What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause: Balance Your Hormones and Your Life from Thirty to Fifty

by John R. Lee, Jesse Hanley, Virginia Hopkins

I'm too Young for Menopause-So Why Do I Feel Like this? You could be experiencing unexplained weight gain...fatigue...mood swings...loss of libido...fibroids...tender or lumpy breasts...endometriosis...PMS...infertility...memory loss...migraines...very heavy or light periods...cold hands and feet...or a combination of these symptoms. You may have been told they're "nothing," or stress, or even menopause-and offered surgery, antidepressants, or prescription hormones. But the startling truth is that you may be suffering from premenopause syndrome-and there are simple, safe solutions. When John Lee wrote the groundbreaking What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause, younger women started asking if natural progesterone could help them, too. In this book Dr. Lee, with women's health expert Jesse Hanley, M.D., brings you a revolutionary nonprescription "Balance Program" to restore your gynecological health, energy, and sex drive-and even slow the aging process before menopause, and beyond.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Reference, Medical, Science, Self Help, Womens

464 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

John R. Lee, M.D., was a pioneer and expert in the study and use of the hormone progesterone, and on the subject of hormone replacement therapy for women.

Reviews

[Doris Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors are sharing inside information about hormones and hormone balance. I think both sexes of all ages would learn something from this book. Both sexes concerned with any aspect of fertility (whether birth control or low sperm counts or fibroids) will especially learn from this book. This book is broad and wide-ranging. The book covers much more than just menopause. Much more!

The book seems clear and accurate and sincere, except that menopause is exaggerated and dramatized in the same way every health issue is handled by medicine. ("If one has a hammer, then everything looks like a nail".) The medical profession functions on fear, and women who are afraid of a gentle, natural, and the very gradual aging process may go into a panic mode and harm their bodies with synthetic hormones. This book can help by truthfully enlightening women about the process.

For someone who is afraid of menopause and reads this book, it will be quite informative and give good advice especially to those who are willing to do the work of educating themselves. The last chapter gives detailed instructions on how to obtain and use natural progesterone as a balancer to estrogen dominance. Estrogen dominance brings on menopause but affects men also when the fake estrogens in our food, clothing, entire environment cause estrogen dominance in men as well.

There are many misconceptions about menopause, some are self-fullfilling. Emotions and psychology are discussed. Placebos are at least fifty-percent effective and a mind programmed to think it must have hot flashes will possibly react just to the mental programming.

Premarin (pregnant mare's urine) is a wrong prescription for menopause (or any human hormone imbalance) because horse hormones should not be in humans. There are also many synthetic lab hormones prescribed (especially progesterone) which are NOT the same as natural hormones. Why? Money! These authors honestly explain why it is important only to use natural progesterone. They also explain that natural hormones cannot be patented, so no one can make a profit unless they can sell the patient a synthetic progesterone. But the non-profitable natural hormones are always better. The authors state that one should never take any synthetic hormones.

There is a good section on delivery of hormones into the body: skin, mouth, anus, injection, etc. They explain how things absorbed by the skin will bypass the detoxifying deconstructing liver and go directly into the blood stream. They suggest dosages and details which are still accurate, even though this book is dated 1999.

When the skin absorbs plastics and other chemicals, these chemicals enter the blood and affect or block or displace natural hormones since many of the synthetic analogs are chemically almost identical to natural hormones; but cause different effects, such as cancers and infertility. Maybe our clothing and bedding should only be natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, hemp, silk, and wool? These synthetic chemicals are also saturated into our foods- from pesticides, plant synthetic hormones, genetically modified organisms, fertilizers, veterinary antibiotics, animal hormones and more.

Xenohormones are all non-hormones which have hormone effects. Many mimic estrogen. Everyone, including men, and not just menopausal women, is at risk for estrogen-dominance because of these xenohormones. Some examples are pesticides, soy, plastics, solvents, nail polish, yams, emulsifiers, cosmetics, soaps, drugs, carpets and more. These hormone mimickers are extremely powerful in even a single tiny dose. DES (diethystilbestrol) is a drug that (in even one dose) caused cancer in the SECOND generation of mothers who took the DES which was commonly prescribed to pregnant women around the 1960-1970’s.

It is not publicized, but some of the horrifying effects of xenohormones that have been proven are: cancers, chemical castration, birth defects, small penises, female masculinization, dysfunctional ovaries, low sperm count, and much more discussed in Chapter Five. There are now many more human hermaphrodites (an epidemic) than ever before, it's not only just frogs that have been affected.

There is a good section on fertility and there are many good explanations on many other health conditions beyond menopause. Many cancers have been proven to be caused by hormone and xenohormone effects, for a few examples: prostate, breast, endometrium, cervical, uterine, liver, prolactinomas, and pituitary cancers.

