the menopause have on your work?
In 2020, still not knowing this was perimenopause, I had noticed my concentration had become very poor; the only way I could catch up with my write-ups was in a quiet place, so I started to make excuses to escape to quiet places on campus.
When the COVID lockdowns started, astonishingly, I noticed I was back on top of my workload because I was able to concentrate in my home office. By this time, I started becoming more aware of my physical changes and exploring whether I was going through perimenopausal symptoms.
How were you supported by the university?
At first, it was very hit-and-miss. Like any condition that is not given the right amount of exposure and training. Now, with good coverage through various initiatives and, of course, being a champion of perimenopausal through my own lived experience, I have found the staff I work with try to take my symptoms into account. This has enabled me to make some reasonable adjustments so I can continue to proactively contribute to the staff community.
What is your advice to other staff members struggling with perimenopause or menopause?
You are still you; please do not ignore your body or mind. Take back some control by becoming informed. Reach out to your line manager and express the distress your symptoms are causing, so you too can make some reasonable adjustments.
So many millions of people are going through these changes every day. If we act as if it is normal, then we will be treated as if everything is normal. In reality, it is causing discomfort for so many of us, and we do need to take the first step in asking for help.
To find out more about menopause and the support available to staff visit our menopause Sharepoint page. If you need help or support, speak to your line manager or email wellbeing@soton.ac.uk