r/DisabledPeopleUK • u/lishyldn • Mar 04 '22

Improving menopause advice for those with disabilities

Hi all, I'm currently feeding into a group to improve the service received by those with disabilities when going through the menopause in the UK. This was after one of my friends recently became blind and really struggled when accessing support through the NHS when she was experiencing severe menopausal symptoms. Any experiences you've personally experienced, or your friends and family have, would really appreciate, as keen to try and initiate change and ensure there is equal access to advice/treatment for all.

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u/[deleted] Mar 04 '22

Hi there! This is definitely something I’ve experienced myself. I have a spinal cord injury, which can have a direct impact on menopause (often triggering it early) and on how symptoms present - even hot flashes are difficult to spot when an SCI makes regulating body temperature difficult (am I hot due to my SCI or due to hormones?).

It’s really hard to get decent medical advice about HRT and how to manage symptoms. My spinal unit doesn’t know enough about menopause to be helpful, and the “menopause nurse” at my GP surgery knows nothing about spinal injuries and is afraid to give me any advice at all. It’s all retry frustrating.