14/09/2025
💁♀️LADIES...GRAB A CUPPA, LETS TALK ABOUT MENOPAUSE
🤗Ladies of a certain age or should I say decade and more.... The reason I'm here today as a therapist for Women's Health is due to my experience of perimenopause. I changed. They sometimes call it "The Change" don't they, well they are not wrong!
🎢I didn't know what was happening at first. All sorts of physical symptoms, aches and pains in joints, tension, headaches, menstrual changes, mood swings like being on a rollercoaster, disturbed sleep, itchy skin, even vertigo. I felt out of control, like I was not coping with things that I used to manage well. My usual coping strategies which were generally just push through, keep going and it will pass didn't work. It didn't pass. A duvet day wasn't enough. Alcohol became more regular to try to suppress the deep emotional feelings that kept bubbling to the surface. Crying for no reason, shouting the next. For those of you going through it, you know what I'm talking about.
🧑⚕️Finally a trip to see a thankfully, 'in the know' female doctor I was put on HRT. I was shocked but she recognised the myriad of symptoms. The difference was so fast. I had no idea how much of an integral role hormones play within our whole body. I just saw them as something that controls our reproductive organs. How wrong I was.
⚖️The swing in hormone levels we experience during the perimenopausal years, plays havoc with so many aspects of our health. Particularly our brain function. Our brain is covered with hormone receptors for Oestrogen and Progesterone. When Oestrogen levels fall or fluctuate, it can trigger migraines and headaches. It also affects neurotransmitters like Dopamine, Serotonin and Norepinephrine which can lead to difficulty with memory and concentration, mood swings, anxiety and changes in sleep. Nerve cell function is affected which can cause pins and needles or joint pain. Progesterone levels fall which normally acts as a mood stabiliser, calming the nervous system. Cortisol levels rise which can cause ulceration to the stomach lining and thinning of bones. Our stress hormone responses become dysregulated. Even though Oestrogen levels drop, if it becomes dominant in relation to Progesterone it can actually cause irritability, hot flushes and sleep disturbance. Testosterone levels also decline, which can cause a lack of libido, low energy, increased fatigue, irritability, anxiety, and brain fog.
😵💫Hormones rise and fall in peaks and troughs, so we feel better one minute and worse the next. Is it any wonder we feel so 'out of sorts' during this period of our lives!!
🤓I am a big advocate for HRT to try to replace and balance hormone levels, however some women can't take it and others may choose not to. There are plenty of lifestyle changes that can be made, good nutrition, regular exercise, stress management and emotional regulation tools to help.
🧑⚕️Some women are far more affected by hormonal changes than others. HRT needs monitoring and titrating according to your response, there is no 'one size fits all' dose. Don't be afraid to go back to your GP to alter your dosage or route of administration if you are still struggling. I was on quite a high dosage of Oestrogen yet on measuring my levels my GP was surprised how my levels were still quite low. We are all different and hormone levels are also changing as you age.
🩺 Interestingly there is currently a rise in women receiving a late diagnosis of ADHD because they, in particular, tend to be far more affected by hormone level drops, they are also prone to suffering post partum depression and PMT. In Perimenopause, women can find that their normal coping strategies or unconscious masking of inner struggles are no longer sufficient and ADHD is exposed by exacerbating the traits.
👩💼There are significant numbers of women who leave their work or reduce their hours during peri menopause due to the debilitating physical, cognitive and psychological symptoms. Some may have difficulty keeping up with their roles, this may lead to negative discrimination and can also affect career progression. The loss of experienced and talented women from work is resulting in a significant loss in productivity for the work force.
🌅In Hypnotherapy and Coaching, the focus is on relieving some of the challenging emotional highs and lows and building resilience to cope with the increased stress and anxiety of juggling a busy life during this difficult and changeable time. Learning ways to calm the nervous system, develop helpful daily routines for self care and nurturing to relieve symptoms and prevent burnout. Hypnotherapy provides deep relaxation and introduces stress management techniques and emotional regulation skills that will lower anxiety levels and negative thinking. It can also help with hot flushes.
I have a Facebook group for education and discussion about all things Menopause. It’s FREE to join and with lots of helpful info and tips!
ttps://www.facebook.com/groups/322584275901071/
✉️Please do contact me for further details or to book a consultation to discuss the option of Hypnotherapy and Coaching for Perimenopause/Menopause.
In Person Truro, Cornwall or Online sessions available. Booking now for October.
info@luannewordleyhypnotherapy.co.uk
https://luannewordleyhypnotherapy.co.uk/hypnotherapy-coaching-services/surviving-the-menopause
