Dr. Kumar here! Recently I had the chance to sit down with the amazing women at the Menopause Daily Substack, where we talked about the most frequently asked questions about menopause and perimenopause. Our chat is filled with nuggets of short, practical takeaways — so we had to share some of them here on the Gliss Wellness blog!

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Here are three standout lessons from our conversation:

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1. You Don’t Have to Wait a Year to Start Hormone Therapy

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This is a myth we keep hearing everywhere from the mouths of patients and some physicians — and we will never get tired of getting the facts straight: you can start HRT as soon as you begin experiencing perimenopause symptoms. Unfortunately, many women are still being told the opposite, which only delays their path to relief:

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“A common myth I hear about is that women cannot start MHT (menopausal hormonal therapy) until they have not had a period for a year. This was what was taught a decade ago and has continued to persist. This is changing, but not fast enough! MHT can help many women who are in perimenopause with severe symptoms ranging from hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and sleep changes.”

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2. Support Systems Matter Just as Much as Treatments

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When people ask me for one simple lifestyle change to help navigate menopause, I always like to emphasize the importance of connection and emotional wellbeing. Believe it or not, feeling validated in your feelings can make a world of difference. And when it comes to establishing healthy habits to better deal with emotional challenges, the best way to make progress is by setting small, realistic goals:  

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“Effective ways to cope with this is targeting the items that affect us most. For some this is sleep, others is loss of strength, possibly fatigue, or low libido. I have patients highlight their top two that we aim to treat, and then work our way down the list. I remind patients to give themselves the time and grace to improve things step-by-step as it may have taken months to years to get here, and it will take that long to find our way back.”

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3. Be Cautious of Mixed Messaging About HRT

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Between social media, conflicting medical advice, and online influencers, it’s easy to feel lost about hormone therapy. Every day I see polarizing hooks on Instagram and TikTok about what you MUST do or SHOULD NEVER do when it comes to HRT. This is why I always encourage women to keep perspective — HRT is neither a miracle cure nor a trap, but simply one treatment option that works differently for everyone:

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“It is so frustrating that the mixed messaging is so much louder today than it was a year ago, and it is growing. This comes from physicians, other providers, and even people without any medical training. The one thing women should walk away with all this information is that some things are true, some things are blatantly false though the person projecting it may believe it, and that some things will work for you but not for others. And that is okay!”

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👉 Read the full interview here and don’t forget to subscribe to Menopause Daily on Substack!

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