Jessica Reeves, APRN

10/27/2023

I was pretty excited to read this piece from Axios about shifts in menopause care.

Symptoms of premenopause tend to start in our mid-40s, and last somewhere between 5-10 years - right in the same time period that we are hitting our stride in our careers, addressing new challenges as parents if we have children, and also taking care of our aging parents.

When all of that is happening at the same time, it's hard to tell which end is up - and you can bet that we need some support.

"'These are ... your most seasoned leaders,' who are costly to replace, Maria Trapenasso, NFP's national human resources consulting practice lead, told Bloomberg."

It's about time that the work world starts to recognize not only the significant contributions that women make to the workplace, but also the challenges that come along with making those contributions.

Does your workplace recognize menopause in its benefits package?

Read the full article here (it's brief):

Companies including Microsoft and Palantir have started to offer assistance in managing menopause-related symptons.

10/26/2023

I want you to know that I am resisting the temptation to say "hot seat" (it's just a little too on the nose when we're talking about pre/menopause, hot flashes, etc) - but I really, really want to!

If you are fed up with the hot flashes, if you want to do something about the mood swings and the crappy sleep, if you want to know more about your options to manage this season (it won't last forever, I promise), let's set up a time to talk.

How does it work? Well, to start - this is a picture of the clinic. (Not very "clinical" is it?) No waiting room. No cold tile floor. No crazy parking issues (parking is FREE and steps away from the door). No repeating your story to a bunch of different staff members before you get to see me. No waiting.

We'll set aside about an hour to talk. About everything that you're experiencing, your history. To go over all of your options (hormone replacement is an option, but not your only one). Then we'll meet about once a month for half an hour to see how it's going, celebrate your wins and make adjustments where we need to.

When you're ready, click here to get started: https://tinyurl.com/2p8zm3v4

10/21/2023

My first exposure to the idea of menopause was when the mom on The Cosby Show went through it. I remember her being very dramatic about mood swings and hot flashes, mainly to tease the children who thought that this was going to be the end of the world for them somehow.

So of course I thought this would be something that happened to MUCH older women (like, minimum 75 years old, right?), and that would be SUPER dramatic (I remember the scene where Claire Huxtable put her head in the freezer during a pretend hot flash).

Then I grew up and became a Nurse Practitioner . . . and I realized that for some women, it can be that dramatic. But for a lot of women, the symptoms are present, are inconvenient, and respond well to treatment (with hormones or non-hormonal options).

I also realized that the symptoms start much earlier - like in our 40s. And they don't start after your period stops, they starts years before. You may have symptoms and still get your period every month (and while you could still, theoretically, get pregnant!).

It can be a mysterious rollercoaster, but it doesn't have to be.

The first step is to get an understanding of your symptoms. Click here for a checklist of the most common symptoms and see where you stand: https://forms.gle/VNWeD8s2e2rSnhQP8

And if you already know that you are ready to talk more about your options, click here to get started: https://tinyurl.com/2p8zm3v4

Schedule your appointment online Jessica Reeves - Nurse Practitioner + Coach

10/17/2023

My take on this?
A lot of people - men especially - don't know what perimenopause is.

The ramp up to the final menstrual period is a LONG one, and starts way earlier than most of us realize.

If you're in the (very approximate) window of 45-55 and find yourself searching for the right word or forgetting why you walked into the room - it could be perimenopause.

And guess what? You don't have to just wait for it to be over. That could be a long wait. You have options.

Let's talk.
https://tinyurl.com/2p8zm3v4

A reader wonders how best to call out male friends and co-workers when they dismiss her assessments of her own health.

10/16/2023

What's the difference between pre-menopause and menopause, anyway?
It's not a huge difference - the symptoms are pretty similar (mood swings, hot flashes, and night sweats - oh my) and respond to the same treatments. The main difference between "pre" and straight up "menopause" is timing. Premenopause is that long(ish) on ramp, and the symptoms tend to show up for most women somewhere in that mid-40s window. We start seeing hot flashes, night sweats, trouble with sleeping, mood swings, sometimes painful s*x. ALL NORMAL and a part of your body responding to fluctuating hormone levels.
The premenopause on ramp can last up to ten years (yes, really). During this time - which is often already pretty hectic with life in general - you will probably see changes to your menstrual cycle, as well. It may get shorter, you may skip a month, you may notice changes to any PMS symptoms that you feel. Again - ALL NORMAL.
The dividing line between premenopause and menopause is the absence of a monthly period . . . for 12 months in a row. Have you missed 3 in a row? Sorry, that doesn't qualify as menopause, but it is definitely noteworthy (and something that you should talk to a provider about!). When you hit the 12-in-a-row milestone, you have graduated from premenopause to menopause.
Will your symptoms go away?
Maybe!
But not always.
If you are having any of these classic symptoms - or if you wonder whether what you are experiencing is premenopause or menopause - let's talk. Relief may be right around the corner; let's talk about your goals and your options.
Click here to grab an appointment:
https://tinyurl.com/2p8zm3v4

