Thanks to the International Menopause Society, for the past several years, October 18 has been recognized as World Menopause Day. While some might not be inclined to celebrate menopause and the changes that come with it, the day presents an opportunity to raise awareness of menopause and the options that exist to support women during this time of their life.

Now that is something we should celebrate.

For many, there is a long-held stigma around menopause. Unlike with topics such as puberty and pregnancy, there’s limited education provided around menopause and women often enter midlife with little or virtually no information around the topics of perimenopause, menopause, symptoms and available treatment options. Much of what I do on a day-to-day basis is simply listening to my patients’ experiences and educating them on how many of those nagging, uncomfortable or awful “issues” are actually related to menopause. (Yes, there are menopause symptoms beyond hot flashes and no, there is no such thing as post-menopause. It is a misnomer, and nearly every woman who no longer has a menstrual cycle has some menopausal symptom).

 Faced with little information, outdated research and long-held opinions based on flawed studies, women are right to be wary of the treatments and support options available. Is it worth the time and money? Are they safe?  Do they work?

The answer – in many cases – is yes, yes and a resounding yes.

These questions are the precise reasons it’s critical women have the right care team supporting them, providing guidance and answering questions based on each individual experience.  Because women shouldn’t need to suffer when help does, in fact, exist.

I made the decision to focus on menopause health when I realized there were simply not enough physicians and medical professionals doing it. Women in midlife deserve to have quality care that is catered to them – care that is based on each unique social, emotional and psychosocial aspect of the individual. 

And that is what we do at Renuva HRT & Wellness. We listen to the whole person and look to ease the nagging, miserable and sometimes downright awful symptoms of perimenopause and menopause – so that each patient can feel like themselves again.

Today, in honor of World Menopause Day, I urge you to share your experience in perimenopause or menopause with another female. Because when women are empowered with education, menopause can be a journey in which you learn more about yourself and feel more in tune with your body than ever before. It can be a cause for celebration and the start of a new chapter in life.

 I, along with Linda Batastini-Farnoly and Nora Marini, are here for you every step of the way. Yes, today is about menopause awareness but it is also about celebrating YOU. Happy World Menopause Day.

Signed,

Dr. Colleen McCleery