Perimenopause Treatment – Alternative Prescription Medication
The symptoms of hormone imbalance – irregular menstrual periods, hot flashes/flushes, difficulty in sleeping at night, vaginal dryness and irritability, and mood swings among a host of others – all point to one thing: Perimenopause.
It is a stage that all women go through, no one is exempt from it. So it’s pretty understandable why we would all go do research on medicine or any alternatives to help us go through middle-age life better.
There are three types of treatment which a woman can utilize to her advantage, all with one common goal – to alleviate pains and discomforts brought about by perimenopause symptoms by trying to bring about a sense of hormonal balance, at least even for a short period of time.
The fist one is conventional treatments. These are given by the doctor based on your medical history. Oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapies (HRT), progesterone therapy, bio-identical hormone replacement therapies (which, as opposed to common HRTs that use synthetic hormones, use hormone-like substances derived from natural sources, like plants) are just some of the medical treatments prescribed by a doctor.
There are also transdermal estrogen patches, endometrial ablateion (inner lining of the uterus is destroyed to facilitate lighter menstrual bleeding) and hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus).
The second type of treatment would be alternative treatments based on the natural, medicinal properties of herbs. There is no one particular herb to “cure” all the symptoms. However, most of the herbs have been used for centuries, specifically by the Chinese.
Natural herbs and plants such as black cohosh, ginseng, gingko biloba, peppermint, flaxseed oil, vitamin E, soy, ginger and dong quai are just some of the most commonly used herbs.
The third one, alternative prescription medication, is discussed less, because there are not much clinical studies done to substantiate the claims. The usual symptoms dealt with by these meds are hot flashes, menorrhagia (or excessive menstrual bleeding) insomnia and mood changes.
Alternative prescription medication are medicines and drugs normally used for a different medical condition. Perimenopausal symptom relief is only an added bonus. Some of these are the following:
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Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). An antidepressant by nature, its obvious side effect in perimenopausal women would be to lessen the mood swings. However, very low dosages are also said to have a different effect: it decreases the occurrence of hot flashes.
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Gabapentin. The normal use of this drug is to treat epilepsy and other nerve-related pain. It is sometimes prescribed to lessen the severity of hot flashes and night sweats (a common precursor to insomnia). It is also said to treat tinnitus (a constant ringing in your ears) and manages some sleep disorders, although that has never really been proven.
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Clonidine. Given as a treatment for people with ADHD, and used to treat high blood pressure and hypertension, clonidine is said to help in relieving painful menstrual periods (which are possibly brought about by irregularities) and again reduces hot flashes.
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Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ibuprofen (which lowers a fever and may be used as pain-killers) is a common example of this. It is said to help lessen the effects of hot flashes and helps reduce the blood loss in heavy, irregular bleeding.
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Medroxyprogesterone. This is a hormonal therapy that relieves neuropathic pain from nerve related disorders. The tablet form of this drug is used to treat abnormal and excessive bleeding.
Before taking any medication, be sure to have yourself checked by your doctor first to rule out any possible underlying medical conditions, pregnancy included. Also, if you are prescribed these and you decide that you feel alright that you don’t need to take them anymore, be sure that you tell your doctor first.
Gradual weaning off from the medication is recommended to eliminate the possibility of having withdrawal symptoms due to abruptly stopping the drug. (Withdrawal symptoms may include all or any of the following: nausea, dizziness, diarrhea and/or constipation, drowsiness and/or insomnia, and an irregular heartbeat.)
Find Out More About The Perimenopause Treatment Options Available To You.
Learning more about perimenopause is essential to conquering it. Join our FREE mini course and get the answers you are looking for. Find out:
- What Perimenopause is and how it affects your body's functioning
- How to tell when Perimenopause begins and when it will end
- What symptoms to expect now that you are in Perimenopause
- How to treat Perimenopause symptoms (including irregular periods and heavy bleeding) using medicine and natural remedies found in your home
- How to have the right diet and how to make the correct lifestyle changes that will help you overcome Perimenopause symptoms
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