How to Normalize the Transition in Perimenopause

I am 100% about normalizing this conversation! Why do I gasp in dismay and peel off layers of clothing in the middle of a meeting? Let’s all say it: MENOPAUSE!

Southdale ObGyn provider Krista Margolis, NP cares for women of all ages through many transitions in their lives. From teens hitting puberty to women entering perimenopause. Her passion for women’s health is challenging the taboo topic of perimenopause and the symptoms that accompany it. We are encouraging people to normalize this natural transition in a woman’s life. 

Why is the transition in perimenopause difficult to discuss? 

It hasn’t been talked about. “Anything that seems shameful or makes a woman seem like she’s broken, we just ignore it.” Women’s issues have been discussed behind closed doors and in soft tones for decades. Thankfully, healthcare providers like Krista have had enough and are ready to have conversations. “It’s not a matter of being broken, it’s a normal transition.” 

Why we need to start the conversation.

The lack of conversation around women’s health experiences like perimenopause isolates women and creates a fear, or even a stigma around normal transitions. Talking about this transition makes the experience less daunting for women entering or soon to be entering this phase of their life. Creating conversation also empowers women to ask questions and, as Krista puts it, learn that “there’s nothing wrong with me. I just have to get the tools to get through this.” 

How do we start? 

Lead by being brave. Take your health into your hands by asking questions about the changes you’re experiencing. As you enter the transition in perimenopause, you may experience changes in your sleep, weight, skin, energy levels and more. When you bring up those changes to your healthcare provider, Krista recommends not settling for a blow-off answer like it’s because of aging. “Yes, it is because of aging, but it’s all related to this natural shift in hormones. Women don’t realize the powerful impact that their hormones have on their lives.” 

Spread the knowledge. Krista encourages her patients to start this conversation by providing a space for them to become familiar with the transition and the terms while connecting with others experiencing the same thing. Southdale ObGyn offers Perimenopause workshops led by Krista to help women understand what is changing in their bodies during this transition. Understanding why these changes are happening to them doesn’t make them disappear but the knowledge can certainly lessen the fear and confusion around them. 

“Education helps people feel better. Understanding this transition helps women know they are okay, this is normal and there is an end.” Like Krista, our other providers at Southdale ObGyn want to empower their patients to understand what is happening to their health and provide support to best handle their changes.