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Everything You Need to Know About the Menopause
An eye-opening, no-holds-barred guide to the perimenopause and menopause written by campaigner, journalist and documentary-maker Kate Muir.
Everything You Need to Know About the Menopause (and were too afraid to ask) is the thinking woman’s guide to the menopause, bringing you answers to all those questions that have been hidden behind a veneer of misplaced shame, bad science and centuries of patriarchy.
· What’s the perimenopause and when will it strike? (It’s sooner than you think)
· What’s happening to my body – and my mind?
· Why can’t I stop thinking about sex in perimenopause?
· How do I get my sex drive back after menopause?
· How do I look after my body and brain when my hormones disappear?
Muir draws on interviews with the leading medical experts in the field, interlaced with her own tumultuous journey through the menopause and the personal stories of women from all walks of life, sharing their varied experiences and hard-earned wisdom.
Muir also questions why the current medical establishment is getting the menopause so wrong, as she debunks the myths that surround hormone replacement therapy and exposes the sloppy science and hysterical headlines that have had a negative impact on women’s health for the last twenty years.
It’s essential that we understand the biology of our own bodies during this critical period that will define the latter half of our lives. With the help of a panel of doctors, scientists and health experts, Muir unpacks the science behind hormones and ageing, and takes a close look at the different options available for treating both body and mind during the profound changes that take us into midlife and beyond.
What she discovers is that both symptoms and treatment are far more extensive and diverse than we might expect. The menopause is the whole package, and the treatment needs to be too, with impacts as wide ranging as preventing Alzheimer’s, boosting sex drive and protecting mental health.
This ground-breaking guide is a social, cultural and scientific exploration into a criminally overlooked and under-discussed phenomenon that will affect one billion of us by 2025. And it is a manifesto for change, calling for equality in healthcare and an entirely new approach to women’s health.
Everything You Need to Know About the Menopause (and were too afraid to ask) is the thinking woman’s guide to the menopause, bringing you answers to all those questions that have been hidden behind a veneer of misplaced shame, bad science and centuries of patriarchy.
· What’s the perimenopause and when will it strike? (It’s sooner than you think)
· What’s happening to my body – and my mind?
· Why can’t I stop thinking about sex in perimenopause?
· How do I get my sex drive back after menopause?
· How do I look after my body and brain when my hormones disappear?
Muir draws on interviews with the leading medical experts in the field, interlaced with her own tumultuous journey through the menopause and the personal stories of women from all walks of life, sharing their varied experiences and hard-earned wisdom.
Muir also questions why the current medical establishment is getting the menopause so wrong, as she debunks the myths that surround hormone replacement therapy and exposes the sloppy science and hysterical headlines that have had a negative impact on women’s health for the last twenty years.
It’s essential that we understand the biology of our own bodies during this critical period that will define the latter half of our lives. With the help of a panel of doctors, scientists and health experts, Muir unpacks the science behind hormones and ageing, and takes a close look at the different options available for treating both body and mind during the profound changes that take us into midlife and beyond.
What she discovers is that both symptoms and treatment are far more extensive and diverse than we might expect. The menopause is the whole package, and the treatment needs to be too, with impacts as wide ranging as preventing Alzheimer’s, boosting sex drive and protecting mental health.
This ground-breaking guide is a social, cultural and scientific exploration into a criminally overlooked and under-discussed phenomenon that will affect one billion of us by 2025. And it is a manifesto for change, calling for equality in healthcare and an entirely new approach to women’s health.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2022
84 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Kate Muir
19 books11 followersKate Muir studied Politics at the University of Glasgow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 13, 2022
Clear, concise, full of up to date facts and a really interesting read. Every woman should read this book, preferably in their twenties at the latest, so they know what to expect and how to deal with the menopause.
The menopause is not something you 'go through', it's something you will live with for the rest of your life. Even if you are lucky enough not to have symptoms it's worth educating yourself about the long term effects of this hormone deficiency every woman has from her forties or even earlier, regardless of whether you have symptoms or you 'sail through it'. Then you can make informed choices about your own health and wellbeing.
I really hope my generation will be the last one to blindly blunder into it now that books like this are being written (Kate Muir was behind the Davina McCall documentary of 2020).
I am now waiting to speak to my GP after years of living with symptoms I had put down to existing conditions.
