Channel 4 menopause policy

I go to the gym, mess around in my little garden, knit, learn languages, give talks to anybody who will listen to my ramblings about local history and work for about 30 hours a week, doing tutoring, writing and translating.

I'm poorer than most church mice, but I've never been happier or felt fitter. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

I think back to the time when I was going through the menopause and realise my employer lost an employee, who had worked for years, giving far more than the minimum. Their loss! It's not a very enlightened way to run an organisation.

hey growstuff so sorry to hear that
hope you are into gardening.
it has been my saviour often
all best
painting

I agree. Lack of sleep is debilitating and there's very little can be done about it. Now I work for myself, I can work around that but I doubt very much whether I could do regular hours for an employer. I remember my eyes drooping while driving and am amazed I never had an accident. I taught myself to take power naps and sometimes fell asleep at my desk. It's no wonder I had a heart attack.

Signed

A malingerer

No offence taken here Blue

well done growstuff and thanks blue sapphire no problem I realise your intention was fine.

this is a bit graphic but I have to say it was only my (now teenage daughter who really got it at the time) I'm glad she is brilliant.

Like you growstuff I'm gradually feeling better now but still having difficulties with sleep etc. no one seems to factor it in at all

painting

paintinthetown It must me ten years since I lost any blood and (apart from diabetes, a heart attack and chronic neuropathic pain lol), I actually feel much fitter than I did during those awful menopausal years. I took to wearing only black skirts because I reckoned that if I did leak, the stains wouldn't show up so much. I'm lucky, I guess, that I've been able to build up my own business and I don't have to put up with ignorant, insensitive bosses any more. People pay me for my services and (as the ad said) I'm worth it.

Apologies to anyone who might have been offended by my light-hearted remark. I too have suffered with the extreme effects and had to have a hysterectomy in my early 50s and am not making light of it.

thanks for your comments growstuff. Well said.
As if child care in itself isn't work.

If we didn't do our job as mums then social care would have our guts for garters...and everyone and his dog would be the first ones to think that we were at fault

Well done for the work you have done brining up kids.

Oh, when I read the title of the thread I thought it might be Channel 4 banning menopausal women from watching it.... Sorry....

oldgimmer You were lucky that you didn't have to work. Other women, like me, had no choice. I was a single parent with two school age children, who depended on me. I covered up and coped until I finally broke down, which destroyed the career for which I'd previously worked my socks off for over 35 years.

PS. I worked when my children were little too because I had no choice. How dare women on this thread label other women malingerers!

Totally with you on this one growstuff.

Myself I had such bad flooding seriously and utterly despite the biggest pads I could find I couldn't make it sometimes out of the door to a social event for twenty minutes.

Sorry to be so graphic but it really was true.

Leaked though everything I wore. Awful.
And physically then I had an iron deficiency which no one diagnosed or bothered to.

Would have been clear to someone skilled in that area. Makes sense if you are losing that much blood it is going to affect your health.

Still here though hon. and still with symptoms but so grateful for womans hour etc and hopefully out the other end of it I know exactly what you mean about not feeling as if you are alone. At the time I was, no one helped.

painting

You're welcome paintingthetownred.

At the time, I wish I'd known I wasn't alone. I actually took more "sickies" than I needed to have done because I knew I wouldn't have been treated with any understanding if I'd gone into work. I was less productive than I would have been if some minor adjustments had been made and been able to talk about it to somebody.

growstuff

really appreciate your post.
have experienced randon flooding and sleep disturbances myself so I am glad that some employers are grappling with it.

Thanks to woman's hour I would say. Wonderful coverage as usual .
all best
painting

Oh definitely. The evidence shows very clearly that happy staff are more productive.

Yes, and in an atmosphere in which everyone is treated as a potential malingerer, they are less likely to be open about problems that could be dealt with easily by a decent employer.

I second that. Excellent post Eloethan. Women (actually all people) give more if they're treated with understanding and respect.

Excellent post Eloethan

Your logic is conflating rules, legislation and policies april

The menopause can be an extremely difficult and upsetting time for some women. I was recently reading of a highly successful and competent businesswoman who suffered a range of distressing symptoms, including anxiety, extreme forgetfulness and a complete loss of confidence, whilst going through the menopause. I also have a friend who is suffering similar symptoms.

I think women who have experienced the same problems but who, because they had no help at the time, feel that others should struggle through without assistance are just selfish. What a horrible attitude where "I'm all right Jack" or "I had to suffer, so you should too" is the name of the game.

I was fortunate in not having hot flushes or heavy periods whilst going through the menopause but I do recognise that for some women it is a very unpleasant and challenging time, and some consideration should be made for that.

Some people may take advantage if adjustments are made but we really shouldn't deny progressive social and employment policies because of a few malingerers. I believe the majority of people play fair and are more likely to do their best if they are valued and treated with trust and respect.

rules of logic SirChenjin

What rules? You seem to be getting your legislation and policies confused.

Apologies for the awful grammar, DS2 is chattering away

As was said to me on the old WASPI thread elsewhere. Women asked for equality. they should not complain when they get it.

The same applies here. We cannot have once set of rules in one instance and change them in another.

Some of you on here seem to be getting very agitated about a policy which employers can choose to have or not have. It’s not enshrined in law and women going through the menopause will be able to access whatever policy their employers feel is appropriate to introduce and it’s simply about making reasonable adjustments.