Hormone Therapy / Menopause

Perimenopause & Menopause Treatment in San Diego, CA

Bioidentical hormone therapy for perimenopause and menopause in San Diego — relief from hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and weight gain. Personalized HRT by Dr. Joseph Dubroff, N.D.

Book Free Consultation Call 949-444-0583
Perimenopause and menopause treatment San Diego
You Are Not Imagining This

You're Not Crazy. This Is Real. And It's Treatable.

Maybe you've been told it's stress. Or anxiety. Or that you should try yoga. Maybe your doctor ran a hormone panel, said your numbers were "fine," and prescribed an antidepressant. Maybe a friend told you this is just what aging looks like — and you should accept it.

None of that is true.

Perimenopause and menopause cause profound shifts in estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid signaling — sometimes years before your last period. Those shifts produce real, measurable, treatable symptoms. You are not weak, dramatic, or imagining things. Your body is going through one of the most significant hormonal transitions of your life, and it deserves to be addressed with real medicine — not dismissed.

"Most of the women who come to me have already been to two or three doctors. They've been told their labs are normal. They've been offered an SSRI. They're exhausted, frustrated, and sure something is wrong. They're right. And we can fix it."— Dr. Joseph Dubroff, N.D.

Bioidentical hormone replacement — when properly tested, properly dosed, and properly monitored — restores the hormones your body is no longer producing in adequate amounts. The relief most patients describe in the first 4-12 weeks isn't subtle. It's the difference between sleeping through the night and waking soaked at 3 AM. Between brain fog and being yourself again. Between feeling 65 at 48 and feeling like yourself.

Three Stages

Where You Are Determines What You Need.

Perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause are three distinct phases — each with different hormonal patterns and different treatment approaches.

— Stage 01

Perimenopause

Typically begins in the 40s (sometimes earlier). Estrogen and progesterone fluctuate erratically — often progesterone drops first while estrogen swings high then crashes. This is where most women feel the worst.

  • Irregular periods, heavier or lighter
  • 2–4 AM wake-ups, sleep disruption
  • Anxiety, mood swings, irritability
  • Brain fog, word recall issues
  • Weight gain (especially abdominal)
  • Hot flashes beginning
— Stage 02

Menopause

Defined as 12 months without a period. Ovarian production of estrogen and progesterone drops significantly. Average age ~51, though it varies. Symptoms can intensify before stabilizing.

  • Hot flashes & night sweats
  • Vaginal dryness, painful intimacy
  • Loss of libido
  • Joint aches, muscle loss
  • Skin changes, hair thinning
  • Persistent fatigue
— Stage 03

Postmenopause

The years following menopause. Long-term estrogen and progesterone deficiency increases risk for osteoporosis, cardiovascular changes, and cognitive decline. Treatment focus shifts to long-term protection.

  • Bone density concerns
  • Cardiovascular risk shifts
  • Continued vaginal & urinary changes
  • Long-term cognitive support
  • Body composition maintenance
  • Quality-of-life optimization
Treatment Approach

What Bioidentical HRT Looks Like in Practice.

Dr. Dubroff's approach starts with comprehensive hormone testing — not just estrogen and progesterone, but thyroid, adrenal, and androgen markers as well, because these systems are interconnected and treating one in isolation usually fails. From there, the protocol is personalized to your stage, your symptoms, and your specific lab values.

Bioidentical Estradiol

The primary estrogen of reproductive years. Delivered via patch, cream, or oral form depending on what's safest for your specific health profile and what your symptoms call for.

Bioidentical Progesterone

Real progesterone — never synthetic progestins. Often the single most underused tool in conventional HRT. Restores sleep, calms anxiety, and balances estrogen safely.

Testosterone (Yes, For Women)

Women produce testosterone too, and lose it during the transition. Low-dose bioidentical testosterone restores libido, muscle tone, mood, and energy in many menopausal women.

Thyroid & Adrenal Support

Most menopause symptoms have a thyroid or adrenal component. Dr. Dubroff routinely runs full thyroid (with reverse T3) and adrenal panels alongside reproductive hormones.

Common Questions

Menopause & HRT FAQs

I'm too young for menopause — could this still be hormonal?+
Almost certainly yes. Perimenopause typically begins in the early-to-mid 40s, but for some women it begins in the late 30s. Hormonal symptoms can start years before your periods become irregular. If you're noticing sleep changes, mood shifts, weight gain, or anxiety in your 30s or 40s, your hormones are very likely involved.
Isn't HRT dangerous? I read about cancer risk.+
The cancer risk concerns came from a single 2002 study (the Women's Health Initiative) that used synthetic conjugated estrogens and synthetic progestin (medroxyprogesterone) — not bioidentical hormones — in older women, many starting HRT 10+ years post-menopause. More recent research, including the same data re-analyzed, shows the risk profile is meaningfully different for bioidentical hormones started closer to the menopausal transition. Dr. Dubroff will walk you through the actual research and help you make an informed decision based on your specific health history.
My doctor said I'm not menopausal because I still have periods.+
You can be deeply perimenopausal with regular periods. Hormonal swings — particularly a drop in progesterone — start years before periods become noticeably irregular. Many women in their early 40s with classic perimenopause symptoms are still cycling normally. The presence of periods doesn't mean your hormones are stable.
How long does HRT continue?+
There's no fixed timeline. Many women stay on bioidentical HRT for years or decades because the benefits — sleep, bone density, cardiovascular protection, cognitive function, quality of life — continue throughout postmenopause. Dr. Dubroff retests periodically and adjusts based on how your body is responding and your evolving goals.
Will HRT help me lose menopause weight?+
Indirectly, yes — for many women. Restoring hormone balance often improves sleep, reduces cortisol, restores muscle mass, and addresses thyroid issues that contribute to menopausal weight gain. HRT is not a weight-loss drug, but for women whose weight gain is driven by hormonal shifts, addressing the root cause typically produces meaningful body-composition improvement.
What if I've had a hysterectomy?+
Surgical menopause produces an abrupt hormonal crash that often causes more severe symptoms than natural menopause. Bioidentical HRT can be especially beneficial in these cases. Dr. Dubroff will tailor the protocol to whether your ovaries were preserved or removed, and adjust accordingly.
Get Started

You Deserve to Feel Like Yourself Again.

Book a free consultation. Dr. Dubroff will tell you what comprehensive hormone testing actually looks like — and whether bioidentical HRT is likely to help you.

Book Free Consultation Call 949-444-0583