Period Sleuthing: Your Uterus Has Notes

There’s something that’s been bugging me for years.

I keep seeing fertility patients in their 30’s and 40’s who have been on hormonal birth control since they were teenagers. And while birth control is excellent at what it was invented to do; prevent pregnancy, many of these women weren’t originally prescribed it for contraception.

They went on it because their periods were excruciating. Or wildly irregular. Or ridiculously heavy. Or because they had acne, migraines, mood swings, or PMS that turned one week of every month into a tiny hormonal hostage situation.

Birth control often does a fantastic job of quieting those symptoms.

But sometimes, years later, a woman stops taking it because she’s ready to have a baby and discovers:

Oh. Hello. You’re all still here.

The cramps. The irregular cycles. The acne. The headaches. The hormonal chaos she thought had packed up and moved away in 2007.

And that’s where I wish there had been a little period sleuthing.

Your menstrual cycle gives us information.

Painful periods, very heavy or very light bleeding, irregular cycles, severe PMS, persistent acne, migraines, or other recurring menstrual symptoms are often clues that something deserves a closer look as PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, thyroid issues, ovulatory problems, androgen imbalance, estrogen metabolism, stress, nutrition, or other factors affecting the reproductive system.

Birth control can be an entirely appropriate treatment and a lifesaver for some women. But symptom control and investigating why the symptoms are happening are two different things.

Let me put this in Durango terms:

Imagine you're getting ready for the 12 Hours of Mesa Verde and your dropper post keeps sagging, your hydraulic brakes are screaming like an injured marmot, and something in your bottom bracket sounds deeply expensive.

You would not solve this problem by putting tassels on the handlebars and choosing a really excellent race costume.

You'd take the bike to Tall Matt or Patrick at Second Ave Sports and say:

“Please figure out what the hell is making that noise.”

Your reproductive system deserves that same curiosity.

If your uterus is staging a small coup every month, I don't just want to tell her to pipe down. I want to know what she's yelling about.

That can mean looking at your cycle patterns and symptoms, but sometimes it also means going deeper: hormone testing such as DUTCH when appropriate, gut and microbiome testing, nutrition, stress, sleep, thyroid function, and the bigger hormonal picture.

Then we can use tools like Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, targeted supplements, nutrition, and lifestyle changes alongside appropriate conventional medical care to support healthier cycles and address the factors that may be contributing to the problem.

And we don't have to wait until someone is 35 and trying to get pregnant to start asking these questions.

If your teenager is missing school because of her period, doubled over with cramps every month, bleeding excessively, or dealing with significant cycle-related symptoms, that's worth investigating too.

Periods aren't supposed to be a monthly endurance event.

So whether your finish line is getting through algebra class, having a more peaceful period, or starting a family someday:

Let's listen to the squeaky brakes before race day.

Debilitating fatigue, unmanageable anxiety, bloating, breast tenderness, nausea, severe insomnia, irritability, depression and mood swings are just a few of the not so fun symptoms associated with PMDD. While this extreme version of PMS is only thought to affect between 3-8% of menstruating women, I’ve already seen a number of these cases here in Durango in the past few months and have been blown away by how well this issue responds to Acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

What in the world Is PMDD?

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is like PMS on steroids. If you were to take all the usual unpleasant premenstrual symptoms; the mood-swings, sleeplessness, gastric distress and fatigue and multiplied them by 10 then added to that a giant heap of anxiety and joint pain, you’d begin to get a sense for just how sucky this disorder can be.

For some it can include nausea and vomiting so extreme that they actually lose weight prior to their periods, for others, migraines and joint pain and for almost all there is a profoundly debilitating sense of anxiety throughout the week or two leading up to menstruation.

What’s a girl to do about it?

• Get Acupuncture: I know, shocker that the Acupuncturist is suggesting Acupuncture for this issue, but Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are actually incredibly effective at treating the root of this issue which is often stress.

• Up your B vitamins: B12 shots along with specific methylated B vitamins help synthesize brain neurotransmitters to quell anxiety and enhance energy levels.

• Meditate: Download your favorite meditation app like Headspace or Calm and take a seat.

• Calcium and Magnesium: Add these super nervous system soothers to your supplements.

• Aminio Acids: I can help you find the right amino acid to help bring your personal serotonin, dopamine and cortisol levels into balance.

Forget every misconception you’ve ever had about Cannabis, forget the preconceived notion that Medical Marijuana is simply an excuse for people to get high without being hassled. Leave your stereotypes of bong rips and the Grateful Dead at the door because the Cannabis that we are about to dive into has nothing to do with the munchies or macrame and everything to do with cutting edge pharmacology. Scientific and clinical studies increasingly show exciting new potential for this incredible and ancient medicine and its significant benefits for those who suffer with severe neurological disease, auto-immune issues and chronic pain. The Cannabis discussed here can have profound and life changing implications in the treatment of your Mother’s Parkinson’s, your brother’s anxiety and your son’s autism. It can hold the key to getting off those dangerous opioids for your back pain and offer serious relief for your friend’s arthritis.

