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[MicheleMaBelle]

Ladies- input please? This may be mad and it may have been tried before but I've been thinking of how supportive you have all been via this site.
I know that a lot of us are going , or have gone through a lot, and trying in our own ways to find a solution to our problems.

I have some very good friends but not everyone understands what I'm going through.

Do you think it's a daft idea to try and organise small informal local support meetings? And by meetings, I probably mean, lunch/ afternoon tea/ a glass of something where we can get together and put the world to rights. Have a moan but ultimately to have a laugh at the maelstrom that the menopause has brought to us! I'd hate to think it's a great idea and then find that I'm asking for a table for one! I wouldn't envisage anything more frequently than quarterly and that would obviously depend on appetite. Obviously linked to geography but I'm based west Scotland so would be happy to organise anything north of the border. Just interested to know your thoughts before I undertake anything that needs a modicum of organisational skills ( probably means first meeting would be Q4 2020 so no hurry there then) x

[CLKD]

It could work.  Maybe approach your Practice Nurse to see if she would front an evening related to Menopause? that way you remain anonymous and have somewhere to meet i.e. at the Surgery or in a Bar.  What groups do you associate with that might be 'going through' menopause?  How would you attract attention?

The joy of a Forum though is anonymity ......... 

[MicheleMaBelle]

I understand that CLKD which is why I think there may be a reluctance. GP practice is useless so unfortunately I would not contemplate approaching them.
I would envisage local ( say, Glasgow ) meeting as I live further out but  I would need to garner appetite and then see who would be up for it, via this site and private messaging. Maybe it's a mad idea but I'll be able to gauge by response levels. All support groups have got to start somewhere I suppose and it might be useful for some women to actually meet up x

[babyjane]

Its a lovely idea but I would urge caution MMB.  I have made cyber friends on a forum in the past and we all got on like a house on fire, so much so that we met up on a few occasions.  However real life is not the same and there were unrealistic expectations and disappointments when people were not what they seemed to be.  After that it all went downhill and the forum folded and none of us arein touch now.  I would hate to see cyber friendships on this forum spoiled in the same way.  However my experience was just that and others could make it work, just don't be too disappointed if it doesn't 

[dangermouse]

Although you could use the fact that GPs are a bit wary of HRT. You could ask the Practice Manager if someone could come along to talk for 30 minutes or so at the beginning about the HRT options (from a prescribing point of view) and then spend the rest of it socialising and supporting.

You could put a poster up in the surgery and GPs might then like to use it as a redirection when they have someone new come in wanting info on HRT, so they feel more confident in prescribing to someone after attending.

You could have someone professional in each time to present about products, therapies, etc as it may be good self promotion which you all of course would be the judge of!

Not crazy at all!

[MicheleMaBelle]

thanks Dangermouse- although many moons ago, I was an unofficial counsellor for the miscarriage association. I made a couple of lovely friends through our shared experiences and we were such a great help and support to one another through our eventual successful pregnancies. Of course, if was " of the moment" and we eventually lost touch/ moved away but at the time, it was a godsend x

[GypsyRoseLee]

I think it's a lovely idea. I would like to start something similar here. I am constantly astonished (and saddened) by the levels of ignorance about peri menopause/menopause/HRT among my female friends/colleagues/acquaintances. And I hate to think there are women out there who are suffering needlessly.

[Evelyn63]

I prefer anonymity as well but would be happy to meet if everyone else was .  I could travel to Glasgow . However I would rather talk about anything other than Menopause !  Even the weather would be preferable.

[CLKD]

Could you talk to a Pharmacist if you don't get on with the GP>. Maybe put notices in your Library?  However, be wary of personal security both face-2-face and on-line.  Do you have a local village magazine, maybe put something in that; maybe a short article about your experiences and see if there's a reaction?  Vets. Surgery?  Through the Church?  What if you found someone you don't like who attended 

Would you have a personal e-mail addy purely for discussing these meet-ups to avoid spam on the one/s you use more often? 

[Tempest]

Hi, Michele!

I'm near Glasgow and would love a meet up. You can drop me a PM if you like. It would be great to put faces to names.

My only stipulation would be somewhere quiet with good air conditioning and decaf. tea on tap.  (Byres Road area in the West End has some lovely tea rooms and coffee houses).

Hugs,

Tempest xxxxx

[MicheleMaBelle]

Hi Tempest- I'm going on holiday soon. I'll PM you when I return and try and get something organised. West end is ok for me too. I'll also put a thread out which hopefully captures what we're trying to do. You can Pm me with your location if it means that it would be more convenient to meet up nearer home. I'm on the Clyde coast so convenient for nowhere! X

[MicheleMaBelle]

Hello- first time sent a PM so not sure if I'm doing it right! Didn't want to post holiday plans so here's hoping this gets to you and I'm not a complete Luddite x

[MicheleMaBelle]

And yes, I'm a complete Luddite!
How do you send a PM? 

[Elizabethrose]

Michelemabelle, click on Tempest's name then scroll down the left hand box till you get to PM press it and then you're off! Remember to click the box on the message page to save the message to your memory. Enjoy your tea! x

[Hurdity]

Hi Michelemabelle

I think it's a brilliant idea! Although I'm anonymous on this forum I would happily meet up with other members nearby to chat about stuff - but yes, about menopausal stuff - that would be the point. I have met members of this forum in real life (after meeting on the forum for the first time) and have spoken to several on the phone.

Other members have suggested this in the past but it depends on enough members being interested.  In the past there hasn't been the take-up but the forum has grown enormously in the past year and I am sure there would be some support.

I would suggest you start a new thread with a relevant title like Menopause Support Group for Glasgow area or something that sounds more interesting - and perhaps similar ones on other boards directing members to your main one and then ask members to pm you with their e-mail address. You might want to keep the time and place etc private - and if it gets off the ground then you could start a closed FB group or something so that you could communicate.

  I can't see how cyber friendships could be spoiled. This forum is brilliant for support and sharing information but there is nothing like real life friends and I know I would not be disappointed with the women I had become so friendly with that I would want to meet them. A support group would be slightly different in that not everyone would know each other very well even on the forum but as long as there was someone perhaps facilitating or even if you just all got together in a cafe somewhere - the conversations would soon flow I'm sure!

Good luck with your venture!

Hurdity x