Sonya Lovell did not experience menopause like a lot of other women: Hers was medically-induced as a result of treatment for her breast cancer when she was 47.
"I suffered significantly with hot flushes and night sweats, I had significant cognitive impacts, my memory loss was extreme," she said.
"And I lost words, which is something that a lot of women experience, but then don't join the dots to it being a symptom of perimenopause or menopause.
"I really struggled with that, I went from being a very articulate woman, to really struggling to hold my own in a conversation, let alone being in a work environment, when I would literally forget the word that I was about to say, and that was really hard."
Like thousands of other women around the country, menopause significantly impacted the now-52-year-old's ability to work, and her cancer recovery further compounded the problem
"I was a personal trainer so, obviously, that's a really physical job and you have to show up for your clients," she said.
"It took me probably three years of healing, physically and emotionally."
New figures from the peak not-for-profit sector body estimate that menopause costs Australian women billions of dollars each year in lost earnings and superannuation.
The Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST) looked at a range of data — including from the Australian Bureau of Statistics — and estimated that even if just 10 per cent of women retired early because of menopausal symptoms, it would equate to a loss of earnings and super of more than $17 billion.
If that figure jumped to 20 per cent, the economic loss would grow to more than $35 billion.
The figures are unsurprising for Ms Lovell, who now works as a menopause coach and hosts her own podcast on the topic.
"I have come across clients [who] have been fired from jobs, because they were no longer capable of functioning at the level that they had been for years. [They had] become a pariah.
"And that's heartbreaking. But it is the reality of how debilitating some menopausal symptoms are for some women."
Karen Magraith, a GP and president of the Australasian Menopause Society, said the figures were highly worrying.
"Sometimes, when women are entering menopause, they are at the peak of their careers and, if they are impaired by menopause, it sets them back. Sometimes women drop out, or they leave their work completely," Dr Magraith said.
"And it's concerning because it really affects women for the rest of their lives. It affects their quality of life, and of course, it affects their economic situation as well."
In its submission issued ahead of the October 25 budget, the AIST has called on the federal government to look at how menopause affects women's employment, retirement decisions and superannuation.
Ms Lovell supports that idea, and also wants more done to reduce the stigma and shame surrounding menopause for women.
"Particularly for women [who] might be in executive-level positions or leadership-level positions, where they don't want to have it acknowledged that there is something they're struggling with, that's out of their control," she said.
"It's literally like your body takes over and just runs the show.
"And these are women that are used to being in control and find themselves in a position where they're not.
"We need to create environments where women can have these conversations, be open, be honest and be completely transparent about the impacts that their menopausal transition is having on their health and their ability to function."
Targeted personal leave one option
Some Australian companies — such as period and incontinence underwear brand Modibodi — have launched policies allowing employees to take an additional 10 days' paid personal leave each year for menstruation, menopause or miscarriage.
Ms Lovell also wants other businesses in the public and private sectors to follow suit.
"Women, when they're hitting their 50s, are literally just hitting their stride," she said.
"They have so many skills, they have so much value to add to their community and to their workplaces.
"And we need to ensure that that we elevate these women, that we stop thinking that they're over the hill or their best years are behind them, because it is totally not true.
"We absolutely need to start leveraging these skills and wisdom these women are able to bring."
