Menopause & Perimenopause
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May 2011
My 60-ish mother recently relocated to the Bay Area from the
Denver suburbs where she was seeing a nurse practitioner
regarding managing menopause with bio identical hormone
therapy. Since moving, she just hasn't been able to find a
provider who is knowledgeable and supportive of BHRT. Any
recommendations, preferably for a female practitioner in the
Alameda/Oakland/Berkeley area, would be much appreciated. Hormonal in
Alameda
I would contact the Gottfried Center for Integrative
Medicine in Oakland. Sarah Gottfried specializes in
menopause. She has completely turned my life around. Good
luck.
Grateful
Jan 2011
My gyn basically dismissed my request for bioidentical hormones,
saying the difference was like buying a designer dress or one off
the rack; they are both the same at the end of the day. I disagree,
and I'd like to find a more sympathetic doctor who is knowledgeable
on the subject. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good gyn,
preferably one who takes Blue Cross HMO and is an expert on working
with you during perimenopause to find a good hormonal solution?
Tired of the hot flashing
Dr. Sara Gottfried
in Oakland. She is excellent and knows ALL about
bioidentical hormones, perimenopause and menopause. Not sure about
insurance as I pay out of pocket, but it is COMPLETELY worth it. (I had
chronic insomnia, sweats, awful mood swings and heart palpitations.
Kaiser's answer for me was birth control pills.) May take awhile to get an
apointment so call soon. ~~ Balanced
I highly recommend Dr. Sondra Altman in Walnut Creek, aka
the Menopause Maven. She is an incredibly skilled and kind
gynecologist who specializes in menopause and perimenopause.
I found that many doctors who advertise that they prescribe
bioidentical hormones or do ''antiaging'' medicine charge a
fortune, and there are many excellent types of bioidentical
hormone therapy that are FDA approved. Dr. Altman is very
reasonable (in fees and attitude) and will really listen to
you and work with you to find the best solution. We had to
try a few different types of hormone therapy to find the
best type for me, but I'm so glad I found her and I feel so
much better.
Got my mojo back
Oct 2009
Hello BPNers!
I've hit menopause. Hot flashes, insatiable
appetite, fatigue..the works. Who do you recommend, either
regular medical treaters or complementary/alternative treaters?
Any other words of wisdom about handling ''the change'' would be
gratefully received.
One hot mama
You can help yourself by changing diet and taking certain
supplements. I'd suggest reading Ann Louise Gittleman's books
''Before the Change'' and ''After the Change''. She's a reknowned
nutritionist and has great info.
Sugar is the biggest culprit (for many health problems) so if
you eat a lot of sugar, I'd suggest cutting down. Also caffeine.
I see a fabulous nutritionist in Bkly.
Anasuya Batliner.848-8439. She looked at my whole health
history and worked with me on supplements and diet, but she
also had me do an adrenal hormone test (it's a saliva test sent
to a lab). That gave us SO much information about my stress
hormones, which play a huge part in menopause symptoms.
I'm doing great now. Occasional minor hot flashes, losing
weight because I was able to change my metabolism (I also eat
really well and exercise...which wasn't always the case) and
plenty of energy.
Good luck...it's definately doable without meds.
56, in menopause and happy
Welcome to the Club! This is a fantastic time of life, if you
look at it that way. The most distressing thing is probably the
hot flashes, as these are visible to those around you, and may
disturb your sleep. Mine used to leave me drenched to the point
of needing to bring a change of clothes to the office. Here's
what works for me:
-- Avoid Caffeine; switch to decaf. You can still enjoy the
ritual of coffee without the buzz. Frankly, I find that I don't
need the buzz at this phase of my life. Hopefully this will work
for you as well.
-- Avoid sugar. In me, and some of my friends, this seems to
exacerbate all the negative things associated with menopause.
Once off sugar for about a week, you will see that the cravings
for all kinds of food disappear. It's definitely tough going at
first, but worth it.
-- Eat more raw foods; greens with phytoestrogens will help
replace your own, and help reduce other symptoms. Ginger and
edamame (soy) are fantastic at helping, too.
