TV Journalist Tamsen Fadal Discusses ‘How To Menopause'
Tamsen Fadal first experienced perimenopause symptoms as a TV anchor when she was in her 40s. She ... More would have such symptoms live on TV, didn't realize at the time she going through perimenopause and felt like she was 'losing control' of her own body. (Photo by)
There have been lots of 'how to' books out there, including some very oddly specific ones such as How to Survive a Robot Uprising and How to Avoid Huge Ships. But apparently there weren't enough readily available and credible 'how to' books on menopause when Tamsen Fadal was first experiencing perimenopause symptoms as a TV news anchor when she was in her 40s. She would have such symptoms on live TV, didn't realize at the time she going through perimenopause and felt like she was 'losing control' of her own body. After she eventually discovered what was going on, she received little guidance on how to deal with her symptoms even from her gynecologist, you know the type of person who in theory should know all about this normal transition during midlife. That motivated Fadal to put her investigative journalistic skills to work and write the book How to Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better than Before.
I recently talked to Fadal about her experiences with perimenopause and menopause and what motivated her to write the book, along with do other things to raise awareness around these topics. 'There's a lot of ageism and stigma around perimenopause and menopause, lots of shame,' Fadal explained. 'A woman seems to fall off the timeline past her reproductive years.' That's despite perimenopause being the totally natural transition from the potential childbearing phase of your life into menopause, as I've detailed previously in Forbes. And, news flash, childbearing is just one of the things that you may or may not choose to do in your life if you are a woman. It shouldn't necessarily define you.
Speaking of news, Fadal, now 54 years of age, has had a long career in TV journalism after graduating from the University of South Florida with a degree in journalism. Her first broadcasting anchor gig was for WHNZ Radio in Tampa, Florida. She subsequently became a reporter for WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, WFTV in Orlando, Florida, WOWK-TV in Charleston, West Virginia, KYW-TV in Philadelphia and WCBS and WPIX in New York City. At WPIX, she anchored the morning news five days a week. She also co-starred as a dating coach in the Lifetime TV series 'Matched In Manhattan' and served as the host and executive producer of 'The Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal" on The Broadway Channel. Along the way, she's garnered various journalism awards including several local Emmy awards.
It was on live TV when she was blindsided by hot flash symptoms, experiencing stuff like heart palpitations and brain fog. This prompted her to go the bathroom and get down on the floor in order to cool down her body. You can imagine how the words 'live TV' and 'not knowing what's going on' don't go quite well together.
Fadal eventually realized that she was experiencing symptoms of perimenopause. But it took some investigating on her own to fully understand what she was going through. That's because the doctors she encountered didn't seem fully versed in such subjects. Fadal lamented that doctors can leave medical school with little attention to the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and how to deal with them.
The symptoms of perimenopause result from the levels of estrogen and progesterone being secreted by your ovaries progressively dropping over time. Such hormones are responsible for regulating your menstrual cycle, which is the cycle during which your ovaries produce an egg or eggs and your uterus gets ready for the possible implantation of an egg if that egg gets fertilized.
Fadal described such symptoms as 'debilitating' and added, 'I was not able to sleep.' Such symptoms are common with perimenopause. So are things like your menstrual periods getting less regular, changing in the duration, frequency or heaviness, and stuff like mood changes, hot flashes, night sweats, urinary issues, decreases in libido and vaginal dryness.
Again, such symptoms are common and natural as perimenopause and then menopause are natural phases of midlife with hot flashes, night sweats, and difficulty sleeping being among the most frequent. But workplaces and the rest of society in many ways still do not make them seem natural. 'It can impact your career,' she said. 'A lot of women leave the workplace. It impacted my confidence. I was not alone with that.'
Fadal's book talks about what do when you experience symptoms and how to advocate for yourself at work, such asking for more flexible working hours and more accommodating situations. 'It's a delicate balance,' Fadal warned. 'You don't want to feel stigmatized or dismissed. It's not an easy conversation for everyone to have.' So, in the book, she suggested starting small and not asking for big demands right off the bat. She also wrote about identifying people you can trust to bring up the topic, being prepared for conversations, being honest and knowing your rights. She acknowledged the presence of, surprise, surprise, sexism, ageism and racism in many workplaces. But she also emphasized that women make up half the workforce. So, rather than lose such talent, workplaces may want to install reasonable accommodations.
Pictured here are (L-R) Joanna Lamarca Mathisen, Naomi Watts, Tamsen Fadal and Denise Pines at a ... More screening of "The M Factor: Shredding The Silence On Menopause" on October 18, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by)
Of course, it would be easier if society in general were more attuned to and open to talking about perimenopause and menopause. Fadal's book is just one of things that she has been doing to bring these topics out from taboo land into the public light. She and her team have also created a film called the "The M Factor: Shredding The Silence On Menopause" to shine more light what's described on her website as 'the unspoken challenges women face during menopause, revealing the gaps in medical education, the disparities in treatment, and the true impact on our physical and mental health. This film is about empowering every woman to take control of her health and advocate for change.'
If you are experiencing symptoms that seem to be interfering with you daily life in any way, one of the last things you should do is suffer in silence. That would be akin to breaking your arm and simply saying, 'I'll use the other one.' Instead, it's better to ask questions and talk to others as Fadal did. 'Journalist love interviewing and asking questions,' explained Fadal. After all, you want to make sure that you are writing the story of your own life rather than anyone else. And if you are a woman, especially in your 40s or 50s, it is natural to have perimenopause and menopause as part of your storylines.
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