{"id":266301,"date":"2022-11-29T16:31:57","date_gmt":"2022-11-29T21:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oviahealth.com\/?post_type=article&p=266301"},"modified":"2023-11-21T08:08:03","modified_gmt":"2023-11-21T13:08:03","slug":"an-interview-with-brooke-sumner","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.oviahealth.com\/guide\/266301\/an-interview-with-brooke-sumner\/","title":{"rendered":"An interview\u00a0with Brooke Sumner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Brooke is a Senior Account Manager at Ovia Health. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, and two sons. Today, she sat down to talk with us a bit about her menopause experience \u2014 the expected, the unexpected, and everything in between. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you tell me a little bit about how menopause has been for you \u2014 how are you feeling right now? What\u2019s come up for you during this process?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been frustrating. I would say the weight gain has been the most frustrating part. It changes my day-to-day life \u2014 from what I wear, to how I feel in my body, to how I navigate life. Sometimes I notice it in the little moments, like scooting between a chair and the wall and realizing that my body has changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I saw an endocrinologist for a bit and she had me try a number of things to help me feel better in my body, but they were either temporary or ineffective. Her answer was usually just, \u201cYou\u2019re just at that stage of life.\u201d It\u2019s really frustrating and unmotivating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Were there any other symptoms that caught you by surprise?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, I\u2019ve had joint pain for the last couple of years. My primary care provider didn\u2019t think it was arthritis but didn\u2019t really know what to call it. The more I read and learned about menopause, the clearer it became that this joint pain is likely a menopause symptom. It\u2019s disappointing that my provider never brought it up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s very disappointing. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But the thing is, even knowing that something could be a menopause symptom is just the beginning. It\u2019s in my personality to want to fix something when it\u2019s not working, but with menopause you can\u2019t usually just fix your symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And even beyond the physical and mental symptoms, it can be a signal of a new time in your life. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Right. I\u2019ve known for a while that I couldn’t have more kids because I had to have a hysterectomy. But still, it\u2019s an emotional step in a woman\u2019s life. It\u2019s emotional to realize this is a chapter in my life that\u2019s happening. I wasn\u2019t quite ready for it. Menopause happens at a time when many of us are going through other emotional personal experiences and that emotional piece can exacerbate the physical pain and discomfort.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, the people around you don\u2019t always get what you\u2019re going through. It would also help me to be able to give my husband information about how menopause impacts my health, beyond my personal experience. He still remembers when his mom went through it, but there are so many misconceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s such a great point. Friends and family helping to destigmatize menopause is huge. What did you expect from menopause? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I expected hot flashes. Period. That was all that I expected. And I have a master\u2019s degree in health education! I did not expect the moodiness, internal thermostat that is always set to 100 degrees, inability to lose weight, and the constant crying. Also I don\u2019t know if you can really call it a \u201chot flash.\u201d I get hot, but it doesn’t come and go \u2013 it stays around. It feels like you\u2019re hot from the inside out and it\u2019s miserable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But mostly, I wish I understood the emotional toll that it can take. This is especially true when you don\u2019t know where you\u2019re at in the process. You don\u2019t know exactly when it started, and you don\u2019t know when it will end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there any message you\u2019d like to give to someone going through or preparing for menopause \u2014 maybe someone experiencing the same symptoms as you?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Find a good provider who listens to you and is a menopause specialist. There are ways to combat the symptoms, but the first step is to have an excellent provider as your partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/h3>\n\n\n\n