Penélope Cruz’s honest comments about perimenopause have sparked a wave of discussion online, and prompted one doctor to reassure women that the life stage is far less frightening than some reactions may suggest.
The actress recently spoke about her own experience while promoting The Invite, in which she stars alongside Olivia Wilde.
During an interview with Allure, the conversation shifted away from the movie and toward women’s health, with Cruz and Wilde discussing perimenopause. According to the Mayo Clinic, “perimenopause is the time before menopause when your body is getting ready to stop having periods.” Symptoms can vary widely.
When asked what she believes people don’t talk about enough, Cruz pointed to just how long the transition can last.
“It can last 10, 12 years. It can start as early as 40. The ups and downs can be crazy,” she said, according to Tyla.
She recalled being told by her doctor at age 41 that her hormones would be “doing this crazy dance” for more than a decade.
“I thought it was not possible to handle.”
Cruz also revealed that she has dealt with recurring ovarian cysts, something she says she still experiences today and believes women should prepare themselves for.
Perimenopause symptoms
Later in the conversation, Wilde asked her to name a symptom many people may not realize can be connected to perimenopause. Cruz pointed to “frozen shoulder,” medically known as adhesive capsulitis.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, frozen shoulder “is a condition involving pain and stiffness in your shoulder joint. Symptoms usually start slowly and get worse over time.”
The revelation resonated with many women online.
“TIL that my frozen shoulder (that I’ve had for eight months) is likely due to perimenopause. Not Penélope Cruz being better educated in the menopause than the myriad of male doctors I’ve seen over the past five years,” one person wrote, according to Tyla.
Another added: “The frozen shoulder is the worst.”
A third commented: “Migraines, frozen shoulder, insomnia, hot flushes and tiredness. Everything comes in waves. Horrible.”
Someone else admitted: “I’m 39 and I’m so so so so so scared by all this. Petrified.”
“It’s very treatable”
Following the discussion, Dr. Ravina Bhanot spoke with Tyla, praising Cruz and Wilde for openly discussing a topic that often receives too little attention.
She called their conversation “brilliant,” saying that the more women talk about perimenopause, the “less alone women feel going through it.”
Addressing frozen shoulder specifically, Dr. Bhanot described it as an “under-recognised perimenopause symptom.”
“Falling oestrogen is thought to increase inflammation and stiffness around joints, and shoulders are particularly vulnerable in women around age 50-60.
“It’s very treatable with physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory and it does resolve.”
Dr. Bhanot also emphasized that perimenopause doesn’t look the same for everyone. While hot flashes are widely recognized, symptoms such as joint pain, brain fog, mood changes, and disrupted sleep are equally common.
She said those symptoms are “just as common as hot flushes and just as valid a reason to ask your GP for support.”
Dr. Bhanot stressed that perimenopause is “normal life stage” and “not something to fear.”
“If something feels off and you’re approaching perimenopause or menopause, seek help.
“There are lots of treatment options from lifestyle changes to hormone replacement therapy to non-hormonal options.”
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