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Hormonal Therapy and Peri-Menopause

Menopausal symptoms experienced by women who are under the age of 40 often signify that peri-menopause has begun. Peri-menopause is the time during which a woman’s body transitions from ovulating and menstruating regularly and to stopping those functions. Most women will experience peri-menopausal symptoms in their 40s, but some will begin as early as their 30s. The symptoms, too, will vary from woman to woman both in type and intensity. During this time, periods will usually become irregular, heavier or lighter and menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, sleep issues and vaginal dryness may occur.

Hormonal Therapy at The Orchid assists women in recovery with recognizing the changes in their bodies for what they are and learning how to handle those changes without relapsing on drugs and alcohol. Peri-menopause is addressed during Hormonal Therapy so that women who are experiencing as well as those who will experience it in the future will be armed with the knowledge they need to handle it well.

Signs and Symptoms of Peri-Menopause

Peri-menopause is different for every woman, and the symptoms listed below may not happen to everyone. In some women, symptoms will be more severe than in others while other women may not experience a number of the signs of peri-menopause when they are in this hormonal stage. The most common peri-menopause signs and symptoms include:

  • Hot flashes
  • Problems sleeping
  • Night sweats
  • Mood swings
  • Menstrual irregularity (sometimes fewer than 28 days between cycles)
  • Decreased fertility
  • Loss of bone mass
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Vaginal and bladder issues
  • Changes in cholesterol levels

Who is at Risk for Peri-Menopause?

You can’t get away from it: if you are female and you have been menstruating regularly since your teen years, there is no way to avoid menopause and the period of time preceding it, peri-menopause. Some women, however, will experience it earlier rather than later. Here are a few of the issues that may predispose some women to early peri-menopause:

  • Family history of early menopause or peri-menopause
  • Smoking
  • No biological children (i.e., never having given birth)
  • Cancer treatment during childhood
  • Hysterectomy

Peri-menopause is not dangerous, but some women experience symptoms that require the medical attention of a doctor. These include:

  • Heavy bleeding during menstruation (i.e., the need to change the pad or tampon every hour or more)
  • Longlasting bleeding of more than eight days in a cycle
  • Significant bleeding between menstrual periods
  • Menstrual bleeding that occurs fewer than 21 days after the previous menstrual bleeding on more than one occasion

Treating Peri-Menopause: Hormonal Therapy and More

In addition to the Hormonal Therapy provided to women in recovery at The Orchid, there are some natural remedies and certain medications that can help mitigate the symptoms of peri-menopause. These include oral contraceptives, regular exercise, diminishing stress, yoga, acupuncture, Progestin therapy, the right eating habits and more. If you would like to learn more about Hormonal Therapy and how it adds to our overall drug and alcohol addiction program for women here at The Orchid, contact us today.

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