Post By: Claudine Aitcheson | Founder, Flourishing Through Menopause | Healthcare Administrator | Surgical Menopause Advocate, June 17, 2025

Menopause & Me: My Journey Through the Change, PART 3

A New Perspective

For me, menopause isn’t just a physical transition, it’s an emotional, mental, and psychological transformation. At times, it can feel isolating, as if you’re navigating an unpredictable storm alone.

But the truth is, you’re not alone. Millions of women are on this journey, facing the same hot flashes, mood swings, unexpected emotional turbulence and more.

Every symptom, every shift, is a testament to the powerful changes happening within your body. And here’s the good news: there’s hope. With the right knowledge, a strong support system, and the tools that work best for you whether that’s hormone replacement therapy (HRT), lifestyle adjustments, or even something as simple as frozen grapes to cool you down you can take back control of your health and well-being.

I have been fortunate to have a supportive network of family and friends who have stood by me through every twist and turn.

And my husband, (bless his heart), has weathered this storm right alongside me. I have no doubt he could write his own survival guide on living with a menopausal woman!

To every woman going through this phase: empower yourself with knowledge. Read, research, and seek out the support you need.

There is no shame in asking for help. Menopause is not something we merely endure, it is a stage of life where we have the power to not only grow but to flourish.

Together, we can redefine this journey, not as an ending, but as the beginning of a new, empowered chapter.

My Journey to HRT: From Uncertainty to Hope

When I set out to find a doctor who truly understood menopause, surgical menopause, to be exact, I thought I had done everything right.

I called my primary care physician’s office, asked if the doctor treated menopause, and specifically inquired about prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

The person on the phone confidently assured me that, yes, the doctor prescribed HRT.

I pressed further. Not every doctor treats menopause, I said, hoping to avoid a wasted visit. But my persistence was met with irritation. He’s a doctor, she snapped. Of course, he prescribes the medication.

That was enough reassurance for me to book the appointment. I marked my calendar, waited nearly a month. I drove over an hour to the office, eager to finally get the help I needed.

When I first walked into my doctor’s office, I was filled with excitement and anticipation. Finally, I was taking control of my health, ready to begin my hormone replacement therapy (HRT) journey and find relief from the relentless symptoms of menopause.

I had done my research, weighed my options, and felt confident that this was the right path for me.

But what happened next caught me completely off guard. I was seen by the nurse practitioner.

We don’t treat menopause or prescribe HRT, the nurse practitioner said matter-of-factly.

I felt like the air had been knocked out of me. How could this be? It was disappointing. I drove for over an hour. I was advised emphatically when I made my appointment that they offer hormone replacement therapy.

I had learned about the benefits of HRT, and I knew it could be life-changing for women like me, especially those of us who had undergone a hysterectomy and oophorectomy. So, I was not going to give up.

I had expected a conversation about dosage and options, not a dead end. Still, I will keep moving forward.

A Roadblock or a Redirection?”

Determined to find a doctor who would help me, I searched for menopause specialists. But every single one I found either wasn’t accepting new patients or didn’t take my insurance.

Each rejection felt like another door slamming shut, leaving me feeling helpless and frustrated.

Then life, always full of unexpected twists, offered me a new perspective.

One of my younger sisters, who is three years my junior, had just begun her own menopause journey. After watching the same video I had shared with her, she decided to try HRT.

Seeing her take that leap of faith gave me hope. I decided to look for different types of doctors. Maybe I wasn’t at a dead end after all. Maybe I just hadn’t found the right path yet.

Fueled by renewed determination, I kept searching. And then, finally, I found an endocrinologist willing to listen.

Not only did they prescribe HRT, but they took the time to explain how it worked and what to expect.

Starting HRT: A New Beginning

I was prescribed a low-dose 0.05 mg estradiol patch, applied twice weekly. The patch, a thin, clear film about two inches wide by two inches tall, adheres to the skin, allowing estrogen to absorb directly into the bloodstream. It was a small step, but it felt monumental.

Over time, my doctor adjusted my dosage, eventually increasing it to 0.1 mg twice weekly, a level that made a noticeable difference in my symptoms.

HRT is not an instant fix, nor is it a one-size-fits-all solution. It is a process of trial and adjustment, but for the first time in a long time, I felt something I hadn’t felt in years: hope.

(Here’s a link to learn how to apply the patch correctly, coming soon)

The First Time I Put on the Patch: A New Sense of Clarity

The first time I applied the estradiol patch, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I was nervous. My sister, being the ever-patient, loving nurse, was there to guide me through it.

She took the patch and, with a grin, told me to stop being a baby and she literally slapped it right on my lower abdomen. And just like that, it was on.

