How to Survive the Great Progesterone Crash of Perimenopause
In your forties, you may find you don’t cope as well with stress. It happens because losing progesterone during perimenopause can destabilize the HPA (adrenal) axis or stress response system.
This recalibration of the nervous system is why perimenopause is associated with an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
Body-Identical Hormone Therapy for Perimenopause and Menopause
Bio-identical or body-identical hormone therapy is hormone therapy that uses estradiol and progesterone exactly identical to the body’s own hormones.
It’s a modern type of hormone therapy and quite different from old types of hormone replacement therapy such as Premarin and Provera.
Here’s what you need to know.
Is It PCOS or Hypothalamic Amenorrhea?
PCOS is the condition of androgen excess when all other causes of androgen excess have been ruled out. It can be associated with irregular periods or no periods.
Hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) is the loss of periods due to undereating. It can also present with mild acne or facial hair.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Cannot Be Diagnosed by Ultrasound
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) cannot be diagnosed by ultrasound because polycystic ovaries are not cysts. They’re follicles or eggs which are normal for the ovary.
It’s normal for all women to sometimes have a higher number of follicles. It’s normal for young women to always have a higher number of follicles because young women have more eggs. That’s why the new international PCOS guidelines state that “ultrasound is now not recommended in diagnosis in those within 8 years of the start of periods.”
What If You Have Both PCOS and Endometriosis?
PCOS and endometriosis are two very different conditions but they’re also both common. That makes it relatively easy to have both PCOS and endometriosis at the same time.
Learn about the symptoms of PCOS and endometriosis and what to do if you have both conditions.
Natural Treatment to Lower Prolactin
Prolactin is a pituitary hormone that promotes lactation. It’s also involved in ovulation, orgasm, breast health, immune function, and mood. High prolactin is called hyperprolactinemia.
Symptoms of high prolactin include irregular periods or no periods, premenstrual mood symptoms, loss of libido, headaches, breast pain, vaginal dryness, acne, and hirsutism or facial hair. It’s one of several causes of excess androgens that can be mistaken for polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS.