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Premenopausal Treatments

Menopause usually affects women in their late 40s and early 50s, but symptoms, including irregular menstrual periods, vaginal dryness, decreased libido and mood swings can affect women beginning in the 30s. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatments that can lessen the severity of premenopausal symptoms.

  1. Traditional Treatments

    • You may choose to undergo common traditional premenopausal treatments, such as hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. However, HRT is not without controversy. The synthetic estrogen used in HRT has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease. You and your doctor must weigh the risks of health problems versus the potential benefits of using synthetic hormones. If you suffer from depression or severe mood swings, your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant. For menstrual cycle irregularities, such as excessive bleeding or extremely long or short periods, you may be prescribed oral contraceptives.

    Bioidentical Hormones

    • If you want to avoid the potential risks of synthetic hormone replacement, you may opt for bioidentical hormones. Bioidentical hormones are engineered to be identical to hormones found in the human body. These hormones can't be patented, so there is very little motivation for large pharmaceutical companies to invest in the creation and marketing of these compounds. Bioidentical hormones are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so it is important to be careful and use hormones administered only by a reputable pharmacy or health practitioner.

    Herbal Remedies

    • Instead of HRT or bioidentical hormones, you may choose to self-treat the premenopausal symptoms with herbs such as black cohash, red clover and evening primrose. Black cohash capsules, which mimic the effects of estrogen, are available at a variety of health food stores. They are available in strengths from 20 mg to 60 mg and can be taken up to three times a day. To help alleviate breast tenderness and swelling, as well as hot flashes, you can try evening primrose oil, which is available as soft gel oil capsules.

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