Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me About Perimenopause?

[00:00:00] This podcast discusses cannabis and is intended for audiences 21 and over. When women come to me in their early or mid 40s and give me the classic symptoms of perimenopause, missing periods, maybe not sleeping well, hot flashes, maybe a little vaginal dryness, and I’ll say, you know, this could be perimenopause, and they’re like, oh no, oh no, that’s impossible, I’m only 46.

And when I say, actually, you’re right in there. They are shocked. Welcome to how to do the pot, the award winning podcast, helping you feel confident about cannabis. I’m your host, Ellen Scanlon.

You just heard from Dr. Lauren Stryker, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and an internationally recognized expert [00:01:00] in women’s health. If you’re a woman over 35, I have a question for you to think about. Have you ever had a real conversation about menopause?

No whispers, no stigma, just facts about what to expect and how to actually feel good during the changes your body will inevitably go through? If your answer is no, you are not alone. When I started researching menopause in my mid 40s, I was stunned by how little I knew about something that’s going to happen to every single woman.

Here are three things I want every woman to know. First, perimenopause can start as early as your late 30s, and it can last for up to 10 years. Second, there are over 30 symptoms of perimenopause, and you might already be experiencing some of them, like changes in [00:02:00] mood, sleep disturbances, changes in sexual health, or brain fog.

And finally, 1 in 4 women are turning to cannabis for relief of these symptoms, especially related to sleep, sex, and hot flashes. As Dr. Lauren Stryker says, when women have good information, they make good choices. My mantra, if you will, is if women are given good information, they will make good choices.

And I really made that my call to action because I know that women are smart. They’ve always been smart. And women are the ones that make healthcare decisions, not only for themselves, but for their families. So I’ve really made that my mission is to give women The facts, the data, the good information, because I know after decades of working with women that if you give them the right information, they will thoughtfully and objectively make choices that are the [00:03:00] right choices.

The four part series will offer insights from top menopause experts from women all across the country, sharing their personal stories and give you practical advice to help you feel confident about approaching this new stage of life. So if you’re in your thirties or forties and have ever thought, why don’t I feel like myself lately?

Or if you just want to be prepared, you do not want to miss this series. Please stay tuned next week

for lots more information and past episodes. Visit do the pot. com. And that’s also where you can sign up for my Substack newsletter. If you like How to Do the Pot, please rate and review us on the podcast platform that you use for listening. It really helps more people find the show. Thank you to our producer, Nick Patry.

I’m Ellen Scanlon, and stay tuned for more of How to Do the [00:04:00] Pot.