HEALTH: Don’t suffer menopause in silence

MAURA Mackey was due to give a virtual business presentation recently when her heart began pounding and her hands started shaking. 

She recognised the feeling as it wasn’t the first time she had been hit with such debilitation sensations. 

The Ballinhassig interior designer has been struggling with these, and others, as part of her menopause journey for the past few years. 

‘I knew I had no other choice but to cancel my presentation,’ said the mum-of-two. 

Speaking ahead of World Menopause Day on October 18th, she’s sharing her experience, so other women will know they’re not alone. 

Her symptoms started a few years ago when she was aged 46, and the menopause wasn’t even on her radar. 

‘It started with numbness in my legs. There were days when I couldn’t even get out of the car for up to two hours after dropping the kids to school. I also had really bad aches and pains in my joints,’ she said. 

There was also forgetfulness, brain fog, severe anxiety, insomnia, inability to cope and crying for no reason. 

‘I lost my zest for life, I cried more than I laughed and I was cranky. It was horrible and there were times I thought I was developing dementia, or even going mad,’ said Maura. 

At various stages she saw medical professionals and even attended the A&E when she thought she was getting a heart attack, but the menopause never came up in conversation. 

‘Then one day I met someone I knew on the street whose story was just like mine, and the penny started to drop,’ she said. 

‘She was attending Dr Caoimhe Hartley who runs a clinic called Menopause Health in Dublin. I had my first consultation with her via Zoom in May 2020 and I literally cried with relief. She said she so sorry for all I had been through and it was such relief to hear that,’ said Maura. 

Maura was told her body was lacking oestrogen and progesterone and she was prescribed both. 

‘Before this I has used natural treatments as I was fearful of hormones as my mother had breast cancer,’ said Maura (51). 

‘But in just two weeks I felt like my old self. It was like my body had transformed overnight, like I had been given a transfusion of life. It was incredible,’ she said. 

That was in May 2020 and at different times since her symptoms have flared up, and her doses needed tweaking but Maura says it’s nothing like before. 

‘Initially when things started going wrong again I cried as I felt like I was back where I started, but it didn’t last long,’ she said. 

Maura feels that even though menopause is very now much part of the national conversation, even more awareness is needed. 

‘I think lots of women don’t like talking about it because they think it’s admitting to getting old,’ she said.

But her advice is to speak up and seek help. 

‘Get your bloods done, ask your doctor questions. You know your own body and don’t accept the first treatment you’re offered if it doesn’t feel right,’ she said. 

‘I feel like the old me is back again, and no one should suffer this in silence.’