To be absolutely sick of the ‘natural menopause is good’ narrative!

[Lightsideofthemoon]

This article was all over the media yeaterday:
https://unherd.com/2024/03/has-hrt-propaganda-misled-women/

It makes me so angry! Why is it that suddenly seeking treatment for symptoms in menopause being framed like this? In no other area of health is it considered acceptable to not seek treatment if you have debilitating symptoms. It’s utter misogyny.

Its ok for men in mid life to get treatment for their erectile dysfunction but women, ‘battle on through with some yoga and vitamins and stop complaining’

It reminds me a bit of the slightly toxic NCT ‘natural births and breastfeeding’ are the best way making any women who had a medical birth and couldn’t breastfeed an utter failure.

How is this narrative acceptable for women’s Heath? Menopause is absolutely fucking awful for some women - if you sail through with no symptoms, all power to you, but HRT is a lifesaver for many women.

@Rufilla funnily enough the people that she didn’t treat very well minded

This generation of women is being well and truly played by the media.

10-15 years ago the mummy wars were alive and well and we were pitted against each other for our chosen (or chosen for us by circumstances) birthing choices and feeding methods.

Now we are hitting menopause and the same is happening.

Read the information given to you. Choose what works best for you, your body, your circumstances. Give others the space to do the same. Celebrate our differences. Support each other.

yep!

I haven’t read the article. But it is one article, I have never heard the narrative that natural menopause is best. I have heard quite the opposite to be honest.

HRT slows ageing, without it biology dictates you are increasingly redundant?

Biologically redundant?!

I would seek HRT if I was really struggling – but I am also wary of the pervasive push for prescription drugs for all sorts of natural life events. It's possible to think both things at once.

Hahaha.

'Screaming'.

No, OP, I'm basing my comments on proven, stated, evidenced-based information, which indeed includes the ex-Chancellor's statement, a result of the University's own findings.

I work in a university. I understand the nuances, and that often it's not black & white, and no individual is perfect.

You are throwing slurs out but are completely unwilling (unable?) to support them, even in a general sense.

What a disgrace.

😂

Evidence, please?

You’ve raised an interesting point that it’s only women’s pain and suffering that we are told can be dealt with ‘naturally’ - menopause, childbirth.

You are right. It is misogynistic.

This.

it’s questioning the wider narrative, which has definitely changed over the past few years

The wider narrative might be out in the public domain (eg media/ campaigners like Davina McCall etc) but it has certainly not been passed over to GPs though. My experience and those of my friends of a similar age have really struggled to get their doctors to even admit it could be hormonal changes, let alone get access to HRT. They seem to believe that if you are 45 for example, you couldn't possibly be in peri as menopause symptoms apparently only affects women age 50+ (what my GP dismissed me with). So, whilst the publicity might be out there, it appears doctors in general have had no training in what too look for, symptoms, possible treatments etc. which is frankly, not good enough. I cannot get HRT from Davina McCall so unless my doctor is on board with it, I am still screwed.

The point is that everyone has different needs. Many of us are lucky and have no need for any treatment, medication or therapy whatsoever. Yet we are hounded to take HRT and told that we are fools for not doing so. The incessant medicalisation of menopause is, arguably, misogynistic because it assumes all middle-aged women are wilting flowers who can't do anything. It's also about commercialisation of normal life, which is very off-putting.

I'm not aware of this agenda at all. All I hear is people pushing HRT. I don't know if I'll need HRT yet but would like to avoid it if possible. All I hear on social media and elsewhere is how you need it other you'll age rapidly and end up with broken bones.

I think that, as with many things, there's a tendency to see things that affect you more. Like when I was breastfeeding I wasn't really aware of any anti formula rhetoric but was sensitive to criticism of women breastfeeding in public, and when I was working there seemed to be a lot of negativity about working mothers but I was less aware of anti SAHM sentiments. So at the moment, I am seeing a lot of medicalisation of menopause - commercialisation even. As someone who tried HRT, didn't like it and chose not to persevere I have come in for quite a lot of criticism and been told I am stupid by other women. So I certainly haven't noticed a "natural menopause is good" narrative at all. Exactly the opposite in fact. However, I am quite willing to accept that my perspective is probably skewed by my own experience and that other women will have had different experiences and hence different viewpoints.
HRT should be available for those who want it and it's completely wrong that some women have to fight for it. If I was in that position I would probably feel that natural menopause was being pushed too. But it's certainly not a universal experience and personally I find it quite refreshing to read anything that isn't pushing the "you're an idiot if you don't take HRT" message which I have personally been subjected to by both HCPs and my peers.
As ever, the key things are information and choice.

Does it really? This is a stupid and ignorant comment.

Happy International Women’s Day to you too 🤣🤣

@ineedsun lol x

I totally agree with you OP.

I am not on HRT myself but haven't ruled it out if I have symptoms. But if I don't need it, I'll consider myself lucky, not virtuous.

Same applies to childbirth, if you have a 3 hour labour with no interventions, you were lucky.

Exactly.

Maybe HRT is less damaging than sweets! Doesn’t affect your teeth, doesn’t cause diabetes or obesity or any other sugar related conditions.

It's a shame you had to drag Dr Stock in to it as you actually have a really good point OP.

However as I was reading the thread what you wasn't saying about her spoke volumes about what you really wanted to say about her and why you don't really like her. Just because you skirted around what she is most known for - didn't mean we couldn't see it.

She is a feminist - just not your kind of 'feminist'

No one has to be a saint or kind to everyone for people to recognise that the treatment of a female being aggressively hounded out of her work place by students and colleagues is appalling. If you can honestly look at that situation and think 'good' then OP - you have some serious work to do on yourself.