KENT COUNTY, Mich — Tammy Myers's strength and tenacity made headlines across the country. The Michigan mom spent years fighting to change state surrogacy laws after a lengthy legal battle to adopt her twins. Now, the busy mom of three is navigating the next chapter in early menopause.
WATCH BELOW: Woman who beat cancer has her next fight with early menopause
Myers, 44, was blindsided by a breast cancer diagnosis at 33.
“I was very much in the prime of my life, you know, just getting started with my career, with my marriage, had just had a small child,” Myers said. “I had zero family history, zero risk factors.”
Meyers froze her eggs before undergoing treatment as she desperately wanted to have a second child.
Through the haze, she then took the steps needed to save her life.
"[Doctors] started doing Lupron to suppress my ovaries, and really forced me into menopause. And then, after talking with my physicians and my OB at the time, and really looking at my risks long term, knowing how highly hormone positive I was, it was encouraged that I go through an ovariectomy, so a partial hysterectomy, to really further reduce my risk of the cancer returning, and that would ultimately force me into menopause," she said.
"It was almost like a glass over effect of like, add it to the list of things to worry about."
After beating cancer, Myers welcomed twins through a gestational carrier and then fought to adopt them because of an outdated state law.
Her years-long effort to change state surrogacy rules drew national attention, but behind the scenes, Myers was dealing with the challenges of early menopause.
"For many years, I just suffered in silence and tried to hide it as best I could,” she told FOX 17 News. “menopause can affect so many things, including relationships and libido... gaining weight without reason, no matter what I ate, it was a struggle.”
Myers initially faced another hurdle- her cancer history- as she sought treatment for her symptoms.
“I was told that hormones were the enemy. Hormones would bring my cancer back,” she explained.
She found the help she needed by working with Dr. Diana Bitner at True Women’s Health.
Myers said she found the right mix of treatments — including vaginal estrogen — to manage hot flashes, insomnia, and other symptoms.
“There are medications that help that don't introduce hormones into my body that are completely safe for breast cancer patients, and something that I really didn't even know existed,” Myers said.
Now nearly 11 years cancer-free, Myers is celebrating each day- despite the challenges of menopause.
"It's a roller coaster at times, but I have gotten to a place where I manage it," she said. "Really getting my hands on the tools and the medications to reduce my symptoms and, you know, make my days enjoyable again, is what changed my life.
Changes to Michigan surrogacy law took effect this spring.
Watch our full interview with Dr. Bitner on managing menopause and treatment options below.
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