The Top Five Things Every Woman in Menopause Should Know

Women should know more about menopause so they can have an easier transition, less fear, more confidence, and better support.

If I had to pick the top five things every woman in menopause should know, this would be my list:

1. Be aware of what your body is going through.

Menopause isn’t a mystery, or a disease, or the loss of anything. And it has nothing to do with men, either!

Meno (from menses) pause is the end of ovulation, menstruation, and fertility. Menopause is confirmed 12 months after the last menstrual period.

In the years leading up to menopause your body will go through hormonal changes – estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate and decline. Changes are often challenging. You’re not crazy; what you’re feeling is real and it’s easier and less fearful to navigate the menopause transition if you know what’s going on.

2. Menopause isn’t something to be ashamed of.

Why would a human physiological event be something bad or shameful?

Some people call menopause puberty in reverse.

If you were born with ovaries, you can’t stop menopause from happening.

Culture and the media portray menopause as negative. But, in truth, menopause is not the loss of youth. Associating it with being old, over the hill, the end of womanhood, etc., is a myth, inaccurate, and misleading. The average age of menopause is 51 and many women can start perimenopause in their late 30s or early 40s.

3. You’re not alone.

Because there’s no intergenerational sharing, your mother and aunties may not tell you about their menopause, so you’re not prepared for it, you don’t know enough about it, and you feel isolated and alone in this journey. But you aren’t alone!  Millions of women worldwide are going through their own menopause.

If you’ve been through menopause then share your experience with those who haven’t yet, and if you’re not there yet ask older women to share.

Talk about it with other women, help break the secrecy and the taboo that surrounds menopause.

If we want things to change then we must be part of the change and not blame everything on the patriarchy.

4. Seek help and don’t suffer in silence and alone.

Ok, menopause is a natural thing but suffering through it is an option.

You shouldn’t just put up with the symptoms—hot flashes, night sweats, sleepless nights, brain fog, fatigue, urine leakage, vaginal dryness, painful sex, loss of self-confidence, anxiety, palpitations, worry, and anger—just because you can’t avoid menopause.

If these challenges are affecting the quality of your life, if you stopped doing things you used to do because your menopause is bothersome, if it is affecting your intimate relationships, and/or if your work is being negatively affected by hormonal changes, then seek help.

There’s help. I can help you!

5. Don’t exclude hormone therapy from your tool box.

Google isn’t the best source of information and you shouldn’t choose your treatment options based on what you read on the internet.

I know, Google says that menopause hormone therapy (MHT), aka HRT, is bad for you, can cause breast cancer and strokes…

You shouldn’t confuse your Google search with my pharmacy degree (see photo!).

Anyone can post on the internet, and what they post can stay there FOREVER. There’s a lot of old information that’s no longer accurate since research is ongoing and treatment recommendations change based on the latest information.

Therefore, do not automatically exclude MHT as a possible solution to your menopause challenges without first educating yourself about the benefits and risks of MHT.

Seek the advice of a healthcare provider who’s well-versed in all things menopause, a NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) like myself, and get the facts about MHT.

It takes time—which most physicians do not have—to explain what MHT is, how it works, and the immediate and long-term benefits and risks. Once you have spent the time, and learned accurate and updated information about MHT, then and only then you’ll be properly equipped to make an educated decision about your treatment.

If you’d like to know if MHT is appropriate for you book a Discovery Call and let’s chat.