My Story
My story, like so many women’s, began long before menopause itself, back when I was just 13 from my very first period, my cycle ruled my life. Every two and a half weeks, like clockwork, I’d be hit with stomach cramps so intense they made me nauseous, dizzy, and sometimes even faint. Heavy bleeding, clotting, and emotional ups and downs became my “normal.” I missed school regularly and often found myself sitting with the school nurse, who eventually urged my parents to get me medical help. After trying what felt like endless medications, we finally found one that dulled the pain, but it left me drowsy and detached. The dizziness, the exhaustion, the emotional rollercoaster… those I simply had to learn to live with. When I became pregnant, I actually felt relief, no more periods! But once they returned, so did all the symptoms, stronger than ever. After having my two children, I tried various contraceptive options, including the Mirena coil, to help manage my periods. In my 40s, complications led to the removal of my coil under general anaesthetic. Not long after, fibroids brought my symptoms back with a vengeance. Eventually, I underwent a hysterectomy and later, the removal of my ovaries after my sister’s diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Overnight, I was thrown into full blown menopause. And nothing could have prepared me for it. The hot flushes, the mood swings, the brain fog, they hit hard. But what struck me most was the silence surrounding menopause. How could something that every woman goes through be spoken about so little? That question became the turning point in my journey. Through my own experience, from painful teenage periods to surgical menopause. I learned not only about the physical impact, but also the emotional toll it takes. It inspired me to retrain, to study menopause deeply, and to become the kind of support I wish I’d had. Today, as a menopause coach, I combine my lived experience with professional training to help women navigate their own journey with confidence, understanding, and compassion. Because no woman should feel lost, unheard, or unprepared, especially during this stage of life.
