Ever Wondered What Your Husband/Partner Might Be Going Through While You Deal With Menopause?

Here’s a story of Dave, who is trying to help his wife - who is not just going through menopause but is dealing with the side effects of HRT. I promise you, this story is worth the read, to understand what our partners are going through during “the change”. 

“ I don’t know what to do. I want to help my wife and not end up an ex-husband, if possible. I don’t even know if it’s menopause…

Backstory: I’m a 40 year old male, who’s wife is 50 years old. We have been together for 8 years and married for 3. My wife has been in perimenopause for a couple of years now, with symptoms being, as far as I can tell, hot flashes/night sweats/fatigue. 

I had been talking to her about starting HRT, to see if that would help her symptoms. We went to see a gynecologist and she was prescribed an estrogen/progesterone cream and a low dose of testosterone.

She started a couple days before Halloween and either that first day or maybe the second day, she came to me crying her eyes out. Saying she felt empty inside, she wanted to crawl into a hole, didn't know what was wrong, etc. This seemed completely out of the blue and I chalked it up to her first dose of HRT.

I calmed her down, got her to nap and she felt better. Next day, the same thing happened again. She didn't know why she felt that way, I assured her it was probably hormone related. After a few days, there were no more incidences but I had noticed she was a little more down than she used to be.

Thanksgiving night, we were talking and she says, she doesn't know why but she feels more distant from me. I asked how long it's been going on for, thinking it was still HRT related and it turns out, it started over the summer.

She swears up and down she loves me, I'm a great husband and she knows she has no reason to feel this way. Obviously at this point I'm freaked out because if it's been going on for months, it's something more serious. 

She says I'm her best friend and lately that is all I've felt like to her. So no real thoughts of intimacy, attraction, that kind of stuff. She also said the same thing as during her emotional moments after her first dose about always feeling empty inside. She can't explain it, she's been trying to work on it and reconnect but it hasn't been happening. 

She did say the HRT seemed to escalate things as well.

I don't want to lose my wife. She really is my best friend and I'd walk through hell for her. I know people sometimes just fall out of love but I can't just give up that easily. She's agreed to talk to someone like a therapist and see if that will help and we aren't rushing to any major changes. She loves our life, our kids (each have kids from previous marriages) and everything.

Could this be menopause related? Are there other options we can/should try? It's been 4 weeks since she started HRT but I don't know how long you should typically wait before adjusting anything.

I don't know what to do, I'm lost and reaching for anything I can.”

HRT & Mood Swings…

Mood swings, anxiety and depression are common menopausal symptoms. The worst part? Studies have shown that these symptoms escalate for women who are on HRT. 

Why? 

During menopause, the decline in levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone affects the production of serotonin, a mood-regulating neurotransmitter. 

Whenever hormonal levels fluctuate, so do serotonin levels, resulting in sudden, intense mood swings.

Therefore, while HRT helps increase your estrogen and progesterone levels over time…it also causes hormonal fluctuation, which might cause intense & sudden mood swings. 

Don’t get us wrong - HRT is great for menopause, especially because it helps women with multiple symptoms - hot flashes, weight gain, fatigue, etc. 

However, for women who are either ineligible for HRT or might be tired of the side effects…

Fret not! There’s are 3 natural alternatives that can combat your menopausal symptoms easily…

1. Phytoestrogen

Phytoestrogens are a natural compound found in plants and plant-based foods. When eaten, they imitate estrogen because their chemical structure is very similar to that of estrogen found in our body. 

When Phytoestrogens enter the body, the body’s estrogen receptors treat them as if they were estrogen. This is why they might be beneficial for women looking to rebalance their hormones as they approach or are in menopause. 

2. Probiotics

During perimenopause & menopause, your body starts producing less estrogen, which directly affects our gut microbiome. Therefore, symptoms like weight gain, bloating, IBS is common among menopausal women. 

The worst part? 

The microbiome found in our gut, which is now affected, actually helps to regulate estrogen levels in your body. 

In fact, there’s a subset of bacteria called the estrobolome that specifically works to metabolize estrogens. So, an unbalanced and distressed gut (which is also a side effect of low estrogen levels), can cause either the deficiency or excess of free estrogen. Consequently, leading to estrogen-related health issues like - mood swings and more. 

As low estrogen affects our microbiome & unbalanced microbiome affects our mood and causes other menopausal symptoms like - depression, anxiety, insomnia and hot flashes…

Consuming probiotics daily - especially strains like L. Gasseri, B. Lactis & B. Breve - helps to continuously provide a source of beneficial gut flora and improve your mood swings in the long run. 

3.Vitamin B’s

Research has shown that consuming vitamin B (namly Vitamin B 6 & 12) can help improve your cognitive system, regulate mood and maintain normal brain function. 

Vitamin B6 helps with the production of neurotransmitters (which send messages from the brain to the rest of the body). Therefore, it’s essential for regulating brain function, which influences our emotions and it’s also an effective method of treating “premenstrual” & “menopausal” depression, as it regulates healthy moods. 

Vitamin B12 aids in the creation of red blood cells and nerves. Therefore, low levels of B12 can cause short-term fatigue, slowed reasoning and paranoia, and depression as well. Your mood depends largely on signals from the brain and B12 plays an important role in regulating depression and mood swings, as it allows the body to synthesize a group of nutrients critical for normal neurological function. 

So, if you’re either ineligible for HRT or might be tired of the side effects…

You might want to give these natural solutions a go today to help combat not just mood swings and depression but other menopausal symptoms like - brain fog, fatigue, low energy, hot flashes, bloating, weight gain and more! 

PS: We wanted to create a product that could help women fight menopausal symptoms naturally! 

Which is why we created our #1 thermogenic probiotic for menopausal women - Provitalize. 

Provitalize is made with all-natural herbs & phytoestrogens that gently restore hormonal balance.

Along with thermogenic probiotics that not only boost metabolism, reduce inflammation, keep your gut healthy but also regulate hormones...

Provitalize’s ingredient blend makes it the perfect natural alternative for women looking to ease their menopausal symptoms without having to rely on HRT! 

Provitalize has helped over 716,700 women worldwide beat their menopausal symptoms, like:

• Mood Swings
• Anxiety & Depression
• Weight gain
• Hot flashes
• Bloating
• Weight Gain
• Fatigue
• Hormonal imbalance

… and lot’s more! 

Don’t believe us?

Check out what our lovely customer have to say about how Provitalize helped her ease her menopausal symptoms naturally: