Any menopausal secondary teachers out there?

[Biscuitsneeded]

I would like women to empathise with over being menopausal and in the teaching profession! I'm finding I have just about enough patience for the kids, but none at all for all the rubbish. My mouth keeps opening and saying things it probably shouldn't.

A propos of nothing, your username still makes me titter @ArticSaviour

@MathsTeacherandLoveit, it was the same in my room. Like you, I have windows on two sides (corner room). The sun is on one side or the other all day, so despite opening windows and using fans it was still unbearably hot.
I don't want the miserable weather when I am at home, but am happy to have had a couple of cooler days this week:

I have asked the caretakers to unscrew the windows. It's not been done. I've asked HR to get the windows unscrewed. It's not been done. I think I'll just take in a screwdriver and do it myself. It frustrates me hugely!

@MathsTeacherandLoveit Do it! Feeling too hot is just so horrible. Why are the windows screwed shut? Is there a jumping risk? I am on the first floor and can open my windows about two inches as they have security fittings. It's still boiling.
I had a full day today and then a meeting at break. The morning went surprisingly well, but in the afternoon I had my two worst classes, and the second in particular was really hard going. I had sweat pouring off me, I couldn't message anyone to collect the worst offender because of the stupid TV that won't freeze, so I just had to motor on with sweat pouring off me. I did keep wondering what the hell I am doing. No doubt the little chap kicking off will be my fault, too...

@Biscuitsneeded
I think maybe they are worried that I might jump?!

Much sympathy there on your horrible sweaty and stressful afternoon. I stress sweat so if a class is playing up I've no hope!

1 more get up.
6 weeks until half term (well mine anyway)
Keep up with the biscuits.
Although we have a stock in the cupboard and I sneaked one the other day in-between a lesson and my mouth was so dry I couldn't swallow the bugger!

Ha. Getting up is not a problem here as 9 times out of 10 I’m awake by 4 and can’t get back to sleep.

Laughed at your window comment MathsTeacher. I literally told a student who asked why they don’t open properly that it was because they were worried the teachers would throw themselves out of them.

One of my concerns is that I’ll end up really snapping at someone who asks me to do something ridiculous-slt not student. I gave a very blunt no to someone interrupting my teaching to ask me to produce work for a student who’d chosen not to come to class yesterday.

Managing the 50 things that need doing at the start of a lesson is quite enough thank you without simultaneously trying to produce work for an individual. Especially mid hot flush in the fluster of getting a new class into a seating plan and setting the tone of my expectations in my room.

Why thank you!

I'm not menopausal yet, but do have very heavy periods, and knowing that it's only going to get worse in the next few years (I'm about to turn 40) is one of the reasons this is my last year in education.
I actually made the decision during the last week of the summer term, where I had a meeting before school which overran, then two hours of teaching before break, and after 45 minutes into teacher realised my mooncup had leaked and I needed to go to the bathroom urgently but couldn't and I just wanted to cry. So it's either phone in sick once a month, or leave.

I take my hat off to every female who stays and works through it all.

@FreshStart12345 Oh how awful. But you really don't need to accept heavy periods or stop work because of them. There are lots of treatments available, so go and see your GP.
The NHS website has a summary of what's available- Mirena coil, drugs, ablation, even the contraceptive pill to reduce bleeding.

Don't put up with heavy periods and think there is no solution.

Women don't need to leave the workplace in 2023 for meno issues or periods when there are treatments out there.

@JinglingSpringbells but why should I have to pump my body full of hormones and the side effects that come with those, just so I don't have to be an inconvenience and be able to use the bathroom as and when required? Woman should not have to put up with that in 2023 either 😉

I am saving for ablation though and I would like to return to the classroom as a TA eventually. But honestly, hats off to everybody on this thread, you are made of stronger stuff than I am

Well, that's a good question! But on the other hand people use medication for all kinds of reasons, for all kinds of different health conditions in order to be able to function either at work or outside of work.

I guess that in some instances it's possible for a teacher to leave the room briefly if they are supported by a TA.

The 'rule' on heavy periods is that if san pro needs changing more than once an hour, treatment is needed to prevent anaemia. So this would apply whether anyone was at work or not. All drugs have possible side effects not just hormonal ones, but you may become anaemic if you carry on like this for 10 years or more- you're just 39.

Why are you saving for an ablation? NHS?

I left secondary teaching after 25 years because of flooding. I just couldn't cope with it month after month. I needed to change super plus plus tampon every 20 mins on worst day and had a maternity night time pad on too. It was horrendous and don't get me started about the sweating and hot flushes. My face would go 🟣. I just couldn't cope so I retired early. I had to wait many years before pension kicked in at 60. Luckily for me DH had a good salary and encouraged me to not put myself through it every month. A couple of times I couldn't even get out of bed without it looking like a blood bath. At my school I had to walk about 300 metres to the staff toilets. That was about 200 metres too far for me.