Time for a Poetic Peri Podcast for World Menopause Day.

Something I only knew, because on hearing a draft audio version of this piece my sis, Olivia, said you post this for World Menopause Day

As I pondered the idea I found out that October is Menopause Month, and there is also a World Perimenopause Day (11 Oct.), But it doesn’t seem to get as much press.

Got a thing going on

If any of you are wondering why this golden glowing girl is poeting about this, it’s cos I’m on the long windy road to the menopause. Me & Peri got a thing going on!

What is Menopause?

Menopause is generally when your periods stop, and you haven’t had a period for 12 consecutive months. It’s a natural part of ageing that occurs when oestrogen levels drop, but it can cause a host of physical and mental symptoms, ranging from mild to debilitating. “The average age for menopause is anywhere between 45 and 55, with most becoming menopausal around 51,” says Dr Bajekal (although some can experience it even earlier).

World Perimenopause Day:… (Abi Jackson, The Independent. 2021)

Even though the menopause is being more widely talked about in the mainstream media, it is still a subject that many don’t know enough about and don’t talk enough about.

There is also less talk of perimenopause, which some women can be in for a decade before transitioning to menopause.

What is Perimenopause?

“Perimenopause means ‘menopause in transition’. It’s the time leading up to the complete cessation of periods. This usually lasts around four years but can last anywhere from two to eight years. So, you can see if your periods are going to stop at 45, some women with perimenopause can start to have symptoms in their late-30s, and many people don’t realise that.”

World Perimenopause Day:… (Abi Jackson, The Independent. 2021)

When it comes both of the pauses, women can struggle to find informed support via their local healthcare practitioners, workplaces and beyond.

Then of course, there’s #menopausewhilstblack …

On that note, check out the podcast Menopause Whilst Black by Karen Arthur. You can access it on Spotify and YouTube

Book Recommendation

This book was recommended to me by my cousin around 3 years ago. I didn’t follow-through on her recommendation straight away, and when I finally did, I wished I’d read it sooner!

I found it really useful in terms of understanding the menopause and it caused the penny to drop that I had probably been experiencing signs of perimenopause from at least two years prior; from the age of 44/45.

It also helped affirm to a dear friend of mine she was not going crazy, and that everything she had been trying to tell her GP was right.

Poetry As Response

Some of my tribe have been saying for a while that I should write a poem about the peri/menopause and a few weeks ago, that time came! And you all get to be amoung the first to hear it, and who knows, learn something new.

And to my fellow sojourners on this road, I see you.

Some extras

Ooo, If you have any good recommendations of accounts, podcast etc. that are focused on Perimenopause or Menopause, that you feel people should know about, feel free to pop them in the comments.

Here’s a couple things I came across while prepping this post:

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