Tovic Salvador

Amy Perez opens up about menopause, anxiety, setting boundaries

Article (news)

Ganiel Krishnan

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774514361537AMYPEREZ.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Amy Perez during her guesting in &#x27;Oh My Gan!&#x27;. Screenshot from ABS-CBN News on YouTube</div>Host Amy Perez candidly spoke about going through menopause, describing it as one of the most difficult stages of her life and one that Filipino women need to be informed about more openly.During her guesting on &quot;Oh My Gan!&quot;, Perez revealed that she is now in her post-menopause stage, saying it has been two years since she last had her period.“I am in my post-menopause. Ibig sabihin, it’s been two years since I haven’t been getting my period,” Perez said. “And I am in the best &#x27;panatag stage&#x27; of my life.”Before reaching this point, however, Perez said the transition was far from easy. She explained that perimenopause, which happens in the years leading up to menopause, brought a wide range of physical and emotional symptoms.“Before that was hard because may perimenopause, which is the five years before the said menopause,” she said. “Sad to say, dito sa atin, sa Pilipinas, walang sapat na information regarding that.”Perez questioned why menstruation and childbirth are often explained to women, but menopause is not discussed enough.“Nung nagka-menstrual period ka, your mom explained it to you. Nung nanganak ako at nabuntis, ipinaliwanag din sa &#x27;kin. Pero bakit nung nag-menopause, walang nagsalita?” she said.Among the symptoms she experienced were anxiety, mood swings, hot flashes, frozen shoulder, itchy ears, acid reflux, body inflammation, bloating, and even unusual sensations on her face.“Ang una kong naranasan was &#x27;yung anxiety. Mood change. Sobra ang ano ko, para akong papunta na sa halimaw sa banga,” she said.Perez added that going through it during the pandemic made things even harder. “Kaya sabi ko, parang… mas doble yung hirap,” she said.Despite the difficulties, Perez said she was able to identify what she was going through because she had been reading extensively and preparing herself. “I was really preparing for it,” she said.<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TrtUdhSMtqU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></div>One of the ways she managed the changes in her body was by returning to exercise, particularly weightlifting, and resuming golf during the pandemic.“During the pandemic kasi, I was able to rediscover my love for exercise. So bumalik ako sa exercise,” she said. “I do weightlifting… Tapos bumalik din ako ng golf.”<div>SELF-LOVE, BOUNDARIES</div>For Perez, menopause also became a turning point in learning to love herself better and to set boundaries, something she admitted she only learned later in life.“Ngayon lang nga akong natutong mag-set ng boundaries,” she said.She said she used to be someone who trusted easily and gave a lot of herself to others, but eventually learned that protecting her peace is not selfishness.“You have to think of yourself muna bago siya. Hindi naman &#x27;yun sa pagiging selfish. But you’re just protecting yourself,” she said.Perez also reflected on letting go of pride, impatience, and being overly hard on herself. The veteran host shared that there was a time when she would punish herself mentally over mistakes, especially in her work on television.“Dati talaga pagka nagkamali ako sa TV or may mali akong nagawa, sobra kong dinidibdib &#x27;yun. Hindi ko pinapatawad &#x27;yung sarili ko,” she said.Now, Perez said she is learning to release that pressure and lean on faith. “Ngayon natututo na ako na, ‘Lord, let go,’” she said.She also offered advice to women approaching their 40s, urging them to educate themselves early about perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.“Dapat nung mga nasa 40s pa lang kayo, inalam niyo na -- ano &#x27;yung perimenopause, ano &#x27;yung menopause, at ano &#x27;yung post-menopause,” she said.For Perez, menopause is not the end, but another chapter of growth.“Noong nag-stop ako, kinilala ko &#x27;yung body ko, &#x27;yung sarili ko. Doon ko mas na-appreciate na, ‘Ah, di naman pala the end ang menopause. Mayroon din naman palang beauty,’” she said.

Host Amy Perez candidly spoke about going through menopause, describing it as one of the most difficult stages of her life and one that Filipino women need to be informed about more openly.

Host Amy Perez candidly spoke about going through menopause, describing it as one of the most difficult stages of her life and one that Filipino women need to be informed about more openly.