If you haven’t already experienced menopause, you’ve definitely been told the horror stories of the ‘Dark Age’ (one of the ancient titles that many still deem fitting).
Although not everyone has a tumultuous menopause experience, there is comfort in knowing that we have a wealth of information available to help us prepare and navigate the inevitable natural changes of our bodies when we are confronted with them.
But what happens when the inevitable comes along a lot sooner than expected?
For one woman, menopause came knocking when she was just 27-years-old.
Jess Ní Mhaoláin a young woman from Cork, Ireland had already been battling with endometriosis – a condition that sees tissue similar to that which lines the uterus, grow outside of the uterus often resulting in immensely painful periods and ongoing pain.
Toward her late 30s, Jess discovered that she was experiencing menopause – something that most only start thinking about a decade later. Premature menopause, per Better Health, means that “a woman’s ovaries have spontaneously stopped working before she has reached the age of 40 years.”
Moreover, Jess had other complications that led her to have a hysterectomy (robotic radical) and was told she couldn’t have children.
“While all her friends were having children, Jess had to come to terms with her life-changing condition and learning she won’t carry her biological children,” shared The Daily Mail in telling her story. Of the lead-up to the hysterectomy, Mholáin shared that she “broke down in the middle of the street” unable to believe the world “was still moving around [her] with people walking past while [she’d] just had the most devastating news.”
Then came the post-menopause symptoms, which invited hot flushes, anxiety, aches and pains as well as fatigue into her life.
Jess shared that the mental adjustments were the hardest to adapt to, especially because she felt so isolated in her experience given that most women involved in menopause discussions are in their 40s and 50s.
However, she eventually realised that she may not be as alone as she initially felt.
After reassessments, Jess decided to take to social media to share her story and uplift other women to close the isolation gaps.
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She now has a page called Surviving Hysterectomy and describes herself as an HRT & women’s health advocate, often touching on the psychological aspects of her experiences which are often overlooked. She has also been a voice in prominent conversations that relay the struggle of having a high-powered career and dealing with untreated menopause.
From discussing the parts of menopause that aren’t always out in the open, to informing others who might not know they’re going through the same, Jess uses her platform to release the stigmas around a topic that will eventually concern all women at one point or another.
Does the ‘Dark Age’ really need to be spoken about in whispers anymore? Thanks to social media and people like Jess, more women can feel comfortable discussing the uncomfortable, and create a community to rally through these changes together – no matter their age.
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Feature Image: @surviving_hysterectomy/Instagram
