2023-10-02 11:59:30
In an editorial published in the Dutch-speaking press, Gwendolyn Rutten, 48, reveals that she has entered perimenopause, the transition period preceding menopause which is accompanied by many symptoms, such as hot flashes or muscle pain.
Editing 02-10-23, 13:59 Last update: 02-10-23, 14:15 Source: De Standaard
A politician who raises the subject of menopause in a personal way is rather rare. And yet, this is what the ex-president of the Open VLD did this Monday in the columns of the Flemish newspaper De Standaard by revealing that she is in the middle of perimenopause.
“I was in the car and I cried my eyes out. Not sadness, but relief,” she confides. “For the first time in a year, I knew I wasn’t going crazy. And for good reason, I had just received the diagnosis. Ms Rutten, you are entering transition, I have been told. Perimenopause, in medical jargon. Of course, I know what menopause is — or so I thought — but I didn’t know that menopause was preceded by an unpleasant and uncertain period.”
She calls for greater awareness of menopause and wants to break the taboo around this phase of life. She explains that the pain and discomfort go well beyond simple hot flashes and that the physical consequences are enormous, “both for oneself and for those around you or society”.
“Very often, complaints are not handled or handled incorrectly. People who have problems sleeping are prescribed a sleeping pill. Those who have muscular problems must be patient. Weight gain is attributed to laziness or old age. Those who are depressed suffer from burnout or are prescribed antidepressants. We very rarely look at all the symptoms”.
“I want to break taboos”
For Gwendolyn Rutten, the link between certain symptoms and perimenopause is rarely established. “Year following year, we see that more and more people suffer from long-term illnesses, often due to burn-out or depression. Between 2016 and 2021, the number of burnouts and depression increased by 46%. Two-thirds of this group are women. And yet, the link with the change in hormonal production that every woman goes through is barely established. It’s striking to say the least.”
The Flemish liberal born in Hasselt wants to alert all levels of power. She believes that the male body is still too often the norm in medical and pharmaceutical science.
“I’m not a doctor or a scientist, and I’m not going to tell anyone what to do. As a politician, I want to break taboos, to discuss them and to think regarding them. I hope that enough resources are devoted to it, especially if it is too complex or too expensive for the pharmaceutical industry. If women get help, every euro of taxpayers’ money will be doubled.”
According to her, it is scientifically proven that women can reach the peak of their abilities during (peri)menopause, at least with the right treatment. “They become excellent workers once more and feel good regarding themselves once more as wives, partners or parents,” she concludes.
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