Fiction about menopause is only recently gaining ground, after wellness guides and memoirs led the way. Five novels now tackle its early stages with force. Fran Littlewood's Amazing Grace Adams follows a 45-year-old London woman who, after her husband leaves and she loses her jobs, storms across the city on foot after a hot flush. Miranda July's All Fours sees an artist redefine herself during a secret detour from a road trip. Joanne Harris's Broken Light gives a menopausal woman newly activated psychic powers. Victoria Hannan's I Love the Whole World!
Elizabeth, a 56-year-old from Beaudesert, says her menopause transition was unusual and that her periods eventually stopped. She said she researched beforehand and found caring doctors at the Beaudesert Medical Centre. Rural generalist GP Michael Rice said every woman goes through menopause, with the average Australian age being 51. He said symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and brain fog can be treated safely and effectively by a GP.
Dr Fatima Khan says medicine is still too quick to dismiss the link between hormones and women's mental health. Speaking at the Women's Health and Wellbeing Summit, she said calling a woman hormonal dismisses her concerns. She said women with perimenopause symptoms are often misdiagnosed because the signs are easy to miss. Khan said pharmacy staff trained in menopause support have grown more confident, and she called for the same confidence among GPs and pharmacists.
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Childless women can feel grief return at key life moments, according to childlessness grief counsellor Sarah Roberts. South Australian Allison Macaulay-Dear, 62, said she felt pain when her best friend became a grandmother. Roberts said the grief can follow the timeline of the child never born, with pain points during menopause, retirement and ageing. She said finding meaning outside parenting, such as through community groups, can help people cope.
Comedian and actress Mary Coustas says her GP suggested antidepressants when she described her symptoms in her late 50s. She later realised she was experiencing menopause. Coustas has co-founded Unpause, a telehealth platform with doctors who focus on menopause and midlife health. She urges women to push their doctors and to find another if needed. She also argues that the issue matters for employers and the workforce.
Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when weakened pelvic floor muscles and tissues allow one or more pelvic organs to drop from their usual position. Up to half of women who have given birth have some degree of prolapse, often without symptoms. Symptoms can include pelvic pressure, a bulge at the vaginal opening and bladder or bowel problems. Treatments range from pelvic floor exercises and vaginal pessaries to surgery. Women are encouraged to speak with a GP or Women's Health Centre if they suspect a prolapse.
Singer Kate Ceberano says she has nothing left to prove as she approaches her 60th birthday. She began her 30-date Australian Made Encore Tour in September, which runs through to November. Ceberano describes ageing and menopause as natural changes she has accepted, and says the freedom that comes with it is the best part of her life. She says touring feels no different to her after thousands of gigs, and she values the direct connection live performance offers in an age of artificial intelligence.
Australian doctors' college RANZCOG has released new clinical guidelines on managing menopause symptoms. The guidelines explain when menopausal hormone therapy should be used over other medicines, and the options for women with a history of breast cancer. They cover hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and the frequent need to urinate in women aged 40 and over. Guideline chair Catriona Melville said the aim is to give clinicians clear advice to discuss with patients. National guidelines on perimenopause and menopause are expected next year.
A free community event in Armidale on Saturday, 7 November, aims to make menopause easier to talk about. Menopause to MenoPeak runs from 12 noon to 4 pm at Legacy House, Faulkner Street, and is hosted by the Country Women's Association Armidale Branch. Five local health professionals will cover perimenopause, menopause and life beyond. Women of all ages, along with partners, friends and health professionals, are welcome. Bookings are essential because places are limited.
A study published in Nature Medicine claims menopause brings sudden, cliff-like changes across many body systems rather than gradual ones. The researchers analysed more than 300 million laboratory tests from over 1 million women in the United States and Israel. Australian experts, including Martha Hickey, have called the claim unnecessarily alarming and questioned the study's methods. The study found that changes in many body systems began about 15 years before menopause. It also suggested menopausal hormone therapy may reduce sudden changes in bone, liver and kidney function. All experts agreed more research is needed.
Hormonal changes during perimenopause can cause emotional swings, according to GP Dr Joanna Bruce of Myma Health. She says oestrogen fluctuations affect brain chemicals that regulate mood, and reduced progesterone adds to the effect. Stresses common in midlife can compound these changes. Dr Bruce recommends regular exercise, consistent sleep, stress management and limiting alcohol. She advises seeking professional support if mood symptoms affect daily life, relationships or work, starting with a GP who understands perimenopause.
