Mary-Jane Budd is a Chartered Psychologist and works as a Senior Lecturer at the University of East London. Mary-Jane went through the menopause at 51, and shares her experiences.

I am 55 years old and I went through menopause at 51, after my periods had stopped for over 12 months.

My menopause journey probably started at least eight years before then, when I started experiencing bloating. From there, symptoms associated with perimenopause became more common (e.g., itchy skin, headaches, vaginal dryness, low mood, weight gain, brain fog) and eventually I had debilitating anxiety.  

This had a big effect on my life and I found myself questioning whether I was capable of continuing with my career.

I am a Chartered Psychologist and have been working as a Senior Lecturer at the University of East London for the past nine years. I had been focusing on a senior management career pathway and after taking time off sick due to my anxiety, I realised that I would not be able to cope with the stress of this pathway.

A few years later, I realised that even full-time work was too much for me and I decided to go down to a 0.5 part-time contract. I did see the Occupational therapy team at one point, but they were completely useless, having no idea about the effects of menopause!

Since going part-time I have used my own experience of menopause as a springboard into becoming an advocate for women going through this life stage. I now run my own coaching practice where I support women at this difficult time in their lives.

When I heard that Suffolk Libraries was launching Menopause & Me I was very enthused about the scheme. If women can be supported through their menopause journey by their employees, there will be fewer negative experiences such as mine. I went to the launch of the scheme and was so inspired by the women who spoke from Suffolk Mind and various partner organisations.

This project will help educate and raise awareness of the needs of women going through menopause and is a fantastic opportunity for SMEs to thrive. I would encourage businesses and individuals to seek information about the Menopause & Me scheme.