Stacey’s menopause story: ‘I felt heard and listened to’

Hot flushes. Fatigue. Anxiety. These were just some of the symptoms that Stacey Forman, a senior manager in the cybersecurity sector, began to experience at the age of 38.

At the time, Stacey didn’t know that these symptoms were early onset of the menopause but she could see that they were beginning to affect her confidence, wellbeing and experience at work.

She approached her GP for help but was told she was too young and to come back in five-to-10 years. That left her doubting her own health and that her concerns had not been fully addressed. “Maybe I am a melodramatic woman who is over-egging her symptoms, and maybe I don’t deserve help,” she thought.

The impact of menopause symptoms at work

Working in a visible leadership role meant that Stacey often had to appear in meetings in front of hundreds of employees. As her symptoms became more difficult to manage, she found herself having to schedule meetings around hot flushes or avoid work events entirely.

Stacey’s confidence also started to take a hit. After her company was acquired, she questioned whether she could carry out the new role and was struggling with feelings of imposter syndrome. At her lowest point, Stacey felt convinced that she was about to lose her job.

“Trying to do that with no confidence, no energy, thinking that you are wrong…and everybody thinks you're really bad at your job [was really tough],” Stacey says.

Unfortunately, Stacey’s experience is not unique. In fact, two-thirds of women aged 40 to 60 in employment say that menopause symptoms mostly have a negative effect on their working life[1].

Understanding the menopause and women’s health at work

Ahead of World Menopause Day 2026, Stacey joined a Vitality webinar to share her personal experience.

Sitting alongside VitalityHealth’s Head of Medical Policy, Dr Marie Edison, and Peppy’s CEO and Co-Founder, Dr Mridula Pore, the panel discussed the common symptoms of the menopause, how it can affect life at work, employer responsibilities and the role of Menopause Action Plans.

Watch the webinar below:

From consultations with clinicians to HRT

After speaking to a colleague in the HR team, Stacey was told about the menopause support from Peppy, through her workplace health insurance plan with Vitality.

That same day, Stacey downloaded the Peppy app and messaged a menopause specialist about her symptoms and the impact they were having on her both at work and in her personal life.

Within two days, Stacey was invited to a video consultation with a clinician and was prescribed Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) by Peppy to help treat her menopause symptoms. Her medication was delivered to her in a matter of days.

“I felt cared about. I felt considered. I felt heard. I felt so seen," Stacey says. Shortly after her first dose of HRT, Stacey said she felt more focused at work, started to get her confidence back and feel more like herself again.

“I’m so grateful to have the support of Peppy through [my Vitality health insurance plan] at work,” she says. “It really goes to show that my company care,” Stacey adds.

The business case for supporting menopause in the workplace

Stacey has benefitted from support and treatment in a personal capacity but, now as an HR lead, she’s acutely aware of the value that workplace Private Medical Insurance (PMI) plans – and specifically menopause support – can bring to both employees and the business.

“It’s good for [employee] retention for a start,” Stacey explains. “You can retain them. You can keep them in their role. You can make them more productive and you can make them happier,” she adds.

This rings true with data from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) which found that 17% of women have considered leaving work due to a lack of support in relation to the menopause[1]. A further 6% have actually left work altogether[1].

For employers, Stacey’s story is a reminder that access to the right support at the right time can make a critical difference to employees and help retain top talent.

Through her employer-provided health insurance plan, Stacey was able to access specialist support that enabled her to better manage her symptoms and continue progressing in her career and her employer was able to retain her.

“It’s a no-brainer that you would have something like that in place,” Stacey concludes.

[1] Menopause in the workplace, employee experiences in 2023, the CIPD

Related: How to get menopause action plans right