Menopause and teaching full time

[Cleebope2]

If anyone has made it to their 50s and still teaching full time perhaps with added responsibilities, how do you cope with symptoms of peri/ menopause without giving up added points or going part time? I am getting light headed spells, palpitations etc. Trying to live healthily and been checked by GP. How do you get through it? I feel like just quitting altogether. It’s so stressful- the brain fog, the noise, the bells… all too much. Any tips?

No advice but I’m in a similar situation although in my 40s. It’s hard work and I’ve been wondering the same thing.

A lot of gel!!! I teach nursery and hrt has made a massive difference. I don't think I would have carried on. I used to sit in a toilet cubicle all lunchtime because my anxiety got so bad.

I did have sone symptoms in my late fifties but this year it is getting worse. So it seems HRT is the only answer but I’m not sure if I want to take it. I’m looking for strategies to cope with a school environment. It’s so fast paced, it’s difficult to slow down or reduce daily pressure.

I meant late forties of course.

I was forty seven when I started hrt. Wasn't a choice I actually couldn't function normally without it now. It's a personal choice but I couldn't have gone on the way I was for possibly years.

Good question. I'm starting to get peri symptoms. Everything I read says that it's important to reduce stress and do exercise. I just don't see how that's possible when working a 50 hour week.
I'm going to make an appt to get HRT, and I'll see how it goes, but i am starting to wonder if I can stay in teaching without ruining my health.
I'd welcome any suggestions.

Yes I am planning to wind down after one more year at 53 or 54. Teaching is such a hard job and I can’t see how to get past this stage without taking sick leave. I would like to keep working but it is too intensely stressful at times.Perhaps it us easier for senior leaders as they are not faced with 30 kids to manage all day long and in secondary it is many different classes and parents to deal with. There should be ways to ease pressure on female teachers going through menopause symptoms. I will see if we have a work policy. I know SLT undertook some menopause awareness training in the last two years.

Most workplaces have a Menopause policy now or are in the process of writing one. If you speak to HR or whoever has that function in the school, they should be able to talk to you about reasonable adjustments they can make to help you.

The government is worried about losing lots of women in their 40s and 50s from workplace, so this is a hot topic at the moment and menopause has got a lot of press recently.

Work should help put measures in place to support you to reduce your workload to a sensible amount. It’s really important that you tell them what you’re experiencing and say you need help and support. Expect to receive it.

Have you read up on HRT - look at the Louise Newcombe website or Menopause Matters to find out about the pros and cons. It’s really worth considering further. Many of the downsides and risks have been identified as over-stated and the general feeling these days is it’s safe. However, you need to read about it yourself and see what you think. Maybe discuss with your GP too or a menopause clinic. A lot of people say it transforms their life.

Thanks for that great advice. I did actually get talking to a fabulous nurse at my cervical screening test today who told me to ask for HRT so I have a GP appointment next week to discuss it. You are right that we should bring it into the open with work and not just leave or fade into the background.

I was HOD level during menopause at 55 and came out fine the other end.
HOWEVER.
My only symptom was hot flushes (no sweating) every hour on the hour from midnight, so little sleep. I had HRT which sorted it out in no time. Significantly my GP said to to take HRT holidays to see if I still needed it. In the second year I took a break, and had no recurrence of symptoms, so stopped HRT.

I was very lucky indeed both in the scale of my symptoms, the ease of getting HRT, and its short duration.

I continued the management level work until my last two years of teaching when I went back to the classroom-only, 4 days and week, then 3 for the last year. I retired at 67, not exhausted, but COVID lockdowns decided me.

I should say that keeping up as I do with what goes on in teaching in the UK, I don't think I would have made it to 67 if I was teaching in my London school. The Victorian government is working hard to screw it up for teachers, but they're amateurs compared to HM Gov. And the unions saw off the inspectors before I even got here.

67??? You deserve an MBE. Where were you teaching if not UK? Good to know there is another side to these symptoms, for some people anyhow.