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Menopause Symptoms and Solutions
Women going through perimenopause and menopause may experience many uncomfortable symptoms. Use this chart to find solutions to help ease your discomfort.
Many different treatments are effective, so choose the ones that appeal most to you. Remember, it's very important to check with your doctor before trying any of these remedies!
| Hot flashes |
 | Estrogen replacement | | 2% bioidentical progesterone cream | | Meditation and relaxation
| | Dietary improvements, like eliminating white rice and foods made from white flour from your diet, as well as soda, alcohol and sweets | | Add 45–160 mg of soy isoflavones to your daily diet. | | Herbal therapies such as Remifemin or Women's Menocaps, reliable brands found in natural food stores | | Acupuncture |
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| Night sweats |
| Solutions are the same as for hot flashes. |
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| Heart palpitations |
| If you are experiencing these, see your doctor immediately. They could be symptoms of a much more serious condition. |
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| Migraine headaches |
| Avoid trigger foods like caffeine, alcohol, red wine, chocolate, peanuts and aspartame (found in some diet drinks). If there is no change, try eliminating wheat, sugar, corn and dairy for two weeks. | | Avoid or transform potential stress by keeping a journal of what's going on when your headaches start. You should begin to see a pattern that you can then take steps to change. | | Balance your hormones with a 2% bioidentical progesterone cream, applied to the skin. | | Eat more soy. | | Try herbal remedies like feverfew. and butterbur that have been shown to relieve migraine pain. | | Supplements such as Magnesium and EPA and DHA (fish oil) are also effective at relieving migraine pain. |
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| Breast swelling and tenderness |
| Follow a hormone-balancing diet. | | Take 100–200 mg of B vitamins and omega-3 fats such as EPA and DHA once or twice daily. | | Cut out caffeine. | | Use a 2% bioidentical progesterone cream. | | Add whole soy foods to your diet. |
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| Heavy menstrual periods |
| Consult your doctor about progesterone or birth control pills. | | Investigate acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. | | In severe cases, laser surgery can help. Check with your doctor. |
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| Irregular or erratic periods |
| If you can live with it, hang in there. The problem will go away. | | Talk to your doctor about alternatives such as birth control pills, progesterone cream or the herb chaste berry. |
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| Fibroids |
| These growths will usually shrink dramatically after menopause and don't require surgery. | | Consult your doctor about having the growths removed if necessary. | | Weight loss, acupuncture, herbal remedies, dietary change and progesterone are effective alternatives in many cases.
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| Change in libido |
| Have your hormonal levels checked. | | Adrenal exhaustion can be helped with supplemental amounts of testosterone or DHEA. | | Have your doctor check for reduced amounts of estrogen or thinning of the vaginal tissue. | | If your sex drive has increased, channel your extra energy into a creative outlet that helps you get the most out of your life.
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| Vaginal dryness and/or painful intercourse |
| Try a vaginal lubricant during intercourse. | | Topical estrogen cream, vitamin E suppositories, systemic estrogen therapy, or increased intake of soy can be helpful. Check with your doctor. |
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| Urinary symptoms |
| Can often be resolved through the use of a locally applied estrogen cream. | | Kegel exercises (contracting and strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor) can increase blood flow to the area and help with stress incontinence.
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| Skin problems |
| A variety of treatments will help build collagen, resurface the skin, and prevent wrinkles. Try systemic hormones, adding soy to your diet, and antioxidant supplements like vitamin C and E.
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| Bone loss |
| Get adequate phytohormones from foods such as soy, from herbs, hormone replacement and calcium and magnesium supplements. | | Strengthen your bones by beginning a weight-bearing exercise program.
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| Insomnia |
| If related to hot flashes, try the solutions listed above. | | If related to anxiety, you may need to make some changes in your life that the anxiety is bringing to your attention. | | You may just need more sleep than you previously did. Try daytime naps to relieve your insomnia.
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| Fuzzy thinking |
| Try herbs such as ginkgo and St. John's wort. | | Soy isoflavones or hormones like progesterone or estrogen are also helpful.
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Information taken from The Wisdom of Menopause by Christiane Northrup, M.D. (Bantam Books)
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