Dismissed — How Menopausal Women are Feeling Ignored by Their Doctors
- Jun 10, 2021
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 9, 2024
Written by: Lorraine Miano, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
We had the science and technology to put a man on the moon almost 52 years ago — that is over half a century! Yet, 50% of the population, where 100% will experience menopause in one form or another — if they live long enough —are not receiving the medical attention they desire and even demand.
Their symptoms and concerns are often ignored and dismissed by their healthcare providers. Medical misogyny continues to be alive and well in women’s health. To put this in perspective, over 6,000 women per day reach menopause in the United States. This is a natural progression of life and is often referred to as “reverse puberty.”
The average age a woman reaches menopause, which is one day (the twelve-month anniversary of when menses cease), is 51. Before that, a woman is considered perimenopausal. This is where ovaries began to shut down, and hormones are fluctuating. Perimenopause can last from 2 to 15 years. Symptoms range from mild to debilitating in direct response to the decline of estrogen. According to National Center for Biotechnological Information or NCBI, “Approximately 75% of women experience vasomotor symptoms. These symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations, and migraines.” This number has been reported to be as high as 90%. So, why, when we can in one year create a vaccine to save billions of people from a deadly virus, are we still unable to educate physicians on how to help women navigate a natural phase of their life?
As a menopause advocate, health coach, and midlife influencer, I decided to ask women on my Instagram and Facebook pages, “What did your doctor tell you when you presented your Perimenopause Symptoms?”
Here are just a few of the comments:
“I was told it’s not my time yet. I told my doctor about my mood swings, and instead of having blood work done to see if I was just deficient, my doctor put me on a low-dose antidepressant. I felt back to normal for a couple of months, but then it went left. I stopped the antidepressants. I did a little research and started taking natural supplements. Also, had my doctor ordered blood work, I was vitamin B & D deficient; my hormones show I’m post-menopausal. It’s so frustrating that no medical professionals take perimenopause/menopause seriously unless you’re of a certain age.”
“Do more cardio.”
"Maybe it's perimenopause. There's really no safe treatment.”
“I was told I was wrong because I was too young.”
“She told me that the sudden weight gain was due to me probably having a sugar addiction I wasn’t aware of.”
“Mine told me, oh yeah, it sounds like you might be starting menopause. It’s a part of life at your age. I told him I’d like to have my hormone levels checked. He told me it was just a part of life and sent me for a blood draw. The next week the nurse called me to tell me my cholesterol was fine, my thyroid was good, and my blood levels were good. I said, okay, what about the hormone levels I wanted to be tested? She said, oh, let me look at your chart....it says here he didn’t feel you needed those tested. He did call in an antidepressant for you to start taking. I went to my gynecologist PA and had my levels checked—all low, including testosterone. I have an appointment with a specialist next week. I changed my whole family’s primary care physician to someone we have never seen, but I will never go back to him!”
“I was told the weight gain, sleepless nights, and low libido was just “part of the process “but that I still looked really good for my age.” I just needed to try more cardio and possibly a keto plan for a while, and it would get better.”
“I was told that’s just how it is- my roller coaster emotions would be this way until I’m fully in menopause, and she prescribed an anti-depressant and appetite suppressant. After I thought about the experience, I felt so offended. She didn’t even check my hormones in blood work or ask any details.”
“Thank you for tackling this important topic. I’m a 46-year-old who suddenly started having hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, lethargy, and weight gain despite a healthy diet and moderate exercise. I was told: “this is what happens” and“You just have to exercise more and watch what you eat.” After researching perimenopause myself and learning more about hormonal functions, I pushed my OBGYN for a solution. She referred me to an endocrinologist because several of my hormone levels were low. I never heard from the endocrinologist, so I called, and they told me that they reviewed my labs and because I’m within “normal range for my age,” there is nothing they can do. I was flabbergasted that 1) they didn’t even bother to see me for a consult and 2) that they told me they wouldn’t do anything for me, nor could they refer me to someone who could help me. I am currently investigating functional medical physicians and hormone balancing specialists, almost all of whom are not covered by insurance. It’s extremely frustrating. The feeling of being dismissed, ignored, and then finding out available options are not eligible for health insurance coverage is just defeating.”
