Menopause & Perimenopause Care in Temecula
Evidence-Based, Physician-Led
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At Thrive Family Health
I combine evidence-based hormone therapy with comprehensive, whole-person primary care—not a pellet protocol or an anti-aging add-on. As a board-certified family physician practicing Direct Primary Care, I provide the time, follow-up, and continuity this transition requires—all through one simple monthly membership. I'm proud to serve women throughout Temecula, Murrieta, and the surrounding valley.
My role is to help you understand what's happening, answer your questions, and create a personalized plan that fits your life.
Most women reach menopause around age 51, but the years leading up to it often tell a very different story. Perimenopause can begin in your 40s, bringing sleep disruption, mood changes, brain fog, and symptoms that are often mistaken for stress or simply getting older. Managing this transition well takes time, continuity, and a physician who can walk alongside you—not a single visit and a pamphlet.
If you've been wondering whether the changes you're experiencing are "just stress" or "just getting older," you're not alone—and you don't have to navigate this transition by yourself.
Every woman's menopause journey is different.
Perimenopause
Irregular cycles
Sleep disruption
Mood changes
Brain fog
Weight shifts
Menopause
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Hot flashes
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Night sweats
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Libido changes
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Vaginal health
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Joint pain
Post-menopause
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Vaginal dryness
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Urinary changes
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Thinning skin & hair
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Muscle & strength loss
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Fatigue
An Elevated Approach to Women's Health
I'm completing my menopause certification because I believe too many women continue to suffer unnecessarily through this transition. The evidence supporting hormone therapy is strong and well established, yet many women who could benefit are never offered it. When appropriate, hormone therapy can restore sleep, stabilize mood, promote long-term bone and cardiovascular health, and most importantly, help women feel like themselves again.
“You've likely been told this is just part of aging. In most cases, it doesn't have to be.”
Common questions about menopause care
Perimenopause is the transition leading up to menopause—often beginning in your 40s—when hormone levels fluctuate and symptoms like irregular cycles, sleep disruption, mood changes, and brain fog appear. Menopause is the point when you've gone 12 consecutive months without a period, typically around age 51. Symptoms can continue afterward, into post-menopause.
For most women, menopause and perimenopause can be managed within primary care—especially in a Direct Primary Care practice, where there's time for the follow-up and dose adjustments hormone therapy requires. At Thrive, I provide evidence-based hormone therapy as part of your ongoing primary care and refer you to a specialist only when your care falls outside my scope of practice.
Treatment decisions are based on your symptoms, medical history, and goals—not on hormone levels alone. In some situations, laboratory testing is helpful, but routine hormone testing is not necessary for every woman.
For many healthy women younger than 60 or within 10 years of menopause, the current evidence supports hormone therapy as a safe, effective option for managing symptoms and supporting long-term bone and cardiovascular health. Safety depends on your individual history, which is why it should be prescribed and monitored by a physician who knows you—not dispensed as a one-size-fits-all protocol.
I provide evidence-based, individualized bioidentical hormone therapy as part of your primary care. I prioritize lifestyle and other strategies where appropriate and prescribe hormone therapy when it's indicated. Whether hormone therapy is right for you—and which formulation is the best choice—depends on your symptoms, medical history, and personal goals. We'll make those decisions together after a thoughtful discussion of the available options.