Please Read This Book. And then pass it onto your daughter, niece, best friend's daughter...
The menopause is not something you 'go through', it's something you will live with for the rest of your life. Even if you are lucky enough not to have symptoms it's worth educating yourself about the long term effects of this hormone deficiency every woman has from her forties or even earlier, regardless of whether you have symptoms or you 'sail through it'. Then you can make informed choices about your own health and wellbeing.
I really hope my generation will be the last one to blindly blunder into it now that books like this are being written (Kate Muir was behind the Davina McCall documentary of 2020).
I am now waiting to speak to my GP after years of living with symptoms I had put down to existing conditions.
Please Read This Book. And then pass it onto your daughter, niece, best friend's daughter...
April 22, 2024
Medically well researched and up to date. Not leaving aside the historical aspects, the incredible sociological and economical impact of menopause and importantly- humor. Well and engagingly/ enragingly written and read (audiobook). Everybody should read this!
February 13, 2025
Every woman, in fact everyone, should read this. Full of vital knowledge for the delights of mid life I’m in the thick of - and a relief to have a much better understanding of what to do about it
November 25, 2022
Everyone should read this one! . As I had to have both ovaries removed few months ago, it's been super useful to know the science behind menopause. Very easy to understand, with studies, numbers and real life stories.
August 4, 2022
Every woman needs to read this book. Is up to date and super helpful! It doesn't mattwr if you already with the menopause or you are younger, this info is needed!
May 7, 2024
This book is (obviously!) not for everyone- I bought it before it was relevant to me but now I’m older Ive read it with more interest. It highlights the uneven provision and availability of some types of HRT. Women should not have to go private to get the care they need and deserve. Most worryingly, class and ethnicity play a large part in this- MC white women are much more likely to receive the care they need.
February 19, 2023
An excellent read for those with or without a uterus. I belong to the school of thought that to be informed is best and this book provides such great information on something that over half of the worlds population experienced firsthand and most everyone else experiences secondhand.
It’s so empowering to educate myself about what my body is going through and challenge long held notions about middle age. I always thought taking HRT was a really risky option but I now understand how outdated the research and basis of my understanding is. I feel like I can now speak to my GP about the things I have been experiencing for years from a place of understanding and ask for what I want.
I want to help bring this topic of conversation to the surface in my community - without shame or judgment. We should be talking about perimenopause, menopause and so many other things as a part of normal friendly conversation with friends and family. I certainly am now.
It’s so empowering to educate myself about what my body is going through and challenge long held notions about middle age. I always thought taking HRT was a really risky option but I now understand how outdated the research and basis of my understanding is. I feel like I can now speak to my GP about the things I have been experiencing for years from a place of understanding and ask for what I want.
I want to help bring this topic of conversation to the surface in my community - without shame or judgment. We should be talking about perimenopause, menopause and so many other things as a part of normal friendly conversation with friends and family. I certainly am now.
April 17, 2022
An absolute must read for all women - preferably years before the subject of the book actually arrives. I feel eminently more prepared and informed than before I read this book though the lack of consistent medical knowledge and research that it highlights is maddening. A very easy book to read and consume in chunks, excellently written, funny and entertaining. I will be recommending it widely.
January 10, 2023
Essential reading for anyone impacted either directly or indirectly by hormonal changes ... oh, that will be everyone, regardless of gender. Please read and share ... and make changes.
July 24, 2022
Highly recommend for anyone going through the menopause, it has helped so much with advice and helping me to understand the journey I am on. The lack of guidance and support is shocking, but thanks to women like Kate Muir the Menopause is finally getting a voice - so hear goes I am going through the menopause I am not ashamed about it and I am not hiding away from it! Like a phoenix I will rise stronger and braver from these menopausal ashes!
January 27, 2025
As a man, I found this book to be incredibly eye-opening. It sheds much-needed light on the menopause and perimenopause—topics I previously knew little about. The book is well-written, engaging, and packed with insightful stories and anecdotes that make the subject both informative and accessible. I was genuinely surprised by the sheer extent of what women go through, both physically and mentally. This is the kind of knowledge that should be common in schools and everyday conversations. While it’s undoubtedly more useful for women, I believe it’s invaluable reading for men too—especially if you have a partner, mother, or daughter. Highly recommended!
