WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT

MENO

PAUSE

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT

MENO

PAUSE

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT

MENO

PAUSE

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WHEN WE ASKED YOU to share your most pressing concerns about menopause, you had a lot to say. We received more than 200 thoughtful, passionate replies, which reinforced the reason we wanted to talk about menopause in the first place—to break the damn silence around it. Consider the following:

 

“I feel like this is a phase of life that has been so secretive,” Keri, 44, told us.

 

“It is a great mystery coming my way,” said Tanya, 46.

 

“No one really talks about it! Even my doctor wasn’t all that interested,” said Emm, 52. 

 

With many of us spending up to half of our lives in a menopausal state—we’re using that term to refer to the three menopausal phases; more on those in a minute—it’s about time we normalized the conversation around it. “Women are too often blindsided by a universal experience,” says Janet Ko, co-founder and president of the Menopause Foundation of Canada. “It’s this not understanding what’s happening to our bodies, not connecting the dots, that leads to years of dealing with symptoms that can be effectively managed if you know what’s happening.” Above all, menopause isn’t a time to fear, but it is a time to put yourself—and your health—first. We want to do just that, so let’s start by getting on the same page. Here’s what we’re talking about when we talk about menopause.

 

Perimenopause kicks off the menopausal transition. It usually lasts anywhere from three to 10 years; we typically enter it between the ages of 40 and 50. Levels of estrogen, progesterone and other hormones start to fluctuate at this time, causing various side effects.

 

Menopause is the one-year anniversary of your last period. This usually happens between 45 and 55. (Surgical menopause occurs when the ovaries are removed; this induces immediate menopause.)

 

Post-menopause is every day forward after reaching menopause. Symptoms should subside (but they can also persist for decades). Also during this time, the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease and genitourinary syndrome of menopause increase.

 

Since we’re living longer than we have in the past, we’re spending more time in menopause, which is why it’s crucial to arm ourselves with the information we need to thrive. “Women are being denied the opportunity to choose how to manage their symptoms, which can last for a decade or more,” says Ko. “Enough is enough.”

ABOUT THE SURVEY

We asked our readers to share their biggest questions and concerns about menopause, and wow, did you ever! We received more than 200 responses from people aged 27 to 75. What you told us informed the issues we tackled here.

It’s the million-dollar question with no straightforward answer. “Unless your doctor suspects primary ovarian insufficiency or premature menopause, there’s no point in doing a blood test,” says Dr. Shafeena Premji, a Calgary-based doctor who holds a menopause practitioner certification from The Menopause Society. “It won’t tell you anything except your hormone levels at that moment in time.” Instead, she suggests consulting the questions from the MQ6 menopause evaluation tool. If you answer yes to any of the following, discuss with your doctor:

QUESTION #1
Are you experiencing any changes in your periods?
QUESTION #2
Are you having any hot flashes?
QUESTION #3
Are you experiencing dryness, pain or other sexual concerns?
QUESTION #4
Are you experiencing any bladder issues or incontinence?
QUESTION #5
Are you experiencing new or increased anxiety, irritability, depression or low mood?
QUESTION #6
Are you experiencing sleep difficulties?
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It’s the million-dollar question with no straightforward answer. “Unless your doctor suspects primary ovarian insufficiency or premature menopause, there’s no point in doing a blood test,” says Dr. Shafeena Premji, a Calgary-based doctor who holds a menopause practitioner certification from The Menopause Society. “It won’t tell you anything except your hormone levels at that moment in time.” Instead, she suggests consulting the questions from the MQ6 menopause evaluation tool. If you answer yes to any of the following, discuss with your doctor:

QUESTION #1
Are you experiencing any changes in your periods?
QUESTION #2
Are you having any hot flashes?
QUESTION #3
Are you experiencing dryness, pain or other sexual concerns?
QUESTION #4
Are you experiencing any bladder issues or incontinence?
QUESTION #5
Are you experiencing new or increased anxiety, irritability, depression or low mood?
QUESTION #6
Are you experiencing sleep difficulties?
Previous slide
Next slide

It’s the million-dollar question with no straightforward answer. “Unless your doctor suspects primary ovarian insufficiency or premature menopause, there’s no point in doing a blood test,” says Dr. Shafeena Premji, a Calgary-based doctor who holds a menopause practitioner certification from The Menopause Society. “It won’t tell you anything except your hormone levels at that moment in time.” Instead, she suggests consulting the questions from the MQ6 menopause evaluation tool. If you answer yes to any of the following, discuss with your doctor:

QUESTION #1
Are you experiencing any changes in your periods?
QUESTION #2
Are you having any hot flashes?
QUESTION #3
Are you experiencing dryness, pain or other sexual concerns?
QUESTION #4
Are you experiencing any bladder issues or incontinence?
QUESTION #5
Are you experiencing new or increased anxiety, irritability, depression or low mood?
QUESTION #6
Are you experiencing sleep difficulties?
Previous slide
Next slide

Your Most Common Menopause Fears—And How to Address them

The good news? Evidence-based solutions exist, and they can help the vast majority of people

HOT FLASHES

My biggest fear is that my hot flashes will continue until I die. Not a day or night goes by that I don’t have one.” 