-- Get more sleep. This is the hardest thing for me.
-- Avoid stress. I've noticed that when I'm stressed, even a
little, by something as simple as a thinking about a stressful
situation, the initial ''burn'' of that hot flash can start,
especially if I've had coffee, or slipped and had that danish for
breakfast. By avoiding caffeine & sugar, eating raw foods, and
getting to bed earlier, I don't experience them so much.
Hang in there; these are natural processes, and you can manage them.
Cool Dry Mama
Hello,
I have been suffering through this for over a year. I know I am going to get a lot of
flak for this but I am on a very low dose of Bio-identical hormones. They are not our
mothers hormones. I just could not take it anymore. I was miserable. I could tuff it
thorough the physical- hot flashes, night sweats- increased appetite... the emotional
however was a different story. Tears, depression, anger, crisis of confidence. Changed
my life.
Changing on my terms.
Your OB/GYN would be a good place to start... even if just to see what s/he says. My
acupuncturist has really helped me out a lot with herbs and such. Some lifestyle
changes may be helpful. What was the most helpful for me was adding in some
regular exercise... for me it was simply 3x week on an elliptical at the Y for 30
minutes. Some dietary changes really helped too. I did an elimination diet to start
with... cut out all added sugars (except brown rice syrup), wheat, corn, eggs, dairy,
alcohol, and caffeine. Drink LOTS of water. There is a product called ''Transitions'' that
is found at places like Pharmaca or Whole Foods or Vitamin Express that I also found
very helpful. And Evening Primrose Oil. And fish oil.
I ended up doing all of this because I really, really wanted to feel good. It is a lot to
take on as a daily regimen, but it really worked for me.
Good luck to you!
Hot too
I am now 11 months without a period and at my worst (July 09) I
was having maybe 10 hot flashes a day, waking up multiple times
every night, absolutely exhausted, etc. I also gained weight. I
went to the Doctor and we decided to try the following: no
coffee or any caffeine, no alcohol, no sugar, no wheat. I also
added a probiotic and vitamins and fish oil. I did this for 10
weeks and guess what? I lost 15 pounds and my hot flashes have
dropped to once a week or so. I am sleeping through the night!
I am still off coffee but added green tea. I have added back
sugar and wheat but watching it. I may have to stop again...I
am still not drinking alcohol.
It was difficult but I am just so pleased with the results. I
needed a good cleanse! I have to say that I did get quite ill
at the end of the second week which I think was detoxing. And
the first days without my morning coffee were pretty bleak!
Hot Flash Mama No More
Here is a fantastic website resource that I've been using for a
number of years now, begun by women doctors who have a clinic
in Maine. One of the original founders of this clinic was
Christiane Northrup MD, who wrote the menopause bible, The
Wisdom of Menopause. They do sell programs and products for
hormonal balance on this website, but what I personally love
are their women's health articles (the link below is directly
to the articles page). You can also subscribe to their very
informative email newsletter. These are sincerely helpful women
doctors.
http://www.womentowomen.com/healthtopics.aspx
I find that diet and exercise are of utmost importance now. If
you're already eating right and exercising, wonderful. If not,
begin right away. This will have a tremendous impact on how
you feel particularly going into this transition.
*
*
Still Adjusting to the New Me
I was on estrogen creams for a while to help relieve the hot
flashes, etc. I found great relief from the clear gel packs
used by chiropractors and physical therapist. Got the long,
skinny size. Keep it in freezer and when you get that hot flash
and feel like it's 110 degrees, pull it out of the freezer and
wrap it around your neck. Immediate relief Works for me. Cheap
and drug free!
- Anon
I applaud your looking for lots of different types of
treatments. That's what I am doing...went to Pharmaca for some
herbal remedies, checked in with my medical doctor, and am
seeing a great therapist on Solano Avenue, Fran Wickner.
Lorri
I have been seeing my acupuncturist/herbalist for many years for
an auto-immune disease. I started getting hot flashes a few
months ago. She put me on some herbs that totally did the trick.
We had to play with the dosage, but within a week or so, my hot
flashes were gone and have not returned. A friend of mine was
complaining about dealing with hot flashes, so I recommended my
acupuncturist. Same results. My friend had been suffering for a
year!! Now her hot flashes are gone!
So, of course, I'd recommend that route. Here is the name and
info for my acupuncturist. She is in Berkeley on Dwight Way, very
near MLK:
Roberta Lewis, 510-540-8528
After years of suffering with fibroids before menopause, I am
committed to not having menopause be a nightmare! I started out
early with night sweats so bad I had to change the sheets in the
middle of the night, and that went along with the sleepless
nights I was having as well!
I know nothing about standard medical treatments. I tried black
cohash caps for quite awhile, and I did get some reduction of
flashes for a bit, but it didn't last. I know it works better
for some women.
What has completely abated my negative menopuase symptoms is a
combination of acupuncture, chinese herbs and excercise. I
rarely have hot flashes now. I sleep through the night most
night and I have more energy. It's been a super easy for me,
and after seeing my mother suffer greatly and so many of my
friends go sleepless and sweat like crazy - I'm very releaved.
I did a series of acupuncuture treatments with an acupuncturist
(Lia Willebrand) and she worked up a couple of different herb
combinations for me. Maybe I did 6 treatments and then my
symptoms shifted and the sweating stopped. If I start to flash
again, and they persist for more than a day or two, I go back in
for a couple of treatments and I might take the herbs for a week
or two. I can't deal with cooking the chinese herbs no matter
how much I'm suffering so I have a forumula in caps that works
well for me. I also got committed to moving my body - whether
it is walking, running, biking - something. This seems
critical. I'm pretty psyched that I've been mostly symptom
free and having a smooth menopause. I vote for trying
alternative treatments and movement before going the western med
route. Good luck!
LTV
I've been having hot flashes and night sweats for going on 8 years
now. My last period was over 3 years ago. Yes it does go on and on and on.
I am 58.
I suffered terribly those first two years, including heating up suddenly in
small meetings of all guys plus me, and
flailing around desperately for paper to fan myself with, and feeling I would die
if I couldn't get cool. So I started carrying a nice silk Japanese fan in my
purse at all tims (get one at the Asian Art Museum in SF!). I get a lot of compliments
on my fans when I pull one out -
most people think I'm just showing off my nice silk fans. haha.
I bought a succession of desktop
fans for my desk at work and my bedside table (check out the tiny but powerful
Vornado fans = the best). Finally after a discussion with my Ob Gyn about risks
and trade-offs I went on HRT which
totally eliminated all symptoms. Heaven. Happiness. Stayed on that for about two years and
then weaned myself off, hoping it was over. Hot flashes and night sweats
came back, but not as bad. But vaginal dryness was unacceptable so now I have
the est-ring, which is estrogen just locally (vaginally). Works great for
the vaginal dryness problem, doesn't do much for the hot flashes but they are
now getting fewer and farther between, so bearable.
Hoping yours is not as bad as mine. But there are fixes, and you DON'T have to
suffer.
April 2009
Has anyone survived perimenopause, especially the impatience, to
put it mildly, while parenting a toddler (who is no longer in
crib, read: yikes and sleep deprivation!)? Single moms? Would
appreciate any unique suggestions for soothing the savage beast
(meaning ME!) other than the usual (bath, massage, get
support...)
thanks, in advance, for any inspiration!
Hi, I'm 44 and was in the same boat, and I decided to go on birth control pills on the
advice of my nurse practitioner. The name of them is ''Microgestin Fe 1/20.'' You take
the active pill for 21 days and then the inactive one for seven days (when you're
supposed to have your period). As my NP warned me, there are many symptoms during
the first three or four months as your body adjusts to them, such as off-schedule
periods, endless spotting, a little nausea, and anxiety. But I'm very, very glad to be
on
them -- it has helped so much with the extreme PMS I was having. I'm in the fourth
month now and although I've experienced the above symptoms they are lessening and
I feel much more stable (and patient with my toddler, though still way less than
perfect).
BC pills aren't for everyone, but I thought I'd let you know about this option.
Wishing you the best.
Regarding your perimenopausal symptoms, I got help from Leah
Mazel, who I went to see for Chinese herbal treatment. I had
some acupuncture, as well (which really didn't hurt at all. But I
think the herbs really took over. My symptoms were very speedily
ameliorated. I was very surprised and happy! I totally am
thanking my friend who recommended her! I have had many friends
suffering a lot with sleep issues, hot flashes, and really
emotional. For me, I started having a lot of the same symptoms,
but seem to be sliding by with all that since I started the
treatment. My attitude and emotions are quite improved from what
they were. I have now sent a few of my friends to try treatment,
also. I really like working with her, too. She spends a lot of
time with me and really listened to all I had to say when I came
for the first visit. I'm not used to having practitioners giving
me that much attention. She also asked me a lot of interesting
and insightful questions. Her training seems tops, too. I'm
impressed that she has practiced for so long and that she studied
in China when she was a new pratitioner. Check out the website
at www.holisticchinesemedicine.com. Her phone number is:
510-548-5676.
Happy Patient!
Get thee to Abigail Surasky, acupuncturist extraordinaire!
She helped me navigate a couple of years of hellacious perimenopause. We finally
were able to get somethings ''smoothed out''.
She is in Berkeley and her number is 845-8017.
40's w/ a toddler can be fun
Check out the book ''What your doctor may not tell you about premenopause'' by John
R. Lee, MD. For me what has made a transformation is acupuncture, exercise, cutting
certain foods (wheat, sugar), eating more fresh/raw foods, and taking estrogen
supplements. I'm also a single mother and was at breaking point for some time there.
The acupuncture & estrogen have really helped rebalance me enough for me to even be
able to consider dealing with exercise and diet.
staying balanced
Jan 2011
I'm looking for a female Gynecologist NOT an OB/GYN unless all GYNs
do both(?) in the East Bay or SF to deal with typical issues of an
over 40 yr old woman (who has had children)
anon
Try Risa Kagan, M.D., in Berkeley. She specializes in
issues related to perimenopause & menopause and no longer
delivers babies. Leslie
Oct 2008
My current gyn is about to retire. I have a complicated gyn history
and am looking for an outstanding female gyn with medical expertise
AND a thoughtful and caring bedside manner. I am preparing to have
a D&C and may need surgery after that. I also have a bicornuate
uterus. The more recent your experience, the better.
In Need
I highly recommend Dr. Risa Kagan of the East Bay Physicians Med. Group.
After 2 high risk ''later in life'' pregnancies,I started to experience
some'' uncomfortable'' changes with my body for almost 2 years.My
Internist ordered tests ranging from hormone tests to ultrasounds all
with normal results. I was frustrated! Dr. Kagan resolved my issues in
my first visit with her! She is a straight forward,no nonsense,doctor
who is extremely knowledgeable with women who are perimenopausal and
menopausal. Dr.Kagan is located in Berkeley. Phone #(510)204-8190
Denise
Katarina Lanner-Cusin, M. D. of Berkeley and UCSF and
Marilyn Honegger, M.D. of Berkeley and Orinda are fabulous. Hopefully you could get in to
see one or both. Dr. Honegger is my gyn, and a great diagnostician who
is much in demand for surgery. Kararina performed surgery on my grown
daughter, who flew back here from a job in Hawaii for the surgery
because there was no one as good there. You might research their
specific areas of surgical expertise, if you can. Both are also
wonderful people, by the way. Best of luck.
Judy
Sept 2007
OK, so why didn't anyone tell me about this menopausal
memory/cognition fog? I feel like I have lost 50% of my IQ on a
working basis. Half the time I feel like I'm stoned (without
the munchies or giggles, fwiw). As someone who's lived and died
by wit and mental sharpness my whole life, this is devastating,
and I don't know anything about it - how long will it last?
Will it be permanent or will it pass with menopause? What can I
do to survive being a part-time dope, and still keep my job, my
self-image, and my sanity?
46 and suddenly stupid
Oh, I am so glad you wrote this post and I can't wait to read the responses. I was
going to post this question myself but kept forgetting! I keep meaning to do a lot of
things and just can't keep it together. I write everything down on the calendar now
and then forget to look at the calendar. It is making me crazy! Is there a drug to help
with this??? Because I will take it.
45 and suddenly stupid too
I don't have any advice - just wanted to chip in and say that
I'm having the same problems. I was expecting to be able to
advance in my job and look forward to a great pension, but I'm
now, at the age of 55 (and beginning menopause) worried that I
can't even do my current job, let alone get any kind of
promotions. I was always very bright and picked up things so
easily. Now I'm embarrassingly dense and very, very worried
about keeping my job. My performance evaluations in the last
two years have been dreadful. I'm really looking forward to
some advice.
dense and worried
Hang in there--it gets better. Your mental function improves
when you're through, and you also get better at coping with the
losses. If you can manage your panic about the way your memory &
mental sharpness are changing, you increase your mental capacity.
Fear, anxiety, tension, stress are all memory-UNfriendly.
Plus, there is often a hidden benefit. I found that I had to
develop other resources when my razor-sharp mind lost some of its
edge. I gained patience, compassion, tolerance, and an
appreciation, understanding, and growing respect for people who
were more ''heart'' and less ''head.''
Not to mention a little more humility, and a better sense of humor!
--Look for the gold in it
Wow, your email could have been written by me, if I hadn't
forgotten to write it! ;
But seriously, I can relate 100% to your dilemma. I also live
by my wits, and I have to stand up and deliver in front of
groups everyday of my working life. You didnt mention hot
flashes, those make an attractive addition to the fumbling for
words, mental lapses and distractability that I am presently
experiencing.
The only thing that helps me is that many of my colleagues are
in the same boat I am. There is strength in numbers.
A short anecdote that may make you feel better, last month was
my birthday, and I rented a house in Bodega Bay for the kids
and grandkids for a week. The first morning there, I woke up
and thought it was my birthday! It took me almost two hours to
realize that my birthday was the following Monday!! I was
really embarrassed and sort of scared, like I was having
an ''Alzheimers Moment'' (or 2 hours).
The moral of the story is, oh I don't know what the darn moral
is, but I also don't think we are alone. Find other women who
can relate to your experience. I have also decided I just have
to let up a bit with my type A personality and go with the
flow. Its all part of the life cycle.
Been there, done that
I think that's why they call us wise old crones. Us post
menopause women look super smart compared to hormone-battered
youngsters. Hang in there and consider that it is a way to learn
empathy for those less sharp or quick than you.
Old Lady
i'm just creeping into the menopause subject myself, not ready to
advise anyone yet, except to pass on resources:
go to the ''Power Surge message board'' forum:
http://www.power-surge.com/php/forums/index.php?
one of their subforums is titled: '''Am I Losing My Mind?'
The most common expression uttered by women during menopause,''
with currently 498 topics!
also, thyroid problems often come on at menopause, and ''brain
fog'' is one sign of low thyroid, so it's worth looking into that.
signed: getting there...
May 2005
I am looking for a recommendation for an OBGYN or MD (preferably
berkeley/oakland area) who can provide advice and support on
managing menopause symptoms. I have had menopausal-related
depression and also formication (which is not nearly as fun as
it sounds - excessive itching and the sensation that bugs are
crawling over your body! really!!!) I have Healthnet Insurance.
Thanks,
anon
Recommended:
Arzou Ahsan
April 2005
I'm almost 38 and had my last child two years ago. Over the
past two months I've had trouble staying asleep (waking 1-2 hrs
early--struggling to return to sleep) and hot flashes (usually
3 days a week). In addition, my sex drive is down and I'm more
irritable.
From what I've read on the web, the symptoms sound like
perimenopause. I'm wondering if other women have found
effective homeopathic treatments (including an acupuncturist)?
What about increasing soy in your diet...did it help? I know my
symptoms don't warrant HRT (nor am I interested). Help!
Hot but not bothered
OK, this is just what I have been feeling too. I am 39 and had
my last child 3 years ago. And now, on and off for the past 9
months I have had the same thigs you described, along with
changing periods (mine are now every 24 days and lighter and
darker). I have scheduled an apt. with my doctor to discuss this
and have blood drawn to look for any hormonal chages. It is
frustrating to say the least that I am not yet 40 and dealing
with this!
Andrea
i too started experiencing perimenopause symptoms at about your
age. everyone at that time told me i was too young. i
happened upon lonnie barbach's (yes, that lonnie barbach :-) )
book ''the pause''. she did the research and wrote it because
she too was ''young'' when her hormones changed. it's great -
she explains what's happening in your body and then covers
alternative as well as traditional hrt. as far as hrt goes, i
don't know if she's updated her info, but the alternative stuff
is good. i personally used phytoestrogenic capsules i got at
the health food store. they worked for years. then i changed
to vitex tincture (a hormone balancer) which i also used
successfully for years. when my periods stopped i had to
switch to black cohosh which is also working really well.
another good book is herbalist susun weed's on menopause. i
treated myself for years, dr. marcy shapiro in albany helped me
when i needed to switch to the black cohosh. hopefully herbs
will work all the way through and no need to take hrt.
p.
I am menopausal at 48 and had terrible sleep problems initially due to the hot
flashes. I don't think I slept well for two straight months. I went to my OB/GYN after
also researching various vitamins that I could take. Long story short, she said that
black cohosh seems to work well. I have been taking that, along with some
menopausal vitamins I found at Safeway. I like these because there's an AM bottle
and PM bottle, each with different ingredients (e.g., soy and black cohosh for the
daytime and melatonin for the night one). It's called Natrol?s Complete Balance AM/
PM for menopause and you can check it out at the following website: http://
www.hbees.com/natcombalamp.html. The combination of these vitamins, plus
changing my diet (no more red meat, no chocolate (!), cut way back on refined
sugar) helped tremendously. You might also check out the book ''Taking Charge of
Your Perimenopause''. Good luck!
anon
I had great success using progesterone cream (emerita brand,
sold at whole foods) and following some other guidelines in a
book by dr lee (sorry I can't remember the first name or title--
loaned it to a friend who never gave it back). I think I drank
licorice tea, made sure I had enough chromium and some other
micronutrients, etc--(he talks about all this stuff, including
the symptoms of estrogen dominance, in the book). In my case it
wasn't perimenopause but bad periods, etc. Nonetheless, worked
like a charm (in fact I got pregnant on the first try even
though I was an older mom).
I would recommend reading The Wisdom of Menopause by C. Northrup.
She is an MD with a very holistic approach. She even says that
symptoms can represent an emotional problem that one needs to
deal with. She reviews the pros/cons and effectiveness of both
traditional medical treatments for menopausal symptoms, as well
as herbal and alternative treatments.
eve
it sounds like peri-menopause to me as well. a great book i tell my patients to get is
by dr. lee- it's called WHAT YOUR DR. MAY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT PREMENOPAUSE-
it's about your hormones from age 30-50 -applying a very small amount of
progesterone cream topically is also very helpful. i also rx accupuncture- i think
linda gruber is absolutely fantastic- she's in sf and her number is 415-346-3126.
h.
Feb 2005
I'm 41 and I've been experiencing some dramatic changes in my
periods over the past nine months. I've always had very light
periods, lasting only a few days, mild symptoms and always at a
different time each month. For close to a year now, my periods
have been extremely heavy; bleeding between periods; terrible
night sweats (frequently but not every night) and much bloating
and abdominal pain a few days prior to period. I just had a
visit with my gyno and he says things look good but suggests I
have an ultrasound to be safe. I'm worried I maybe pre-
menopausal or even have signs of Ovarian Cancer? Sex is great
so no problems there. Has anyone had any experience with these
type of symptoms? My mom didn't go through menopause until
late 50's. None of my older sisters have these symptoms
(especially the sweating!).
Concerned
You could also have other things going on such as a cyst or
fibroid, which is very common and not usually problematic.
Finding out may cause you less distress.
anon
Acupuncture and herbs helped me with post-pregnancy night
sweats..Not exactly what you are having but I think it would be worth a
try.
no longer sweating
Check out hormone treatments for heavy menstrual bleeding. My
periods got extremely heavy after I delivered my second child
at age 39. I suffered for 10 years before the FDA approved an
IUD (called Mirena) that releases tiny amounts of hormones to
thin the uterine lining. It helped right away. I had light
periods, no discomfort, and no side effects except a tiny bit
of occasional bleeding. (I don't need it for birth control,
although the IUD lasts for 5 years.) About the rest of your
symptoms: Be sure your ob/gyn checks all your hormone levels
and your iron level, and is up to date on hormone treatments
and side effects. They now have an estrogen patch and are
developing a testosterone patch, which avoid the nasty side
effects of swallowing these meds.
good luck
Jan 2005
Of course I already have an appointment scheduled with my
gynecologist but: The last 6 months or so my period has only
been for 1.5 days. This month, I literally only had one spot.
Cycle length is 28-29 days as it's always been, and I know when
I ovulate based on all the usual symptoms I've had for many
years. I always ovulate on day 13 or 14. Is this
perimenopause? I had my hormone levels checked about a year ago
because of other issues, and all were well within the normal
range (FSH, LH, estrogen, progesterone, TSH and others I don't
remember). If it is the beginning of menopause, I'm not ready
for this mentally - it makes me feel old, I don't know why. I'm
only 42! Does anyone have any good books to recommend or any
words of wisdom about how to ''deal'' with this, and also, what to
ask my doctor???
anonamous
For years my preiod would lighten and then stop altogether
during the winter months, often hormone tests only test your
hormones at whatever given time the blodd is being drawn so the
lab work is not altogether an accurate assessment. I finally
found relief with acupuncture, I couldn't take the teas I was
prescribed but some gentle supplements and bi-weekly or monthly
needle work kept me where i wanted to be, eventually my body
learned to keep a regular cycle on its own.
anon
I recommend Before the Change - Taking Charge of your
Perimenopause by Ann Louise Gittleman. She is an excellent
resource on women's health and nutrition.
Laura
May 2004
Hello, I have looked thru the archives to see if I could find
anything about this but didn't see any info. I am a 50 year old
woman who is still getting my period but getting alot of
periomenopausal symptoms. I am looking for a OB/GYN who is very
knowledgeable about alternative hormonal therapies; bio-
identicals or ''Natural'' hormone therapy. If anyone knows of
someone who fills this request please recommend. Thank you.
Recommended:
Risa Kagan (ObGyn Fertility Group)
Other advice
I know you requested an OB/GYN specifically, but it occurs to me
that a medically trained person may know medicine and/or
pharmaceuticals best (or only). I get all my GYN care from
homeopath Christine Ciavarella at the Hahnemann Medical Clinic,
524-3117, in Albany. As well as doing Pap smears, she treats me
as a whole person, hot flashes, insomnia, forgetfulness, and
all! I also see Dr.Sada Anand Miller, a chiropractor in
downtown Oakland, 208-3224, who knows a lot about Chinese herbs
and nutritional supplements that really helped with the above
symptoms. May I remind you that these days, OB/GYN docs are
mainly (merely) surgeons? Good luck.
Bonnie
August 2003
I'm in my 40s, and am starting to have the first symptoms of
peri-menopause. At least I think that's what happening. My
ob/gyn recently left the area, and for my well-woman visit this
year I saw one of the new doctors in the practice. She was
fine, but, well, so dewey-fresh and I felt a little like asking for
a guided tour of a mysterious place from someone who had
never been there. All her answers felt rather text-book. Can
anyone recommend a woman ob/gyn who is over 40 and
can be a good guide for this difficult landscape?
feeling a little lost
Recommendations received:
John Girard Berkeley-Orinda Women's Health
Marilyn Honegger Berkeley-Orinda Women's Health
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