Beyond the Hot Flash: The Hidden Realities of Perimenopause
In this Women on Wisdom episode, Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley shares an honest look at what perimenopause really feels like — and why it’s so often misunderstood.
She explains that while hot flashes get all the attention, they’re only one of more than 30 possible symptoms of menopause. The reason? Hot flashes are the only symptom that’s uniquely linked to menopause — everything else could be mistaken for something else.
That misunderstanding can have real consequences. Dayna tells the story of a friend who underwent an unnecessary heart workup — and was later denied insurance coverage — because her heart palpitations were actually hormonal symptoms.
Beyond the physical, Dayna noticed shifts in emotion and mindset: flashes of anger, waves of anxiety, and moments of self-doubt that felt out of character.
As she puts it, perimenopause isn’t just about the body changing — it’s about learning to notice those changes with compassion and curiosity.
This conversation reminds us that awareness is power. The more we talk about the full picture of menopause, the less women have to suffer in silence.
Listen to Episode 7 of Women on Wisdom featuring Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley and Patricia Polischuk: https://linktr.ee/womenonwisdom