10/15/2023

Hot flashes. Night sweats. Mood swings.
You've tried living with the symptoms.
You've tried ignoring them.
It's not working.
If you're fed up and ready to talk about getting your symptoms back in control, let's talk. There are many safe, evidence based treatment options that can improve your quality of life. Hormones may be the right choice for some women, and other options may be a better fit for others.
Let's talk about your symptoms and your goals, and let's put together a plan to make it happen.
Fun fact: most women who choose the self care option of treating their premenopause or menopause symptoms end up on treatment for 3-5 years - not forever.
Ready to talk?
Click here to set up your first appointment:
https://tinyurl.com/2p8zm3v4

10/13/2023

I don't know about you, but I started having night sweats and hot flashes in my mid-40s. They call it "perimenopause" but I like to call it "premenopause." Either way, it's the time leading up to menopause, and it's most often experienced by women in their early to mid-40s.

You're still getting your period, but it may be shorter. Now you're getting new mood swings, crappier sleep, and the hot flashes . . . oh, the hot flashes. There are moments (if you are like me) where you actually get up to check the thermostat because you feel like you are GLOWING with heat.

It's a wild time, because often we are hitting our strides professionally, and/or managing busy families, and/or experiencing the push-pull of being in the sandwich generation (taking care of children AND aging parents).

This can make it easy to ignore symptoms (or to try and tough it out); we are so busy, after all.

It can be hard to make it a priority to treat these symptoms, because as women, we often put ourselves last (what is with that, anyway?).

And it can be even harder to get relief from these symptoms because menopause management is not typically included in the clinical curriculum (a survey of graduates in their final year of training in internal medicine and/or ob/gyn found that 30-50% reported feeling "not at all" trained to treat menopausal patients).

That's changing, and you and I get to be a part of it.

Let's talk about your specific constellation of symptoms and how you'd like to manage them, and what your options are.

And if you have had your last period within the past 5 or so years, you have options and get to be a part of our club, too.

Click here to book an appointment and get the ball rolling:
https://tinyurl.com/2p8zm3v4

(Most women are on treatments for a few years, not lifelong.)

Schedule your appointment online Jessica Reeves - Nurse Practitioner + Coach

10/13/2023

Have we met?

I'm Jessica, and I'm a Nurse Practitioner (and coach). I work with women in the menopausal transition to address their symptoms and get their quality of life back. Whether it's hot flashes, night sweats, moods, or something else, menopause (and the lead up to menopause) can be a rollercoaster (I know because I am RIGHT THERE with you).

I can't stop the rollercoaster, but I can make the ride a little easier to take. If you'd like to talk more about your symptoms and the options that we have to treat them, let's set up a time to talk.

Appointments are 50 minutes so that we have plenty of time to get to know each other, answer all of your questions, and put together a plan especially for you. We will meet in my quiet, convenient office in downtown Keene, and you will never be waiting - time management is sorta my thing. You will meet only with me - no receptionists, no telling your story five times before you even get to see me. Just provider (me) and patient (you).

Ready to make some changes? Let's talk.
Click here to make your appointment:
https://tinyurl.com/2p8zm3v4
. . . . . . .

A little more . . .

1. Visits are by appointment only. Telehealth may be available for follow up visits, but the first visit is in person.

2. I have chosen not to accept insurance; all visits are cash payment. You can use your insurance for medications and lab work (if needed); you may even be able to be reimbursed by your insurance plan (contact your insurer for details).

3. Your care is confidential, just like any other healthcare encounter.

4. I am a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner (certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners); I earned my Master's in Nursing at Simmons College, and my Master's in Public Health at Dartmouth College. I have worked in fast paced women's health and family medicine. Wanting a slower pace that allowed for the kind of healthcare (not sick care) that I want to provide, I now serve patients in a boutique-style private practice in downtown Keene, NH.

Have a question that's not answered here? Send me a (confidential) message!