When I went through menopause, my GP told me there was nothing I could do to alleviate the debilitating symptoms, such as hot flashes so bad I had to change PJs twice in the middle of the night; brain fog that made work almost impossible; and hormones causing severe mood swings. Hormone Replacement Therapy was still believed (falsely, as it turned out) to be to dangerous after a flawed study showed it might lead to other serious health problems later in life.
If men had these same symptoms, they would get the so-called ‘Viagra treatment ‘; women’s health receives far less research funding, fewer blockbuster drug breakthroughs, and slower regulatory approvals.
Finally, there’s more research, and doctors are paying attention to their female patients and not just prescribing an antidepressant. Last year, the ‘black box warning’ was stripped from HRT boxes and more doctors started advising patients to take it. In fact, a new study discovered that Hormone Replacement Therapy has shown signs of reducing heart disease and a few other chronic health issues.
Experts pushed for better recognition of the condition and called for more federally funded women’s health research. Nearly one in three US women over the age of 40 experience severe menopause symptoms, but over 80% don’t seek medical care. In economic terms, the symptoms often lead women to scale back at work or retire early, resulting in an estimated $5.4 billion economic loss per year.
Celebrities have started a dialog about menopause — which was rarely mentioned before — and some have even created companies around products to help with crippling symptoms, which has helped bring the subject into the mainstream.
On Jimmy Kimmel Live, Olivia Davis called menopause “hell” and a “dark hole,” sharing honest and humorous stories about brain fog, weight gain, and mood shifts.
Naomi Watts wrote that entering menopause in her late 30s felt like a “head-on collision with a Mack truck,” eventually launching the menopause brand Stripes Beauty and writing a book to help other women.
Halle Berry has also been outspoken and created a menopause wellness brand, Re-spin to support education.
Women are documenting their experiences online, helping break down the stigma.
Last week, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) called for the first-ever congressional hearing on menopause.
Ohio State just landed a $3 million Department of Defense grant to explore how menopause affects veterans. At the hearing, several speakers mentioned how more research needs to be done on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), which has shown signs of reducing heart disease and a few other chronic health issues, yet only 5% of women use it. (But HRT is only one option, and it doesn’t work for everyone.)
As Sen. Gillibrand noted, we’ve “barely scratched the surface” on finding solutions for menopause’s many symptoms.
As for me, I got an HRT patch prescription from my doctor and feel like myself again.
Talk to your doctor.