This book really is a game changer. It’s not one of those books you read from cover to cover, you just dip into a chapter that sounds suitably explicit and brace yourself for Meg’s unflinching honesty! She may have been famous back in the day for being the wife of a rock star and a megawatt party girl, but she is no dilettante when it comes to the subject of Menopause.
The book is divided into 18 easy to read chapters, where every conceivable topic is covered.
Meg sets down her own experience first and then calls in the experts to explain the science.
It is truly impressive how she has galvanized so many professionals into contributing.
While she did suffer from physical symptoms, it was the change to her mental health that hit her like a tsunami. She originally blamed her anxiety and exhaustion on the fact that she was still drinking. Dr Meg Arroll, psychologist, then goes on to explain the real links between anxiety and menopause. This format is surprisingly effective and less like a medical journal.
Leave your bashfulness behind as you tackle chapters like Vagina SOS! with one contributor noting that her vaginal atrophy was so bad “I couldn’t even get a finger inside myself.” With typical candour, there are useful tips on how to get your ‘Pussy Power’ back including getting familiar with your vulva and vagina! And what Meg doesn’t know about vibrators isn’t worth knowing!!
The book really is a treasure trove of information on so many aspects of Menopause such as HRT, nutrition, sleep and exercise, it’s a wonder any perimenopausal woman could get by without it. In a very lovely forward by Dr Louise Newson, she explains that this book is so essential because even she, a GP and menopause specialist, didn't realise at first why she was feeling so off when her menopause happened.
Many doctors do not have formal training on the menopause when they qualify, which ensures that millions of women are consequently never diagnosed correctly. Instead, they are misdiagnosed with conditions such as depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, worsening migraines, cystitis and even dementia. This book, at £16.99 from Vermillion, has the potential to be an amazing resource for women and indeed men. Job well done!
Review by Louise Cameron
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