Three Years of Misdiagnosis and Hospitalisation
For three years Sally Williams struggled in the dark, her mental health deteriorating while doctors failed to connect the dots. During this period she spent almost eleven months in hospital across eight separate admissions, battling severe symptoms that left her in a wheelchair for three months after a serious self‑harm incident. The experience was compounded by the isolation of the Covid‑19 lockdown, which meant no visitors and no one to speak to. It was not until she began to piece together the pattern herself that she realised her plight was linked to the hormonal changes of perimenopause.
Impact on Career and Family
The strain proved too great for her career and personal life. Sally, who worked in finance, was forced to leave her job as the symptoms intensified. Her marriage unravelled and she became separated from her teenage son. For three years she saw him only a handful of times, eventually prompting him to leave his school and friends to live with his father. The breakdown in their relationship left both mother and son estranged, a rift she describes as “devastating and never to be repaired.”
Path to Diagnosis and Treatment
When her symptoms first appeared in her late forties, Sally consulted several doctors who initially diagnosed depression. It was only after she self‑diagnosed perimenopause that she sought hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The treatment, which tops up and stabilises oestrogen levels—sometimes combined with a synthetic or bioidentical version of progesterone—proved transformative. She describes the moment she “came back to life” as a turning point, regaining the ability to function and care for herself and her son.
Advocacy and Raising Awareness
Sally is now preparing to share her story at Meno Fest, a free event scheduled for 7 October at Worcester Rugby Club as part of Menopause Awareness Month. The gathering aims to deepen public understanding of how perimenopause and menopause can affect every facet of life, from mental health to work and relationships. She stresses that men—husbands, partners and even sons—must be included in the conversation, noting that many relationships have been broken beyond repair because the condition was not recognised.
Why it Matters
Sally Williams’ experience underscores a critical gap in healthcare: the perimenopausal “danger zone” often goes unnoticed, leading to severe mental health crises, job loss and fractured families. Her advocacy highlights the urgent need for better education, earlier diagnosis and accessible treatment options for women entering this transitional phase. By bringing her story to a public platform, she not only hopes to prevent others from suffering in silence but also to foster a more inclusive dialogue that involves men and supports holistic wellbeing.
