Homeopathy for Women's Health - PMS & Menopause

Homeopathy for Women
Many areas of gynecology are often overspecialized, with overuse of surgery (600,000 are performed per year with 500,000 of these considered unnecessary), oral contraceptives and fertility pills, not to mention hormone replacement therapy.  All of these can be dangerous to the patient, especially hormonal treatments which are often carcinogenic.  Many gynecologists are having second thoughts about the possible long-term effects of hormonal treatments:

        (1) Estrogen given for hot flashes and vaginal dryness also causes unwanted fat and water retention, as well as increasing the risk of endometrial cancer and breast cancer.  Premarin (prescription estrogen made from a pregnant mare's urine) is one of the top ten prescription drugs in the U.S.  Synthetic estrogens are highly toxic and carcinogenic.

Treating the symptom (estrogen deficiency) with a drug (estrogen) fixates on drug treatment of health problems.  Conventional medicine of the past directed treatment at restoring balance - including physical, nutritional, emotional and environmental factors.

Disease usually originates in the body long before symptoms appear. Homeopathy focuses on understanding initial causes of disease, not waiting to treat later pathology.  Seventy percent of diseases are preventable.

Homeopathy is an effective and safe alternative to synthetic hormones.  It does not place the patient at risk.  Based on treating "like with like," homeopathy uses the individualized remedy which produces similar symptoms in a proving (testing the remedy's effects on healthy people) and matches this similar remedy to those symptoms the patient is experiencing.

Homeopathic practitioners such as Joan Scott Lowe are often consulted when a woman's conventional therapies fail or cause side effects. In many cases the hot flashes, drenching sweats and discharge or rash are not improving under conventional care.  The woman is often told she must live with her condition.  Bad or allergic reactions to a prescription drug or hormone can occur.

Side effects of Premarin include:
headaches, dizziness, depression, changes in sex drive, lethargy, thrombophlebitis (blood clots), hypertension, edema, increased risk of stroke, pulmonary embolism and myocardial infarction (heart attacks).  Other adverse effects of synthetic estrogen include worsening of nearsightedness or astigmatism, intolerance to contact lenses, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, appetite changes and pancreatitis.  Breakthrough bleeding may occur with altered menstrual flow, painful menses, enlargments of uterine fibromas; candidiasis is also commonly encountered in women taking Premarin.  In men impotence, gynecomastia (excessive development of male breasts) and wasting away of the testicles  can occur.  Rashes, acne, oily skin, breast changes and leg cramps are other side effects, besides increased risk of cancer.

Homeopathy for Hormonal Imbalances:
With homeopathy there are no side effects and the correctly chosen remedy will alleviate uncomfortable symptoms of PMS, as well as hot flashes and night sweats of menopause.  In his book Homeopathic Medicine for Women, Dr. Trevor Smith writes, "Many female conditions are perfectly well and adequately treated by the homeopathic method, which can be used alone or combined with other conventional or herbal treatments."

Advantages of Homeopathy
(1) Totality of approach:  Homeopathy considers emotional factors and the female hormonal cycle.  The two are inseparable and affect each other.
(2) A first-line approach in gynecological problems, such as irregular, missed or painful periods, menopausal problems, PMS, infertility and infections not due to obstruction.
(3) A secondary supportive treatment:  When surgery is necessary for removal of tumors or cysts, homeopathy can be used as an adjunct back-up therapy to rstore health after surgery.

The Female Cycle
The menstrual cycle (a 26-30 day process) is a process of renewal during which the egg (ovum) develops, matures and releases itself for possible fertilization.  The cycle also provides an embedding mechanism and food storage to nourish the embryo once fertilization has occurred.

        Both local and remote hormonal sources control the menstrual cycle.
(1) The ovary produces estrogen and progesterone, which are the two key hormones responsible for the development of the endometrial lining of the uterus.

(2) At the central level, the anterior pituitary, triggered by the hypothalamus, is responsible for the production of two major controlling hormones - follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).

FSH is responsible for proliferation of follicle cells around the developing egg and its release at ovulation.  Follicle cells on the ovary are the source of estrogen from Day 4 onward.

LH triggers ovulation when estrogen levels reach a critical point around the 14th day of the cycle.  At this point the mature egg is released (ovulation) and the follicle cell becomes the corpus luteum, the major site of progesterone release.  Cholesterol is the basic building block for all hormones.  Without cholesterol, we can't make hormones.

Estrogen (from estrus meaning "heat" or "fertility") is the dominant hormone during the first week after menstruation.  It stimulates the buildup of tissue and blood in the uterus as the ovarian follicles are developing the egg.  Around the time of ovulation, estrogen causes changes in the vaginal mucus, making it more tolerant of male penetration during sexual activity and more hospitable to sperm.  At this phase in the cycle, the vaginal mucus resembles uncooked egg whites.  Watching for this change in mucus combined with a rise in body temperature is a good way to identify the time of ovulation.

