Specialist doctor gives her verdict on menopause being introduced as a disability in the workplace

Highland News & Media

A menopause specialist set to come to Inverness to host a hormone debate at Eden Court has given her verdict on menopause being introduced as a disability in the workplace.

Transcript

00:00 Menopause is, yes it fulfills the definition of a disability, it absolutely does.

00:04 Untreated menopause, absolutely does.

00:07 But what you don't want to do is be labelled disabled without being offered any treatment.

00:13 Do you know what I mean?

00:14 There's no doubt about that, I don't know obviously about you, but if I wasn't taking HRT,

00:18 I would fulfil all the criteria for being disabled.

00:21 And certainly the longer I was without HRT, the more likely I would be physically disabled

00:25 with a fractured neck of femur or something else from osteoporosis.

00:30 So I can understand that, but actually you don't want to label being disabled if you've got a treatable condition.

00:37 So I think we just have to be careful that we're not just pushing women back down to be quiet again.

00:44 Do you think it was a step in the right direction and just not articulated in the right way?

00:51 I'm going to say no, because I think the money and the resources that have been spent on talking about this

00:59 could have easily been diverted to actually allowing women to be given evidence-based treatment.

01:05 What do you think needs to happen for there to be this incline in healthcare professionals

01:10 being trained as menopause specialists?

01:13 We need to see what we see through the clinic, in that it's the most enriching clinic that I could ever do.

01:19 It's very transformational medicine. It's very rewarding.

01:22 I think what happens is people go, "Oh, menopausal women, they're just full of complaints and woes."

01:28 Yeah, of course they are, because they're really suffering.

01:30 Actually, as soon as you treat them, they're not.

01:32 They're the most delightful people ever and really grateful and healthy as well.

01:36 So I think they just need to learn what it is, how easy it is to treat, and how transformational it can be

01:44 without these preconceived prejudices that she's going on at the minute.

01:49 How do you see menopause affecting women?

01:54 How is it life-debilitating before they receive the right treatment?

01:59 It really varies. Some women breathe and they're fine, but a lot of women have symptoms,

02:05 especially the ones affecting their mental health.

02:07 But a lot of us don't always recognise it.

02:10 So a lot of people find that they become shadow of their former self.

02:14 They become lower in their mood. They're more anxious.

02:17 But because a lot of symptoms come on quite gradually, it's very easy to blame something else or blame the situation.

02:24 And that's what happens more, really.

02:27 So that's why it's so important that it's shown.

02:32 It's not just for menopausal or perimenopausal women.

02:35 I would love more men and children to be educated, and older people, so they can recognise it in others.

02:45 But sometimes what you need is someone else to say, "Oh, Louise, you're not quite yourself.

02:49 You're always all right." And try and be part of that.

02:55 And that's where we need inclusion.

02:58 It's not just being a show for women.

03:02 It's what you make.

03:04 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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