The medical benefits of Cannabis are already profound despite the recent discovery of phytocannabinoids that its difficult to capture them all in one blog post, therefore, bear with the length of this post and stand by for future articles on specific health benefits. For now, let us begin with the endocannabinoid system.

Endoca-what?!

You’ve heard of the nervous, vascular, and lymphatic systems of the body, but have you ever heard of the endocannabinoid system?  The Endocannabinoid system was only recently discovered by scientists in Israel in 1982 and has been found to play a vital role in maintaining a state of homeostasis.  It basically acts as a thermostat for most of the body’s other systems, including immune, nervous, endorphin and vanilloid systems (controlling pain receptors), and works to keep them in balance, much like Acupuncture.  This video does a great job of explaining it. https://www.facebook.com/pg/MeganlottAcupuncture/reviews/?ref=page_internal

So where do the CBD’s come in?

Over the centuries, THC; the one psycho-active component of cannabis has received all of the attention for its mind altering high.  However, scientists have only just discovered the over-looked and incredibly powerful phytocannabinoid; CBD. CBD works by indirectly stimulating the endocannabinoid system and by binding with receptors in the brain like serotonin which directly influence depression, gene expression, anti-cancer and osteoprotective effects.  CBD’s act as self regulatory adaptogens, helping to bring the body into harmony. There are at least 111 different phytocannabinoids that we know of in Cannabis yet we’ve only discovered 10% of their pharmacological effects.

what pharmacological effects DO we know of?

So far, clinical and laboratory tests show CBD’s to have the following benefits:

Anti-cancer, anti-proliferative, anti-emetic (nausea and vomiting), anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-diabetic, anti-psoriatic, anti-diahreal, analgesic, bone stimulant, immunosuppresive, anti-ishemic, anti-spasmodic, vasorelaxant, neuroprotective, anti-epileptic, anti-tumor, anti-psychotic, axiolytic and that it turns white fat into brown fat.  

Other phytocannabinoids found in the plant have the additional effects of; appetite suppression, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, analgesic, all while increasing a state of well being, euphoria and pleasure.  

How Can CBD’s benefit me?

Here’s the short list of possible health issues that may be helped by Medicinal Cannabis:

ADHD, Addiction, ALS, ALzheimers, MRSA and Staph infections, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, autism, autoimmune disorders, cancer, concussions and traumatic brain injuries, depression, diabetes, eating disorders, IBS, migraine, MS, nausea, neurodegenerative diseases; Parkinson's, Huntingtons, pain, PTSD, schitzophrenia, seizures, skin conditions; psoriasis, acne, dermatitis,stress,  insomnia and sleep apnea.

Where does Acupuncture come in?

Like Cannabis, Acupuncture is found to also have a direct effect on the endocannabinoid system and has been used for thousands of years to induce and maintain a state of homeostasis and balance.  In fact, Cannabis was once cited as an empirical herb in Chinese Medicine prior to it’s prohibition. Acupuncture and CBD’s compliment each other by enhancing and amplifying each other’s effectiveness.  

Hemp CBD’s

While CBD’s work best with at least a trace amount of THC (which acts like a key to unlocking cannabinoid receptors), as little as 0.3% or less can often do the trick, which makes hemp CBD’s so appealing.  You see, Hemp contains so little THC that it has zero psychotropic effect (it will not get you high), but just enough to help the beneficial plant compounds like CBD get to their desired receptors in the brain. This means that you can travel with Hemp products and take them without fear of suddenly getting the munchies or spending an hour examining your hand while contemplating every poor choice you’ve made in life.

How can I integrate CBD’s into my health plan?

Finding the right dosage, delivery system, strain and  ratio of phytocannabinoids can be incredibly complicated, though there have been no cases of overdoses with Cannabis, too little or too much of this potent medicine can result in diminished or sub-optimal effect.  Add to that the fact that the recent popularity of CBD’s has resulted in flooding of the market with some seriously inferior companies. Because hemp has been used solely for agricultural purposes for centuries, there are a number of producers who source their hemp from inferior agricultural strains which are very low in the potent phytocannabinoids necessary for medicinal purposes.  Additionally, there are several producers who source their hemp from farms which use pesticides.

Fear not, I’ve got your endocannabinoid’s back!

Durango Acupuncture Clinic is proud to offer a wide array of heavily vetted, vigorously tested organic and pure Hemp based CBD products.  I’ve undergone some serious research to find the most potent medicinal Hemp strains and easily assimilated delivery systems for this incredible medicine and am happy to help you find the right dosage and strength for your particular health challenge.  You can simply ask for suggestions at your next appointment or schedule a CBD consultation with me online. Should you require a stronger THC ratio, I can help to steer you toward specific strains and delivery systems at local dispensaries as well.