About 12 days after the beginning of the previous period, the rising estrogen level peaks and tapers off just as the follicle matures and just before ovulation.  After ovulation, the now-empty follicle (which has released its egg) becomes the corpus luteum (named thus because of its appearance as a small yellow body on the surface of the ovary). The corpus luteum produces progesterone, which dominates the second half of the cycle. So at ovulation, progesterone levels rise to dominance during the second half of the cycle (2 weeks after the period starts).  Progesterone production leads to a refinement and ripening of tissue and blood in the uterus.  The rise of progesterone at ovulation causes a rise of body temperature of about one degree Fahrenheit.  (You can chart this yourself to determine if and when you are ovulating).

Progesterone blocks estrogen's side effects.  A surplus of estrogen or a progesterone deficiency during these 2 weeks can allow an abnormal monthlong exposure to estrogen dominance with estrogen's side effects. (Your doctor can test your progesterone level with a saliva test during days 18-25 of your cycle).  If pregnancy does not occur within 10-12 days after ovulation, estrogen and progesterone levels fall, triggering your period, and the cycle begins once again.

If pregnancy occurs, progesterone production increases and the uterus is prevented from shedding its lining to preserve the developing embryo.

All phases of the cycle depend on healthy hypothalamus and pituitary functioning, since these trigger the production of FSH and LH. So as you can see, emotional stress can inhibit ovulation, delaying the period or causing irregularity.  Sperm count of men can fall when the male is under emotional pressure.  Chronic stress or repressed emotion may be common causes in diseases of civilization, including cancer.  Many patterns of modern living are alien to natural cycles.  The problem is that most of these patterns are accepted as normal and are no longer accepted as detrimental or abnormal.

Menopause (or the cessation of menses) is not a disease.  In the Far East and Third World countries, unpleasant symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness and mood swings are unknown.  In his book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause, Dr. John Lee tells us these symptoms are the result of poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle, environmental pollutants, cultural attitudes, incorrect use of synthetic hormones and advertising.

Women are learning to ask questions and make more demands from their doctors, even requesting second opinions and seeking out alternatives to surgery and hormones.  Always ask questions of your doctor; these are your rights as a patient!

Premenopause (or perimenopause) can occur from the mid-30s to the late-40s when a woman's hormone balance can begin to shift.  The ability of the ovary's follicles to grow and release an egg may begin sputtering a decade before menopause, creating cycles in which a woman doesn't ovulate; this is called anovulatory cycles.  Without ovulation, no progesterone is produced by the ovaries.  Menopausal symptoms such as weight gain, water retention and mood swings can occur.  Menstrual cycles can continue without progesterone, as most women are not aware that lack of progesterone is causing their symptoms during perimenopause.

Menopause is treated as an estrogen deficiency disease.  In actuality, Western women have a 10 to 15 year period before menopause when they are estrogen dominant, causing worsening of PMS symptoms.  During menopause, progesterone decreases to 1/120 of its baseline levels, while estrogen only decreases to 1/2-1/3 of premenopausal baseline levels.

Premenstrual changes occur during the last few days of very low estrogen and progesterone with many emotional and physical symptoms.  An average of 12 ounces of blood is lost during the full period.  Symptoms of PMS include:

• Bloating and weight gain

• Headaches/backaches

• Irritability/depression

• Breast swelling/tenderness

• Low sex drive

• Fatigue

• Confusion and disorientation

• Intemperate judgments and decision-making

• Mood swings

• Anger and verbal abuse

• Lethargy alternating with increased energy, alienation, and guilt

• Low self-esteem

• Cravings for sweets, especially chocolate.

Every system in the body can be affected: immune, digestive, circulatory, nervous, endocrine and skin.  Victims of PMS may experience any combination of these symptoms with all degrees of severity, from mild to overwhelming.  Remember two things: (1) Yes, it is real.  (2) No, you are not crazy.  When the correct homeopathic constitutional remedy (an individualized remedy chosen by your homeopath to match your unique pattern or symptoms) is taken, homeopathic therapy can alleviate the majority of emotional and physical symptoms of PMS.

Nutrition also plays a role in PMS, menopause and perimenopause. Lack of fiber can cause estrogen to be reabsorbed and recycled; beef can increase estrogen levels (creating an abnormal estrogen dominance) due to estrogens fed to cattle to fatten them up.  Stress  also causes menstrual problems, as well as going off contraceptive pills when synthetic hormone use prevents normal ovulation, leaving the ovaries less able to function normally.  Exercise and avoidance of caffeine, chocolate and beef can help alleviate PMS.  The addition of phytoestrogens (plant foods which contain natural sources of estrogen, including soy products and flax oil) to the diet will also assist in alleviating the symptoms of PMS and perimenopause/menopause.

