I’m here for celebrity women being open and honest about menopause symptoms. I’m 51 and it does hit you fast and hard and make you question reality. So many celebrity women have been open and honest about what they’re going through in menopause and I’m grateful for that. Most recently Halle Berry described a common and less-talked-about symptom that affects our sex lives. Props to her for that.
Niecy Nash, 54, is representing a company called Versalie, which offers menopause-related supplements and nutrients. In a new interview with People Magazine, she said that she only recently learned that irritability, dry skin and thinning hair can be attributed to menopause.
“I got hot and then I kept getting hot and I was like, ‘Sound the alarm. This is it’,” says Nash, 54, of experiencing hot flashes for the first time, which led her to realize she’d entered menopause. “It’s that heat you can’t control, no matter how cold it is in the room.”
Indeed, one night “I fell asleep with a wig on,” she says. “I guess I got hot in the middle of the night and took it off. I woke up the next morning and screamed to the top of my throat because I thought it was a dead body in the bed…“When you don’t know what you don’t know, then you don’t know what it’s related to,” she says. “I thought, ‘Oh, I’m having menopausal hot flashes’ and that was the extent of it. I did not relate the fatigue, because every woman I know is tired. Your scalp being dry, hair thinning, you don’t relate it to menopause. Those were some of the things I just didn’t catch.”
Another tricky symptom she’s dealt with: mood swings. “I always have something to say, but when it happens I get very quiet and want to go off by myself because everything that you say or do irritates me,” she says of trying to cope during those moments. “It’s like, I’m going to go over here and sit down and shut the door and please don’t knock.”
I’m definitely more tired and achy than I was a couple of years ago. So far anxiety is the most troubling thing I’ve noticed. I was getting so much anxiety with my regular three cup a day morning coffee habit that I had to cut down to one. That has helped somewhat. I also wake up warm in the middle of the night sometimes. It’s not flow blown night sweats yet, although that might be coming.
I looked through Versalie’s vitamins and supplements and one of the first results is for ashwagandha. My more holistic-based doctor recommended that to me for menopause, and she also mentioned Estroven. (I can’t take Estroven as I am allergic to some of the ingredients.) Ashwagandha made me feel so weird and zombie-like, which I’ve since learned is a common side effect. I’ve been taking low THC/CBD gummies lately and that does seem to help, although maybe I’m just getting a little high. The prescription Estradiol can help with vaginal dryness and I’ve been recommended that as well. There’s no pill or treatment that works for everyone, but at least we’re talking about it and at least there are options.
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OT but wow, she is *gorgeous*! Love the fashion too!
I’ve been taking Estroven for the last 18 months or so and it’s really taken the edge off hot flashes and some of the mood swings of perimenopause. My skin is so much dryer than it used to be. My local drugstore is making a mint off the monthly Estroven and moisturizer restock.
I’m 51. When I was 45, crippling anxiety hit me out of nowhere. I had no idea it was a symptom of perimenopause. I decided to take up running, and thankfully that completely got rid of it, pretty much overnight. I never had another incident since. Over the past six years, I have been increasing my activity. Now I exercise religiously 7 days a week. I also went vegan 4 years ago. Currently, I feel better than I ever have, I’m fit and have loads of energy (and sleep like a baby). My moods are stable, never had a hot flush. When I think about how much my late mother struggled with the menopause, I wonder how much of this if lifestyle related. Or maybe it’s just luck, but it doesn’t seem to be genetic in my case.
I think I’m perimenopausal but every around me thinks I’m too young (I’m not, I’m 45) and is telling me I’m nuts. I have the body aches, anxiety, low libido, mood swings but it’s the fatigue that’s killing me. Maybe I’ll switch up my diet and exercise. Thanks for the tips!
You’re not crazy, it can be perimenopause. I started early, I was either 44 or 45. I told my GYN my symptoms, she tested my hormones to confirm, and I was in early menopause.
You are not nuts or too young. I went through menopause at 46. Since I never had a hot flash, none of my doctors suspected it. But I had the almost crippling increase in anxiety, the weight gain, changes is sleep, dry hair and skin.
thank you for this TikiChica, I’m turning 47 this year and have just started running (again). No great changes so far but I’m hoping these will be come as I build up time and distance. I’m also in the process of trying different meal plans to see what is going to work best and given up alcohol. I think there is a lot we can do to help ourselves as well as looking at supplements and alternative therapies. My symptoms so far are more brain related at present, can’t sleep, disturbing dreams when I do manage to sleep, forgetting basic vocabulary…
I am 52 and I have experienced hot flashes, fatigue, and significant increases in anxiety. While I take hormone supplements and anti-depressant meds (which have helped tremendously), the single most important tool in my arsenal is working out. I work out 5 days a week and it literally keeps me sane. If I can’t exercise for some reason (travel, injury), anxiety sends me through the roof. I am glad there are options and that I started working out regularly during perimenopause. It makes me feel human.
