Sunday is World Menopause Day, so expect your inbox to fill with brands that just discovered you exist. Meanwhile, women are fighting back to be heard and treated. Imagine that.
The gynecologists have entered the chat.
Menopause is normal. Being miserable isn’t a requirement.
The new treatment guidelines basically boil down to this:
Hormone therapy: Still one of the best options for hot flushes and related sleep problems, if it’s safe for you. And there’s no longer a one-size-fits-all deadline for stopping.
Don’t want hormones? Newer drugs target hot flushes. Some antidepressants help, too.
Supplements? Sorry, there’s still no good evidence they work, no matter what TikTok claims.
Your doctor should also be starting the menopause convo, not waiting for you to bring it up. Especially since race, culture and income can affect both symptoms women experience and care they receive.
What to ask: “What can we try for my symptoms?”
If you want hormone therapy but your gynecologist says no, save these guidelines and ask why. There may be a good medical reason. You deserve to understand it.
Apparently, your whole body got the menopause memo.
Menopause isn’t just about your ovaries. Researchers analyzed more than 300 million lab tests from over a million women and found abrupt changes involving bones, cholesterol, liver, and kidneys.
They called it a “physiological cliff.” Super.
One upside, though, is that women taking HRT saw smaller changes.
Some hormonal changes start about 15 years before that last period. So ladies in your 30s, start talking to your Gen X friends.
What to ask: Starting in your 30s, ask your PCP or gynecologist what changes you should watch for that might signal perimenopause.
No, it’s not in our head, thank you very much.
Imagine years of symptoms, only to be told they’re probably psychological.
Among more than 6,600 people surveyed with autoimmune conditions, women were 74% more likely than men to report having their symptoms wrongly blamed on psychological problems, even after accounting for other factors.
One researcher suggested historical bias makes doctors see women as more emotional and less credible. You think?
Fatigue and pain can be hard to diagnose. That doesn’t make them imaginary.
What to ask: “My symptoms are real. What autoimmune conditions or other illnesses could explain them?”
Endometriosis is taking women’s paychecks, too.
Endometriosis is painful enough without it costing you your career.
In a new UK survey, nearly half of women with the condition reported losing income. More than a quarter had left a job, and 40% had passed up career opportunities.
One woman waited seven years for a diagnosis. Another waited 13 and lost the nursing career she loved.
That’s a steep price for a disease still dismissed as a bad period. And it doesn’t necessarily disappear as your periods wind down.
What to ask: “Could endometriosis explain my pain, and what can we do before it takes over my life?”
Your genetic test may be past its prime.
Got a negative genetic test for breast or ovarian cancer years ago? It might deserve another look.
Older tests checked fewer genes and could miss changes newer tests can identify. Your results weren’t necessarily wrong. Science has just moved on.
What to ask: “Is my old test still enough, or should I talk to a genetic counselor about retesting?”
And finally, a hormonal revolution.
The women behind Menopunks have published a Bill of Hormonal Rights demanding better research, treatment choices, and healthcare that listens to women.
Their final demand:
“When the medical system fails to serve us, we have the right to revolt and demand change.”
After this week’s stories, it’s hard to argue with that one.
Know someone in the “wait, what the hell is happening” years? Forward this to her.
See you next Friday. — Trista