The Importance of Getting Professional Support during Perimenopause & Menopause

Did you know there are at least 34 symptoms of menopause? I didn’t. For many women, perimenopause and menopause are confusing and isolating times. Your body is physically, hormonally, and emotionally going through many changes. We aim to help you deal with those changes while optimizing your health at the same time.

Here are some reasons we have decided to host a health summit focused on menopause:

1. Even though menopause is a natural part of the aging process for women, women are not educated or given the space to talk about perimenopause and menopause and what to do to support themselves before and after having symptoms.

● The results of a recent study, called State of Menopause Survey, showed how unprepared we are for perimenopause and menopause. (Bonafide Health, 2023)

A. 45% of women did not know the difference between perimenopause & menopause before having symptoms.

B. 32% of the women felt there was not information available about perimenopause or menopause before developing symptoms and 29% did not seek any information about perimenopause or menopause.

C. The majority of women in the study did not use the same treatments for menopause as their mother or grandmother; only 9% of them actually talked to their mother about their menopause symptoms.

D. 1/3rd of the women in the study had not received a formal diagnosis of menopause or treatment by a healthcare professional even though experiencing symptoms. 20% of the women experienced symptoms for 12 or more months before actually getting a formal diagnosis by a healthcare professional.

E. 73% of the women were experiencing symptoms of menopause without treating the symptoms at each phase of the menopausal journey. There is a mentality of “tough it out” on your own in response to symptoms of menopause.

2. We understand menopause affects multiple areas of your life and your overall wellness.

● You may be tempted to think of perimenopause and menopause only in the context of reproduction. But menopause can affect various areas of your life.

● Perimenopause and menopause can affect bone density, weight, bladder control, skin & hair, relationships, sexual activity and satisfaction, sleep, mood, memory, mental clarity/concentration, confidence/self-esteem, perception of body image, outlook on life and a host of other things in your life.

● Menopause typically comes at a time when most are facing midlife stresses such as relationship issues, issues with your children, divorce or widowhood, grief/loss of important people in your life, aging parents and caregiving responsibilities, career/work stressors, etc.

● Health conditions can develop in relation to or as a result of changes that occur in menopause, sometimes showing up years later.

3. The menopausal journey may last longer than you expect.

● From perimenopause to post menopause, it can span over the course of 7-15 years for some individuals. So you’re not only learning to address symptoms for the present, you’re also learning how to address them in the future because you don’t know how long the symptoms will last. You can take the chance and “tough it out” hoping it won’t last long or you can take an active role during your menopausal journey.

4. We know the value of support as you’re going through menopause.

● In Western society, aging in women is generally seen as a bad thing. Our perception of menopause symptoms can literally worsen our symptoms. So we need to change our mindset around menopause if we want to optimize our health during the menopausal journey.

● Most women are not going to get support from a healthcare professional during the experience of perimenopause and menopause. Most doctors do not receive training about menopause during medical school and residency programs. Only 20% of OB-GYN residency programs provide menopause training with it mostly being an optional elective.

● Anxiety and depression continue to be on the rise. If you experienced anxiety and depression prior to perimenopause or menopause, you are more likely to experience anxiety and depression during perimenopause or menopause.

During this summit, our team will

● Teach you about what is happening during the menopausal journey

● Give you strategies to address common symptoms

● Provide a sharing space to talk about your experiences as a woman experiencing perimenopause or menopause

● Help you distinguish between menopause and depression

● Talk about how to manage mid-life stresses during the menopausal journey

● Show you how to be proactive today about your menopause symptoms/implement lifestyle changes so you can protect your future self from preventable issues

Sources

Bonafide Health. (2023). State of Menopause Survey. Bonafide Health. https://hellobonafide.com/pages/state-of-menopause)

Stills NMD,S. (2023). The symptoms, causes and natural solutions to the problems of menopause. Women’s Health Network. https://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/menopause-and-perimenopause/

The North American Menopause Society. (2023). Going Mad in Perimenopause? Signs and Solutions. The North American Menopause Society. https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/menopause-symptoms-and-treatments/going-mad-in-perimenopause-signs-and-solutions

Wolff, J. (2018). What Doctors Don’t Know About Menopause: Three out of four women who seek help for symptoms don’t receive it. AARP The Magazine. August/September 28 Edition. https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2018/menopause-symptoms-doctors-relief-treatment.html