Interview with Leanne Morgan, Comedian on Menopause, Career Reinvention, and Her Daughter’s PCOS Journey

There are seasons in life when everything seems to crack open at once. Health changes. Family shifts. Confidence takes a hit. Work feels uncertain. And somehow, if we are lucky and stubborn enough, that same season can become the one that remakes us.

That is what makes this conversation with Dr. Thais Aliabadi, Mary Alice Haney, and comedian Leanne Morgan is so powerful. We move from perimenopause and misdiagnosis to second acts, laughter, motherhood, PCOS, fertility planning, insulin resistance, and what it looks like when women finally get real answers instead of being brushed off.

Table of Contents

• Menopause, reinvention, and the health questions women are too often told to ignore
• Finding a second act in our 50s
• Balancing family, work, and identity
• When the conversation turned to Tess and PCOS
• Understanding what is underneath PCOS
• A practical treatment framework for PCOS
• Fertility, egg quality, and planning earlier
• What this conversation says about women’s healthcare
• FAQ

Menopause, reinvention, and the health questions women are too often told to ignore

How did perimenopause change everything for us, both personally and professionally?

Perimenopause can feel like life suddenly stops making sense. One day we are carrying on, managing work, marriage, kids, errands, and the regular mess of life. Then seemingly out of nowhere, fatigue hits hard, emotions become unpredictable, hair starts shedding, weight starts shifting, and it feels like our body has become unfamiliar.

That was the beginning of a major turning point here. What first looked like depression or burnout turned out to be something much more layered. There was deep exhaustion, crying spells, major life transitions with children growing up and leaving home, and the nagging sense that something physical was wrong. The problem was not that the symptoms were vague. The problem was that they were dismissed.

That dismissal is a pattern far too many women know well. We are told we are stressed. We are told we are depressed. We are told our labs are normal. We are told to power through. And meanwhile our bodies are waving red flags.

In this case, the answer came from a clinician willing to look deeper. A broader thyroid workup revealed a thyroid problem that had been missed with outdated testing. There were also signs of estrogen imbalance and a gluten sensitivity. It did not get better overnight, but once the right issues were identified and treated, the fog began to lift.

That experience became more than a private health struggle. It became a launch point. It led to open conversations about hormones, menopause, and how little support women are often given when these changes begin. It also created room for something beautiful and unexpected: a bigger platform, a louder voice, and a career breakthrough later in life.

Why do so many women miss the signs of perimenopause?

Because the symptoms do not always look the way we were taught to expect.

Many of us think menopause starts when periods stop and hot flashes begin. But perimenopause usually starts much earlier, often years before menopause itself. The average age of menopause is about 51 and a half, but the lead-up can begin seven to ten years before that. So if we are in our early or mid-40s and suddenly not feeling like ourselves, perimenopause belongs on the list.

It does not always show up as skipped periods. It can show up as:

• Brain fog
• Low mood or anxiety
• Sleep problems
• Heart palpitations
• Hair loss
• Weight gain, especially around the middle
• Anger or irritability
• Vaginal dryness
• A sense that our mind is not as sharp as it used to be

And not everyone gets the same version of it. One woman may deal with mood swings. Another may have night sweats. Another may gain weight without changing how she eats. Another may struggle most with forgetfulness and mental fuzziness.

That variety is exactly why it gets missed.

What symptoms tend to scare women the most?

Brain fog may be one of the most unsettling. When we cannot remember where we put things, lose our train of thought, or feel like our mind is lagging behind us, it is easy to wonder if something more serious is happening.

Some women start to fear dementia. Others think they are losing their grip. Partners may misread what is happening too, which only makes it worse. But for many women in their 40s, that cognitive haze can be part of perimenopause, not a sign that they are unraveling.

That does not mean we should ignore symptoms. It means we need to interpret them in context and stop pretending this stage of life is rare or mysterious. It is common, and women deserve clinicians who know how to recognize it.

For a deeper look at earlier signs and treatment options, we can also explore this guide to symptoms of perimenopause that can start sooner than expected.

What helps women most when they are going through this stage?

First, being believed.

Second, getting evaluated by someone who understands hormones and modern testing.

And third, support at home.

One of the smartest points in this conversation is that partners often need education too. Hormonal changes during postpartum recovery and perimenopause are real physiological events, not personality flaws. If we want healthier marriages and healthier households, then partners need to stop labeling women as dramatic or unstable and start listening.

