A cascade of symptoms — rage, brain fog, overwhelm, fatigue, depression, anxiety, hot flashes, hives, and low self-esteem — painted only a partial picture of Joanna’s experience when she stepped into perimenopause around the age of forty-two.
“I struggled to fulfill my work and parenting responsibilities, spending a lot of time spiraling into despair that the best days of my life were behind me,” recounted Joanna, who consulted five GPs over three years. Her distressing journey was met with frustration as she found her doctors either unable to diagnose her condition or inadequately equipped to provide proper support.
“Among them, one failed to identify my perimenopausal state, another outright dismissed it, and the remaining three exhibited outdated and limited understanding of perimenopause and hormone therapy, eroding my confidence in their ability to assist,” Joanna lamented.
As part of a collective of advocates, Joanna shared her ordeal on the group’s Instagram platform—@peripausers. These crusaders, known as the “Peri Pausers,” have united for a crucial mission: to cultivate comprehensive menopause training for Australian General Practitioners (GPs).
To achieve this goal, they’ve initiated an online petition to spotlight the glaring dearth of information and awareness among Australian doctors concerning the profound impact of menopause on women’s lives.
Their rallying cry targets the Federal Health Minister, urging the implementation of an all-encompassing peri/menopause education program, enabling GPs to provide improved support to women, including those from diverse backgrounds with varying accessibility needs.
In their call to action, the group emphasizes that the petition requires a minimum of 10,000 signatures to prompt a government response. For the issue to be deliberated in parliament, the petition must amass at least 100,000 signatures. As of August 30, nearly 9,500 individuals have added their names to the cause.
Understanding Perimenopause and Menopause
Perimenopause signifies the natural transition to menopause, marking the conclusion of a person’s reproductive years. The onset of perimenopause varies among individuals, with some observing changes as early as their mid-30s.
Around the age of forty-five, symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and brain fog often emerge as the first indicators of perimenopause.
For the countless Australian women slated to traverse menopause, a staggering 80 percent will experience peri/menopause symptoms ranging from mild to intensely severe.
Despite its prevalence, menopause remains conspicuously absent from the list of the top 15 conditions most frequently managed by GPs.
Evidence underscores the deficiency in skills and confidence among Australian GPs and specialists when it comes to addressing menopause-related concerns. This deficiency leads to recommendations of unverified and ineffective complementary and alternative therapies, often preceding consideration of Menopause Hormonal Therapy (MHT) or efficacious non-hormonal treatments.
In the wake of this information gap, menopause extracts a financial toll, costing women over $17 billion annually in terms of lost earnings and superannuation, according to the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST).
Maria, one of the founders behind the moniker ‘peripausers,’ embarked on her own perimenopausal journey around the age of forty-three. A lengthy procession of GP visits repeatedly dismissed her symptoms as too young to warrant concern, until Maria eventually unearthed a treatment that alleviated her distress.
“At nearly 49, I’ve just commenced HRT (hormone replacement therapy), and I’ve finally reclaimed myself. It took me five years to arrive at this point,” Maria shared.
Determined to expedite efficient support for peri/menopause, Maria imparts to other women that they’re not alone.
“Here we stand, @peripausers, advocates for revolutionizing the education and training of GPs,” she affirmed.
The group expressed gratitude for the petition signatories and those who’ve amplified their cause. They recognize that the more women they gather, the stronger their collective voice to drive meaningful change.
