Peri-Menopause and Menopause

It is common for women to begin to experience frustrating, uncomfortable and irritating symptoms during the period before she enters menopause, this is called peri-menopause. These symptoms can begin during a female’s 40’s, or 50’s. Menopause symptoms can last between five and ten years; five being the average. There are some cases where women experience these symptoms for the rest of their lives, although this is uncommon.

Peri-menopause is the period leading up to menopause when hormones begin to become erratic, the female cycle changes and “typical” menopause symptoms begin. You are considered to be ‘menopausal’ or through menopause when you do not have a menstrual cycle for twelve consecutive months.

Symptoms commonly experienced during peri-menopause and menopause (in no particular order) are:

• Heavy bleeding
• Erratic periods
• Clots in blood
• Worsening PMS symptoms
• Hot flashes
• Sleeplessness
• Trouble falling asleep
• Trouble staying asleep
• Low energy
• Weight gain
• Mood changes or mood swings
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Shrinking breasts
• Bloating
• Vaginal dryness
• Painful intercourse
• Decreased libido

Thrive Through Menopause (without the symptoms)

Although these symptoms are commonly experienced – they don’t need to be. Many women have been told that these symptoms are “normal” and it is “just menopause.” The cause of each of these symptoms can be related to peri-menopause and menopause, or other conditions that you may be experiencing.

A Different Way to ‘Menopause’

At Bay Wellness Centre, we treat peri-menopause and menopause symptoms by treating the cause of the symptoms. The cause of each of these symptoms may be different, but they are typically all, in some way, related to an imbalance in hormones. Whether the imbalance comes from peri-menopause or menopause directly, or from another source such as chronic stress, iron deficiency anemia, hypothyroidism or something else.

During our 60-minute initial consultation, we learn everything that we can about you, your current symptoms and conditions and health history. We take all of that information, along with any recent blood work and additional testing to determine the cause of your symptoms. From there, we are able to devise a personalized treatment plan specifically for you. As we address the cause of the changes to your hormones and begin to re-balance them, your symptoms fall away.

Although estrogen, and progesterone are the main hormones involved in a female cycle and peri-menopause and menopause, we also want to consider your adrenal health, thyroid function and iron status. It’s also very important to make sure that digestion is functioning properly as well.

Let us know how we can help you!