What No One Told Us: The Black Woman’s Guide to Menopause

For too long, Black women have been left out of the menopause conversation. Dismissed as too young. Told their symptoms were stress. Handed a pamphlet when they deserved real answers.

What No One Told Us: The Black Woman’s Guide to Menopause was written to close that gap.

Dr. Michelle Cooke—board-certified family medicine physician, certified menopause practitioner, and founder of Sol Direct Primary Care in Atlanta—brings together clinical expertise and a deep understanding of the unique challenges Black women face during midlife. Drawing on years of practice and the latest research, she delivers a warm, direct, and comprehensive guide to navigating every stage of the menopausal transition.

Inside, you will learn:

• What perimenopause actually is—and why normal lab results don’t rule it out
• Why Black women experience menopause earlier, longer, and more severely
• The truth about hormone therapy and what the 2002 WHI study got wrong
• How estrogen protects your heart, bones, and brain—and what happens when it declines
• What fibroids have to do with menopause and what you can do about them
• How to treat vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, and recurrent UTIs
• How to walk into any examination room and advocate for the care you deserve

This is not a book about surviving menopause. It is a book about thriving through it.