- Kelly Ripa opened up about her experience with menopause.
- She shared the perks she’s noticed since going through the change.
- She also discussed the persistent stigmas associated with menopause that prevent women from feeling comfortable speaking out.
Contrary to popular belief, there are perks of experiencing “the Big M”—menopause. And Kelly Ripa, 53, is unafraid to proclaim them, loud and clear. “I love not getting my period. There—I said it,” she recently revealed on her podcast, Let’s Talk Off Camera.
During the episode, Ripa discussed the stigmas and shames attached to menopause with women’s health expert and her personal doctor, Erika Schwartz, M.D. She admitted that many of her older friends remain embarrassed to discuss the transition, adding that some have even lied about it.
“[They] routinely tell me they still get their periods regularly,” she said. “They’re talking to me, an open book, and still cannot bring themselves to talk about having gone through menopause. It is too scary for them to acknowledge.”
Ripa continued: “People still whisper the word menopause. The information is still so hidden.” Dr. Schwartz agreed, adding that even some doctors are “completely devoid of information” on menopause. “Because, in this day and age, there’s still a lot from yesterday’s day and age that has permeated the society and culture,” Schwartz added, referring to the ageist stereotypes associated with older women. “And we think that being aged beyond menopause, we’re no longer useful.”
Due to the shame and lack of information, like many others, Ripa had no idea what was happening when she began perimenopause—the beginning of the hormonal transition in which menstrual cycles change and symptoms like mood swings, low libido, joint pain, and headaches crop up due to a progressive drop in estrogen, per John Hopkins Medicine.
“I could barely sit up and I was like, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me,’” Ripa recalled. “And [Schwartz] said, ‘You’re probably perimenopausal’ and I was like ‘No, I get my period constantly’ and she said, ‘Yeah that’s perimenopause. That’s part of it.’”
Ripa added that she experienced a dip in sex drive, as well as vaginal dryness. Dr. Schwartz assured her and Ripa’s listeners that both are normal experiences. Her advice for maintaining health and contentment? Exercise, eat a balanced diet, get plenty of rest, and prioritize sex rather than give up on it, as many tend to do with age, she explained.
Ripa has taken those tips to heart, and over time, has found the silver linings in hitting the milestone. “You’re able to wear white pants and not be terrified,” she quipped. “My first Memorial Day through Labor Day after menopause… It was the summer of the white pant because I never had to worry about wearing white pants.”
Some may say life is over at menopause, but as Ripa points out—in some ways, it’s just beginning.
Kayla Blanton is a freelance writer-editor who covers health, nutrition, and lifestyle topics for various publications including Prevention, Everyday Health, SELF, People, and more. She’s always open to conversations about fueling up with flavorful dishes, busting beauty standards, and finding new, gentle ways to care for our bodies. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University with specializations in women, gender, and sexuality studies and public health, and is a born-and-raised midwesterner living in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and two spoiled kitties.
