No, you are not. I know nothing about you, your symptoms, what you are going through, but I can tell you that no you are not doing it wrong. However, the wellness market wants you to think you are doing it wrong. Menopause has become the new pregnancy – fear mongering women into feeling like they are not doing this stage of life well enough and therefore they need supplements, medications, specific diets or protocols, and to see a variety of specialists. The global menopause market hit $15.4 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $24.4 billion by 2030, according to data from Grand View Research.1 The issue is that up to 80% of perimenopausal women will have symptoms, but only 10% receive adequate treatment for it. Insert – an opportunistic market.
What should happen is a nuanced conversation with someone who is well versed in midlife care. You may find that you are seeking support and advice from your trusted healthcare provider who has taken care of you for many years, but they are providing inaccurate advice, misinformation, or quoting studies from over 20 years ago. This is because menopause is not taught in formal medical education. A shocking 20.3% of residents in family medicine had no menopause lectures, and less than 7% of those resident felt adequately prepared to manage menopause. It’s not any better in OBGYN residency programs, because 67% of those surveyed said they did not adequately understand hormone replacement therapy.2
Therefore, now that ”menopause is having a moment”, there is a huge market available for all kinds of coaching, supplements, bioidentical prescription companies with proprietary formulations and blends. Women often come into my clinic wondering if they are ”doing menopause correctly”, because this company or that influencer is telling them what supplement routine they should be on, what diet is the best to follow during perimenopause, or what latest sleep gadget they need to get the best sleep. However, there is no one way to do menopause because the menopausal experience is as varied as can be. What women really need is a trusted healthcare clinician to sort through whats what and what they may benefit the most from. Additionally, there are so many FDA approved options out there for menopausal concerns. I’ve created a guide for you to review and/or to share with your trusted healthcare provider. While it is not your job to teach your medical team, it is your job to advocate for yourself. You can access this free peri/menopause and hormone therapy guide here. I will keep this updated as new hormone medications become available! You may also like to take my Reclaim Your Peri/Menopause course.
At Camel City Women’s Wellness, we are not only a menopause clinic. We are an integrative women’s health primary care clinic, that takes into account many different aspect of your physical, mental, and sexual health to help you live your best life. We give it to you raw, honest, and evidence-based, but also with a good dose of compassion, trauma-aware, and inclusivity.
1. https://medicalfuturist.com/digital-health-menopause-and-the-150-billion-ignorance/
2. Macpherson BE, Quinton ND. Menopause and healthcare professional education: A scoping review. Maturitas. 2022 Dec;166:89-95. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.08.009. Epub 2022 Aug 27. PMID: 36095904.