Sometimes the most helpful thing a partner can do is not fix anything. Just show up, be patient, and stop arguing with the reality of what is happening.

Finding a second act in our 50s

How did career reinvention happen after such a hard health chapter?

This part is a joy because it reminds us that success does not have an expiration date.

After more than 25 years in stand-up, raising three children, and building a comedy career in a way that fit family life, the breakthrough did not come early. It came later. A clip went viral. Audiences connected to the honesty and the humor. Tours sold out across the country. A podcast about menopause and hormones found its people. Then came a Netflix special, more specials to come, and even a sitcom deal.

What makes that story resonate is not just the success. It is the route. This was not some polished, linear path. It was built while raising babies, supporting a spouse’s demanding career, taking whatever stage time was possible, and turning everyday life into comedy material.

There is something deeply hopeful in that. Plenty of women feel as if their ambitious years are behind them once motherhood, caregiving, or health issues take center stage. This story says otherwise.

What made the comedy connect so strongly?

Relatability. Family life. Body changes. Marriage. Motherhood. The little humiliations and absurdities we all recognize but do not always say out loud.

There is also power in naming what many women quietly live through. Talking publicly about perimenopause, hot nights, giant practical underwear, mood swings, and the strange humor hidden inside female aging helped take some of the shame out of it. Laughter can do that. It turns private discomfort into shared recognition.

And it does something else too. It gives women permission to talk.

Can hardship and gratitude really coexist?

Yes. That may be the heart of the whole conversation.

Perimenopause was described as both one of the worst and one of the best things to happen. Worst because of the suffering and confusion. Best because it pushed open doors that might never have opened otherwise. It led to answers, to a new career chapter, and to more honest conversations about women’s health.

That perspective does not romanticize struggle. It simply says that pain can sometimes become material, meaning, and momentum.

Balancing family, work, and identity

How did motherhood shape the path to success?

In practical terms, motherhood changed the career route completely.

Traditional stand-up often demands nights away, club schedules, travel, and a lifestyle that is tough to pair with hands-on parenting. So a different path had to be carved. Instead of chasing the classic route, there were private events, fundraisers, women’s gatherings, and slower, steadier ways to stay on stage while still raising the children personally.

That matters because so many women feel behind when their careers do not follow the expected pattern. But different does not mean lesser. It may simply mean later.

The other gift of family life is material. Marriage, babies, breastfeeding, body changes, school activities, the frustrations of domestic life, all of it became part of the comedy voice. Real life did not interrupt the work. It became the work.

What happens when we think it is too late?

That is often the exact moment things are still forming.

There was a point of real discouragement, a dinner filled with tears, and the feeling that the career was not going where it was supposed to go. That moment is familiar to anyone who has worked for years without the payoff they imagined.

Now, in the late 50s, the story looks completely different. Touring nationally, landing major deals, and feeling as if things are only beginning sends a powerful message. We are allowed to become more visible later. We are allowed to begin again.

When the conversation turned to Tess and PCOS

How did the discussion shift from menopause to PCOS?

It shifted in the most natural way possible, by following the thread of hormones across generations.

After talking about perimenopause and insulin resistance in menopause, the focus moved to Tess and the signs that had been present in her health history for years. She had been dealing with thyroid cancer, hair loss, irregular cycles, facial and body hair, weight fluctuations, and insulin resistance. Once those details were laid out, the pattern was hard to miss.

What makes this section so important is how familiar it sounds. A young woman has symptoms. Some care is given. A diagnosis may even be mentioned. But the treatment is incomplete, too narrow, or not fully explained. Years pass. The underlying issue remains.

That is one reason PCOS remains so misunderstood.

What symptoms suggested PCOS in Tess’s case?

The symptoms described fit a classic pattern:

• Irregular or absent periods
• Facial hair and excess body hair
• Hair thinning on the scalp
• Insulin resistance
• Rapid weight gain and difficulty with consistency
• Mood changes and anxiety
• Prior ultrasound findings consistent with polycystic ovaries

Importantly, acne was not a major issue for her, and that is a useful reminder. We do not need every possible symptom to have PCOS. Different women present differently.

If we want a broader foundation on symptoms, diagnosis, and related topics, this PCOS resource hub is a strong place to continue reading.

How is PCOS actually diagnosed?

