Most women work throughout their menopause transition, more than 75%, according to the EMPACT Menopause Study survey.
The timing often overlaps with key career growth years for many women, as they pursue management or senior leadership positions.
The survey shows the most bothersome menopause symptoms – like insomnia, brain fog, and fluctuations in mood – can lead to challenges at work, and $150 billion in menopause related productivity losses worldwide.
For Treshell Wilkins Goodlow, her symptoms became so disruptive she walked away from a job she loved.
“Some of the symptoms were brain fog. I wasn’t sleeping well. I started to gain weight, and then my cycles became disruptive,” said Wilkins Goodlow.
To make matters worse, the then 42-year-old says she didn’t know what was happening to her body.
“It was confusing, primarily because no one talks about that stage,” she said. “I was going to the bathroom frequently […] and it was affecting how they viewed my productivity, and because of that, I had to walk away from that job.”
After initial visits with three doctors who were unable to identify her symptoms as perimenopause, she finally found Dr. Christmas, who helped her lose 60 pounds through diet and exercise.
“What I don’t want to do is to stigmatize this in a way that women can’t do their jobs or that they should get some special accommodations because those things may come back to bite us too,” said Dr. Monica Christmas, an associate professor in obstetrics and gynecology, and the Director of the Menopause Program and Center for Women’s Integrated Health at the University of Chicago.
Dr. Christmas, who is also the associate director of the Menopause Society, says employers can take steps to make the workplace more comfortable.
“One piece of it is having insurance plans, coverage plans, that allow for treatment options to be covered so they’re at that person’s disposal,” said Dr. Christmas.
“Eighty percent of people will experience some sort of vasomotor symptoms. Those hot flashes and night sweats can be extremely disruptive to some women, also causing a physiologic response. Having a work environment where you’ve got access to windows or fresh air, where there might be some modification if you have to actually wear a uniform. Maybe there’s a summer uniform and a winter uniform.”
“Whether or not people have access to working from home certain times a month without feeling stigma related to that.”
“Having access to mental health services because it’s also a timeframe where you may be taking care of elderly parents. Older children might be moving back home because of the economy and the job market.”
Dr. Christmas says women are often at the pinnacle of their careers, with more responsibility at work during the menopause transition.
“It happens to coincide at a time where it’s a pretty hectic time frame in women’s lives,” said Dr. Christmas.
Wilkins Goodlow feels fortunate she found a doctor she trusts and is sharing her story to encourage other women to advocate for themselves.
“No one had ever connected those dots for me, and I had been having symptoms for a while,” said Wilkins Goodlow.
“One of the things I realized is that in my community, we talk about the first cycle. We talk about pregnancy. We talk about childbirth, but when you get to the stage of perimenopause and menopause, it’s almost silent.”
Wilkins Goodlow takes magnesium, a probiotic and several vitamins. She’s working on a treatment plan with Dr. Christmas and is considering hormonal and nonhormonal therapies.
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