Is This Peri-Menopause?
If you are wondering if your new hormone symptoms are related to peri-menopause… they probably are! Peri-menopause means ‘around menopause’ - which commonly starts in a woman’s 40’s, or even late 30’s for some women. Declining hormone levels can cause bothersome symptoms for many women- but it’s treatable! I suspect hormones as the cause of new symptoms if any woman in her mid 40’s, or at any age if there is a monthly, cyclic pattern to the symptoms.
Common Symptoms of Peri-Menopause:
Shorter or irregular cycles
Heavier cycles
Weight gain/ changes in body composition
Insomnia
Cognitive changes/ mood changes
Hot flashes/ night sweats
Changes in sex drive
Changes in vaginal tissue and bladder
Headaches
Support for Peri-menopause symptoms There are many ways naturopathic medicine can help with these symptoms. A few things I like to consider:
A Good Lab Work-up: A great treatment starts with a great assessment! There are excellent tests available to assess all hormone pathways, including comprehensive naturopathic panels and conventional blood testing at the hospital lab. I frequently council my patients how to talk to their family doctor to get the lab tests they need
Stress Support- The adrenals help out with making female hormones in menopause, so if there is a big stress picture plus hormonal symptoms we need to treat the adrenals as wel
Liver and Digestion: The liver helps us detoxify hormones, and digestion issues can increase inflammation, so I like to make sure these systems are working well when there are hormonal symptoms
Progesterone Support: Progesterone is a wonderful balancing hormone that typically becomes depleted in a woman’s 40’s. Progesterone is calming, helps with sleep, increases metabolism, and balances out the effects of estrogen. Herbs that support progesterone, and bio-identical progesterone, are two important therapies for peri-menopause I use everyday.
If you would like a personalized treatment plan for your hormonal symptoms, I recommend starting with a one hour naturopathic consultation. I also offer a free 15 minute ‘meet and greet’ appointment if you have any questions about the therapies I offer, or would just like to meet me before making an appointment. I love working with all types of women, and look forward to meeting you!
