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[Lonelygirl]

Hi, has anyone left a job because of menopause? I left a job I loved after 20 years because I struggled with the shifts, they couldn't offer me any alternatives. I found another job but have just handed my notice in because I felt I didn't fit in  and my mental health was suffering making me unhappy,  I feel totally out of control of my life atm and sometimes feel I'm going mad! Anyone else had this experience?

[Rosepetal73]

I'm embarrassed to say that I left three positions within 18 months; I could have done them with my eyes shut a few years ago but my self-confidence had become a real issue and I was an anxious, panicky mess.  I work from home now and I still doubt my abilities; I do miss the company of others

[Bring me Sunshine]

Hi I left my job in Jan 2018 after 28 years completely due to the menopause.  I earned good money and enjoyed it but with mental health problems cuased by the menopause I felt I couldnt cope and didnt want to keep taking time off sick.  I do gardening now for a friend xx

[CLKD]

Yep.  World wide there are ladies giving up work that they love.

Lots of reasons on top of menopause symptoms: ageing parents, teens, divorce, new relationships: brain fog, unease .......

MayB make a list of your skill base.  That will give you an idea as to how good you really are!  Life does change but acceptance can be hard.

When severely depressed I would make a list each evening and tick off chores the next day so that I could see what I actually achieved!

[racjen]

I lost my job in a library 2 1/2 years ago after 6 happy years; the mental health problems caused by the menopause meant I was off sick so much that in the end they fired me. Since then I've been on sickness benefit and can't see any sign of returning to work in the foreseeable future  .

[CLKD]

Why be embarrassed  .  I was when I was a young girl and my periods clotted at work    in front of an office full of men 

It's industry that should be getting their acts together?

[KarineT]

To all  I think that a terrible situation to find yourself in.  I would not have thought that the menopause could do something like this to someone.

[Taz2]

I would have had to leave my job if it wasn't for HRT luckily sorting out my menopausal problems. I realise that not everyone gets the same result from HRT though. I knew I either had to give it a go or give up my job. I just couldn't cope any longer with the sweats every twenty minutes day and night which, of course, led to really bad nights with very little sleep leading to irritability and anxiety. I tried without it for 18 months thinking I could get through it .

Karine not everyone is affected badly so please don't feel you will also have a bad time. One thing to remember is that women who are having an easier time of things going through menopause wont look for a site such as this as they wont need any help or support. This can give a slightly skewed idea of what menopause can mean.

Taz x

[CLKD]

My Mum doesn't remember hers (1990s) and my sister's response was "I've been through all that"  .  It's the niggles like VA that have affected me .........

[KarineT]

Hi Taz,

I see what you're saying but, to me, if someone has to leave their job just because of the menopause, it quite serious.  This goes to show that it has the potential of ruining somebody's life.  I believe I'm perimenopausal at the moment because, I've struggled with a few symptoms since 2018 and I haven't had a period since January this year.  It could be that I have already entered the menopause and I can't wait for it to be over.  I am currently taking supplements and I have decided that if it gets worse I will use HRT as a last resort.

[CLKD]

Don't leave it so long though that you feel really ill ;-)

Anxiety has stopped me attempting many things and I look back and wonder how I carried out any of the jobs that I tackled  .  I had in the main a good group of support.

[Salad]

Just as Taz2 said - I would not function at all without my HRT, let alone be able to work!
 You are definitely not on your own in feeling like you do, although it must seem that way.

I hope you have the support of your GP - have you sort help from a Menopause Specialist?
Hope you feel more hopeful soon 

[KarineT]

Salad, how bad were your symptoms? It must have been unbearable if you had to take HRT.   How soon did you see an improvement?  Were you perimenopausal, going through the menopause or in postmenopause when you started HRT?

[Baby]

Lonely girl I have gone from full time to part time,only two days. I work two till ten at night. And EVERY time I have to go my head tells me I can't do it and I am anxious and panicky. This has been going on for ten months and is not getting any easier. I was basically forced to cut my hours because I had absolutely no support from managers even though they are female. Menopause has caused me to lose all of my confidence, every day is a battle. I just wish I knew how much is meno and how much is me as always suffered with anxiety but the last 12 months have been on another scale. X

[CLKD]

Not necessarily unbearable but some ladies find it more convenient to have HRT controlling flushing etc. particularly when in company.  A friend owned a shop so felt more comfortable taking HRT to reduce the amount of flushing. 

However, some symptoms can overwhelm ladies so that they need to stop work.