As an occupational therapist and menopause coach, there is one pattern I see far too often.
Women are thrown into surgical or treatment-induced menopause and are never given a real plan.
If your ovaries are removed, or your hormones are shut down due to cancer treatment or other medical reasons, there must be a conversation beforehand about how you will support your body afterward. This is not just losing your period. This is an abrupt loss of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These hormones play a critical role in brain health, sleep, mood, sexual function, bone density, cardiovascular health, and metabolic health.
For many women, the best plan includes replacing those hormones unless there is a clear medical reason not to. And if hormone therapy is not an option, you still deserve a plan. You deserve options. You deserve information. You deserve support.
Why “Wait and See” Fails Women in Surgical and Treatment-Induced Menopause
Unfortunately, many women are told:
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“You will be fine.”
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“Let’s wait and see.”
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“We will deal with symptoms later.”
This approach leads to unnecessary suffering. Hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, brain fog, vaginal and sexual pain, mood changes, and loss of libido are often dismissed as something women just need to endure.
What is even more concerning is that this approach ignores long-term health risks. Bone loss, cardiovascular disease, metabolic changes, and cognitive health are not always immediately felt, but they matter enormously for future well-being.
Surgical Menopause Without Informed Consent: A Story Women Know Too Well
A woman recently reached out to me after her surgeon recommended removing her healthy ovaries during a hysterectomy for fibroids. There was no cancer, no elevated risk, and no medical necessity. The explanation was simply, “We might as well take them while we are in there.”
She asked about estrogen afterward and was told she would not need it, despite having no contraindications to hormone therapy.
She was suddenly plunged into surgical menopause.
She experienced intense hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and pain, a complete loss of libido, and significant mood changes. She no longer recognized herself.
When she returned to her surgeon seeking help, she was told she would “be fine” once her body “adjusted.” Then her surgeon turned to her husband and said, “Just get her a glass of wine.”
Let me be very clear. This is not medical care.
Dismissing severe, life-altering symptoms. Ignoring evidence-based treatment options. Making jokes instead of offering support. Leaving a woman and her partner confused, distressed, and unsupported.
I have heard countless versions of this same story. Women losing healthy ovaries without fully understanding the lifelong consequences. Women being denied estrogen without a medical reason. Women being told to wait it out while their quality of life deteriorates.
Informed Consent in Surgical and Treatment-Induced Menopause
This is where informed consent matters.
Informed consent means understanding what will happen to your body, both in the short term and the long term. It includes clear discussion of the symptoms of abrupt menopause and the long-term risks related to bone density, cardiovascular health, brain health, and metabolic health.
It also means reviewing hormone therapy when appropriate, as well as non-hormonal options when hormone therapy is not recommended. Most importantly, it means having the opportunity to ask questions and make a decision that aligns with your values, your health history, and your long-term goals.
Anything less is not informed consent.
Failing to counsel women on the consequences of abruptly shutting down hormones, especially when menopause has not occurred naturally, is not acceptable.
Planning for Surgical or Treatment-Induced Menopause
If you are facing surgery, recovering from treatment, or navigating treatment-induced menopause and feeling lost, know this:
You deserve clear guidance.
You deserve individualized care.
You deserve to feel supported in your own body.
You should never be left to figure this out alone.
Menopause Support After Surgery or Cancer Treatment
If you are ready for clarity and an actionable path forward, I invite you to book a Menopause Empowerment Session. Together, we will talk through what is happening in your body, discuss evidence-based options, and create a plan that supports your health, quality of life, and future.
Advocating for yourself is easier when you truly understand what is happening in your body. You do not have to navigate this alone.
I was also a guest on the Mastering Midlife Podcast, where I shared my personal experience navigating surgical menopause and discussed why planning and informed consent matter so much. You can hear that conversation here.
Navigating menopause earlier or differently than you expected?
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