My Journey From Perimenopause To Menopause Coach

When I went through perimenopause, there was no such term, there was no support, no education, no understanding.

I began having debilitating headaches, then my ears began ringing nonstop, my heart was palpitating every night, I just didn’t feel like myself. I began to feel so bad about myself, but I didn’t know why. It got so bad I even thought about closing the garage door, and turning on the car to escape. It was my two girls that kept me going, I had to figure out how to feel better. 

It wasn’t until I started experiencing night sweats, then hot flashes that I began to connect the dots to a menopause transition. I had a friend who told me she thought my hormones were off and I should try using a progesterone cream she got from Amazon. I was honestly offended, “What my hormones, how could she suggest such a thing!!” But she was right. I tried her Amazon cream, it made me feel so much better. Until it didn’t! Six months into using the cream I began feeling terrible again. I realized I needed professional help, but from who?

Hormones weren’t commonly discussed or prescribed in 2017. I had also heard that using estrogen causes cancer so I was confused and nervous. This same friend recommended a doctor who was a bit unconventional for the time. The doctor suggested I try using a bio-identical estrogen and a progesterone cream, both compounded at a local pharmacy. I paid out of pocket as none of it was covered or approved for use in women at the time.

It took some adjusting, but once we figured out the right combination, I began to lose most of my symptoms. I felt like a whole person again. But the story doesn’t end there. Remember, I was using an “unconventional” doctor, her office staff had little to no skill speaking English, my prescriptions would be called into the pharmacy incorrectly. As a result, I had to pay for new prescriptions, which was quite costly and happened multiple times. Needless to say, I decided to find a new doctor but how, there was no Menopause.org to look up a new doc, so I did the best I could do. I called the compounding pharmacy & asked them for a recommendation.

I began seeing a functional physician who was very hormone savvy but again, also "unconventional". When issues came up with my dosing it meant sitting in her waiting room often times for 2 hours waiting to be seen, only to be told to just adjust up or down on my own and “See how I feel”. Then there were the 22 vials of blood (I counted them) she required be drawn every six months to test everything under the sun, this was not sustainable & not covered by insurance, so on I went to the next provider.

I was lucky enough to find (from that same compounding pharmacy) an actual Ob-Gyn who prescribed hormone therapy. Yippie, “This is it”, I thought. I saw her for almost 3 years. During that time she never recommended vaginal estrogen, or testosterone (despite having a consistent Testosterone level at zero for years). She also increased my progesterone from 100 mg to 200 mg which resulted in migraines & dizziness, to which I was told it was neurologic and I should see a specialist, not her.

I had also complained multiple times about low Libido, trouble sleeping, and I was met with utter dismissal. “You know, once animals in the wild give birth, they stop matting” & “If I had a solution to sleep issues in midlife I’d be wealthy, it’s just how it is.” I was gobsmacked. The last thing I wanted to do was switch providers again, I needed my hormone therapy, so what now, I couldn’t keep being dismissed.

This is where my community and the advancement of time (open discussions & a focus on menopause were now starting to happening) paid off. After sharing my experience with one of my clients, she recommend her NP practicing in an Ob-Gyn office. I hit pay dirt! An informed, educated, hormone literate provider who took the time to listen, not dismiss, help me adjust my HRT protocol and provide great dosing alternatives along the way. I’m happy to say we’ve figured out the right combination for me. I feel the best I have in years. It took almost 10 years of trial and error, educating myself along the way, refusing to settle for dismissal and substandard care to finally arrive in this postmenopausal moment.

Don’t let this be you, don’t settle, advocate for yourself, learn as much as you can about how the changes during this time will affect you now and in the future. Take advantage of all that has changed in the women’s healthcare landscape. I am living proof that if you keep pushing, it is possible, it’s not all in your head. After navigating through my own journey, watching my mom suffer and listening to countless women struggle through this phase of life with no education or professional direction, I decided to help change this vital landscape for women and become a Menopause Coach.

I studied with Molly Galbraith and her team of Menopause educated doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, psychologists, and sports medicine experts at The Girls Gone Strong Academy. I now hold a certification as a Certified Menopause Specialist. I am armed and ready to help you learn about all the changes happening during this transition, why they are so important, what changes you can make for your longevity and how to access the care you deserve.

I now offer online Menopause workshops and private consultations. If you would like to join me, please contact me below with your name, email and how I can help you.

Please know that I see you and you’ve got this.

I can't wait to work with you!!

XO,

Laura