By Scarlett Harvey – World Champion Strength Athlete, Women’s Health Advocate & Author
When Menopause Comes Before 40
When you hear the word menopause, what do you picture? Grey hair, reading glasses, a woman in her late forties fanning herself through a hot flush, right? That’s what I thought too, until at thirty five, I was told my ovaries had stopped working. It’s called Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI). It affects one in one hundred women under forty and one in one thousand under thirty. That’s not rare!
The Beginning of an Unexpected Chapter
My story didn’t start in a doctor’s office. It started with deep deep sadness, a sense of loss, and exhaustion, the kind a good nights sleep or a staycay or holiday couldn’t fix. At the time, I was competing internationally as a World Champion and World Record Holder in a crazy niche sport known as ,Strongwoman. My life was about pushing limits and precision. And yet, something was off. My periods became painful and erratic, my sleep fractured, and my emotional resilience, which was my superpower, faded. After multiple tests, I was told my FSH levels were high, my estrogen and testosterone were almost gone, and my AMH was virtually zero. In medical language: menopause. In emotional language: heartbreak.
What Is POI, Really?
Premature Ovarian Insufficiency happens when the ovaries stop functioning before age forty. Ovulation becomes irregular, stops entirely and can been described as a fake (anovualtion), and estrogen levels fall far earlier than expected. Sometimes it happens after pregnancy or illness. Sometimes it happens for no reason at all. Estrogen isn’t just a reproductive hormone; it’s a life hormone that impacts muscles, mood, metabolism, brain, recovery and heart.
The Real Symptoms (Beyond the Hot Flushes)
People talk about menopause as if it’s only hot flushes. But for many women with POI, the list is far longer and heavier. My body was trying to tell me something through chronic fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, night sweats, deep sadness, joint pain, irregular bleeding, and weight changes. The hardest part? Nobody believed me. I looked strong and healthy. How could I be menopausal? Even my family didn’t understand. I felt invisible.
The Diagnosis Journey
Getting diagnosed with POI takes time. It’s often dismissed as stress, thyroid imbalance, burnout or in my case, overtraining. I went through several doctors before finding one who truly listened. And that’s what I want every woman reading this to know: you are the expert on your own body. If something feels wrong, keep pushing for answers. Ask for bloodwork: FSH, LH, estrogen, progesterone (on day 21 of your menstrual cycle), testosterone, and AMH. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re too young. When the diagnosis came, I cried. But once I had a name for it, I had power. Confusion turned into clarity. And clarity can change everything.
Learning to Rebuild
After diagnosis, I made it my mission to learn everything I could. I spoke with specialists in every area of women’s health and hormones and explored every angle. I already knew how much muscle mass, strength training, nutrition, and stress management were vital for hormonal health. I was advised to start HRT and I also took a step back from international competition to focus on joy, balance, and recovery. That’s why I created my coaching program Muscles in Menopause, to help women rebuild confidence, muscle, and metabolism at any stage of their hormonal journey.
Living with POI
There’s no cure for POI, but there are ways to live better: HRT to replace lost estrogen, nutrition rich in protein and micronutrients, strength training for muscle and mood, and community support. And for those navigating irregular bleeding, practical comfort matters.
Brands like Sahara make a real difference with reusable period pants that give women dignity, comfort, and confidence.
From Grief to Growth
Yes, POI took something from me, my fertility, predictability, and control. But it gave me something greater: purpose. It made me an advocate, educator, and voice for women told they’re too young or too sensitive. If my story helps one woman feel seen, it’s worth every tear. Menopause is not the end of womanhood. It’s the beginning of understanding it.
An Invitation
If this resonates, follow my journey on Instagram @strongerwithscarlett, LinkedIn (Scarlett Harvey), YouTube, or my website www.scarlettharvey.com. My upcoming book, Brave Enough to Begin Again, releases October 28, 2025. My art exhibition, The Whole Woman Unveiled, explores women’s health and hormones from every angle.
Because you are not too young, too late, or too lost, you are exactly where your next beginning starts.