Perimenopause is the ten years prior to menopause characterized by decreasing production of progesterone by the ovaries. This causes estrogen dominance and mood swings, anxiety, irritability, night sweats, insomnia, weight gain on the hips and occasionally palpitations and even mouth sores. These symptoms often start in the week prior to menses but can eventually last all month with worsening prior to menstruation.
Lifestyle changes to decrease stress and toxins, a healthy diet and exercise, and balancing the hormones with natural progesterone can help you find yourself again. Pharmaceutical grade supplements to minimize inflammation and provide nutritional support for the adrenal glands and thyroid and mitochondria can make dramatic changes as well.
Menopause is characterized by progressive estrogen deficiency which causes everything to dry up as well as more severe hot flashes,bone loss and memory problems. Vascular spasm causing the hot flashes contributes to women’s pattern of heart disease which is often narrowing of the small vessels and spasm. Severe vaginal pain and urinary symptoms are common. Topical forms of natural estrogen can make this tolerable. For those who do not have these symptoms, (often obese with estrogen stored in the fat), progesterone can decrease cancer risk. High testosterone levels often cause male pattern hair growth changes and abdominal obesity.
Usually 4 years or so after menopause, testosterone levels decrease with a new wave of hot flashes. Depression and personality change can happen with all of the hormone deficiencies.
We can find the you that you want to be.

Estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA are anabolic hormones causing cells to grow and divide without a turnoff so they can increase cancer risk. In addition, they can increase blood clotting that can cause heart attack /stroke/ or pulmonary emboli and death. But they are the fountain of youth and living without them for many years will cause deleterious physical, emotional and cognitive changes.
Natural progesterone is the anti cancer hormone, clearly decreasing uterine cancer risk and in the EPIC study of 10000 women in France shown to also lower the increased risk of breast cancer related to estrogen back down to baseline or less.
Synthetic progestins such as in all hormonal contraceptives are the worst for cancer and blood clot risk.
The North American Menopause society has once again reinforced that the benefits outweigh the risks of using hormones in the ten years after menopause. The safest method includes topical estrogen and natural progesterone.
Topical hormones have much less risk of causing blood clots. I still recommend low dose aspirin for some, especially if sedentary or for travel.
I believe in using the lowest dose of natural hormones in balance that works for the symptoms you need to treat. This is a very personal choice. I prefer topical hormones but use oral forms when needed.

Estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA are anabolic hormones causing cells to grow and divide without a turnoff so they can increase cancer risk. In addition, they can increase blood clotting that can cause heart attack /stroke/ or pulmonary emboli and death. But they are the fountain of youth and living without them for many years will cause deleterious physical, emotional and cognitive changes.
Natural progesterone is the anti cancer hormone, clearly decreasing uterine cancer risk and in the EPIC study of 10000 women in France shown to also lower the increased risk of breast cancer related to estrogen back down to baseline or less.
Synthetic progestins such as in all hormonal contraceptives are the worst for cancer and blood clot risk.
The North American Menopause society has once again reinforced that the benefits outweigh the risks of using hormones in the ten years after menopause. The safest method includes topical estrogen and natural progesterone.
Topical hormones have much less risk of causing blood clots. I still recommend low dose aspirin for some, especially if sedentary or for travel.
I believe in using the lowest dose of natural hormones in balance that works for the symptoms you need to treat. This is a very personal choice. I prefer topical hormones but use oral forms when needed.