Colleague behaving in a foul manner - is this really an excuse?

[Obnoxiouswork]

One of my colleagues in her mid-40’s has started breaking wind in front of others on the team. This is in meeting rooms and in our break out area. She isn’t hiding it and just says ‘oh that’s the joys of peri’. I did jokingly suggest she could be the first person taken to HR for this and she matter of factly said that they wouldn’t dare get involved when it’s peri related.

Is this really an acceptable reason in your view?! I have changed my name because I’ve given a clue as to my company in a previous post.

Is (peri) menopause classed as a disability for which one can request reasonable adjustments?

And to me you're either having the menopause or not. If you're not then how close do you know you are to having it?

I just think it's odd I've never heard of it whatsoever until a few years back. Obviously menopause is a thing. But they've started trying to sell things to you relating to it when it could be years in the future?

Although it can be a symptom of peri, being so open and almost proud of it is just vile and bad manners. Regardless of her comment, I'd speak to HR. They can advise her to be more discreet, go somewhere more private, take steps to manage it (stay hydrated, move regularly, eat mindfully, track triggers).

I'd be mortified if I broke wind noticeably in front of others and can't imagine someone, especially a woman, being so open about it.

Reminded me of this recent case:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bus-driver-bristol-big-lemon-stephanie-bryan-b3067239.html

Can you just not go to the office on the same days as her?

Its fine if shes windy but she could just leave the office or do the silent and deadly type. I dont thunk HR could do much without telling everyone to stop fasting, burping, coughing, sneezing etc. They are all bodily functions that can catch a person suddenly. This would be a total waste of HRs time.

Is her name Miriam? (Margolyes)

Menopause is 12 months after your last period
peri is all the stuff prior
so if you’re having hot flushes, irregular periods, anxiety, insomnia… that’s peri. Not menopause

She needs to see a doctor. I have never heard of perimenopause causing this.

This is really not the way to behave. Can you throw a cocktail sausage at her the next time she does it? The trick is a fast wrist movement to gather thrust and speed. They are often sold in packs of 20, so you'll get more than one go to perfect your aim.

Hormonal changes during peri can significantly impacts a woman’s pelvic floor, therefore impacting the ability to hold in gas, and lead to genuinely breaking wind without any prior warning (much like when first post partum)
this won’t apply to all women of course, more so those that have pelvic floor damage.
I would therefore be forgiving of someone who accidentally broke wind at times when bending down etc as that must be mortifying and likely can’t be helped. She may well be presenting as quite thick skinned and matter of fact as a way to cope in what is surely a very embarrassing situation for her, one she may have no choice in. However if she’s referring more to bloating etc and perhaps sat eating junk all day in the office and then just choosing to break wind in public and laugh about it, then of course that’s very different.
Of course I don’t know the truth of exactly what’s going on for her but just to give a possible explanation

Nah it isn't OK. I'm sick to shitting god of people using menopause as a cloak to hide horrid behaviour behind.

I fart at work, can't help it but if at all possible I go out of the way from people, occasionally though one does escape, would never announce that though.

Ugh, gross. Trust me I find farts hilarious and so does DH, we enjoy puerile toilet humour in private at home. But at work? Totally inappropriate to do it on purpose. I'm well into menopause but I'm pretty sure it's never made me behave like that. Hold it in and put up with the pain later!

More context needed BUT I’m starting peri and I have started sometimes getting farts that just pop out. I remember an older colleague once popping one out but was mortified.

unless she’s just absolutely shoving one out with no regard and revelling in it maybe she just can’t help it?

That could be me.

I have pelvic floor dysfunction and absolutely zero ability to hold in fart. I've luckily regained bowel control but that was hit and miss for a bit.

I can't just go to the loo more or break wind in the loo - standing up, moving in my chair and other normal things trigger a fart and I literally can't help it. I know it isn't pleasant for people but I don't know what I can do.

Oh dear. I worked with a farter who would unashamedly lift his bum and let rip, completely unapologetic. fortunately I wasn’t in the same room as him. HR would not have cared less though

Has she perhaps misunderstood the meaning of "break out area"?

Carry a box of matches and strike one every time she lets rip.

Or get air freshener

That’s the thing - I’m sure it’s unpleasant and embarrassing for the person as well. Having IBS I know how impossible it can be to hold something in.

Ok. Thanks. Why did they only just start calling it that? Those things would be called 'menopausal symptoms' previously. It seems like a way to get people to buy stuff!

Well, it used to be referred in hushed tones to "the change of life" or "the change" and then medical terminology of "menopause" became more accepted and less hush-hush and now it's actually just accepted as a normal part of life, the more accurate term is used.

I didn't realize it was so taboo before. I guess it was in a similar way that they didn't used to advertise things like bladder weakness products. In my mum's time it didn't seem particularly hush hush. But there weren't lots of products advertised relating to it.

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And these