The explanation here is refreshingly clear. Diagnosis generally relies on having two of three main criteria:

1. Irregular ovulation or irregular periods
2. Ovaries that appear polycystic on ultrasound
3. Signs of excess androgens, either in symptoms or lab work

Signs of excess androgens can include facial hair, body hair, scalp hair loss, acne, or elevated male-type hormone levels on blood testing.

In Tess’s case, the combination of irregular cycles, prior ultrasound findings, and androgen-related symptoms strongly supported the diagnosis.

Understanding what is underneath PCOS

What is insulin resistance doing in PCOS?

This is the part that changes everything because it explains why symptom-only treatment often falls short.

PCOS is not only a reproductive issue. For many women, it is deeply tied to insulin resistance. That means the body is making insulin, but the cells are not responding properly to it.

Here is the simple version:

• We eat carbohydrates.
• They break down into glucose.
• The pancreas releases insulin.
• Insulin is supposed to help move glucose into cells for energy.
• With insulin resistance, the cells do not respond well.
• Sugar lingers in the blood.
• The body pumps out more insulin.

That high insulin level becomes a problem in two major ways. It pushes the body toward fat storage, especially weight gain that becomes harder to manage. And it stimulates the ovaries to make more testosterone. That contributes to irregular cycles, unwanted hair growth, hair loss on the scalp, and acne.

Once we understand that, PCOS starts to make more sense. The symptoms are not random. They are connected.

Why do birth control pills help some symptoms but not solve the whole problem?

Birth control pills can absolutely help with PCOS symptoms. They may make periods more predictable and improve acne, hair changes, and androgen-related issues.

But the important distinction is this: they often manage the visible symptoms without fully addressing the metabolic driver underneath, which is insulin resistance.

That is why some women feel confused. They take the pill and some things get better, but weight struggles or other issues persist. It is not that symptom management is useless. It is that it is only one piece of treatment.

What about mood symptoms in PCOS?

Mood issues are common, and they deserve more attention than they usually get. Anxiety, mood swings, and low self-esteem often travel with PCOS.

Some of that may be biological. Some may come from the cumulative stress of weight changes, hair loss, irregular cycles, fertility anxiety, and feeling out of control in our own bodies. Either way, mood matters. It is not separate from the condition. It is part of the lived experience of it.

A practical treatment framework for PCOS

What treatment plan was suggested for Tess?

The plan outlined was comprehensive and individualized, which is exactly the point. Not every person with PCOS needs the same regimen. Treatment should be shaped around symptoms, goals, age, fertility plans, and lab results.

For Tess specifically, the recommendations discussed included:

• Checking hormone levels and ovarian reserve markers
• Making sure thyroid replacement is fully optimized
• Continuing birth control for symptom control
• Using metformin at an effective dose to improve insulin sensitivity
• Adding a supplement designed to support blood sugar regulation, inflammation, and hormonal balance
• Considering GLP-1 medications for weight and insulin resistance in the right context
• Using oral minoxidil for hair loss support
• Planning ahead for fertility, including egg freezing at the right time if appropriate

That may sound like a lot, but it reflects a bigger truth: PCOS is often a systems issue. We do better when we stop treating only the loudest symptom and start treating the whole picture.

Why was the earlier metformin treatment not enough?

Because dose matters, and so does follow-through.

Being placed on a low dose once daily may not do enough to meaningfully improve insulin sensitivity in someone who truly needs metabolic support. That does not mean metformin does not work. It means a token dose is not the same as a treatment strategy.

There was also an important reminder that metformin can affect vitamin B12 levels, which is why monitoring and supplementation matter.

What role do diet and exercise actually play?

A big one, but not in the punishing, perfectionist way women are often sold.

If insulin resistance is central, then managing blood sugar becomes essential. That means reducing foods that drive major glucose spikes, limiting processed foods, and being more intentional with carbohydrates. Not because thinness is the goal, but because metabolic stability is.

Movement also matters. A practical tip given here is one many people overlook: walk after meals. Even 10 to 15 minutes can help muscles take up glucose more efficiently, which supports better blood sugar control.

That advice is especially helpful because it is doable. Not everyone can launch into an intense training plan. But most of us can build in short walks and become more active after eating.

For more guidance on daily habits, food choices, and sustainable movement, this PCOS diet and exercise guide expands on the same principles.

Is this about weight or about health?

Health, clearly and repeatedly.

That distinction matters. Weight gain in PCOS is often a reflection of underlying insulin resistance, not laziness or lack of discipline. If we only shame the weight and ignore the physiology, we miss the point and often make women feel worse.

