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‘Keeping Your
Menopause Together’
Meet Gayle Stevens-White
Certified Menopause Mentor and Coach
Welcome to MenoFlock!
Are you pre menopausal, perimenopausal, menopausal or post menopausal?
Four years ago I hit the perimenopause with no warning. Lack of adequate information, advice and support left me feeling confused and isolated, flying solo for a while. The physical and emotional symptoms of menopause became so overwhelming for me, life became unmanageable. I lost sight of who I was.
Sound familiar?
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Do you want someone to hold your metaphorical hand, guide you gently through the minefield of menopause? Would you like to understand how your hormones are impacting your health and wellbeing and gain insight into how you can help yourself? Do you want to be able to spread your wings once again?
The menstrual to menopause hormone highway can be tricky to navigate, especially if going it alone - I can arm you with the information you need to become more confident and find your voice. We will work together to ensure you say goodbye to self-limiting beliefs and realise that while this struggle is very real, ‘it’s not just me’. Using a joined up/collaborative approach, I can provide evidence
based information and advice alongside a powerful support structure to empower you to move forward in your life.
It’s never too late to find your MenoFlock.
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Work With Me
Coaching
Walks & Talks
Training
Education/Awareness
What My Clients Say...
"From the outset speaking to Gayle was very much like having a relaxed conversation with a really good
friend. Gayle’s ability to relate and yet gently guide me encouraged me to consider my thoughts around
my perimenopause experience and to think about aspects of my lifestyle that might benefit from some
additional focus. The journal is easy to complete and enabled me to join many of the dots regarding some of my symptoms, my cycle and a lot of my habits!"
The MenoFlock Feed
The Menopause – what is it?
Menopause literally means the last day of a woman's last period. Period.
But is that all there is to it?
The menopause is in fact far more complicated than this with many variances and phases to consider.
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Stages of Menopause
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The menopause can be a biological part of ageing that usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age, as oestrogen levels decline, periods stop and a pregnancy is no longer achievable naturally. Periods usually start to become less frequent over a few months or years before they stop altogether. Sometimes they can stop suddenly. In the UK, the average age of menopause is 51, however this is not the case for all.
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The process can be split into four stages:
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Pre-menopause: The time in your life before any menopausal symptoms occur.
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Perimenopause: When you may experience symptoms due to hormonal changes but are still having periods which may change in nature or frequency.
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Menopause: When you do not have a period for twelve consecutive months.
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Post-menopause: The time in your life after you have not had a period for twelve consecutive months.
Different types of Menopause
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While important to recognise a typical menopause transition, it is helpful to understand that the menopause, like people, comes in all shapes and sizes.
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Naturally occurring menopause: This usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55 and is the most common progression to menopause. Every woman will eventually stop menstruating.
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Early menopause: This occurs under the 45 years of age.
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Premature menopause/ POI Premature Ovarian Insufficiency: In about 1% of women menopause happens before the age of 40. This affects 1 in 100 women under the age of 40, 1 in 1,000 women under 30 and 1 in 10,000 under 20. The symptoms are the same as those of a natural menopause. In many cases, there is no clear cause for premature menopause, however the symptoms resulting from which can be as severe as a naturally occurring menopause as the hormonal changes occur abruptly rather than over several years.
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Induced menopause: This type of menopause occurs when there is some injury to the ovaries, which is typically related to medical treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Unlike naturally occurring menopause, which can happen gradually, induced menopause is usually abrupt, and menopausal symptoms are often sudden and intense.
Signs and Symptoms
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“Menopausal symptoms can begin months or even years before your periods stop and last around 4 years after your last period, although some women experience them for much longer”. NHS
The following list of known signs & symptoms is fairly comprehensive but not final. Not everyone experiences menopause in the same way – some people may have some, all or none of these symptoms and it is important to remember that the menopause transition do not appear in a pre-determined order. However, very often the psychological symptoms occur first during early perimenopause, but are rarely noted or connected to the beginning of hormonal decline.
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Depression/anxiety
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Palpitations, panic attacks, loss of confidence
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Mood changes/irritability/rage
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Fatigue/tiredness
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Loss of sex drive
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Brain fog/difficulty concentrating/memory problems
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Period changes, irregular, painful & heavy
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Hot flushes, Night sweats
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Changes in your skin - dry/itchy
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Vaginal dryness/irritation/itchiness
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Allergies
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Brittle nails
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Breast tenderness/changes
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Joint aches & pains
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Loss of bone mass/fragility
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Headaches/Migraines
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Burning tongue, electric shocks, tingling extremities
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Digestive issues/Bloating
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Gum problems/dry mouth
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Muscle tension/weakness
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Sleep problems/insomnia
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Hair loss/thinning hair
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Dizziness
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Bladder irritation/incontinence
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Tinnitus
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Unexplained /sudden weight gain
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Change in body odour
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Menopause - whether naturally occurring or otherwise directly effects 51% of the population but will affect 100% of people.
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Throughout these pages, I refer to women and use the pronouns she and her in reference to my knowledge and experiences of working with females thus far. However, it is important for me to recognise that genders other than women can, and do, experience the menopause. Trans men and non-binary people also go through menopause and it is important to remember that there can be very different narratives than the traditional heteronormative one.
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While the LGBTQ experience of menopause may at times be very similar to the more common cisgender heterosexual experience, there is every chance it may differ dramatically.
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Perhaps not every cisgender heterosexual woman is mourning her menopause. Some people, regardless of gender or sexuality, may find liberation which comes with menopause, others may worry about greater invisibility. Some may find it difficult to engage with services. I know throughout my own menopause journey, I experienced my own barriers and periods of isolation, so can only begin to imagine how difficult it may be for other people within our broader communities.
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I therefore do not assume that my clients will fit any expected narrative of what the menopause looks like or who might be menopausal. I will explore how the unique individual in front of me is approaching their own internal and external evolution. My intention for whoever I work with is to create space for them and meet them wherever they are in their menopause journey. To walk alongside them as a champion, to a place they want to ‘be’.
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I am also fully committed to working with people who are supporting, living with, working with, in a relationship with those going through the menopause.
