Treating PerimenopauseThis article about treating perimenopause was written for Pocono Record by Dr. Cheryl Hamilton on April 22, 2010 Methods for Treating Perimenopause. In this article Dr. Hamilton recommends many of the lifestyle changes I talk about on my site such as diet, natural remedies and exercise. She also states, “Natural remedies such as black cohosh, phytoestrogens, flax seed oil, evening primrose oil, soy and tofu are often embraced as an alternative to HT. Many women also find acupuncture, yoga or meditation helpful. Based on clinical studies, the jury is still out on the effectiveness of non-traditional holistic methods for treating perimenopause versus hormone therapy, but some patients truly embrace these alternative natural supplements and find relief from their symptoms.” Some women experience relief with low-dose birth control pills and antidepressants for the moodiness. I say, hey, if a woman takes a certain treatment and it is providing relief for her (provided there are no serious side-effects), then why not? I've noticed in my research that one of the common antidepressants being used for the menopausal transition is Effexor. An older woman informed me she started on antidepressants during the menopause transition and she is still on it two decades later. I wonder how common this is? Depression and menopause seems to be quite common, but I wonder how many women continue to feel depressed decades after menopause, and if so, is the depression related to other factors unrelated to the shift in hormones.
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