Perimenopause treatment in Lafayette, CA.

This hormone imbalance that suddenly occurs in your 40’s and 50’s can drive you crazy! This change is incredibly disruptive to your social, work and sex life and you may not feel like yourself. Have you have been told to just deal with it, dismissed by your doctor, or offered antidepressants for what is actually a hormone imbalance?

This is perimenopause. Yes, there are labs to test this. Yes, they're still worth checking even though they move month to month. And yes, you can get control of this. If you need a doctor for perimenopause symptoms, I can help.

Am I in perimenopause?

Perimenopause is just a transition, not the destination. Believe it or not, it can start in your late thirties and typically begins several years before you even realize.

Many like you are struggling with symptoms like…

  •  Weight gain

  • Body pain

  • Heavy Bleeding & Irregular Periods

  • Anxiety

  • Hair Falling out

  • Mood swings

  • Vag Dryness and atrophy

  • Morning and/or daylong fatigue

  • Trouble falling or staying asleep

  • Brain Fog

  • What sex drive?

The reason why you experience so many symptoms is that multiple systems are affected by the decline in Estrogen/ Progesterone. Because I truly believe in the impact of the perimenopausal hormone swing, no, I don't think you're crazy or making it up.

Why so many things at once? Because estrogen and progesterone don't only govern your cycle. They affect your brain, your bones, your gut, your skin, your temperature regulation and your metabolism. When they start swinging, the disruption is global.

And here's the part that throws you off. In perimenopause your hormones aren't simply declining. They're fluctuating, sometimes higher than they were at 35, sometimes lower, sometimes both in the same month. That volatility is why this phase feels worse than what comes after it (menopause).

Why do labs come back normal?

This is the most common frustration, and there's a reason.

A single test on a single day catches one point in a system that is changing rapidly. Test in the wrong week and everything appears ok while you feel terrible.

So I test differently. Key hormones, compared against each other rather vs. one at a time, and alongside the symptoms you are experiencing.

  • I look at adrenal and cortisol function, because years of stress change the pattern and the symptoms overlap almost entirely with perimenopause.

  • I look at thyroid, including free T3 and free T3, not just TSH.

  • I look at blood sugar and insulin, because they drive weight changes more than expected.

  • I look at nutrient status, particularly iron/ferritin, vitamin D and B vitamins.

  • And I look at gut function, because hormone metabolism happens there, and because hormonal change affects digestion directly.

The combination I see constantly: low adrenal output, low sex hormones, high FSH. All three, in the same woman, with only one of them ever tested. Here is an example:

You don't have to wait until your periods stop

This is the thing I most want to emphasize. Women are often told to come back when they are in "real menopause." By then you've spent five or more years feeling miserable.

Hell yes! you can use bioidentical hormones while you're still having periods. As long as it's done safely, and as long as we've tested first so we know what you actually need vs. guessing.

But hormones aren't the only support. If you can't take them because of your history or your genetics, or you just don't want to, that's completely fine and I’ve got options for you: herbal hormone balancing, targeted nutrition and improving metabolic flexibility.

All of this is included in my Perimenopause program.

How I get results for you?


Because I truly believe in the negative impact of perimenopause hormonal swings on quality of life, I listen to your symptoms. No I don’t think you’re crazy or making it up.

  • Yes, there are markers to check whether you’re in perimenopause. I check hormone levels, even though they change monthly. I know the pattern of perimenopause and what to look for, so the answer to WHY you feel this way is obvious.

  • YES! You can get control of these symptoms! I start with the symptoms that causes the most discomfort.

  • I make sure that you are balanced in other key systems, creating stability and avoiding overdosing

  • I work to support all your body systems in perimenopause, so no you don’t have to wait until your period disappears to get support!

What I actually do in the perimenopause program

Test first, so we're working from your body’s info rather than a theory. You'll get objective data on where your hormones are, your sleep/wake cycle, and what's driving the anxiety. If you've already had labs run elsewhere in the last three to six months, bring them. It’s useful information about you.

Create a plan to rebalance the whole picture, not just estrogen. Adrenal and cortisol patterns. Thyroid. Blood sugar. Nutrients. Gut.

