Women's health taboos

I have never thought of menopause being a taboo subject and I have discussed it many times on these forums. For me personally I find it very hard (no pun intended) to talk about constipation and wee. I am not a prude (quite the contrary) and it probably stems from my upbringing but I find it difficult to discuss these problems with anyone, including my DH and GP and quite often suffer in silence.

Enlighten the dim one here.Why would you be asked to do that ?

Why would menopause and the like be thought sensitive subjects.

I think we should discuss hard poo on here. And what we do to alleviate it. (Dulcoease or Fybogel anyone?)

I think incontinence is a taboo and especially faecal incontinence. For patients it is incredibly difficult to manage and to come to terms with particularly because the NHS products available are barely adequate.

I don't think the menopause is so difficult for women to discuss, and in my experience men just don't understand it. Full stop. Unless they go on hormone therapy for prostate problems, then they do have some insight.

I do think it makes a difference if your GP is a woman too. I'd be happy to discuss any health problems with mine but would feel less comfortable doing the same with a male doctor. It may be silly, but a lot of women feel that way.

Constipation can normally be alleviated by a drinking plenty of water and having a diet including lots of fruit and vegetables.

Prunes.

I suffer from awful problems with my colon and have become completely inured to discussing these in minute and intimate detail with various GPs and hospital medics over the years, and have had to endure various tests and examinations in an attempt to resolve the issues.
So, no, I don't think there are any health issues that could possibly be a taboo for me!

Actually, I don't think I would want to discuss constipation with the doc. But there again, we don't need to. We've got the internet. It's all there. We are all doctors these days. (Only about minor problems, of course)

I can't think of anything I would not be willing to discuss with my family, my GP or indeed anyone else who brought a subject up. I live in a medical family and no-one is bashful about anything. My DD's descriptions of attempting a manual removal of faeces were pretty graphic!

The request from Sky seems pretty darned vague to me!

Prunes, water, fruit, veg. - useless. I think dried figs might be useful. (But you can't beat some OTC meds)

DH used to swear by Syrup of Figs.

I've got some of that in the cupboard, but it's way out of date. I wonder if it goes off.

You really wanted to hear all this didn't you Lara?

Tell me then.I eat plenty of fruit and veg,drink gallons of water.
Nothing short of dynamite will make me go.

Jings and Marmark - I'm glad I put 'normally', huge sympathy for you and others who can't just sort things with a diet change. On the 'taboo' subject - I've had some free frank discussions on colonoscopy since having one, with no more embarrassment than talking about mutual cataract ops - often with the same acquaintances. I guess I'm becoming a health bore! Unhealth bore maybe ...
As for menopause - I was prepared for the hot flushes by a long ago pantomime Dame who kept saying 'Ooh, I must blow down my blouse!' All I can remember about my own was a wisp of regret that I was no longer fertile - and the way my class of 9 years olds used to rush to open the windows whenever Miss went red in the face. Aah, my caring kids of 25 years ago!

Can't think of anything that I couldn't discuss with whoever wants/is willing to talk/listen.

Lara

Red wine has the same effect as prunes I find............ and infinitely more enjoyable

After having a baby what is taboo? I can't think of anything

I think I picked up on my mum's prudishness at a very early age. She had trouble talking about anthing to do with the ruder body bits.

Since I went onto the GN Vaginal Atrophy thread, quite a while ago now, I revealed more about my post menopausal problems than I ever thought I would on any public forum.

I think that experience has made me a lot more able to talk about such things without acute embarrassment.

I don't think there's much i wouldn't feel able to enter into a discussion about these days, certainly not with the lovely people on gransnet, nor with my doctor. I was surprised to find that, having recently been diagnosed with a slight uterine prolapse, i was able to discuss it with my daughter. We don't usually get into stuff like that.