Amy Robach has been pretty open about her battle with breast cancer. The Good Morning America host discovered she had it after undergoing a live mammogram on her show in 2013, and underwent a double mastectomy and eight rounds of chemotherapy to save her life, but she didn't expect what came next: the menopause.
Amy spoke out about her discovery on an episode of Good Morning America in 2018, when she was 44 years old. "Menopause never crossed my mind," she said.
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"But I know now that it is a very common side effect of chemotherapy. It wasn't just a side effect to my doctors though, it was a bonus because estrogen fuels my type of cancer. Sure enough, halfway through my treatments, I stopped menstruating and doctors placed me on medication to keep me in a state of menopause for at least the next decade.
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Amy had her first mammogram live on her show
"After going through cancer treatments, I thought menopause would be a breeze, but I wasn't prepared for how constant and powerful the symptoms would be. The worst one was the first one, the heat, my God the heat! And I'm still suffering four years later. My hot flashes come on fast and strong and I find myself filled with anxiety in the most inconvenient places wanting to rip off my c clothes: on planes, in restaurants, in the grocery store and sometimes just walking down the street.
"Dressing in layers has helped but I'm sure it looks bizarre to see me stripped down to a tank top in January in New York City. And then there are the night sweats. Blanks and down comforters are off limits now. I can't have my husband cuddle with me for more than two minutes before I have to push him away for fear we will both go up in flames.
She added that while it hasn't necessarily been a pleasant experience, she feels blessed to be able to go through it, after surviving cancer. Amy also encouraged her fans and GMA viewers to talk about their own experiences, in order to give "each other the proper tools to understand it".
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