So, you’re sweating through your sheets, crying at dog food commercials, and wondering if your thermostat is gaslighting you. Welcome to perimenopause—the pre-party to menopause where your hormones throw a rave and forget to invite your sanity.
What Even Is Menopause?
Menopause is that magical time (read: not magical at all) when your ovaries decide they’re done. No more periods, no more babies, and—surprise!—a grab bag of symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, insomnia, and vaginal dryness. Basically, your body’s like, “Let’s make this transition memorable.”
This usually hits between ages 45 and 55, but the years leading up to it—called perimenopause—can feel like puberty’s evil twin. Only now, instead of acne and awkward crushes, you get bone loss and existential dread. Yay!
Why It Sucks (But Doesn’t Have To)
These symptoms aren’t just annoying—they can seriously mess with your quality of life. Hot flashes can turn your Zoom meeting into a sauna. Mood swings? Let’s just say your family might be Googling “how to live with a hormonal dragon.” And the long-term risks? Increased chances of osteoporosis and heart disease. Cool cool cool.
Enter: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
HRT is like sending in a hormone SWAT team. It replaces the estrogen and progesterone your body’s ghosting you on. You can take it as pills, patches, gels, or even a vaginal ring.
There’s also an option called bio-identical hormones—they’re chemically identical to what your body used to make, and people love them for being more natural.
But Is It Safe?
Short answer: Yes, for most women—especially if you start it before age 60 or within 10 years of menopause. The ELITE trial(which sounds like a Marvel movie but is actually a legit study) showed that early HRT can slow down artery-clogging and reduce heart disease risk. And those scary headlines from the early 2000s about breast cancer and strokes? Turns out, they were kind of overblown for most women.
Your PCP Is Your MVP
Menopause isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why working with a primary care provider (PCP)—especially one who’s into lifestyle medicine—is a game-changer. If you’re lucky enough to live in Carmel, Zionsville, Westfield, Fishers, or Noblesville, Indiana, you can get personalized, direct primary care (DPC) that actually gives you time to talk about your symptoms, track your progress, and build a plan that includes HRT, nutrition, exercise, and stress management.
TL;DR
Menopause is real, it’s wild, and it doesn’t have to suck. With the right care—and maybe a little estrogen—you can keep your cool, literally and figuratively.
Ready To Learn More?
We’d love to meet you. If you’re interested in HRT or want to learn more about our Direct Primary Care model, reach out to schedule a free meet and greet. It’s a great way to see if our clinic is the right fit for you and your family.
Direct Primary Care is an innovative and effective healthcare model that provides personalized, cost-effective care. If you live on the north side of Indianapolis or in surrounding areas, you have access to excellent DPC services. Consider exploring these options to find the best care for you and your family.
Reach out to Farah Myers, FNP and Diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine to set up your meet and greet today.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493191/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10226543/
- https://www.ifm.org/articles/menopause-hormone-therapy
- https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.061559
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/in-depth/hormone-therapy/art-20046372
- https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/05/01/1248525256/hormones-menopause-hormone-therapy-hot-flashes
