Menopause
During reproductive years, the ovaries produce hormones, such as and progesterone. They help prepare the body for pregnancy, and also play other roles in health and wellness. During natural menopause, these hormones decrease gradually, leading to menopausal symptoms.
Premenopausal women who have surgery that removes their ovaries will experience young-onset menopause. Certain chemotherapy treatments can also cause early menopause. The menopause experience is different for everyone, but typically, young-onset menopause causes more intense symptoms and side effects than natural menopause.
Many of the menopause symptoms can be improved with hormone replacement therapy. Research has shown that hormone replacement therapy after young-onset menopause is safe for most women who have never had cancer.
Hormone replacement therapy is not safe for everyone. For women who cannot safely take hormones, there are non-hormonal options for managing menopausal symptoms and side-effects.
If you are experiencing early-onset menopause or will be undergoing surgery or treatment that may bring about early-onset menopause, its important that you speak with your health care team about the options for managing menopausal symptoms and side effects.
Find Experts
The following resources can help you locate an expert near you or via telehealth.
Finding menopause experts
- The North American Menopause Society has a tool to help you find a qualified menopause expert in your area.
Related experts
Some symptoms of menopause may be managed by other experts. People experiencing menopause symptoms may benefit from a consultation with the following experts.
Sexual health experts
- The Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) has a search tool to find experts in your area who sexual health care services.
- The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) maintains a tool to help people find a sexual health expert near them.
Acupuncture experts
- The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine has a searchable directory of licensed acupuncturists.
Sleep experts
- The American Academy of Sleep Medicine maintains the public-facing website SleepEducation.org that includes a section on finding a sleep center by location.
Bone density experts
- The Bone Health and Foundation has a searchable database for finding experts.
Other ways to find experts
- Register for the FORCE Message Boards and post on the Find a Specialist board to connect with other people who share your situation.
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers have specialists to manage the symptoms and side effects from cancer prevention or treatment.
updated: 08/18/2023
Get Support
FORCE offers many peer support programs for people with inherited mutations.
- Our Message Boards allow people to connect with others who share their situation. Once registered, you can post on the Diagnosed With Cancer board to connect with other people who have been diagnosed.
- Our Peer Navigation Program will match you with a volunteer who shares your mutation and situation.
- Our moderated, private Facebook group allows you to connect with other community members 24/7.
- Check out our virtual and in-person support meeting calendar.
- Join one of our Zoom community group meetings.
updated: 08/06/2022
Related Resources
The following organizations have resources related to menopause for survivors and previvors.
- FORCE related resources:
- Information: Menopause overview
- Information: Menopause symptoms and side effects
- Information: Menopause management without hormones
- Information: Hormone replacement
- XRAY category: Menopause
- FORCE video: Early menopause management for women who cannot take therapy (from 2022 conference)
- FORCE video: Menopause Management without Hormones (from 2021 conference)
- FORCE video: Early Onset Menopause Management with Hormones (from 2021 conference)
- FORCE video: Menopause Question-and-Answer Panel (from 2021 conference)
- FORCE video: Things you can do to optimize your sleep, starting tonight
- FORCE video playlist: Menopause (9 videos)
- FORCE video: Things you can do to optimize your sleep, starting tonight
- The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), a professional organization devoted to promoting women's health and quality of life through an understanding of menopause, certifies providers who have passed an examination and maintained ongoing education related to menopause.
- The National Institutes of Health () and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center has resources related to , including sections specifically for people diagnosed with different types of cancer.
updated: 12/25/2022