Perimenopause & Menopause Care in Houston
You're sleeping worse, feeling more anxious, and your body isn't responding the way it used to. Maybe someone told you it's "just stress," or that your labs look normal. At Minnow Wellness, a women's functional medicine clinic in Houston, Texas, we take these changes seriously. We look at your hormones, your metabolism, your sleep, and your stress together, then build a plan that fits your body and your life.
What does perimenopause feel like?
Perimenopause is the transition before your final period. It often starts in your 40s, sometimes in your late 30s, and can last several years. Your hormones don't simply decline during this time. They fluctuate, sometimes from week to week, which is why symptoms can come and go and feel hard to pin down.
Common signs include:
Waking at 3 a.m. or sleeping lightly
New anxiety, irritability, or low mood
Night sweats or hot flashes
Periods that are heavier, closer together, or less predictable
Brain fog and trouble finding words
Joint aches, lower libido, or vaginal dryness
Menopause is the point 12 months after your last period. Many of these symptoms can continue after it, and changes in bone density and heart health become more important to watch.
How is perimenopause diagnosed?
There is no single test that confirms perimenopause, because your hormone levels can change from one day to the next. A provider looks at the full picture: your age, your symptoms, your cycle history, and your labs together.
At Minnow, that starts with an in-depth New Patient Consultation and a comprehensive blood panel that looks at your sex hormones, thyroid, blood sugar and insulin, iron, and other markers that can mimic or worsen menopause symptoms. When more detail helps, we may add a DUTCH Plus or Hormone Zoomer test to see how your body makes and breaks down hormones and how your cortisol moves through the day.
You then sit down with your provider to review every result in plain language before anything is prescribed.
Do you offer hormone replacement therapy in Houston?
Yes. When it's a good fit for you, Minnow providers prescribe hormone therapy as part of a personalized plan. For most healthy women under 60, or within 10 years of their last period, the benefits of hormone therapy for hot flashes, night sweats, sleep, and bone health generally outweigh the risks. It is still an individual decision, and we go through your personal and family history with you before recommending it.
Depending on your needs, your plan may include:
Estrogen as a patch, gel, cream, troche, or oral capsule
Progesterone, which is needed for protection if you have a uterus and take systemic estrogen, and which many women find helps with sleep
Vaginal estrogen for dryness, discomfort, or urinary symptoms
Testosterone for some women, when symptoms and labs support it
Hormone pellets, small implants of estrogen or testosterone placed in our office that release a steady dose over several months
Non-hormonal options for women who can't or prefer not to take estrogen
Where do I fill my prescription?
You choose. We can send your prescription to your preferred pharmacy, such as CVS or Walgreens. Or we can use our compounding pharmacy partner, EVEXIAS, when you need a customized dose or delivery method that isn't available off the shelf. EVEXIAS ships directly to your door. Your provider will walk you through which option makes the most sense for you.
After you start, we check in with follow-up labs about 6 weeks after any new prescription or dose change, and regularly after that, so your plan keeps fitting how you feel.
What helps besides hormones?
Hormones are one tool, not the whole plan. Perimenopause affects your sleep, stress response, blood sugar, gut, and muscle mass, so your plan is built around Minnow's 8 Pillars of Health. That can include nutrition support for blood sugar and weight changes, strength training to protect muscle and bone, sleep and nervous system support, and targeted supplements where they make sense.
Why women in Houston choose Minnow for menopause care
Women only. Every patient we see is a woman, so hormonal life stages are at the center of how we practice, not an afterthought.
An OB/GYN on the team. Our care team includes Dr. Michele Storey, a board-certified OB/GYN with four decades of practice in Houston, and Allie Donnell, PA-C.
Time to be heard. Visits are long enough to cover your full history, not just your top complaint.
Ongoing support. With a Minnow membership, your plan is adjusted as your body changes, instead of a one-time prescription and a goodbye.
FAQs
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Minnow Wellness, a women's functional medicine clinic in Houston, Texas, evaluates and treats perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Care includes lab testing, hormone therapy when appropriate, and support for sleep, stress, and metabolism.
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Perimenopause often begins in your 40s, and some women notice changes in their late 30s. If your sleep, mood, or cycle has changed and you're not sure why, it's worth getting evaluated.
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For most healthy women under 60, or within 10 years of their last period, the benefits generally outweigh the risks. It isn't right for everyone, especially women with a history of certain cancers or blood clots, so your provider will review your history with you first.
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Yes. We can send prescriptions to pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens, or to our compounding partner EVEXIAS for a customized dose or delivery method shipped to your home. Hormone pellets are placed right in our Houston office.
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Minnow is a cash-pay clinic, so we don't bill insurance for visits. Prescriptions filled at your local pharmacy may still be covered by your insurance plan, and many patients use HSA or FSA funds for their care.
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No. You can book a New Patient Consultation directly.