Diagnosed, Dismissed, and Determined: How Premature Menopause Became My Mission by Marissa Fontanez, DNP, FAIHM, MSCP In the United States, the first COVID case emerged in Washington state, where I worked as a primary care/urgent care doctor. It was a time of intersecting crises – the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and devastating forest…
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Jeannie Ferguson, 48, has been going through perimenopause for the last two years. Her difficult mood swings caused a separation from her wife, 15 years her junior. “She told me I reminded her of her 50-year-old mother when she was going through this stage. I am her partner. Not her mother.” How did perimenopause…
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Kaneez, 53, is making her way through menopause transition. At 49, she was awarded Chairman of her department at Monroe College — just as her most difficult and unexpected perimenopausal symptoms appeared. Unable to focus and bask in the recognition of her hard-won accomplishment, Kaneez was faced with a difficult and unanticipated decision. …
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Riti Sachdeva, 51, is “just rolling with perimenopause,” even when that means months between visits from her period. “It is always a relief when my it finally comes. This way of cleansing my body and losing blood is no small feat. American culture tells you — never take a break — push through discomfort. But…
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Susan Torres, 51, is a casting agent and survived being told “absolutely nothing” from her mother about her body. Of Venezuelan and Puerto Rican descent, growing up, Susan’s mother was a devout Catholic who never spoke about anything related to her body or sexuality. Currently perimenopausal, she began experiencing disruptive symptoms at age 49. “Among…
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Steffanie Lopes, a 48-year-old dancer and teacher, has been experiencing perimenopause for the past five years — and fighting the blues with music and dance… “Being perimenopausal has been a ride! The insomnia, night sweats, hot flashes and tears have been almost as tumultuous as puberty — and that’s saying a lot.” Do you remember…
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