Every week, thousands of women in the perry community write to each other about what perimenopause is actually doing to their lives. Not the tidy symptom list. The real thing.
Here is some of what was posted in the last seven days.
“Perimenopause is more than just the body — it has been negatively affecting my mind, soul, spirit, and emotions. It’s the sudden realization that I am aging.
I came on my period two days ago, expecting a regular period. But on day two I was barely bleeding, and sometimes the bleeding had stopped completely. I’d wipe, and nothing was on the tissue.
It saddens me that my best friend since age 11 is going to permanently leave me, perhaps sooner than later. My womb is dying off. The womb that never housed, developed and nurtured a person. I never wanted children, but knowing that my reproductive organs were working properly and youthful was always comforting.
Once-full hair is thin, oily and patchy. Lifelong insomnia amped up. Perspiring far more. Appetite gone. Off balance. Lifelong anxieties amped up significantly. Itchy skin.
I think of all the missed opportunities and ‘life’ I’ve never partaken in. I’m deeply depressed.”
You are not alone in this room, and grief over a body that is changing is real grief. If the depression is sitting on you this heavily, please tell a clinician you trust — this is treatable, and you deserve support with it. Read the full thread and the replies →
“Anyone addicted to talking to Google AI about health concerns? I have gone way out of control on the amount of time I’ve been doing that. It’s embarrassing!!”
That post got a wave of replies. Nobody thought it was embarrassing. Everybody recognized it. When your own doctor has fifteen minutes and no perimenopause training, you go looking somewhere. Join the thread →
“Has anyone noticed an increase in spider veins during perimenopause, or does anyone suffer with venous insufficiency? I’ve noticed many more on the back of my legs and I get achy legs in the evening. I’m booking in to see a specialist but wondered if anyone else has experienced the same.”
“All my hormones were undetectable. I’d been on progesterone 200 since late December for crap sleep. The doctor added the combi patch and a troche of DHEA and testosterone. Month two, I’m spotting lightly when my scans had shown my lining was nil.
The doctor gave me conflicting advice and I’m confused. She said I could stop the patch until the spotting stopped — but then said, or I could put on two patches. I don’t want to stop the patch as I feel that’s going backwards, but if it’s too much estrogen, I’d think a double patch would be worse. I’ve read conflicting advice. Idk what to do.”
This is the one that should stop every clinician reading this. Not a rare case. Not an exotic presentation. A patient on standard therapy, spotting in month two, being handed two opposite instructions in the same visit. Read the thread →
“I got an iron infusion and wanted to let y’all know how it went. It was just sitting in a little room with an IV in your arm for about 20 minutes. I read my book.
My starting ferritin was 25. I took an iron supplement for six months and it was only up to 34. After the infusion, my ferritin is 69. I’m going for 75–100, so I’ll likely get at least one more.
I am not cold all the time — my nose and toes were always icy — and my energy has improved. Hope this helps someone.”
Apply code ‘Perry15’ at checkout for a 15% discount.
Every one of those posts crosses a specialty line.
Grief and identity loss is psychiatry. The dying womb is gynecology. The hair and skin is dermatology. The insomnia is behavioral sleep medicine. The achy legs are vascular. The ferritin is nutrition and hematology. The spotting on a combi patch is menopause medicine.
One woman. Seven doorways. And in most healthcare systems, nobody is standing behind more than one of them.
The Perimenopause Symposium is the world’s first multidisciplinary perimenopause CME/CE symposium — one full day, 200+ clinicians, 10+ clinical disciplines, in one room, building one shared language.
Friday, September 25, 2026 · 4MLK, Baltimore, MD Up to 7.5 CME credits · additional CE/CEU accreditation confirmed soon
Every session is grounded in real patient insight from this community. Not a textbook curriculum. What your patients are actually living.
Keynote
Wen Shen, MD — OB/GYN; Director, Women’s Wellness & Healthy Aging Program, Johns Hopkins
Gynecology, menopause & hormone therapy
Robin Noble, MD, MHCDS, MSCP — OB/GYN; Chief Medical Advisor, Let’s Talk Menopause
Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, MD — OB/GYN; integrative and holistic medicine
Anne Burke, MD — OB/GYN; contraception, family planning and perimenopause, Johns Hopkins
Michelle Jacobson, MD, MHSc, FRCSC, MSCP — OB/GYN; menopause and cancer survivorship
Cardiology, orthopaedics & internal medicine
Jayne Morgan, MD — Cardiologist; VP Medical Affairs, Hello Heart
Jocelyn Wittstein, MD — Orthopaedic surgeon, Duke; bone and musculoskeletal health
Selvi Rajagopal, MD, MPH — Internal and obesity medicine, Johns Hopkins
Mental health & sleep
Harita Raja, MD — Reproductive psychiatrist; founder, Bethesda Women’s Mental Health
Liisa Hantsoo, PhD — Director of Research, Johns Hopkins Reproductive Mental Health Center
Molly Atwood, PhD — Behavioral sleep medicine, Johns Hopkins; CBT-I
Julie Bindeman, PsyD — Licensed psychologist; reproductive psychology
Lauren Tetenbaum, LCSW, JD, PMH-C, MSCP — Author, Millennial Menopause
Nutrition, dermatology & movement
Anita Mirchandani, MS, RD, CDN — Director of Nutritional Services, Mount Sinai
Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, FAAD — Dermatology and lifestyle medicine
Ingrid Harm-Ernandes, PT, WCS, BCB-PMD — Pelvic health specialist
Kevin Levi-Goerlich, PT, DPT — Johns Hopkins Rehabilitation Network
Policy & innovation
Terri L. Cornelison, MD, PhD, FACOG — Director, Office of Innovative Development, FDA CDRH
Physicians (MD, DO, residents, fellows). Nursing and advanced practice (RN, NP, CRNA, CNM). PAs. Mental health (LCSW, psychologists, counselors, LMFT). Dietitians and health coaches. PT, OT, pelvic PT, exercise physiologists and all other health professions.
If any of your patients or clients are women between 35 and 55, this is for you.
Use PERRY15 at checkout for your discount on either ticket track.
Early bird pricing is ending soon, and Perry Academy members save 30% — your member discount code is in your member portal.
Questions about tickets, accessibility, group registration or hotels: academy@heyperry.com
The women quoted above are members of the perry Sisters Chat community. Come sit with us — perry.disciplemedia.com.
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