This month’s case study is 40 year old ‘Stephanie’ – who came to the Clinic because of an early menopause.

Stephanie’s Story

For the last year my periods had become more irregular to the point of not knowing when they would arrive. I was experiencing hot flushes throughout the day which I had never had before. It just felt like a wave of heat coming through my body – almost like a ‘furnace’. The night sweats were also a nuisance because I was waking up several times to change my night clothes which were drenched. I decided to go to my GP because I thought I needed to have some checks to see what was happening.  He ran a simple blood test to check my hormone FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) which he explained was an indicator of egg reserve. The higher the FSH, the lower the egg reserve and the closer to the menopause you are. The normal range is between 4 and 10 and mine was 98.7.

 

He told me I was likely to be in my ‘peri menopause’ which means the function of the ovaries declines, periods become irregular and symptoms like hot flushes and sweats can be experienced. I asked why I was going through the menopause now as I understood it was something that happened towards the age of 50. He explained that women are born with a certain number of eggs and some are born with less so they are more likely to enter the menopause at an earlier age. My GP recommended I go on HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) because not only would it stop my symptoms it would protect my bones because I had a higher risk of developing osteoporosis (bone thinning condition).

 

I went away and thought about what my GP had said and decided that I didn’t want to take HRT. Although it scared me because I was going through the menopause earlier than I should, it scared me even more at the thought of taking HRT. I had heard negative things about HRT and I was generally quite averse to taking any kind of medication. However, I knew I had to do something so I looked on the internet to see what information I could find. I typed in ‘natural menopause’ and it directed me to The Dr Marilyn Glenville website. I read about the services offered and realised the clinic was based in Tunbridge Wells – not far from where I lived! I phoned straight away and decided to book an appointment. I thought this would be better than trying to follow a book and struggle on my own.

 

I spoke to a very helpful receptionist who explained that the initial consultation was one hour and before the appointment she would send me a questionnaire to complete and return beforehand. As I was filling in the questionnaire I realised I had other symptoms – not just the hot flushes and sweats! I had low energy, flare ups of acne around my chin and headaches. I felt I was falling apart!

 

During my first consultation the nutritionist took a detailed case history and asked about my mother and whether she has gone through an early menopause. She hadn’t which was why I was shocked to learn that I was. She explained exactly what was happening to my body during this peri-menopause phase – my egg production was declining and therefore oestrogen levels were dropping which was causing my hot flushes and sweats.  I asked the nutritionist exactly how long my symptoms would last and when would I get another period, but she was unable to answer this as she explained that each woman is different. Some women will have one final period and that is it while some will get irregular periods for a year or two and then they will stop. She also said the same is true of symptoms – some women get hot flushes and some don’t – there is no black and white answer to it!

 

  

The nutritionist explained that one of the key factors is to eat a well-balanced diet as it enables the body to adjust automatically to the hormone changes, naturally maintaining oestrogen from the adrenal glands and fat deposits. As my GP had said, with an early menopause comes an increased risk of osteoporosis which did concern me particularly as my mother suffers with this.  At this stage the nutritionist recommended that I do a bone density scan by ultrasound. It was a simple heel scan which gave me my ‘T Score’ which is the comparison of my bone density with a young adult. The scan took just minutes to do and because it was ultrasound it was non-invasive. From this scan, it showed that my bone density was normal which was a relief. The nutritionist recommended that I repeat this ultrasound scan every two years.  This really put my mind at rest to know my bones were strong, and I wanted to make sure I maintained this. In conjunction with this scan, I performed a urine test to assess my actual level of bone turnover and whether it was too high. Again this came back normal so it was recommended that I repeat it in two years time.

We talked at length about my current diet which she felt was mostly good, but there was too much tea going in! I was drinking 6 cups a day and I suppose it was partly habit and partly because I felt slightly addicted to it! She explained that because tea contains tannin, it can block the uptake of vital minerals like calcium which is important for keeping my bones strong. She also explained that because tea does contain some caffeine and other stimulatory compounds it can also trigger hot flushes and night sweats. This was enough to put me off drinking it! She recommended an herbal tea ‘lookalike’ called Rooibos (red bush) which was the nearest thing to normal tea. I even got my husband drinking it!

The nutritionist put together a comprehensive supplement programme for me which incorporated vitamins and minerals to ‘supplement’ my diet and specific herbs to help re-balance my hormone levels naturally. The formula contained black cohosh, agnus castus, sage, dong quai and milk thistle. I was also given additional vitamin C and an high strength fish oil which also helps with hormone balance and minimises dry skin which can be a symptom of the menopause.

 

I went away for six weeks and followed the eating plan and took all the supplements. When I went back, I reported great results having not had a single hot flush! My energy had improved and my skin was noticeably clearer and I no longer had headaches. The nutritionist said that I had made excellent progress in a relatively short space of time. All my friends, particularly my husband were so pleased that I was ‘my old self’ again. I was also beginning to get some ‘mid cycle’ vaginal mucous which was quite reassuring that my hormones had not totally dropped off. It somehow made me feel more feminine. The nutritionist did suggest that she could give me different herbs to help bring a cycle back, but I was feeling so well and actually quite happy not to have a monthly bleed I decided not to. She did also suggest I could have an ultrasound of my womb and ovaries.  Although I decided not to go ahead with the scan at this stage, it felt reassuring that I had been offered this service to give me peace of mind if I wanted it.

 

Marilyn’s Comment

 

This case is very inspiring as Stephanie saw such dramatic improvement in a short space of time. Stephanie, like many women decided to follow a natural route rather than take HRT. It is however important to take a sensible approach to an early menopause. Providing you are taking control of your health and seeking professional advice, you can manage your symptoms quite effectively with nutrition.

 

 

If you feel that your periods are becoming more irregular and you are experiencing symptoms like Stephanie, then please do contact The Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic on 0870 5329244.

 

If you are interested in having a bone turnover test please see the resources page.

 

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 1st, 2008 at 2:30 am and is filed under Case Studies (The True Power of Good Nutrition), Menopause. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.