April 22, 2025
This book is very informative and covers a lot of issues in a straightforward and relatable manner. Highly recommended
June 12, 2022
Absolutely fantastic, as little awareness as I had when my blood tests came back as well and truly in the Menopause at age 43 this book (along with the documentaries with Davina McCall) has been a whole new light of information!
Yes it talks about the symptoms and how women for years have tried to ‘Go it alone’ without even talking to a dr about HRT, largely down to the press on cancer being a higher risk following HRT and women not wanting to talk about it openly.
There are so many reasons to look into HRT and find information from up to date references, osteoporosis is a danger without HRT, different forms of HRT suit different people! There is so much more out there than I had any idea of and this book says it all pretty much. I could understand it too!
Informative, funny, sad and easy to digest menopause and menopausal stuff! Huge fan!
Yes it talks about the symptoms and how women for years have tried to ‘Go it alone’ without even talking to a dr about HRT, largely down to the press on cancer being a higher risk following HRT and women not wanting to talk about it openly.
There are so many reasons to look into HRT and find information from up to date references, osteoporosis is a danger without HRT, different forms of HRT suit different people! There is so much more out there than I had any idea of and this book says it all pretty much. I could understand it too!
Informative, funny, sad and easy to digest menopause and menopausal stuff! Huge fan!
September 27, 2022
One of the books that delivers you information, but you will need to search for (arrive at?) knowledge elsewhere. Author definitely writes from (bad) experiences, it's outcry, call for being noticed, treated according to modern science (citect by author, but apparently still ignored by doctors failing to connect dots). It seems to me that in most cases use of hormonal therapy before consequences are too dire is the panacea. However, of course, other treatments and cases (corner cases too) are covered as well. It has reinforced other (overheard in various podcasts) statements, that I've been familiar with already, so if you pay attention to pop-science, you shouldn't find it particularly eye-opening. I suppose it could be tad shorter if it focused on facts, rather than trying to call out policies needing change (which I of course totally understand). Personal examples, repetitions somehow haven't agreed with me too much as well..
Nonetheless, a good example of a system thinking (sorry for thinking about body in terms of system) applied to real world problem.
Nonetheless, a good example of a system thinking (sorry for thinking about body in terms of system) applied to real world problem.
August 8, 2022
This is not a book giving advice and support around Menopause and the author is not a health professional. This is, however, a fascinating lay-person's personal view of her own experiences and those of friends and colleagues. It gives opinions of professionals working within the field with links to research and some useful websites, etc. Interesting read and a good follow up to her Channel 4 documentary with Davina McCall.
November 17, 2024
This book has some good information about the menopause although I did find the author's name-dropping/showing-off style a bit grating and it is *very* heavily biased towards HRT as the answer to all menopausal problems - the author appears to be very closely associated with Dr Newson, so this is no surprise.
August 30, 2022
Crucial reading for all. You either are a woman, have one in your family, or just need to understand.
TLDR: hormones are good for health.
TLDR: hormones are good for health.
February 5, 2023
Clear and up to date information that everyone should read. I definitely learnt a few things.
July 7, 2024
Packed with facts and well researched, this book is an interesting read that manages to feel personal and engaging rather than scientifically dry; fans of Criado Perez’s Invisible Women will recognise the similar tone. A helpful contribution to the conversations around menopause, this should help readers recognise symptoms (not just hot flushes! Not even! Think anxiety, rage etc!), realise the dangers of not having sufficient estrogen (osteoporosis, dementia etc), and bust some myths around the big M and HRT (and in particular THAT study that caused the now-largely-debunked breast cancer link scare). However, the book doesn’t quite do what it says on the tin- it’s more an exploration of meno issues and lack of treatment, than a primer into what is happening in the female body as the title might suggest. A chapter bringing together all the points/evidence into one handy cheat sheet to take to the Dr when you want to advocate for yourself would have been a winner! You might need to trawl through and make notes if that’s what you’re after. It’s in there, but entwined with anecdotes and societal critique.
August 11, 2022
There are now four books that I think all women should read about being women in this world. Period Power by Maisie Hill, Come As You Are by Emily Nagaski, Invisible Women by Caroline Criado-Perez and this one. Once again I am full of RAGE at how little we are told and how much we are expected to just get on with. For example, there are oestrogen receptors in every single part of the body, so menopause therefore affects EVERY SINGLE PART OF THE BODY. Whether we know it or not. We weren't built to live as long as we do, nor to work as long as we do, and the serious health implications of living like half of our lives with lower oestrogen is ASTOUNDING. So there we are. Once again I am flabbergasted at what we put up with and furious that we always have to. Read this book!