The goal is to restore healthier function. As insulin levels improve, symptoms often improve too. Weight can change as part of that, but it is not the sole measure of progress.

Fertility, egg quality, and planning earlier

Why was fertility planning brought up so early?

Because PCOS creates a false sense of security for some women.

Many people with PCOS have a high egg count, and that can sound reassuring. But a high quantity of eggs is not the same as preserving egg quality over time. The message here was to stop confusing the two.

As age increases, egg quality declines, including in women with PCOS. So if someone wants children later and has the means, it may make sense to evaluate hormone levels, get an egg count, and consider freezing eggs before 30 or around the late 20s depending on the full picture.

This does not mean everyone must freeze eggs. It means people deserve accurate counseling before they are 35, not after.

How can better PCOS treatment affect future pregnancy?

Treating insulin resistance and improving ovulation can have a major effect on fertility. More regular ovulation improves the chances of spontaneous pregnancy. Better metabolic health before pregnancy can also reduce risk.

Untreated PCOS and obesity can increase the likelihood of complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. And if someone waits until the point of urgent fertility treatment without addressing the underlying condition first, the next step may be expensive interventions instead of lower-tech options.

The larger point is not anti-fertility care. It is pro-early intervention.

What this conversation says about women’s healthcare

What is the most frustrating pattern that kept coming up?

Women being told outdated information by people who should know better.

That showed up in perimenopause. It showed up in hormone conversations. It showed up in PCOS care. It showed up in the assumption that suffering is just part of being female.

There was also a painful truth repeated throughout: even women with access to highly regarded doctors can still be dismissed, undertested, or misinformed. That should concern all of us.

It is also why educational platforms like this matter. Good information can shorten the road to diagnosis and help women know when an answer does not sound right.

What do we do with all of this?

We talk about it.

We stop whispering about hormones like they are embarrassing. We stop accepting vague reassurance when our bodies are clearly struggling. We ask better questions. We bring our partners into the conversation. We plan earlier where fertility is concerned. We look underneath symptoms, especially in PCOS and perimenopause. And we keep reminding one another that feeling awful is common, but it is not something we are required to silently accept.

There is also something wonderfully human here: laughter. Humor does not erase suffering, but it can make it survivable. It can connect us. It can lower shame. It can make room for honesty.

That may be why this conversation lands so well. It is funny, yes. But underneath the humor is a serious call to action. Women need better information, better care, and the confidence to trust themselves when something feels off.

FAQs

Can we be in perimenopause even if our periods are still regular?

Yes. Perimenopause can begin years before menopause and does not require periods to stop. Symptoms like brain fog, mood changes, sleep issues, hair loss, and weight gain can appear while cycles are still happening.

Do we need hot flashes to suspect perimenopause?

No. Hot flashes are common, but they are not required. Some women mainly notice irritability, anxiety, forgetfulness, or exhaustion.

What are the main signs of PCOS?

Common signs include irregular periods, excess facial or body hair, scalp hair thinning, acne, weight gain, and insulin resistance. Not everyone has every symptom.

How is PCOS diagnosed?

Diagnosis generally relies on having two of three findings: irregular ovulation or periods, polycystic-appearing ovaries on ultrasound, and signs of elevated androgens through symptoms or labs.

Does birth control cure PCOS?

Birth control can help manage symptoms like irregular bleeding and androgen-related issues, but it does not necessarily correct the insulin resistance that often drives the condition.

Why is insulin resistance such a big deal in PCOS?

Because high insulin can increase fat storage and stimulate the ovaries to make more testosterone. That can worsen weight gain, cycle disruption, facial hair, scalp hair loss, and other symptoms.

Can walking after meals really help with PCOS?

Yes. Light activity after meals can help muscles use glucose more effectively, which supports blood sugar control and may help with insulin resistance over time.

Should every woman with PCOS freeze her eggs?

No. That is an individual decision based on age, hormone testing, ovarian reserve, timing, and finances. But women with PCOS should know that a high egg count does not guarantee egg quality forever.

What is the biggest takeaway from this conversation?

When women do not feel well, they deserve real evaluation and real answers. Hormonal symptoms are common, but they should not be dismissed, minimized, or treated as something we simply have to endure.

This article was created from the video Comedian Leanne Morgan Menopause, Career Reinvention, and Her Daughter’s PCOS Symptoms | SHE MD for Dr. Thais Aliabadi’s website.