Beth Behrs, 38, Was Dismissed by 'Specifically Male' Doctors as ‘Too Young for Perimenopause'

Mar. 15, 2025

Beth Behrs in Los Angeles in May 2024.Photo:Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Beth Behrssays doctors — specifically, male doctors — dismissed herperimenopausesymptoms, telling the actress she was “too young” for the condition.

“I would go see doctors, get ultrasounds, and was always told ‘You’re fine,’ “The Neighborhoodactress, who turns 39 on Dec. 26, tellsGlamourof her long journey to diagnose what was going on.

A year after Behrs and her husbandMichael Gladiswelcomed daughterEmma George, Behrs says, “I started waking up in the middle of the night with what I thought were fevers, but it felt different from a typical fever. It almost felt like I had a sunburn going up my whole body.”

Beth Behrs in Hollywood in May 2024.Corine Solberg/FilmMagic

Corine Solberg/FilmMagic

She shares that it was “affecting my sleep, and I was getting really bad insomnia, along with really heavy periods and heavy fatigue. I was gaining weight even though I was still exercising the same and eating healthy. My stomach was so inflamed that I couldn’t even latch my jeans at work.”

Symptoms of perimenopause — the transitional period to menopause — include irregular periods, hot flashes, and mood changes, theMayo Clinicsays, adding that while it generally starts in your 40s, some women begin experiencingperimenopausein their 30s.

However, the2 Broke Girlsalum says dismissal came “specifically from male doctors,” as she was told “ ‘You’re too young for perimenopause.’  But I knew something wasn’t right. And now I know that, no, your late 30s is not ‘too young.’ ”

Behrs said that it wasn’t until she mentioned her symptoms to a costume designer onThe Neighborhoodthat perimenopause came up as a possible cause.

“It wasn’t a great feeling of joy to find out my symptoms were related to perimenopause, but it was a relief that it wasn’t something more serious. And comforting to finally have answers,” Behrs said, saying that she takes estrogen supplements and birth control pills to help her symptoms. “I still get hot flashes or brain fog occasionally, but at least I know why,” she says.

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Beth Behrs (center, with Kat Dennings, left) on “2 Broke Girls” in 2012.Alamy

Alamy

Behr shares that she’s talking about her experience with perimenopause at a young age because “it can help women realize they aren’t alone with the changes they’re going through.”

“Let’s help other women feel less alone as they’re going through some of these hormonal changes.”

source: people.com