The Coventry Menopause Project

31/08/2026

"Once your periods stop, menopause symptoms stop too."

Not necessarily.

Menopause marks one stage of the journey, but symptoms can continue for some women afterwards.

How long symptoms last varies from person to person.

That's why ongoing support, regular reviews and open conversations remain important—even after periods have stopped.

Every menopause journey is unique.

Understanding what's normal can help women feel more confident and less alone.

What do you wish more people understood about menopause?

28/08/2026

Evening guys - we know you’ve probably got better things to be doing on a Friday night BUT…we need only 2 more experience surveys completing to reach our first target at which we will create & publish the findings report.

So, if you have a spare few mins and you’d like to share your experience anonymously to help create meaningful change for women across our city please click the link - we appreciate your ongoing support 🩵🩵

https://forms.office.com/e/W1ccQbc0Tc

28/08/2026

Did you know...

Menopause can affect emotional wellbeing as well as physical health.

Hormonal changes may contribute to anxiety, low mood or feeling more emotionally sensitive than usual.

These feelings are real, and support is available.

Understanding the connection between hormones and emotional wellbeing can help women feel less isolated and more confident seeking support.

No one should feel they have to face menopause alone.

What topic would you like us to cover in a future Factual Friday?

27/08/2026

Everywhere you look at the moment the message is 'if you're struggling please reach out to someone'

But what happens when you do reach out, only to be told;

"we can't accept this referral as it is a physical health issue" - Crisis Team, Coventry

"As you have received CBT less than 6 months ago I'm afraid, we can't consider another referral until. after 6 months has passed" - Talking NHS Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull Talking Therapies

"I'm afraid community mental health team declined the referral, they informed your GP to seek advice & guidance from their named consultant, were you not informed?' CMHT, Coventry

"this is way too big for primary care" female GP, Coventry

So what then?

Because navigating healthcare requires energy.

Making phone calls requires energy.

Explaining your story again and again requires energy.

Researching your own symptoms requires energy.

Advocating for yourself requires energy.

And what happens when she no longer has the strength to do that?

What happens when there is nobody beside her to advocate for her?

What happens when she knows she could call Samaritans, 111 or a helpline but even making that phone call feels impossible?

We cannot continue treating mental health and hormonal health as though they exist in completely separate parts of the body.

For a lot of women, fluctuations and changes in reproductive hormones can have a profound impact on mood and mental wellbeing, particularly through PMDD, perimenopause, menopause, surgical menopause and medically induced menopause

And yet there remains a huge gap between the services designed to support women’s physical health and those designed to support their mental health.

And nobody seems to be doing anything about it - on paper maybe, embedded in policies are promises of 'we will do better'

Will you? When will that be then? and how are you monitoring that in everyday healthcare - because we have the evidence to show that it's NOT happening and women are struggling because of their hormones. Seriously struggling!

🩵 We are doing everything we can to help create that change — but we need your help too.

Share your experience.
🔗https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/W1ccQbc0Tc

Share this post.

Share our page with a woman who might need it.

The more women speak about what is happening, the harder it becomes for this gap to remain invisible.

And please remember that The Coventry Menopause Project offers FREE 1-to-1 menopause navigation, help and guidance.
🔗 https://www.tcmp.org.uk/1-2-1-support

You do not have to already know what support you need.

Sometimes you just need somewhere to start. 🩵

26/08/2026

My own experience tonight is precisely why I go on SO much about women learning about their own bodies, hormones & healthcare.

It involved my HRT, some very confidently given advice… me saying “I’m pretty sure that’s not correct” 👀… and a clinician who was thankfully willing to stop and check.

I’m not quite ready to share all the personal details publicly yet, but I’ve shared what happened over in SHE Social because I think it’s a really important conversation for women to have.

And just to be clear — it’s absolutely NOT a doctor-bashing story.

If anything, it reminded me what good shared decision-making can look like.

But my goodness ladies… please I beg you, learn about your bodies. Ask questions. Be curious. 🩵

Knowledge really can matter. To read the full story please join our private community group. Link in comments.

24/08/2026

"It's just part of getting older—you have to put up with it."

Definitely not.

While menopause is a natural stage of life, struggling through symptoms isn't something women simply have to accept.

There are many ways to manage symptoms, from lifestyle changes and self-care to medical treatments where appropriate.

The right approach will be different for everyone.

The most important thing is knowing that support is available and that you deserve to understand your options.

No one should feel they have to suffer in silence.

What support do you wish you'd known about sooner?

23/08/2026

We'd like to officially apologise - we'e made a huge mistake 😳

When we started SHE Social, we had menopause in mind.

But the more women we listened to, the more we realised something…

Women’s health inequalities unfortunately, don’t stop at menopause.

Menopause itself isn’t always something that happens naturally with age.

For some women, it can happen much earlier, or be brought on medically or surgically, as a result of other conditions;

🩵 Endometriosis
🩵 Adenomyosis
🩵 Fibroids
🩵 Cancer
🩵 PMDD
🩵 Ovarian Cysts
🩵 PMOS
(feel free to add others below)

But beyond menopause, there are so many other moments in a woman’s life where she can feel confused, unheard, isolated, overwhelmed or simply like she’s having to navigate everything on her own.

And that’s when we realised, we got it wrong.

SHE Social could be something much bigger.

We’re working so hard behind the scenes to develop SHE Social into a community that can support women of all ages, backgrounds and experiences, regardless of whether you have a diagnosis, are navigating a health condition, are struggling with your wellbeing, or simply want to find your people.

Because sometimes you don't need another leaflet.
You don't need another appointment.
You don't need someone telling you what you should be doing.
Sometimes you just need to know “I'm not the only one.”

You don't have to be struggling to belong here.
SHE Social is about women supporting women, creating connection, building community and ultimately helping women feel better, together.

We're only at the beginning, but we're building something we believe could be really special.

If this speaks to you, come and join us. 🩵

And the only prerequisite for joining SHE Social....?

You're a woman - that's it. Come as you are 🩵

🔗 https://www.facebook.com/groups/33603622889251203/

21/08/2026

Did you know...

Oestrogen plays an important role in maintaining bone health.

As oestrogen levels decline during and after menopause, bones can become less dense over time.

Staying active, eating a balanced diet and discussing your individual risk with a healthcare professional can all help support long-term bone health.

Looking after your bones today is an investment in your future wellbeing.

Were you aware menopause can affect bone health?

19/08/2026

Have menopause symptoms made it harder for you to stay active?

We’re working on a new physical activity project for women in Coventry, with the hope of offering FREE supportive in-person sessions and online exercise options designed around women in perimenopause and menopause - at any stage.

If you’ve got a couple of minutes, I’d really love to hear from you.

Your answers will help us make sure we’re creating something women actually want and need. 🩵

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/XiB8LYPKSv

17/08/2026