Modify your plan. Perimenopause is a moving target, and your plan moves with it. What you need at 44 is not what you need at 49. I teach you how to recognize the changes so you can take action when you need.

Perimenopause doctor near me: why women in the East Bay come here

My clients love that I treat them holistically vs. one hormone at a time.

No a one-size-fits-all plan – each client has a customizable plan that can work for you, even if you feel like you’re falling apart. On average, you’ll spend 8-10 months working to recalibrate your body.

I don't make you wait until your periods stop. I test, then advise you on the best next steps

I treat your adrenal, thyroid, blood sugar and gut picture alongside your hormones, because treating estrogen alone is why so many women overdose.

I'll tell you honestly when hormones are the answer vs. when they aren't.

I’m an award-winning doctor with fifteen+ years of practice in the East Bay. I've been voted Best Doctor of the East Bay, and I have page after page of five star reviews that show how hard I work for my patients.

I'm in Lafayette, CA, easy to reach from Walnut Creek, Orinda, Moraga, Lamorinda, Danville, Alamo, Pleasant Hill, Berkeley and Oakland. And if you need an appointment virtually, that’s perfectly fine.

Our goal: Take the time to uplift multiple hormones, balance key nutrients, teach you how to live in and control your body right now & support the systems needed for the longer-term journey into menopause.

What if I don’t want hormone replacement yet?

There are many ways to support you: Herbal medicine and diet modification to support your body are two essential starting points in my program.

Even if you’ve tried a bunch of different herbs that haven’t controlled the hot flashes. I help you find the right combination for your body right now, based on your test results, not a theory.

And because we’re getting objective data in the first month about your overall hormone balance, your other systems need support and are not typically fixed with pure HRT. For example: Poor sleep/wake cycles and high insulin, or low dopamine, may all cause anxiety. We find out so you avoid guessing and avoid buying a ton of useless supplements you saw online.

The Perimenopause program

Start by booking your initial consultation. We'll go through your history, test the hormones and the systems around them, and read the results together so you understand your own body. You don't have to wait until your periods stop. You're allowed to start wherever you want. I'll meet you there. Your first visit covers 2 appointments!

At this second consult, we'll discuss your test results, clinical observations, define your health goals and you’ll have a strategy needed to get to the core of your issue. You’ll walk away with action steps and everything you need to get started on your Perimenopause journey.

Frequently asked questions

  • That's exactly what testing is for. Thyroid problems, cortisol dysregulation, anaemia and blood sugar instability all have overlapping symptoms, which is why treating the assumption rather than the finding is disappointing. I test the systems together.

  • Frequently, yes. In perimenopause your hormones fluctuate rather than decline steadily, so a single test on a single day can look like a normal reading while what you feel is different. The pattern matters more.

  • Yes, done right, many women can. Perimenopause is when levels swing hardest, which is why symptoms are often worse now than after menopause. It’s like puberty, but in reverse. Because you're still producing your own hormones, the approach and dosing is different from menopause, which is why I test first.

  • It varies enormously, from a couple of years to a decade or more. Watch and waiting is poor advice or depending on AI to diagnose you every time a new symptom arises will frustrate you. Get a strategy for feeling amazing for the next decade of your life.

  • Absolutely! there a many ways to determine if the dose is right for you. We can test & modify hormone dosages as needed.

  • Herbal support goes hand-in-hand with better nutrition, blood sugar control, cortisol support, and establishing good sleep quality. There are many herbs that work better than black cohosh. Your metabolism is not the same as it was one year ago. A holistic approach is better.

Get started TODAY!

  • Feel balanced. No more horrible mood swings or restless hot nights.

  • Enjoy a normal life with family and friends again. Live in a body that you love with amazing energy levels and fewer headaches

  • Enjoy your sex life again & Be pain free! No more painful dry vagina

Check the calendar below for a time that works for you & book your first appointment!

Serving Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Orinda, Moraga, Lamorinda, Danville, Alamo, Pleasant Hill, Berkeley, Oakland and the broader East Bay.