May 3, 2022
This book was recommended to me by a work colleague as I am in the menopause. This book is well researched and up to date. I actually listened to this on audible which is narrated by the author. A great listen. Every woman needs this book. It’s full of important, shocking, well-researched facts, experiences, revelations…I can’t believe how little I knew and how overdue this is. I’m telling everyone about it. Definitely an eye opener. For some one who didn't want to go on HRT. I will now be making a doctor's appointment. Wish me 🤞
September 4, 2022
My copy of this book is looking a bit worn and battered, and has a few coffee stains, but that's because I've been taking it everywhere with me while reading it!! A highly informative and useful book, 'Everything you need to know about the menopause' is packed full of real life stories and practical, clearly explained information about this stage of life that will make sure you are better informed and prepared to make choices about, and seek help with, your own medical care when experiencing this.
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October 19, 2022I listened to this as an Audible book, found it amazing, anyone wanting to really understand peri menopause or menopause this audible book will just fill you with every bit of information you need, real peoples experiences and what really is happening to a woman’s body during the menopause years.
They say information is key well this book is absolutely brilliant on a topic that effects nearly 50% of the human race .. scary when you think of it like that. This is a real life event for every woman ..
They say information is key well this book is absolutely brilliant on a topic that effects nearly 50% of the human race .. scary when you think of it like that. This is a real life event for every woman ..
February 22, 2024
This was the most depressing, enlightening, informative, and probably most important read of the year. I suspect I will go back to it many times.
It's especially relevant as this is all up to date on the science, and has been written by someone from the UK with experience of the health system and what will and won't be prescribed (and where women may need to fight hard for their right to proper menopausal care and meditation).
It's especially relevant as this is all up to date on the science, and has been written by someone from the UK with experience of the health system and what will and won't be prescribed (and where women may need to fight hard for their right to proper menopausal care and meditation).
June 9, 2023
Comprehensive and clear book filled with information about the menopause. I feel so much more knowledgable and reassured after reading this.
A must read for anyone who is wanting to be prepared for the menopause, either for themselves or for those close to them.
Lots of clear and up to date information. Lots of debunking of myths and untruths. Definitely a book to keep referring to.
A must read for anyone who is wanting to be prepared for the menopause, either for themselves or for those close to them.
Lots of clear and up to date information. Lots of debunking of myths and untruths. Definitely a book to keep referring to.
August 26, 2023
My mind was BLOWN by this book as early as the first page.
It really opened my eyes to what Perimenopause and Menopause can do to our bodies, and especially how it can affect our brains.
I am determined to read more on this topic so I’m as educated as I can be to get through it as best as I can when I reach this stage.
It really opened my eyes to what Perimenopause and Menopause can do to our bodies, and especially how it can affect our brains.
I am determined to read more on this topic so I’m as educated as I can be to get through it as best as I can when I reach this stage.
December 25, 2023
Wow! A battle cry for women everywhere! Full of information, righteous indignation and advice, every woman and every GP should read this book!
The copy I read was from my local public library, but I'll be buying one of my own. Copious notes taken, and I'll be taking them with me to my next GP appointment!
The copy I read was from my local public library, but I'll be buying one of my own. Copious notes taken, and I'll be taking them with me to my next GP appointment!
October 26, 2024
Accolades to Kate Muir for capturing the key issues around the menopause and for uncovering the truth around hormone replacement therapy. I wish all of my female friends understood how important this book is for the future of ageing women. Together we can make a difference in the lives of women…this book was captivating.
January 11, 2025
A must read for anyone who presents as female and is navigating perimenopause or menopause. I’d recommend this to their partners too. Written in a very straightforward way with facts supported by qualified studies Ms. Muir gives a deep dive into how our bodies chemically work and how bad a rap we are getting from the medical field.
June 6, 2023
Kate Muir is a menopaus warrior, wanting everyone to know the latest science. She is a big fan of transdermal, body-identical HRT but also respecting of wimen's right to choose. Butbis it tealky choice if you are not correctly informed?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews