An interesting news story came across my feed this morning about natural help for menopause and perimenopause symptoms. In a CBS News interview with Norah O’Donnell, Melinda French Gates shared that it took three doctors to recognize what she was experiencing during perimenopause. And we all know that she, more than most people, has access to excellent medical care.
So, what took so long?
She explained that only about one-third of OB-GYNs in this country receive specialized training in menopause.
That matters. In a survey by the women’s health company Mira, two in five respondents said their menopause symptoms affected their work. One in ten said they had left their jobs or were considering leaving because of their symptoms.
What does this have to do with homeopathy and me as a homeopath?
After all, I cannot diagnose menopause. But after 25 years of working with perimenopausal women experiencing hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbance, mood changes, difficulty concentrating, and many other symptoms, I am definitely familiar with menopause!
As a homeopath, I pay close attention to symptoms.
I do not simply note that you have hot flashes or night sweats. I want to know:
When do they happen?
What do they feel like?
How often do they occur?
What makes them better or worse?
What is the actual experience of a hot flash like for you?
It may seem hard to believe, but not every woman experiences menopause symptoms in the same way.
Some women have physical symptoms every ten minutes. Others may have them every ten hours.
And the mental and emotional symptoms piled on top of the physical ones are often the hardest part:
- Anger.
- Crying for no apparent reason.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Memory lapses.
And those are only a few of the possibilities.
What About Hormone Testing?
Some women decide to have their hormones tested. They may use the DUTCH test or another type of hormone panel.
I am not necessarily opposed to testing. But the important question is: What will you do with the results?
In homeopathic care, the test results are rarely the most important information. Your symptoms and how you experience them usually tell me much more about the kind of support you need.
What to Expect When Using Homeopathy
When you work with a homeopath for a natural approach to perimenopause, you can expect to be asked a lot of questions, including some your doctor may never have asked.
We gather this information partly so we can evaluate your progress when you return for a follow-up. But we also need those details to select the remedy that most closely matches you.
For example, a woman whose face becomes bright red during a hot flash may need a different remedy from a woman who remains pale.
The symptom may have the same name, but the experience is different.
And in homeopathy, those differences matter.
Can Homeopathy Produce the Same Results as HRT?
Homeopathy and hormone replacement therapy work in very different ways.
HRT replaces hormones that naturally decline during menopause. For some women, that may be an appropriate choice. Homeopathy does not replace hormones. Its purpose is to help the individual move through the menopausal transition with fewer disruptive symptoms and greater overall balance.
The female body is expected to go through menopause. It is a normal transition, not a design flaw.
I like to think of it like a computer software upgrade.
Suppose you were operating on version 2.0 when perimenopause began. Trying to recreate your premenopausal hormone levels might be a little like returning to version 1.0.
The goal of homeopathy is not to take you backward. It is to help you become version 3.0.
And newer versions are generally considered desirable.
Maybe the irritability you have experienced throughout adulthood becomes less intense. You may find yourself more tolerant and less easily rattled.
Perhaps those funky odors that appeared after having children finally disappear.
You are not returning to an earlier version of yourself. You are moving forward into a healthier, more comfortable, homeopathically supported version of yourself.
What’s Next?
If you are struggling with hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbance, mood changes, brain fog, or other perimenopause symptoms, visit this page to learn more about the kinds of natural help for menopause that may be available through homeopathy.
Or schedule a Holistic Health Huddle appointment to talk with me and learn more. It is simply a conversation, not a commitment to begin care.
Some of you know me, others of you may have heard of me. And for most, you probably have no clue about me or my business. So I wanted to take a few minutes to introduce myself, my family, my business, why I am a homeopath and how I became a homeopath—not necessarily in that order.