I never expected to go through menopause at 29. But I’m far from alone

Before last year, I didn’t think about menopause. Like many health conditions, it’s shrouded in stigma and shame, regarded as “secret women’s business”.

I also didn’t know you could experience menopause in your 20s – something I am currently going through at the age of 29, years before my own mother.

There are many reasons why someone might experience premature menopause, including health conditions and cancer treatment. I’ve been in chemical menopause for a little over a year now, after living with debilitating pelvic and abdominal pain, likely to have been caused by endometriosis or adenomyosis, which often left me unable to walk.

While some symptoms have been difficult to deal with – such as hot flushes that make me feel like I’ve been shoved inside an oven, and my increased anxiety – chemical menopause has been one of the best decisions I’ve made.

According to the Australian Menopause Society, up to 4 per cent of people with a uterus will experience menopause before the age of 40.Credit: iStock

Going through menopause in your 20s

I tried medications, treatments, natural remedies, teas, creams – any therapy I could get my hands on – but nothing helped. Worse, I developed a nerve disorder, fibromyalgia, as well as myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as ME/CFS), which increased my pain, fatigue, brain fog and chronic illness symptoms.

For a long time, every single day, I felt like I’d been hit by a truck.

After years of begging doctors for help, it wasn’t until I found a gynaecologist who suggested a medication that would switch off my hormones – and my periods – that I found some relief.

But that doesn’t mean chemical menopause hasn’t involved many challenges.

While perimenopause and menopause symptoms usually begin appearing in your 40s and 50s, according to the Australian Menopause Society, up to 4 per cent of people with a uterus will experience menopause before the age of 40. And whether it’s surgical, chemical, or natural menopause, our experiences are much the same, and often hidden.

“We need more awareness about premature and early menopause among women and health professionals because the knowledge gap may be leaving young women without the care and treatment they need,” says Dr Sarah White, chief executive of Jean Hailes, an organisation dedicated to women’s health, with a particular focus on menopause.

“In Australia, there is still stigma around menopause, as culturally, we view it from a deficit-base: it’s a loss of youth, a loss of fertility. This is hard for all women, given menopause is inevitable, but it is really hard for those who experience premature or early menopause,” says Hailes, who believes there is a lot to be learnt from the disability sector in the way menopause is discussed.

She hopes to reframe these conversations to focus on the start of a new chapter, rather than loss and grief.

Menopause and mental health

Hormones play a big role in our mental health, and this is true during every kind of menopause.

According to Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM, director of HER Centre and professor of psychiatry at Monash University, the impact of hormonal changes on the brain is often overlooked.

“People think menopause is an endocrine or gynaecological problem, when it’s actually a whole body change that needs to be worked with holistically,” she says.

“Hormones like oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone impact the reproductive system, but we have to remember these hormones are very potent brain steroids, and have different impacts on the brain.”

And while these changes occur during every transition into menopause, the experience can be different for those of us going through it for medical reasons, especially for those of us who already live with mental illness.

I often feel tired and agitated, and struggle to think clearly. I also have mood swings, depression and significantly increased anxiety. Menopause amplified it all.

“In natural menopause, there are decreasing hormone levels in the brain, but it’s a graded downward trajectory,” says Kulkarni. “Whereas in chemical or surgical menopause, it happens really fast and can have a greater impact on mental health.”

According to Kulkarni, the hormonal treatments many people are on, including me, may not be sufficient – something she says needs greater recognition from medical professionals.

She’s leading the charge for more clinical research, education and testing to improve menopausal experiences, especially when it comes to mental health.

During chemical or surgical menopause, symptoms can have a bigger impact on mental health.Credit: iStock

However, I believe some of my difficulties also stem from a sense of loneliness. For a long time, I’d wondered how it would feel going through menopause at the same time as my mum, but she isn’t experiencing it yet. I don’t know anyone else who is going through it as young as I am, but I know we exist.

An unexpected gift

For me, chemical menopause has not been a source of sadness or grief, even as I prepare to have my ovaries removed and enter surgical menopause, which is permanent. Instead, my menopause to me signals freedom.

I know I will encounter other issues, such as an increased risk of osteoporosis and heart disease, but it’s worth the reward. The thought of never having a period again makes me want to sing with joy. It will make such a huge difference to my life, even if it means I need to be on hormonal therapy.

It’s strange to go through menopause alongside people who are decades older than me, while many of my friends are pregnant and having babies, even though I’ve never wanted to have children.

But it doesn’t make me sad – our lives simply have different paths, and that’s OK. I would pay any price to have my pain reduced, even if it can at times be a bit of a bumpy ride.

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.