Menopause

Homeopathy can be very effective in the treatment of symptoms of
menopause and perimenopause. Ruth Appleby is the author of Menopause,
The Common Sense Approach. She is a registered homeopath of 24 years'
experience with a busy practice in Blackrock, Co Dublin. This extract from her
book outlines the most common homeopathic remedies and their use in
treating symptoms of the menopause.
Homeopathy is a truly holistic medicine. If a woman consults a homeopath
with menopausal problems – say hot flushes only – the homeopath will still
look at the person as a whole, and not just prescribe a remedy for the hot
flushes. This is called a constitutional remedy.
If we prescribe in this way, the overall imbalance will be treated, the woman’s
hot flushes will go and her overall health will be improved. Sometimes, we
come across women who have no other problems in their life, who just
present with some specific menopausal symptoms; in these cases,
prescribing on those symptoms alone will solve the problem.
It is preferable to be treated by an experienced homeopath, but there are
some remedies that you could try yourself. I have given details below of some
of the more common homeopathic remedies prescribed during menopause.
You may have some, not necessarily all, the symptoms that I outline below. I
have suggested the 30c potency as a good potency to use. If you follow the
directions below for recommended dosages and repetitions, you will do
yourself no harm.
Are you ready to hear about some remedies that can help? Here’s a
snippet from 8 good ones. Can you see yourself in any of these?
1. Calcarea Carbonica: The woman going through menopause needing this
remedy will likely have a difficult time assimilating calcium in the body. Cold,
damp and sweaty. Feet and hands may be cold and clammy. They are
susceptible to night sweats, and the full moon can keep them awake too.
Uterine polyps or cysts are possible and periods are heavy and last a long

time. This woman easily puts on weight and feels worse from exertion and
the pressure of clothes. Having sex can be exhausting to them too.
2. Pulsatilla: The woman needing this remedy will notice that her symptoms
are changeable. Things shift and change and move around in her body. She
is often pretty emotional. Weeping comes easily. Pulsatilla is a wind flower,
and if you think about yourself in this way, you notice a sensitivity. Things
change as the “wind blows”, so to speak. Women can be either very sweet,
or super irritable. Periods are scanty, late and may be painful. There may be
clots. Being suppressed is not helpful and can cause problems, so not having
sex is not good for these women.
3. Sepia: The word for Sepia is stagnation. Everything is not moving, and it’s
not good. So they need to move to feel good. Exercise is super important for
women needing this remedy. Irritability towards children and partners are
common due mostly to an over concern, or overwork. Pelvically there can be
a weakness, a dragging down or bearing down sensation. Sex can be painful
and may be due to vaginal dryness. Sometimes there is bleeding after sex.
Sometimes there is great desire for sexual contact, but mostly there is an
aversion to it.
4. Lachesis: This remedy is a big one for menopausal women. Great for hot
flashes, and left sided symptoms. Left ovarian issues. A woman who needs
this remedy feels better bleeding. So emotionally, and physically things feel
worse just prior to her period beginning. Once she starts to bleed things feel
much better. During menopause if she’s not bleeding freely there is more
pain. She is highly sexual, and likes to move.
5. Cimicifuga: Here is another remedy for sensitive woman with a tendency to
plump up. They love conversing about a variety of different subjects, and
have a tendency to wander, feeling better by doing that. A dark cloud of
depression may envelop them. There is actually more pain with more flow
during menses. Their periods during perimenopause can be heavy, dark and
clotted. But while the pain may be worse, they actually feel better
emotionally.

6. Sulphur: Hot and sweaty. Hot head, hot feet. Lot’s of night sweats.
Burning, itching vulva or vagina and both sitting and sex can be painful. Her
uterus may feel like it’s bearing down on her, and that’s worse by standing.
Cycles get further and further apart, there is little blood, but it may be foul
smelling, burning causing vaginal soreness.
7. Aurum muriaticum: Are you having heavy periods due to fibroids? This
might be your remedy. (of course, so could Sepia, Calcarea, or Lachesis, so
look at other symptoms you are having too.)  There is a perfectionism
evident in women needing this remedy. They perform well. During
menopause they may notice heart palpitations, their hair falling out, and
while their head may feel hot, their hands and feet may be cold.
8. Murex: This remedy is similar to Sepia for women in menopause, but while
Sepia has little sexual desire, Murex has a high sex drive. In Sepia, the
period is generally light, and Murex has a heavier period. Both may have the
sensation of a bearing down uterus or prolapse. There may be more anxiety
and depression in menopause with forgetfulness being a more prominent
feature.