As in my blog on Painful Periods it’s important to explain that we prescribe homeopathy for an individual. As I discussed earlier this means that I consider everything about that individual from their health history, family health history, emotional state, and the way they are experiencing their symptoms before deciding on a remedy prescription. Because homeopathic prescribing is of such a highly individual nature it’s misleading to suggest ‘best’ or ‘top’ remedies for the peri- and menopause as, for example, the way one client’s hot flushes are experienced can vary hugely from what time of day they occur, where in the body they start and finish, how extreme they are and how they leave the client feeling afterwards. There are 120 remedies listed in our Repertory for hot flushes alone! There are, however, some remedies well known for their usefulness during this important transition. I’ve chosen 3 to look at in a little more detail.

Lachesis

This wonderful remedy was the one I prescribed for my first ever client suffering with menopausal symptoms. She had come to me with unbearable night sweats, sleep issues which had meant she’d not slept a full night in over 2 years, awful nightmares which she was finding upsetting and regular extremely debilitating migraines.

I prescribed Lachesis and I received a wonderful text a few days later exclaiming she’d slept for over 8 hours straight- something which hadn’t happened for over a year! Over the next 2-3 months the night sweats reduced to a negligible level and her nightmares went completely. In the last 4 years she has only had 2 migraines to my knowledge and has needed to see me and repeat the remedy twice.  It was successes early in my career, like this case, which made me realise the powerful healing that could occur with these tiny white pills.  

Lachesis maybe a good match if ….

• There is a general aggravation before your period but feel much better once flow begins
• You are generally a hot person and are aggravated by heat
• Hot flushes occur at night whilst asleep and they wake you up
• Headaches or migraines and these are worse before your period or worse now you are entering menopause
• You can’t stand anything tight around your neck including collars and roll neck jumpers or scarves
• Regular nightmares since start of menopause

Sepia

Another amazing remedy I’ve seen work beautifully for my clients when the symptoms match well.  Women are fulfilling so many roles these days and are pulled in so many different directions it’s little wonder this remedy comes to mind so frequently!

Sepia may be a good match if there are ….

• Feelings of being exhausted, worn out and overworked are central to the case
• Hot flushes with feelings of weakness in usually chilly individuals
• Sense of wanting to distance themselves from partner or children
• Experiencing vaginal dryness and loss of libido
• Dragging sensation within the pelvic area and possible prolapse
• If periods are still occurring, they may be experiencing flooding

Cimicifuga

This is a huge hormonal remedy where low mood is the main symptom. The description I hear is that it’s as if a ‘big black cloud” has descended on them. Many women suffer with mental health symptoms including anxiety, grief, panic attacks and depression during menopause and so I wanted to include an example of a well-known remedy that covers some of these aspects specifically.

Cimicifuga may be a useful remedy if…….

• You are having panic attacks as well as indifference and apathy.
• Changeable mood
• Patients may be experiencing issues with sleep
• A feeling of being ‘pushed down’ as opposed to Sepias feeling of being ‘dragged down’.
• There may also be a lot of aching feelings in the body especially in the back and neck
• Symptoms may alternate especially emotional and physical ones
• Continuous motion and being warmly wrapped will bring relief from symptoms
• Where periods are still being experienced, they may be very dark, clotty, and profuse.