Arlene, 72, Lindsay, Ont.

HOT FLASHES

My biggest fear is that my hot flashes will continue until I die. Not a day or night goes by that I don’t have one.” 

Arlene, 72, Lindsay, Ont.

MOOD SWINGS

“My most surprising symptom was rage and irritation at pretty much everything.” Ann, 71, Calgary 

SLEEP DISTURBANCES

“I’ve tried everything—no caffeine, no electronics, running 10 miles—but none of it works. When will this no-sleep thing end?” Michelle, 55, Port Coquitlam, B.C.

BRAIN FOG

“My biggest fear is losing my mind! The brain fog is killing me.” 
—Shannon, 46, Toronto

GENITOURINARY SYNDROME​

“There is not enough education on vaginal dryness and painful sex—penetration feels like razor blades.”   —Rose, 57, Oakville, Ont.

HOT FLASHES

My biggest fear is that my hot flashes will continue until I die. Not a day or night goes by that I don’t have one.”  Arlene, 72, Lindsay, Ont.

MOOD SWINGS

“My most surprising symptom was rage and irritation at pretty much everything.” Ann, 71, Calgary 

SLEEP DISTURBANCES

“I’ve tried everything—no caffeine, no electronics, running 10 miles—but none of it works. When will this no-sleep thing end?” Michelle, 55, Port Coquitlam, B.C.

BRAIN FOG

“My biggest fear is losing my mind! The brain fog is killing me.” 
—Shannon, 46, Toronto

GENITOURINARY SYNDROME​

“There is not enough education on vaginal dryness and painful sex—penetration feels like razor blades.”
—Rose, 57, Oakville, Ont.

HOT FLASHES

My biggest fear is that my hot flashes will continue until I die. Not a day or night goes by that I don’t have one.” 

Arlene, 72, Lindsay, Ont.

SLEEP DISTURBANCES

“I’ve tried everything—no caffeine, no electronics, running 10 miles—but none of it works. When will this no-sleep thing end?” Michelle, 55, Port Coquitlam, B.C.

MOOD SWINGS

“My most surprising symptom was rage and irritation at pretty much everything.” Ann, 71, Calgary 

BRAIN FOG

“My biggest fear is losing my mind! 
The brain fog is killing me.” 
—Shannon, 46, Toronto

GENITOURINARY SYNDROME

“There is not enough education on vaginal dryness and painful sex—penetration feels like razor blades.”  
Rose, 57, Oakville, Ont.

Debunking Menopause Hormone Therapy Myths with Dr. Jen Gunter

Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) is in desperate need of a rebrand. Despite being considered the gold-standard treatment for hot flashes, night sweats and genitourinary syndrome of menopause, it’s still often associated with negative outcomes. So, we asked Dr. Jen Gunter, a.k.a. “the internet’s most famous gynecologist,” to set the record straight on five common MHT myths.

A Health Coach Gets Real About the Importance of Strength Training

“If there’s any time in your life when you should exercise, it’s during menopause,” says Samantha Montpetit-Huynh, a Toronto-based online health coach who specializes in training midlife women. More specifically, she’s referring to functional strength training—exercises that will help you do real-life stuff better. Here are four functional exercises Montpetit-Huynh recommends to all of her midlife clients.

Debunking Menopause Hormone Therapy Myths with Dr. Jen Gunter

Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) is in desperate need of a rebrand. Despite being considered the gold-standard treatment for hot flashes, night sweats and genitourinary syndrome of menopause, it’s still often associated with negative outcomes. So, we asked Dr. Jen Gunter, a.k.a. “the internet’s most famous gynecologist,” to set the record straight on five common MHT myths.

A Health Coach Gets Real About the Importance of Strength Training

“If there’s any time in your life when you should exercise, it’s during menopause,” says Samantha Montpetit-Huynh, a Toronto-based online health coach who specializes in training midlife women. More specifically, she’s referring to functional strength training—exercises that will help you do real-life stuff better. Here are four functional exercises Montpetit-Huynh recommends to all of her midlife clients.
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Curious about how the research stacks up on non-hormonal therapies for hot flashes and cold sweats? Download the Menopause Society’s 2023 Position Statement, which has reviews of 30-plus therapies, at menopause.org. 

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY Nicole Rifkin   PRODUCED BY Maureen Halushak, Erica Lenti AND Sun Ngo

WRITTEN BY Denise Balkissoon, Tayo Bero, Mercedes Blackwood, Stephanie Gray, Liana Hwang, Julie Matlin, Kate Rae

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1 Founded in 1959, Second City popularized the art of long-form comedic improvisation, which thrives on a two-word ethos: “Yes, and…” Performers were encouraged to follow the lead of their fellow players, embracing the chaos as they wrote live comedy in real-time.