I felt a strange, subtle sensation almost immediately, like my body was thinking, Well, what is this now? To top it off, out of nowhere, I developed a slight runny nose. It was brief, barely perceptible, and within moments, it was gone.

It wasn’t the transformation I expected, but I figured, hey, maybe it was part of the process. Who knew?

But then something truly extraordinary happened. A wave of calmness and peace began to settle over me, like a veil lifting from my mind and body.

It was a feeling I hadn’t realized I had been missing for so long. A quiet sense of relief that I had almost forgotten was possible.

The shift in my emotions and mood was almost immediate. For the first time in what felt like ages, I felt a deep sense of calm and clarity.

The next day, my husband and I went out to dinner. As we sat at the table, my eyes wandered toward the window, and something hit me like a bolt of lightning.

I looked out across the street in the distance and blurted out, Oh my God, I can actually see that building over there.

I don’t mean that my vision improved—this is not about my eyes. What I was struck by was the profound realization that I had become so wrapped up in my own thoughts, so deeply trapped inside my head, that I had been disconnected from the world around me.

The building had always been there, but I was unable to grasp its existence. I had been existing, yes. But I hadn’t truly been living.

It was as if I had been on autopilot for so long, going through the motions, but not fully experiencing the life unfolding before me.

In that moment, I understood what I had been missing. For the first time in a long while, I felt alive.

It was such a strange sensation, so surreal, because I hadn’t even realized that I wasn’t fully living before. The fog had lifted, what once felt like an impenetrable cloud surrounding my mind had cleared. Suddenly, I was present.

I could feel the energy of the world around me—the colors, the sounds, the people, the life. It was like I had awakened from a long slumber, and it was breathtaking.

The shift was unmistakable. I had finally returned to myself, and for the first time in a long time, I felt grounded. The change wasn’t just physical. It was emotional, mental, and spiritual.

The patch had worked its magic, yes, but it was more than that. It was the beginning of reclaiming the parts of myself I had lost along the way.

The sense of clarity and calm that followed was a gift I never expected to receive, but I was deeply grateful for it.

And in that moment, I realized: This was only the beginning.

Still on the Menopause Journey: The Truth and Nothing but the Truth

Even though the patch has made a significant difference, my journey is far from over. I’m in a better place than I was before I started hormone replacement therapy.

The extreme mood swings have eased, and the anxiety, once all-consuming, has mostly been chased away by the increase in estrogen.

But the truth is, the battle continues with me trying to keep the symptoms at bay. It’s a work in progress, filled with trial and error, and I’m still learning and researching as I go.

There’s no neat, one-size-fits-all solution, just real-time problem-solving.

Finding the Right Fit

When I first started on a 0.05 mg patch applied twice weekly, I felt some relief. But my symptoms would creep back in now and then, like unwelcome house guests, reminding me that menopause wasn’t ready to loosen its grip.

Hoping for more stability, my doctor increased my dose to a 0.075 mg patch twice weekly. That helped, until it was time to change the patch.

Like clockwork, my symptoms would return just as the old patch came off, making it clear that my body still needed more consistent support.

Now, I’m on a 0.1 mg patch twice weekly. Things have improved again, but I still feel the effects start to fade the day after I apply a new patch.

It’s a frustrating cycle of relief followed by that all-too-familiar whisper of symptoms returning. This journey with HRT has been one of experimentation, careful monitoring, and patience.

I’ve read that women who go through surgical menopause…like myself, having both ovaries and the uterus removed, often don’t start to feel truly whole again, without lingering symptoms, until they have reached about 0.3 mg (or sometimes higher) of estrogen. But so far, it’s been a challenge for me to have my doctor increase my dose beyond 0.1 mg, even though I’m not feeling consistently balanced yet.

But I remain hopeful. Every adjustment brings me closer to the balance my body craves. I’ve also come to understand something crucial: menopause treatment is deeply personal.

For example, I know someone who started on the same 0.05 mg dose at the same time as I did, and she’s been thriving with no changes needed so far.

Meanwhile, my body has raised its hand for more. And that’s okay. Next week, I’ll be seeing a new doctor who specializes in menopause, and I couldn’t be more excited.

I’ve come to understand that this journey is far from linear. Each step brings new questions, new insights, and sometimes, unexpected breakthroughs.

Now, as I am preparing to meet a new doctor and continue fine-tuning my treatment, one thing is clear: I’m not alone in this.

In fact, what has helped me the most might surprise you, and it’s not just the patches or prescriptions.

Click here for Part 4: The Power of Sharing Menopause Experiences,

where I reveal the unexpected gift that truly changed my perspective, and why opening- up might be the most powerful tool we have.