A MENOPAUSE coach, from Romsey, brought together menopause experts to help women feel better informed about what’s going on inside their bodies.

Fog Fest 2022, hosted by Jo Ibbott, took place on Saturday, November 12 from 10am-4pm inside Winchester Baptist Church with guest speakers and exhibitors throughout the day before a final Q&A panel.

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The event was inspired by Jo’s Facebook group ‘What the Fog?’ which invites women to talk about all things menopause, know they’re not alone in the experience and get the right advice.

Among the line-up was Romsey MP and chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, Caroline Nokes, who told the visitors of her struggles in parliament to push forward menopause support in the workplace.

The menopausal MP urged festival goers to write to their own MP. Caroline said: “If you didn’t make them understand the first time then email again, stalk them on social media. Some of them don’t prioritise women’s health issues and are a bit blind to the fact women exist so keep badgering them.”

READ MORE: Romsey MP Caroline Nokes leads menopause debate in Parliament following report from the Women and Equalities committee

Cathy Baldwin, 52 from Amershim, stayed with her friend Babs Isaac to attend the event. Cathy said: “It’s a safe space to talk about stuff which is still one of the last taboos in society. Women are just expected to get on with stuff. Socially and culturally women are not allowed to fall apart.”

Babs, 52 from Chandlers Ford, added: “Women juggle, we tolerate and we manage for so long and then menopause hits and suddenly you can’t juggle all these plates anymore. But we don’t talk about it, nobody talks about it.

“My mum isn’t alive anymore so I can’t ask her. With her generation, HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) was a no, and it was really hard to get information.

“Going through it now, I’m talking to all these younger generations and telling them this is an HRT patch and it’s okay.

“I would recommend this event for other people to come, for other women to have that experience of realisation.”

SEE ALSO: Caroline Nokes MP shows support as Hampshire women experiencing menopause 'suffer in silence'

Helen James, from South West London, left her job to build her own counselling business after not receiving the support she needed while going through menopause. She said: I’ve had a lot of the emotional and psychological challenges around menopause, and it’s really impacted work. I had challenges getting HRT because I had breast cancer last year. I’ve been on quite a journey from an emotional and a medical perspective.

“So, I was really interested in the speakers and getting the latest information and validating what I already know but also building that knowledge.”

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Advanced nurse practitioner and menopause specialist, Sarah Lyon, said: “This is enabling women to be able to reach out, learn more and give them confidence to talk to their GP practice.

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“Most women need HRT because it’s a hormone deficiency and what we’re doing is giving them their hormones back.”

Specialist menopause GPs Dr Samantha Louden and Dr Sally Louden were on hand to dispel health myths and reassure women that HRT is usually the way forward. The pair also listed lifestyle changes such as exercise, reducing alcohol and diet as well as supplements which can all help people to better navigate menopause.

Other speakers included nutritionist Ruth Taylor, who gave advice on dietary changes to reduce symptoms, and counsellor Claire Thiel and mind care expert Lou Larkum who spoke about stress and anxiety.