I had a hysterectomy April 2012. The first time I had a hot flash, I climbed a ladder and put my head in the freezer.
Due to (unknown to me at the time) celiac disease, I entered menopause in my late thirties. What helped me with hot flashes (didn’t have so many) and night sweats (hellish!), was making sure my blood sugar levels stayed as steady as possible. Fiber, protein, low glycemic foods, a bit of fat—anything to slow down a blood sugar spike helps.
I appreciate each and every celebrity who talks about menopause. I just wanted to add here (for anyone who is interested) that I love coconut oil as lube, but there came a time a few years ago when I needed more. Honestly, I became so dry that I would feel little tears and pain just doing something benign like squatting down. My doc prescribed Estradiol cream, which helped a little but not enough – and anytime I had sex with my husband I would be in pain afterwards. I tried doing some research for alternatives and ended up finding Bonafide Revaree suppositories. They’re giving me that “normal” level of moisture to keep vaginal and vulva tissue in good shape. They’re basically Hyaluronic acid, no hormones (I think other companies may make similar products). I still need lube for sex but I no longer fear the aftereffects. Maybe this is TMI for some of you, but it works and I had to share.
You’re right, NCBoudicca, maybe it might be helpful to share some of this. Thanks! I don’t use Estrogens because of my family history with cancer, but I do use hyaluronic acid suppositories. I can’t use silicone-based lube due to allergies, but I combine coconut oil (use first) and a water-based lube. Don’t do that if using condoms, though. This has been (all three) a game-changer for us.
I’m only 36 so this may not be perimenopause, but I started to experience many symptoms of hormonal imbalance or low estrogen starting at 33 after I weaned my daughter. The anxiety is next level, my hair is thinning, my sex drive is low and I’m dry, my periods are irregular.
My doctor won’t test my hormones, my gyno won’t either. I feel like doctors generally don’t understand how hard hormone changes are for women and how crazy they make us feel. I keep being offered anti-depressants and birth control despite saying I’d like to have one more child.
Emily, I don’t know if you have tested any of the following, because they might also cause some of your symptoms:
1. Thyroid
2. Vitamin D (and possibly other vitamin deficiencies?)
3. Gluten intolerance/ celiac disease
4. Diabetes
I went into menopause at 37-38 years old due to celiac disease. They tested my blood for it, but it didn’t show the marker—if you have the same, you might want to do genetic testing to see if it is even a possibility. Due to undiagnosed celiac disease, I had incredibly low levels of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, and E) and B12. This leads to depression, for which I tried to get help. Unfortunately, if you have a physical reason, a psychologist can’t help. Your doctor may okay testing you for other things? Good luck!
@Emily
If your doctor won’t give you the test you want, ask them to write that refusal in your clinical notes to keep on file. This request will usually get them to write the request for the test. Goodluck!
I’m 46 and wow, the peri-menopause. I didn’t know that it could cause anxiety, and all of a sudden, I’d get heart palpitations and anxiety at just the slightest hint of stress. I haven’t gotten hot flashes yet, but I get inexplicably cold. And then 2 days later, I get a migraine that just won’t quit. It’s been fun.
For hair – I take a supplement called Nutrafol. It’s helped a lot; my hairdresser has even noticed. It’s the only thing that has helped.
There’s a book called “What Fresh Hell Is This” that explained a lot of symptoms.
I thought by the time I was in my 40s science would have had more funding for research into menopause and access to equitable health care for women would have been prioritized and be readily available. HAAAAAAAA. Instead I’m told my expectations are way too high and health care professionals constantly try to normalize their minimization, marginalization, straight up dismal and casual gaslighting with have you tried losing weight, limiting stress and taking more responsibility for yourself by talking to a therapist since the doctors and nurses aren’t educated on peri or menopause and it isn’t their job. So instead I get anecdotal advice from celebrities, acquaintances and friends. So I get to pick a choose my own adventure type of strategy instead of you know actual Healthcare.
I am 53 and have been dealing with symptoms for 8 years. Moodiness, irritability, frequent periods then large gaps in my cycle. Vitamins and gummies helped, but when I started having terrible hot flashes last year, my gyn prescribed HRT- estradiol patches and progesterone pills. Game changer! I’m in menopause now and feel so much better on HRT. IF you don’t have insurance, friends have used Winona , an online service with doctors who take your history and prescribe estrogen cream and vitamins.
Somebody told me menopause is a point and you pretty much either pre or post menopause