HerMoney with Jean Chatzky – Episode 461: The True Cost of Menopause: Your Health, Your Career & Your Wallet

Release Date: February 5, 2025
Host: Jean Chatzky
Guest: Jill Herzig, Chief Brand Officer and Co-Founder of MIDI Health

Introduction to the Episode

In this insightful episode of HerMoney with Jean Chatzky, host Jean Chatzky delves deep into the multifaceted impact of menopause on women's health, careers, and financial well-being. Joining her is Jill Herzig, a seasoned magazine editor turned health entrepreneur, who shares her personal journey through perimenopause and the professional challenges it entails. Together, they explore the often-overlooked costs associated with menopause and discuss actionable solutions to mitigate these challenges.

Understanding Menopause and Its Symptoms

Timestamp: [04:02]
Jean Chatzky introduces the topic by highlighting the prevalence of menopause-related discussions among listeners, noting the popularity of previous episodes on the subject. She shares her own experience of undergoing menopause, emphasizing the disruptive nature of symptoms like frequent hot flashes during professional engagements.

Jill Herzig elaborates on the extensive range of menopause symptoms, stating, "There are estrogen receptors in every part of your body, like head to toe... for roughly 85% of people, that cause symptoms" (07:00). She outlines both surface and deeper health changes, including hot flashes, anxiety, depression, weight fluctuations, muscle and joint aches, cognitive fog, and increased risks of heart disease and bone loss.

Cultural and Medical Barriers to Addressing Menopause

Timestamp: [08:28]
Jill Herzig discusses why menopause remains a taboo topic, attributing it to cultural stigmas surrounding women's fertility and aging, as well as outdated medical perspectives. She references the influential Women's Health Initiative study from two decades ago, which led to widespread fear and misunderstanding about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). "There are a lot of reasons. I think some of them are cultural... And a lot of it is cultural," she explains (08:46).

Jean agrees, sharing her positive experience with a knowledgeable doctor who provided proactive support during her menopause journey, contrasting it with Jill’s less supportive encounter with her ob-gyn.

Financial and Career Implications of Untreated Menopause

Timestamp: [12:03]
The conversation shifts to the financial repercussions of unmanaged menopause symptoms. Jill Herzig cites research by Dr. Phil Sorrell from Yale, revealing that women with untreated vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes incur an additional $2,000 in medical expenses annually compared to those who receive treatment (12:03). She also highlights the time costs associated with seeking multiple specialists, often yielding no effective solutions.

Furthermore, Jill underscores the career impact, referencing UK studies where "50% of women say they don't seek a promotion because their symptoms have just made them feel like they aren't up to it" (16:10). She notes that untreated symptoms can lead to diminished confidence, reduced productivity, and even premature exit from the workforce, resulting in significant financial losses both for individuals and the broader economy.

Midi Health: A Solution for Comprehensive Menopause Care

Timestamp: [18:01]
Jill Herzig introduces MIDI Health, a telemedicine platform she co-founded to provide holistic and accessible care for women undergoing menopause. She details the company's approach:

• Personalized Care Plans: MIDI Health employs nurse practitioners trained specifically in female health and midlife transitions, overseen by medical doctors (20:48).
• Insurance Optimization: The platform assists patients in navigating insurance coverage to minimize out-of-pocket costs for treatments like HRT (23:32).
• High Satisfaction Rates: With a 95% patient satisfaction rate and 91% reporting significant symptom improvement within two months, MIDI Health demonstrates effective support for women during menopause.

Navigating the Menopause Market: Avoiding "Snake Oil"

Timestamp: [21:46]
Addressing the influx of menopause-related products and services, Jill Herzig advises caution against superficial solutions. "Applying beauty products will not help you with menopause symptoms... you want healthcare that is system-wide," she cautions (21:46). She emphasizes the importance of:

• Evidence-Based Treatments: Ensuring that any supplements or therapies have scientific backing.
• Professional Guidance: Consulting trained clinicians who can provide tailored, effective medical solutions rather than relying on unverified products.

Proactive Strategies for Managing Menopause

Timestamp: [25:37]
Jill Herzig advocates for education and preparedness as key strategies for managing menopause effectively:

• Symptom Awareness: Understanding the wide range of possible symptoms to recognize and address them early.
• Lifestyle Adjustments: Optimizing diet, establishing consistent sleep routines, and maintaining enjoyable exercise habits to alleviate symptoms and bolster long-term health.
• Medical Support: Seeking out professional care to avoid the financial and emotional toll of unmanaged symptoms.

Conclusion and Final Insights

Timestamp: [27:49]
As the episode draws to a close, Jean Chatzky and Jill Herzig reiterate the importance of addressing menopause proactively to safeguard both health and financial stability. They encourage women to seek comprehensive care, leverage platforms like MIDI Health for support, and foster open conversations about menopause to dismantle lingering stigmas.

Jean concludes with a powerful reminder: "Don't sweat through meetings and deal with other symptoms unnecessarily; there are treatments to handle" (30:00).

Key Takeaways

• Menopause Impacts: Menopause affects virtually every system in a woman's body, leading to a multitude of symptoms that can disrupt personal and professional life.
• Financial Costs: Untreated menopause can lead to increased medical expenses, reduced career advancement, and early retirement, resulting in significant financial losses.
• Cultural Stigma: Societal taboos around aging and fertility hinder open discussions and timely medical intervention for menopause.
• Comprehensive Care: Solutions like MIDI Health offer personalized, insurance-optimized, and evidence-based care to effectively manage menopause symptoms.
• Proactive Management: Education, lifestyle adjustments, and professional healthcare are critical in navigating menopause successfully.

Notable Quotes

• Jean Chatzky: "Sometimes the most painful part of getting sick is the getting better part." (00:39)
• Jill Herzig: "There are estrogen receptors in every part of your body, like head to toe... for roughly 85% of people, that cause symptoms." (07:00)
• Jean Chatzky: "I felt like I was doing it backwards in high heels with a blindfold on and having to pee all the time." (15:34)
• Jill Herzig: "There is no medal that you get at the end for suffering through menopause symptoms. Nobody gives you a trophy. Why do it?" (16:10)
• Jill Herzig: "If you're trying to evaluate this, you want to make sure that you're not looking at what is essentially a beauty company... you want healthcare." (21:46)

Resources Mentioned

• MIDI Health: MIDI Health Website
• Women's Health Initiative Study: Research Overview

This episode serves as a crucial reminder of the hidden costs of menopause and the necessity for comprehensive support systems to ensure women can navigate this life stage with confidence and financial security.