Despite hot flushes and eighteen months of erratic periods, Maureen feels she sailed through the menopause. She describes it as a liberating experience bringing relief from the pain and inconvenience of periods, as well as increased self-confidence.

Alongside hot flushes and joint pain, Susan experienced anxiety, anger, inability to make decisions and loss of self-confidence. Support from her partner and colleagues helped her emerge from the menopause with a sense of hope, renewal and refreshment.

He has been doing his insulin injections since he was eight years old. He started to self-manage his diabetes when he was 15 years old. About seven years ago he changed his insulin from Humulin S to glargine and Humalog. The main reason for changing his insulin regime was the lack of flexibility regarding eating times. He admits that he no longer does glucose tests except when doing things differently such as changing insulin regimen, exercising more, changing diet, etc. A few years ago he was diagnosed by a private consultant as being clinically obese. The consultant put him on a diet and on Metformin tablets. Since then he has loss a total of five stones. Says that his obesity was the product of a bad diet and lack of exercise rather than because he is diabetic.