When I was in elementary school – say 4th or 5th grade – there was a class that JUST the girls attended (the boys got to play basketball or something). It was a pretty cringe-worthy class (including a pretty weird film that felt a little like Fantasia), but AT LEAST we didn’t go to puberty completely unaware of what was going on.
But there’s no comparable classroom for us when perimenopause starts to loom in the distance.
I guess it’s understandable. Sort of.
We aren’t in school anymore. There’s no Red Tent.
Perhaps we expect our doctors to tell us.
But, except for the rare specialist in menopause, our doctors haven’t been trained.
Most medical school curricula only allow for maybe one lecture on menopause, and even gynecologists don’t get any concentrated education on the subject.
Furthermore, it’s only been in the last few years that the medical community has recognized that the start of the Menopause Journey often begins years before a woman skips periods. And, it’s rarely acknowledged that symptoms can last years after she’s been period-free for a year.
When I first started my menopause journey, I didn’t get the information I needed. I didn’t Instead, I got hints and rumors and myths. And when I realized what was going on with me, it took me years of research to understand the full implications of the changes that were happening to me (and, subsequently, to my clients).
And when I realized how many women were experiencing the same thing that happened to me – endless symptoms and no information, no plan, and no ideas (beyond drugs) about what to do about the discomfort – I realized I wanted to be part of the solution.
So I wrote the book. (Actually, five books and counting).
And I started the podcast (and now the blog).
And I work with women, 1-on-1 and in groups, to help them understand and control how menopause affects them.
If you’re confused about menopause – about what is happening in your body – I’ve got a special offer for you… You can get the first four chapters of my bestseller – “I Just Want to Be ME Again!” – along with the symptoms list I use, free as a pdf.
It’s available here.