Many surgeries are discussed: hysterectomies, fibroids, HPV and cone biopsies, breast cysts. Alternatives to surgeries are given. Herbal remedies are well discussed. Tamoxifen is explained. The relation between hormones and their powerful effects on the adrenal gland and the thyroid gland is explained.

Chapter Fourteen is an excellent chapter called "How Nutrition Affects Your Hormone Balance" and Chapter Fifteen is another excellent chapter called "How Exercise Affects Your Hormone Balance".
This is a good whole-body book for everyone with a good ending of fifty pages of well-done References, Recommended Reading, Resources, Bibliography as well as a Glossary and and Index. This is a well-done and informative book.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Premenopause is kind of a scary term, but basically fits the ages 30 to 50. I liked the book, found many nuggets to take away. Two issues. One,I would have liked to see the author emphasize testing more strongly, I feel everyone should test before taking any hormone, period. My second issue is that it recommends progesterone cream for pretty much everything (I expected this, Lee came up with the stuff). To my understand, there is a good chunk of research that shows women need to be extremely careful with using progesterone cream and that if progesterone is needed (which should be carefully considered) sublingual is the best pathway of absorption (which avoids concentrating high levels in fat cells). But there were other herbs and nutrients discussed and overall found the hormonal information on target and useful.

[Erin Odom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every woman needs to read this book! I believe knowledge is power, and reading this book has empowered me by knowing my body more. It's also encouraged me to take more time for self care.

If I could have given it 4 1/2 stars, I would have, but only for these reasons:

1. It was written in the late 90s, so some information is a bit outdated.

2. The authors said oats and quinoa contain gluten. That is simply not true.

3. The authors seemed to think natural progesterone is a cure-all.

All that said, when choosing between 4-5 stars, I gave it a 5 because this book is really amazing. It's truly a must-read for every woman!!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title may throw you off because you think, "I'm not even CLOSE to menopause, what does this have to do with me?" But the truth is I believe every woman should read this book. Do you wonder about why there are so many women these days who have trouble conceiving? Do you wonder why girls are hitting puberty faster? Do you wonder about things like breast cancer and ovarian cancer and if there's anything you can do about it? Do you care about about your own reproductive health as well as the reproductive health of your children? This book is a truly eye opening look at the need for our hormones to be balanced and what is throwing things out of balance.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a must read for women, even those who have no reproductive issues. A detailed yet accessible book that explains the causes, symptoms and treatment of hormonal imbalances in women - many if not most of which go undiagnosed and untreated, or misdiagnosed and improperly treated. Full of case study examples that illustrate what can happen with different imbalances, I found myself thinking of at least one woman I knew with the stories presented in each new chapter.
Enormously useful, strongly recommended.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a life changing book to read. I know the title is a little overwhelming but the book really has nothing to do with menopause so don't be afraid! The book talks about how when you are 15-30 your body can bounce back from a lot of things that throw you off balance when you get a little older & have more kids/responsibility/stress. It is so interesting how so many of the things that we do each day and things that we are exposed to in the environment can effect our bodies. I had no idea hormones could do so many things! There are a few parts that get a little too deep into the science/chemistry part of life but I just skipped right over those and the rest of the book was very good. I learned a lot about how to take care of my body, things to watch for/be aware of, and how to help things be more balanced in general.

[Rebekah Morris]

I'm giving this a rating because I have absolutely no idea how to rate something like this.
A good, informative read. Some of it went over my head a bit as I had no idea how to pronounce some of the words, and a few times I found my mind wandering, but for the most part it was fairly easy to understand and at least get a general idea of what was being talked about.

[Neeter L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend men read this too! It gives a clear concise picture of what is going on in our women, in your life!

Dr. John Lee~

So, you want to try natural hormones. Great! But before you take pills, rub on cream, or apply patches, it’s important to know the basics of what you’re doing and why. Hormones bring important messages to every cell of your body, with potent results. The hormone imbalances that led you to this book in the first place can be corrected—or made worse—depending on your treatment plan.

The three basic questions you’ll need answered before you can be on your way to hormone balance are:

1. Are my symptoms caused by a hormone imbalance?

2. Which hormones do I need to regain hormone balance?

3. How do I use the hormones for optimal health and balance?

Throughout this book you’ll be given the guidelines you need to answer these questions.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm..... the book gives a heads up to alternative options that one may not be presented with while visiting a conventional doctor. I tend to be suspicious when claims are made regarding conspiracies in terms of Big Pharma and how they will influence policy and medicine. I think this book could have been written without that aspect. Just show the science or how current understanding is flawed. Leave the politics out.

I should also add that I tend to be skeptical of anyone that criticizes supplements and conventional medicine, but says their supplements or meds are okay.

However, when the time comes, I will look closely at my options.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, don't think I'm crazy for reading this even though I'm only 33! It's all about hormone balance and how being off-balance effects your health. It also talks about the dangers of hormonal contraceptives (ie the pill), and gives suggestions for keeping your hormones in balance. I figure it's never to early to learn about this stuff since I'll be dealing with it eventually!

