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The Menopause and Perimenopause - What Is It?
Many women spend years living with vague complaints. Fatigue that does not go away with a good night's sleep, a shorter fuse, sudden joint pain, or that stubborn 'brain fog'. They often seek help from their GP or a specialist, only to be sent home with the message: "Your blood values are normal, maybe you should take it a bit easier."
The result? Women often only much too late come to the conclusion that menopause is the culprit. And that's a shame, because the road to recovery starts with (a)cknowledgement.
The Myth of the 'Magic 50'
There is still a persistent misconception that menopause is something for women over fifty. The reality, however, is different. The perimenopause — the phase in which hormone levels start to fluctuate — can already begin around the age of 35.
Because women at that age are often in the middle of busy lives (career, young children, caregiving), symptoms are often dismissed as 'stress' or a 'burnout'. A menopause consultant looks beyond that label and recognises the hormonal architecture behind these complaints.
Why a Menopause Consultant Makes All the difference matters
The greatest gift a consultant can offer is acknowledgement. Hearing the words: "It's not you, it's your hormones," can be liberating for many women.
This is what a programme specifically adds:
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Customisation: no two women experience menopause in the same way. A consultant takes the time (often an hour or more) to put all the puzzle pieces — physical and mental — together.
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Education as medicine: understanding what is happening in your body (such as the decline in oestrogen and progesterone) takes away the fear. Knowledge gives you power over your own well-being.
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A holistic approach: besides any medical options (in consultation with a doctor), a consultant advises on nutrition, supplements, strength training, and stress management.
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The bridge to the medical world: a consultant helps you go to a doctor well prepared, so you can ask the right questions with focus.
The Feeling of Acknowledgement: The First Step Toward Recovery
Managing menopause is 50% physical and 50% mental. When you do not feel heard by those around you or by healthcare providers, cortisol levels (the stress hormone) rise, which actually worsens symptoms.
"A menopause consultant offers the safe haven where complaints are not dismissed, but validated."
Conclusion
Do not wait until the symptoms become unbearable or until you have reached the "magic age". Are you 35+ and simply not feeling like yourself? A menopause consultant may be the missing link that helps you not just survive, but thrive again.
- By Inge Rombouts - Acupuncture and menopause consultant
