Many of the most important early symptoms women have of declining hormones are related to sleep and mental health. You might notice a lower mood, less refreshing sleep, or perhaps waking more frequently to urinate during the night. Your ability to cope with life’s stressors may be decreased; you may start to feel that the same situations are more trying and depleting for you than they used to be.
Many women are experiencing large life transitions such as children growing up and leaving home, divorce, or parents dying during this time; therefore, women need extra support during these years, to feel their most healthy and vital.
Here are some more of the often overlooked symptoms of perimenopause:
- Longer recovery times/increased DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)
- Joint pain
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Weight gain
- Libido changes
- Incontinence
- Vaginal changes/dryness/ increased UTIs
- Insomnia
The results you don’t see/experience:
- Bone density changes
- Gut permeability changes
- Blood sugar regulation changes
The End Result:
What occurs when you start sleeping less well is that as you have less energy, you often exercise less, which leads to weight gain and lowered mental health. Declining hormones are like a snowball, which culminates in low energy, poor sleep, poor food choices, weight gain, lower moods/anxiety, and increased inflammation and pain. The only way to address this at the root in customized bioindentical Menopausal Hormone Treatment(MHT)/Hormone Replacement Therapy(HRT).
How we can help:
Dr. Winkelman provides individualized hormone solutions for women starting in their late 30s to early 60s. The average (non surgical) age to start perimenopause is 44, with a normal range from 39-47. The average length of perimenopause is 7 years. That means that you will gradually begin to have the effects of lowered progesterone and estrogen for seven years before your period stops. Many women are gradually suffering for years, because they are given no HRT/MHT until the menopausal transition at approximately age 51, or they are given a one-size-fits-all prescription, which does not take their individual needs into account.
Dr. Winkelman’s counseling degree and background gives her a fine-tuned approach to understanding and addressing your unique hormonal picture. She will work closely with you to address the seen and unseen aspects of the perimenopause/menopause transition with dietary suggestions, botanical therapy, counseling, and MHT/HRT. She will be in your health corner, for the long-haul, to offer suggestions and solutions for every phase of your peri/menopause journey.
- Dr Winkelman will get to know you as a person, over time, so that she can treat you on an individual level, and notice the challenges and improvements you are experiencing in real time.
- She will run tests to determine the best beginning dosages for you, and follow you closely to make adjustments. She will help to OPTIMIZE your hormones and vitality, not just the prescribe the minimum amounts to make you feel not-horrible.