The New Perimenopause: An Evidence-Based Guide to Surviving the Zone of Chaos and Feeling Like Yourself Again by Mary Claire Haver MD
I am blessed again to be reviewing another of Dr. Mary Claire Haver's books - The New Perimenopause. You can see my review of The New Menopause and The Galveston Diet by clicking on the book titles or book covers below.It's very clear that the majority of women are gaslit when they begin complaining in their early 30s through their 50s and until they are actually menopausal. When I was in my mid-30s, I went to see a doctor, who was fairly new to me as my doctor had retired. I complained about having the worst craps that would cause me to throw up, have uncontrolled diarrhea or the worst constipation. I told her that I was sure that it was related to my periods. She promptly sent me to a gastroenterologist. Thankfully, the person that I spoke to there during my appointment, agreed with me that my symptoms weren't gastro-related and I was spared from all sorts of testing. However, I did continue to suffer for the next five years. Brain fog and anxiety that I never shared with anyone. Insomnia that I began taking melatonin for. The overwhelming fatigue was crazy. The joint pain so bad that I began seeing a rheumatologist and was diagnosed with polyarthropathy after my abnormal labs. I was finally able to get a hysterectomy and the surgeon found that I was full of endometriosis! Then I was on estrogen for 6 years before I began weaning myself off because they were saying that I shouldn't be on it for more than 5 years.
If you've read my experience and seen yourself in it, then you and I are not alone. Even Dr. Haver admits to gaslighting women before she made it her business to learn more about menopause. The New Perimenopause walks the reader through the gaslighting by medical personnel, the distressing symptoms of perimenopause, and all of the possibilities from not receiving treatment on the body and mind.
Remember, I said that I stopped hormone replacement therapy after 6 years? Yeah, the truth of the studies were recently released and Dr. Haver confirms that women need to be on estrogen. Not just 5 years, but can stay on it indefinitely to help improve metabolic changes including bone and muscle loss as well as changes in weight gain that can't be controlled no matter how much exercise you do.
Read this book now. Be informed. I'm grateful to Dr. Haver that you will have the information that I didn't have. Dr. Haver clearly lays out all these important details for the lay reader. Her way of communicating is easy, informative, and helpful. She makes so much information available that it can seem to be overwhelming, but, I promise, she's here to help every woman be informed and she gives you everything that you will need to self-advocate for care. If your doctor isn't willing to help you, she has resources to find one who will. Do not give up! You're not losing your mind. You're not going crazy. What you are doing it going through an inevitable hormonal change but you will be able to dictate your outcome after reading The New Perimenopause.
You can get your own copy of The New Perimenopause by clicking on the title or by clicking on the book covers below.
