Once you have established that you are in the perimenopause stage of your life you can consider treatment to help ease your symptoms.
You should consult your doctor before embarking on any treatments. Your doctor will work out the best course of treatment based on your symptoms. Medications available include hormone therapy, you may have heard of HRT this comes under that umbrella.
HRT replaces the hormones that are low or have depleted. HRT will be absorbed by the body via a tablet, spray, a cream, gel or patches. It will include oestrogen and progesterone if you have a womb. If you have no womb due to surgery you will only need oestrogen. There are benefits to this treatment however there are potential side-effects to consider before embarking on this treatment.
Potential side-effects of taking HRT are that it may increase your risk of breast cancer and strokes. However speak to your doctor or health care professional as it is also believed that the benefits certainly out way the risks. HRT can protect you against osteoporosis.
Sometimes non-hormonal medical treatments such as antidepressants can be advised and prescribed by your doctor.
Some women wonder if they can get pregnant while on HRT. The simple answer is yes! If you are still having periods you can still become pregnant. Therefore if this is something you want to avoid ensure that you are using a reliable form of contraception.
You may want to consider a more natural approach in which case alternative or complementary medicines may help you. This approach can take the form of yoga, meditation, exercise and relaxation to help with anxiety or stress. Supplements or herbs may well help dealing with perimenopause symptoms such as hot flushes and headaches.
Further complimentary or alternative techniques could be useful such as:-
– acupuncture
-aromatherapy
-reflexology
-hypnosis
-counselling
-herbal remedies
-ayurveda
-homeopathy
-yoga.
The British menopause Society offers information on all aspects of the menopause and its management. These days the taboo surrounding the perimenopause and menopause is dissapering infact many celebrities are openly talking on social media and through other platforms about their experiences. My circle of friends are definately talking about the perimenopause more openly and agree that previous generations just didn’t discuss it, it was a hushed ‘ohh she’s going through the change’ said under your breath. The only symptom known seemed to be hot flushes.
You are in control of your body remember therefore it is important that you make informed choices regarding any treatment that you decide to pursue. You can talk in confidence to your doctor or nurse about treatments for the perimenopause, they will help you make the right choice for you. Things to consider are what treatments are available to me during the perimenopause, looking at the good and bad points, the pros and cons before making your decision. Remember there is advice and support out there to make the best decision for you.