“I always sought out a female GYN because I thought that she would be more compassionate having the same “equipment” like me. When I told my female GYN about my same concerns, she was dismissive. She stated, “You’re getting older; that’s normal.” However, other than that, she had no recommendations to help me with those symptoms. I am now seeing a male doctor running tests, listening to me, and helping me to figure out where I am in my menopause journey. Never allow a doctor to disregard you! You should be heard and validated, so keep searching until you find the “right fit’ in a practitioner.”
“Eat more Brussel sprouts, and you’ll be fine. I ate the veggies, and I was not fine.”
“They put me on two kinds of antidepressants and offered me hormone replacement therapy regardless of the fact that HRT is an unsafe option for me since my family medical history is unknown. So, I’ve been using a supplement as a substitute (one without soy). The antidepressants caused me to gain weight, and I’m still suffering from hot flashes. I’m about to just quit the pills and plow thru it on my own.”
“I was told to consider birth control, join my local gym, and prescribed an anti-depressant. I was also told to change my diet, and he never suggested any supplements or herbal approaches. If he had read my chart, he would have seen that I am a vegetarian, yoga, runner, surfer, and my lifestyle was extremely healthy and active, yet I was told to get an anti-depressant, join a gym and eat better? He then gave me an exam that lasted a whole two minutes. He blew through it so fast and never asked any questions, never checked my breasts. Did not ask for blood work. It took me seeking out social media, and I found you, and I knew what questions to ask. I made a list of supplements. I went back to the doctor, asked for my thyroid to be checked, and did the work all on my own with the help of being here. Some of us girls do not have our mothers still here or our grandmothers. I wish I could have found out more about my family history. Thank you for being here.”
“I was told by two doctors.."welcome to menopause," "nothing we can do," "just part of aging"...I thank God all the time for this page and Lorraine...turned my life around. I'm happier, healthier, and stronger than I've ever been!”
These are just a few of the multitude of responses I received. Can you imagine the utter frustration these women must have felt? Only a handful of women acknowledged that they were happy with the healthcare they received. Women will experience symptoms from 7-10 years on average. That is a long time to expect a menopausal woman to “deal with it.” Much to the dismay of women everywhere, doctors are just not being educated about menopause.
According to Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director of the North American Menopause Society and director of the Center for Women’s Health at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, “A good many women have hot flashes and night sweats for a decade. It’s not a small burden of symptoms we’re talking about here, and telling women to tough it out or wait a year or two is not a good solution.” According to Dr. Faubion, menopause education is lacking in medical school, and “it’s mentioned in a 30-minute lecture at best. There’s a huge gap there in menopause education”.
Fortunately, the North American Menopause Society has created a menopause guidebook for providers. Once providers have studied the book, they can take an exam showing they have the knowledge to treat menopausal women and receive a certification. This is wonderful for women searching for a healthcare provider who can guide them on their menopausal journey. Women can use this link to find a practitioner near them: FIND A MENOPAUSE PRACTITIONER
.
Thankfully the taboo surrounding menopause is beginning to lift. Along with functional medicine doctors, health and menopause coaches are available to guide and support menopausal women. Perceptions are changing, myths and misconceptions are being dispelled. Women are discovering that there is no need to suffer. If they feel ignored or dismissed by one doctor, they can seek out another. As well, multiple support groups are popping up on social media. This is a wonderful way to converse with other women who may be experiencing what you are. You are not alone.
These can be the very best years of a woman’s life. If only the medical community would acknowledge this and us.
Lorraine Miano, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine As a certified health and hormone coach as well as a post-menopausal woman herself, Lorraine Miano discovered her passion for offering menopause advocacy, support, and resources to women in all phases of menopause through health coaching, proper nutrition, and preventive lifestyle choices. She received her certifications as a Health Coach and hormone health expert from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Lorraine has been able to help even more women by writing and publishing her first book, The Magic of Menopause: A Holistic Guide to Get Your Happy Back! The book helps guide women through the struggles they face as they begin menopause and helps tackle the daily changes such as balancing hormones holistically, getting a better night’s sleep, and reducing or eliminating hot flashes, to name a few. It has been named one of the Top Ten Books on Menopause by The London Evening Standard and has reached 1 on Amazon’s Best Seller’s List. Lorraine loves to encourage women with her mantra, “Menopause is NOT an ending! IT IS a new beginning!”
