About the Author
Main Signs and Symptoms
Frequent hot flushes accompanied by profuse sweating, insomnia (wakes around midnight and sleeps poorly after that), poor appetite, fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath. The hot flushes began after her periods had ceased, and she was prescribed hormonal skin patches, which controlled the symptoms. However, she became concerned about possible side effects and stopped using them. She has been experiencing the present symptoms since then, which has now been several months.
Pulse: deep-thready
Tongue: red with a thin coat
Diagnosis and Treatment
TCM Diagnosis:
Liver-Kidney Yin deficiency with deficiency Heat; Kidney Yang deficiency (due to depletion of Yin)
Treatment:
Treatment Principle: Nourish the Liver and Kidney, clear deficiency Heat
Zhi Bai Ba Wei Wan (Anemarrhena, Phellodendron & Rehmannia Formula) for 7 days.
Outcome:
After one week on the above formula, all symptoms had been resolved. She was advised to continue with the following formulas, alternating between them, one week at a time: Zhi Bai Ba Wei Wan (Anemarrhena, Phellodendron & Rehmannia Formula) for one week and then Er Xian Tang (Epimedium & Curculigo Combination) for another week.
Comments:
In most cases deficiency of both the Yin (of the Kidney and Liver) and the Yang (of the Kidney) underlie the distressing symptoms associated with the menopause. From my clinical experience, the best way to treat this is by giving alternating treatments, focused on nourishing the Yin for one week and warm-tonifying the Yang for the next week.