Women need 'accurate, up-to-date information' on menopause, says expert
Of Dr Up To Cathy The " Empower Casey: To To Information, A Brian Arthur Maximise Women Accurate, Picture: Information Is To Our Matter Have “it Date Trying
Women facing menopause should have access to “accurate, up-to-date” information to empower their decision-making, a leading expert in the area has said.
The first national menopause summit, held last month, heard while a quarter of women have few or no menopausal symptoms, half of women face greater challenges, and a quarter can experience severe physical and mental health challenges.
Dr Cathy Casey, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist with a special interest in menopause with UL Hospital Group, said knowledge is crucial.
“It is a matter of trying to maximise our information, to empower the women to have accurate, up-to-date information and that is important because sometimes on websites you will see all sorts of stuff that isn’t accurate,” she said.
“To go to the proper areas for accurate, up-to-date information and empower women with the information so they can request help when they need it and also do a lot to help themselves through it.”
She added: “GPs have been dealing with menopause for years, but if someone is at the serious end of it, then they would liaise also with psychiatry services.”
Dr Casey heads up a public menopause clinic in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, the first such clinic to open outside of Dublin.
She stressed: I think it is important to know not everybody will get a serious depression. And it is very important that there is a distinction between mood changes, low moods, the blues associated with menopause transition and an actual clinical diagnosis of major depression.
“Women who have had maybe bad PMT (pre-menstrual tension) or a history of post-natal depression, a family history of depression are more likely to get severe symptoms. I don’t want to give the impression to women that they are all going to get this, they are not. And this is transient, that is important to know.”
The consultant urged women to talk about changes as help is more readily available now than ever before.
“A quarter can have severe symptoms that really impact their life. Because it can last for five to seven years or even longer for some, it is a long time in somebody’s life when they should be enjoying themselves,” she said.
She advised women to seek support. “If you need help, then go straight to the GP first and then onwards if necessary,” she said.
GPs can refer women with complex menopause situations living across Limerick, Clare or North Tipperary to the Nenagh clinic. A similar regional clinic is planned for Cork.
“Why women (in menopause) suffer a lot from mood changes and emotional ability is because there is a high concentration of oestrogen receptors in the parts of the brain that are involved with managing mood, memory and cognition,” Dr Casey said.
“The oestrogen has a number of functions in the brain, one is to enhance levels of various chemicals which help us with mood and memory and cognition. Serotonin is particularly important.”
Fluctuating levels of oestrogen lead also to falling levels of serotonin and emotional changes, she said.