The protocol which Joan Scott Lowe has found to be effective is a combination of:

• Regular exercise and avoidance of caffeine, chocolate, excessive salt, beef/pork and refined carbohydrates.

• Nutrition (a high fiber diet with flax oil capsules and soy milk in cereal every morning or tofu to provide natural estrogens, called phytoestrogens).

• The correct homeopathic constitutional remedy chosen by your professional homeopath.

Case Studies
Case A:
A 45-year-old white female presents with anxiety, palpitations like a flutter, fibromyalgia and no libido, along with PMS symptoms (breast swelling/tenderness, mood swings in which she is irritable, snapping at her husband, headaches, weepiness and nausea).  She is sensitive to the heat of the sun and weeps easily, tearing up at sentimental things.  She is afraid of being along at night when her husband is at work  and craves attention, affection and consolation, although she does not readily give affection to her husband.  She gets easily hurt feelings when her husband disregards her.  Her arms are itching and she is hot at night with night sweats.  She craves french fries, chick fillets, fried chicken (fatty foods) and salt and chocolate during PMS.  She has had acne of the buttocks for six months with painful bumps.  Also complains of chronic pounding headaches, nausea, sinus congestions and low energy.  She feels easily overwhelmed about getting everything done and has trouble with self-esteem and making decisions.  She is forgetful and has irregular periods; no two periods are alike - one is spotting and light, while another is heavy on the second day.  Periods may come two in a month, or none at all.  She took the remedy Pulsatilla  200C on October 12, 1998.  On December 18, 1998, she reported that her breasts weren't tender or swollen.  After the remedy her palpitations went away and her sex drive improved.  Her moods were more stable; "I was on cloud 9, in bliss over Thanksgiving."  Her body aches went away  and her self-esteem improved.  She was able to say "No" more easily and give affection to her husband.  Her energy improved, giving her more initiative to run her business more successfully.  Over the past year she has continued to notice improvements in self-esteem, energy and fibromyalgia.

Case B
This is the case of a 28-year-old Caucasian female with a 21-month-old baby.  She presented with menstrual problems, recurrent urinary tract infections, irritability and indifference toward her husband, and stomach pains with sore stomach muscles.  Her periods have been heavier with more bleeding and shorter cycles the past 3-4 months.  Although she is still breast-feeding her child, this seems to upset her hormones.  She gets a brown discharge one day before and one day after her period.  Before breast-feeding, her cycles were always regular, short and heavy.  She used to have a 28-day cycle and bleed for 7 days; now she has a 25-day cycle and bleeds 9 days.  She has cramps on her second and third days.  She took 10 doses of the remedy Sepia  30C on her own, which did not help.  She has a heavy ball feeling low in her abdomen and craves chocolate 4-5 days before her period.  "I get irritable and moody; things affect me more strongly. No crying, just crankiness."  She says her husband "drives me crazy" and her child annoys her more during PMS.  She has itching of the vulva when sexually aroused.  Her urinary tract infections are characterized by blood in the urine, burning on urination, frequency/urgency and occur 1-2 weeks after her period.  She also complains of stress incontinence triggered by sneezing.

After seeing Joan Scott Lowe, she took one dose of Aristolochia clematitis 30C on September 10, 1998 and another dose a month later on October 10, 1998, one day before her period started.  On November 4, 1998, she reported, "Things happened.  Although her PMS is still present, her chocolate cravings and crankiness are managable now.  "I don't have a day of thick brown discharge like I used to."  Instead of uterine cramps at the onset of her period, she had thigh cramps.  Her cystitis is real minor now, less intense, more frequent and not as much pain.  Indifference to her husband and child are improved and she is not as irritable or moody during PMS.  Her stomach doesn't hurt anymore and her constipation, bloating and gas are gone.

On November 15, 1998, she took a dose of Aristolochia clematitis 200C.  By January 15, 1999, she reported, "I'm doing better.  My cycles are more manageable."  PMS was better when at the beach.  Cystitis symptoms went away by itself 9 days after her period started.  She has a better relationship with her husband and she rarely gets gas, except a little stomach gas after eating dairy.  Her energy is improved and her sore stomach muscles are gone.  Her skin is clearing up and she isn't breaking out as much.  She had a couple of MVP symptoms, which occurred after not eating right.  Maybe it was gas?  Itching of the vulva went away.  She feels this is the correct remedy and repeated it again in March to boost her immune system after a partial relapse of PMS, cystitis and skin break-outs.  While continuing the Aristolochia clematatis, she became pregnant in April 1999 and continues to use this remedy as needed for chocolate cravings, mood changes (crankiness) and yeast flare-ups.  Her urinary tract infections have cleared up and her energy and mood  have improved, giving her an easier pregnancy.

Homeopathy is safe and free of side effects for pregnant and lactating women and infants.  Joan Scott Lowe is currently seeing new clients. Follow-up interviews may be conducted by phone calls for those who live outside the Birmingham, Alabama area.