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish this book had a better title, but it gives a lot of useful information about estrogen dominance, which many American women seem to suffer from. The writing is a bit dry and straight forward, but if you're a woman under the age of 45, it's definitely a helpful read.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did I get through college without hearing about this book??? It is the best book I have read on natural ways to balance hormones -- completely in line with my philosophies on natural healing, stress management, and life as a woman. A fantastic asset for any practioner to own!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is awesome. I love how it promotes balance and provides a thorough education on the subject.

[Victoria Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Information

I was dealing with extreme anxiety, I’m 38 with 6 kids and have experienced 10 miscarriages over the years (my guess from low progesterone as I was also told I had endometriosis in my 20’s). I started using natural progesterone cream and my anxiety has calmed way down to a tolerable level within a week. My breasts are no longer firm, I’m sleeping deeply (but a ton of dreams, all good though), lost a lot of water weight (with constant peeing as a side effect), my temper is more stable, I also never experienced the drying second half of my cycle before using progesterone and this month I did which was very nice. I’ll continue using and update if anything changes. The book was great!!

[Amelia Durham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book by Dr Lee. Obviously he was ahead of his time. I only wish I could have learned this information when it was published in the 90’s and saved myself a lot suffering. This is the third book of his I’ve read on the topic. It’s essentially the same information as Hormones Made Simple and What Your Dr May Not Tell You about Menopause. I would say this one has a bit more of a women’s empowerment feeling and delves into more actions to take for self care and balancing hormones. Doing the preliminary steps he outlines and already seeing results. I am eternally grateful and will continue to recommend these books to all women.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read in a balanced approach to managing hormone changes as women age. A bit dated, but information, thoughts, ideas about women's experiences are still helpful. Agree with other reviewers that some of the interviews/stories of women were a bit far fetched or that even though I have similar experiences and follow the same regimen, I would not experience that "perfect" outcome.
Skipped some of those, because as the author stresses- each woman's symptoms and response are unique and that testing for a baseline is key.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio. Great information on what you may experience or already be experiencing. Good info on how to improve your life—get bloodwork/full workup to check hormone levels but also take the info your doctors may give with a grain of salt ESPECIALLY if they want to give you estrogen— the author encouraged progesterone but also explained how/when to use it. Both authors suggested changing lifestyle (diet/exercise/stress/etc) to help heal your body vs taking parts out (hysterectomy) and also discussed why your body still needs the parts and how it affects other areas of your body/health.

[Maryann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book, however, it is more of a textbook style to solve specific problems. I was looking for more of an overview, so that's why I rated it 3, I rate it 4 in terms of content though. Such a lack of knowledge about a woman's body and hormone changes over the decades, this book fills in some of those gaps.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every woman should research perimenopause and menopause as they age. Too many misconceptions exist about symptoms and changes in the body. Not all experiences are the same, but it helps to know some of the things you're going through are normal. Bioidentical hormones can save you a lot of sleepless nights and grief. Read about them here.

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a bit old, but still gold.
Knowledge is power, but also a source of stress and anger towards what is wrong in the world.
10/10 recommend, 10/10 would read again.

Girls, please learn about menopause a decade before you are supposed to hit it, or if you have symptoms of hormones unbalances, you might save your life in the process.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent informative book. Using progesterone cream has changed my life and Dr. John Lee teaches you everything to know about it. I have found value in reading all his books on the topic of hormone balancing and there is important info in every one. I would start with this one and then you can skim over the parts that are repeated in the other books.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! this books has a little of everything to do with a woman body! i highly recommend that every woman from the age of 20 to 60yrs old should read it. they talk about hair grows, vitamins, hormones, your period and the list goes on & on

[Kaitlyn H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is WAY more than its title. I read this at 19 years old - no where near premenopause - and I still benefit from this information 10 years later at 29. I will certainly read again when I’m actually approaching premenopausal age.

[Shelley Hocking · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a true eye-opener! I highly recommend it for women of all ages. You are most likely going to have to do your own research and get out of your regular doctor OBGYN's office in order to balance your hormones at some point. Don't wait until you feel hopeless like many of us do!

[Francine M. Verdine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. It took a difficult subject ad made it reader friendly.

[Douna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find it helpful in understanding the basics for young women suffering from PCOS too!

[Leann · Rating 1 out of 5]

My doctor led me to believe this was a serious medical read. It's maybe one or two steps above self help. Not worth my time.

[Jennifer Gyuricska · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thankful that I see a naturopath; this was a nice confirmation that we're doing the right things together.

[Y Sh A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fundamental read if you’re interested in progesterone therapy

[L.V. Velásquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every woman in their 30s should read this. It's truly informative and useful.