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Perimenopause in Ethnic Minorities: Why Symptoms Are Missed | The Forties Formula
Description
Perimenopause symptoms often present differently in Black, South Asian and East Asian women. South Asian women typically reach menopause between 46 and 48, compared with 50 to 51 in Caucasian women, meaning symptoms can begin in the mid-thirties. Symptoms are more likely to appear as joint pain, body aches, anxiety, insomnia, vaginal dryness and recurrent UTIs rather than hot flushes. Black women in the UK are approximately five times less likely to be prescribed HRT.
In this episode of The Forties Formula, Jasmin Dhillon and Amanda Lim sit down with Dr Shahzadi Harper to explore how perimenopause affects women differently across ethnicities, and why that matters for diagnosis, treatment and long-term health.
They cover why perimenopause can start earlier than most women realise, the higher baseline cardiovascular, metabolic and bone density risks carried by South Asian and Black women, and why East Asian women are wrongly assumed to sail through menopause symptom free.
Dr Harper shares her own perimenopause story, including brain fog, fatigue and joint pain with no hot flushes at all, and why she chose HRT and testosterone. The conversation moves into GLP-1s and metabolic health, how to advocate for yourself when a doctor dismisses you, what to do if you cannot or do not want to take HRT, and why common symptoms should never be accepted as normal.
Finally, Dr Harper shares her Forties Formula: put yourself first.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Why perimenopause is misunderstood
01:53 An ethnic minority lens
06:06 Do clinicians know?
08:02 The hardest stage
13:54 Dr Harper's own story
16:06 Why she chose HRT
17:44 GLP-1s and perimenopause
21:19 Stress, caring and weight
25:58 Metabolic and heart risk
30:57 Access and awareness
33:13 Advocating for yourself
36:23 The many symptoms
40:47 If you can't take HRT
47:38 Stop white-knuckling it
49:16 Relationships and identity
51:32 Her Forties Formula
FREE DOCTOR SCRIPT
Feel dismissed at your appointment? We have created a free script with exactly what to say and which tests to ask for.
https://the-forties-formula-with-amanda-jasmin.kit.com/script
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dr Shahzadi Harper is a GP of over 20 years and founder of The Harper Clinic on Harley Street, specialising in women's health, perimenopause and menopause.
ABOUT YOUR HOSTS
Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist and Health Coach helping women in their 40s navigate gut health, hormones and nutrition.
https://www.instagram.com/eat.with.jasmin/
Amanda Lim is a Metabolic Health Coach focused on helping women build strength, confidence and long-term health.
https://www.instagram.com/coachamanda/
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Perimenopause symptoms, perimenopause symptoms age 40, symptoms of perimenopause, perimenopause treatment, perimenopause anxiety, HRT, menopause age by ethnicity, women's health, midlife health.