Hello lovelies,
This week’s blog post is generously sprinkled with colourful language. So, if you’re not into that, skip ahead for the silver lining. Trust me. It’s worth it.
The rest of you, buckle up.
The cause of this is a number of things: the upside-downness of my hormones, yet another friend being told she is not perimenopausal despite her hormone levels showing otherwise, and the icing on the cake was a recently published article on menopause in a MEDICAL JOURNAL of all things.
I’m getting really f*cked off with all these idiots playing down the role of HRT.
It’s insulting to be told that we should try CBT to ease hot flashes. I have done CBT, and how the f*ck is imagining my thoughts on a train leaving a station going to cool me down? Are they saying it’s all in our heads? Do these “doctors” actually know how the body works?
Let’s not gaslight those of us who are struggling. We deserve real options and respect. How about providing women with all of the information available and letting us decide for ourselves what to do with our bodies because we are adults, after all?
I am not a medical professional, but I am a perimenopausal woman – just in case you didn’t realise – I think we ALL need to be educated about what is happening to our bodies. Not just when this shitstorm arrives, and we are sifting through online resources to find help, because doctors, in my experience, know less than we do.
My advice to those doctors not in the know, since I have had to take a lot of their shitty advice, is this.
Stop shrugging your shoulders at us, dishing out medication like antidepressants and putting us in danger. We are forced to turn to things like the internet, where there is so much confusing information, potentially causing more damage.
I have met some wonderful, kind and helpful people in my quest for a peri Panacea.
But there are also many people out there taking advantage of women desperate to feel better. Some may mean well, but there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, even with HRT, and we are all different. I have scoured the internet for years. I have tried many things because my experience with the medical profession, until recently, was soul-crushing.
I had never in my life questioned doctors, believing they knew what they were doing, but having been in a doctor’s office whilst he googled my symptoms, I have almost lost all faith.
I say almost because there are good doctors, and I am fortunate enough to have found one after six years of questioning my sanity. And whilst it may not necessarily be their fault for the lack of training, it’s concerning that even when you say you believe you are perimenopausal, listing numerous symptoms, you are still sent away with a packet of sertraline, which for me was like putting a plaster over a gunshot wound.
The Silver Lining
My scouring of the internet was, however, not in vain.
I have recently discovered a complete gem of a resource in the shape of Laura Lambe.
Laura, who is registered with the British Menopause Society, yes an actual menopause specialist! Has created The Menopause Lab, an oasis of evidence-based info, support, and even free consultations. No more endless internet searches! Laura’s got you covered with everything from symptom management to nutrition, all for free.
IT COSTS NOTHING!
Laura regularly provides updated info and support, interacting with users wherever possible. I have spoken to Laura on Instagram, on the app and over Zoom, and she has been so generous with her time and knowledge.
Laura also provides a personalised health and fitness service that I’m excited to try in the future. But for now, I want to share her fantastic work with everyone and encourage support however you can.
Plus, mark your calendars for April 6th, Laura and her team are hosting a free online event focused on thriving in menopause.
Run, don’t walk; spaces are limited!
Sharing is the best compliment! Don’t keep it to yourself – share with friends!
I’ve added all the links to my website, check them out here!
🎉 Late to the Party? Don’t Worry, Here’s What You May Have Missed
The Imposter, The Inner Critic & The Chihuahua
Reflect, Refresh, Reset: Findings from February
Hormonal Whiplash: An Unexpected Bump in the Road
This is still me ❤️ 