“This is a rigorous and meticulous guide to everything related to menopause. … Alkon does a tremendous job of breaking down scientific facts for everyday readers. … Her smart, thoughtful accounts of her own experiences lend a feeling of camaraderie to the book.” —Kirkus Reviews Half of the population—the female half—is getting healthcare based on medical myth rather than evidence. Going Menopostal is Amy Alkon’s mission to change that.This book started with a flash—Alkon’s first hot flash. Drenching night sweats, insomnia, and brain fog soon followed—along with shame at feeling bewilderingly enraged at everyone and everything. Alkon, an award-winning science columnist and author,
wanted to turn to her doctor. But there was a problem: More than half of the medical care we get in the US may not be “based on, or supported by, adequate evidence,” according to the US National Academy of Medicine.
Knowing this, Alkon began a deep dive into the research on menopause and perimenopause––the 3 to 10 years leading up to menopause when women’s symptoms are widely ignored, dismissed, and misdiagnosed (despite doctors having every intention of helping their patients). She was shocked by what she found:
- Most gynecology departments lack even one doctor with training and expertise in menopausal and perimenopausal medicine, and they expect their maternity and general reproductive health specialists to treat these conditions outside their scope of practice without informing patients––a violation of medical ethics.
- Perimenopause is wrongly viewed and treated as “menopause lite”––a time of lowered estrogen levels––when estrogen levels actually soar, making many women miserably symptomatic.
- Few doctors know that symptomatic perimenopausal women actually tend to lack progesterone, and that replacing it with safe, FDA-approved progesterone would alleviate their insomnia, hot flashes, and other suffering and counteract cell overgrowth that can lead to breast and endometrial cancer.
- Many doctors deny estrogen to their menopausal patients, unaware of current research showing that estrogen not only alleviates symptoms but protects against cardiovascular disease (soon to kill 1 in 3 women), bone fractures, metabolic syndrome, and more.
- Findings from studies done largely on middle-class white women are wrongly applied to black women and other women of color, ignoring crucial differences, such as generally lower triglyceride levels in black women that can make heart disease harder to detect.
This meticulously researched book is written in clear, everyday language that you don’t need the slightest science background to understand (along with Alkon’s signature dark humor). Alkon equips you with the exact words to confidently ask critical questions and motivate your doctor to partner with you and treat you appropriately––instead of giving you the “treatment” her favorite bus driver got: told by her doctor to “just wait out” her raging insomnia, night sweats, and hot flashes. Alkon’s ultimate goal: Empowering
all women with the science and strategies they need to get the evidence-based care they expect and deserve.
Industry Reviews
“Amy Alkon’s GOING MENOPOSTAL is a masterpiece of scientific inquiry and clarity, cutting through decades of misinformation and fear around menopause. With her keen scientific mind and her ability to examine clinical and epidemiological evidence honestly, critically, and objectively, she has created a work of great importance for women struggling with menopause and perimenopause. Alkon empowers women to understand the research and advocate effectively for evidence-based care, addressing the medical neglect women have endured for far too long.”
—Dr. Kevin B. Knopf, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine
“In GOING MENOPOSTAL, Amy Alkon exposes the truth about the medical neglect and mistreatment of women in perimenopause and menopause. But more than that, she gives you the language and strategies to advocate for yourself with your doctors without antagonizing them, making them partners in your healthcare so you get the evidence-based care you deserve.”
—Catherine Salmon, PhD, Professor of Psychology at the University of Redlands, coauthor of The Secret Power of Middle Children
“Amy Alkon’s GOING MENOPOSTAL is a groundbreaking book that exposes the inequities in medical research and care, particularly for women from underrepresented communities. As a family doctor on Chicago’s South Side, I see how these gaps in care amplify challenges for African American women. Alkon courageously addresses how the existing research is centered on white, middle-class women, leaving the unique needs of women from diverse backgrounds inadequately explored and understood. This book empowers readers with knowledge, challenges systemic inequities, and gives voice to women who have long been overlooked, fostering a more inclusive approach to women's health."
—Dr. Tony Hampton, Family and Obesity Medicine Specialist at Advocate Health, author of Fix Your Diet, Fix Your Diabetes, host of the Protecting Your NEST podcast
“GOING MENOPOSTAL is essential reading for women navigating perimenopause and menopause. Veteran science writer Amy Alkon brings an outsider’s objectivity and cuts through outdated advice with a rigorous, evidence-based approach. Infused with warmth, wit, and compassion, she tackles everything from hot flashes and weight gain to mood changes and insomnia, offering clear, science-backed solutions."
—Nina Teicholz, PhD, internationally bestselling author of The Big Fat Surprise and science journalist
“In GOING MENOPOSTAL, Amy Alkon exposes the inadequacies of traditional menopause care in the United States and critiques the overreliance on clinical practice guidelines, which leave little room for individualized care. A compelling call to action, this work challenges clinicians to move beyond the status quo and empowers women with solutions grounded in both evidence and empathy.”
—Dr. Andréa Salcedo, ob-gyn, Assistant Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, host of the Conscious Gynecology podcast
