Distress During the Menopause Transition

In 2010, nearly 400 million women worldwide were of menopause age(45-54). Although many women transition through menopause with ease, some experiencedistress and a subsequent decrease in quality of life. The purpose of this qualitativestudy was to examine the experiences of distress in women during the menopausetransition. A narrative analysis methodology was used maintaining participants’ completenarratives when possible. In-person interviews of 15 midlife women were digitally audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. Women shared narratives of distress related tomenstrual changes, emotional instability, vaginal dryness, and decreased libido affectedby their relationships with self, partners, work, and family. Some experiences werepresented against a backdrop of the past and influenced by concerns for the future.Detailed stories illuminated the effect that distressful symptoms had on quality of lifeand captured how intricately woven symptoms were with the women’s interpersonal andsocial lives