Learning About Perimenopause
- Actress Halle Berry has no shame in talking about how her doctor previously misdiagnosed her perimenopause, the natural body change when a woman’s ovaries slowly stop functioning, as herpes. Now she’s raising awareness for the menopausal transition.
- According to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), “the gradual transition between the reproductive years and menopause (the cessation of menstrual periods) is called perimenopause (literally meaning around menopause”).
- “It is generally a transition that is many years long and can be associated with shorter menstrual intervals, irregular menses, night sweats, and other symptoms. In some women, these symptoms are troublesome enough to need medical intervention.”
- The topic of menopause may be less taboo, but there is still more work to be done — like raising awareness about perimenopause, the transitional time before menopause, and that there are some women who may unknowingly be experiencing symptoms of the early menopausal transition.
- It’s important to seek a second opinion after a diagnosis; one doctor may see something that a different doctor misses. Always push for answers when it comes to your health, and speak up.
The 57-year-old mom of two and former beauty pageant competitor recounted how she discovered her doctor’s initial diagnosis, which she received three years ago, was incorrect during a recent interview with First Lady Dr. Jill Biden at “A Day of Unreasonable Conversation” summit, held by the social impact agency Propper Daley.
Read MoreView this post on Instagram
During the event, Berry told First Lady Jill Biden, as per People, “First of all, my ego told me that I was going to skip [perimenopause].
“I’m in great shape. I’m healthy. I managed to get myself off of insulin and manage my diabetes since I’m 20 years old. So that makes one think, oh, I can handle menopause. I’m going to skip that whole thing. I was so uneducated about it at that time.”
It wasn’t until she began dating singer-songwriter Van Hunt, that she one day experienced unbearable pain after intercourse and decided to seek medical advice.
She shamelessly explained, “I feel like I have razor blades in my vagina. I run to my gynecologist and I say, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening?’ It was terrible. He said, ‘You have the worst case of herpes I’ve ever seen.’ I’m like, ‘Herpes? I don’t have herpes!'”
View this post on Instagram
However, when Berry told her partner about her discomfort allegedly being from Herpes, they decided to test for sexually transmitted disease (STD)— which ultimately confirmed they didn’t have herpes.
“I realize after the fact, that is a symptom [referring to her experiencing vaginal dryness] of perimenopause. My doctor had no knowledge and didn’t prepare me. That’s when I knew, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve got to use my platform. I have to use all of who I am, and I have to start making a change and a difference for other women.'”
We’re proud of Berry for being so open about such a private matter, something she is thrilled to be sharing as she’s continuing to raise awareness for perimenopause and was previously included in the 2024 TIME100 Health list.
“I don’t take this work lightly. I do it for all the women who feel uninformed or were made to feel lesser than because of the stage of life they’re in,” she wrote alongside a photo of herself representing the Time100 Health list.
“By talking about my experiences, I hope other women feel inspired to tell their stories and combat the stigmas that have held us down for far too long.”
View this post on Instagram
Understanding Perimenopause
According to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), “the gradual transition between the reproductive years and menopause (the cessation of menstrual periods) is called perimenopause (literally meaning around menopause”).
“It is generally a transition that is many years long and can be associated with shorter menstrual intervals, irregular menses, night sweats, and other symptoms. In some women, these symptoms are troublesome enough to need medical intervention.”
Meanwhile, when menopause (whether natural or induced) occurs when a woman is 40 years old or younger, it’s dubbed as premature menopause.
“This occurs in about 1% of women in the United States,” the NAMS explains. “Premature menopause that is not induced can be genetic, metabolic, autoimmune, or the result of other poorly understood conditions. Premature menopause should be evaluated thoroughly.”
WATCH: Finding a Doctor Who Can Handle Your Personal Concerns
The Difference Between Menopause and Early Menopause
Menopause is described by the National Institute on Aging, as “a point in time 12 months after a woman’s last period.” Additionally, “The years leading up to that point, when women may have changes in their monthly cycles, hot flashes, or other symptoms, are called the menopausal transition or perimenopause.”
The average age women go through the menopausal transition, which usually lasts approximately seven to 14 years, ranges between ages 45 and 55.
“The duration can depend on lifestyle factors such as smoking, age it begins, and race and ethnicity,” the institute explains. “The menopausal transition affects each woman uniquely and in various ways. The body begins to use energy differently, fat cells change, and women may gain weight more easily. You may experience changes in your bone or heart health, your body shape and composition, or your physical function.”
As for early menopause, the National Cancer Institute says it’s a condition which causes the ovaries to stop working and menstrual periods to stop before a woman turns 40. It’s a transition that can lead to fertility issues and symptoms of menopause.
Additionally, early menopause is split up into two types, primary and secondary. According to the National Cancer Institute, “There are two types of early menopause, primary and secondary. Primary early menopause means that the ovaries do not function normally. This may be because they have been removed by surgery, or it may be caused by some cancer treatments and certain diseases or genetic conditions.
“In secondary early menopause, the ovaries are normal but there is a problem getting hormone signals to them from the brain. This is usually caused by diseases of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus. Some women with early menopause sometimes have menstrual periods and may be able to have children. Also called ovarian failure, ovarian insufficiency, and premature menopause.”
Leading Experts Urge Patients to Be Proactive
As we highlight in several areas of SurvivorNet, highly respected doctors sometimes disagree on the right course of treatment for an ailment, and advances in medicine are always creating new options. Also, in some instances the specific course of treatment is not clear cut.
That’s even more reason why understanding the potential approaches to your disease is crucial.
RELATED: Burned Out Doctors Make More Mistakes: It’s OK To Talk Openly About This With Them
Cancer Research Legend Urges Patients to Get Multiple Opinions
Furthermore, getting another opinion may also help you avoid doctor biases. For example, when seeking care for cancer, some surgeons may have an affiliation with a radiation center.
“So there may be a conflict of interest if you present to a surgeon that is recommending radiation because there is some ownership of that type of facility,” Dr. Jim Hu, director of robotic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
Other reasons to get a second opinion include:
- To see a doctor who has more experience treating your type of disease
- You have a rare disease
- There are several ways to treat your illness
- You feel like your doctor isn’t listening to you, or isn’t giving you good advice
- You have trouble understanding your doctor
- You don’t like the treatment your doctor is recommending, or you’re worried about its possible side effects
- Your insurance company wants you to get another medical opinion
Bottom line, being proactive about your health could be a matter of life or death. Learn as much as you can from as many experts as you can, so that you know that you did your best to take control of your health.
Advocating for Yourself While Navigating the Medical World
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
