Menopause doesn’t just affect your hormones—it can touch every part of your life. If you’re a woman in La Mesa juggling work, parenting, caregiving, and relationships while dealing with hot flashes, brain fog, or mood changes, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to go through it feeling dismissed or brushed off.
Dr. Linette Williamson, MD, is an Integrative & Functional Medicine physician who brings together the best of traditional and holistic medicine. With over 15 years of experience in Emergency Medicine and more than 15 years in integrative and functional care, she offers a thoughtful, root-cause approach to menopause that goes far beyond quick prescriptions and rushed visits.
Her clinic in Encinitas is an easy drive from La Mesa, with convenient freeway access and parking, and she also offers telehealth visits within California—so you can receive expert menopause support even on your busiest weeks.
Comprehensive Menopause Evaluation: Getting to the Root Cause
In-Depth Health History & Symptom Review
Your first visit with Dr. Williamson is extended and unhurried, giving you time to tell your story without feeling rushed. The focus is on listening, understanding, and making connections between your symptoms and underlying imbalances.
During this visit, she will typically:
- Ask detailed questions about your menstrual history, including cycle changes, heavy or light bleeding, and perimenopausal shifts.
- Review past pregnancies, births, miscarriages, surgeries, and birth control use, since all of these can influence hormone patterns.
- Explore your current symptoms—hot flashes, weight gain, anxiety, brain fog, sleep problems, vaginal dryness—and how they affect your daily life, energy, mood, work, and relationships.
You’ll also have a holistic review of your medical background, including:
- Past lab work, imaging, and specialist reports you may already have from your OB/GYN, primary care doctor, or endocrinologist.
- Current and past medications, such as thyroid medicines, antidepressants, hormone therapies, blood pressure medications, or sleep aids.
- Supplements, herbs, and over-the-counter products you’ve tried on your own, including anything marketed for menopause, sleep, mood, or weight loss.
Advanced Lab Testing for Hormone Balance
When appropriate, Dr. Williamson uses targeted lab testing to go deeper than a simple “your labs look normal.” These tests help clarify what’s happening underneath your symptoms so treatment is more precise.
Testing may include:
- Key hormone blood tests
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
- Testosterone
- DHEA
- Comprehensive thyroid panel
- TSH
- Free T3
- Free T4
- Thyroid antibodies (when appropriate)
- Adrenal function and stress markers
- Cortisol patterns and other indicators of how your body is handling stress
- Metabolic and inflammation markers
- Blood sugar and insulin to assess insulin resistance and diabetes risk
- Cholesterol and triglycerides to evaluate cardiovascular health
- High-sensitivity CRP or other inflammation markers to assess underlying inflammation
Lifestyle & Environmental Factors
Hormones do not act alone; they are constantly influenced by your habits and environment. As part of your evaluation, Dr. Williamson will explore:
- Diet and nutritional status
- What you typically eat and drink
- Possible nutrient gaps that can impact mood, energy, and hormone metabolism
- Sleep quality and circadian rhythm
- What time you go to bed and wake up
- How often you wake during the night
- Whether your sleep environment supports deep, restorative rest
- Stress load and daily demands
- Work responsibilities
- Parenting and caregiving
- Commuting and schedule challenges
- Major life transitions or emotional stressors
- Environmental toxin exposures
- Alcohol use and smoking
- Endocrine-disrupting chemicals in personal care products, plastics, and cleaning supplies
- Other toxin exposures that may interfere with hormone function
- Physical activity and bone-strengthening habits
- How often you move your body
- Whether you’re doing walking, resistance training, or weight-bearing exercise to support bones, heart, and metabolism
- How realistic it is to adjust your routine based on your life in La Mesa
Personalized Menopause Solutions Offered by Dr. Williamson
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)
For many women, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can be a key part of feeling like themselves again.
- What are bioidentical hormones?
Bioidentical hormones are made to be structurally similar to the hormones your body naturally produces. This differs from certain synthetic hormones that don’t match the body’s molecules as closely. - Benefits of using bioidentical hormones
Because they resemble your body’s own hormones, bioidentical options are often better tolerated and can be fine-tuned more precisely to your needs and lab results. - Who may be a good candidate?
BHRT may be considered for women experiencing:- Moderate to severe hot flashes and night sweats
- Significant vaginal dryness, discomfort with intercourse, or low libido
- Sleep disturbances that are clearly tied to hormonal changes
- Noticeable mood changes that correlate with perimenopause or menopause
- Delivery forms
Depending on your needs and preferences, hormones may be delivered through:- Creams
- Gels
- Patches
- Other appropriate delivery systems (no brand names)
- Treatment goals
BHRT with Dr. Williamson is always intentional and individualized, with goals such as:- Relieving disruptive symptoms and improving quality of life
- Supporting bone density to help reduce fracture risk
- Supporting brain and heart health when appropriate, based on your personal and family history
- Safety and monitoring
Safety is a top priority. Dr. Williamson uses:- Regular check-ins to see how you’re feeling
- Lab monitoring and dose adjustments as needed
- Ongoing evaluation of benefits and risks so your treatment stays aligned with your health goals and risk profile
Support for Thyroid and Adrenal Health
Menopause symptoms often overlap with thyroid and adrenal imbalances. If these systems are not addressed, relief may be incomplete.
- Thyroid function and menopause symptoms
Low thyroid function can cause:- Fatigue
- Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
- Hair thinning or changes in skin and nails
- Feeling cold, sluggish, or low in mood
- These can easily be mistaken for “just menopause,” which is why thorough thyroid evaluation is so important.
- Adrenal glands and stress response
Your adrenal glands help manage stress through hormones like cortisol. When you’re under chronic stress, adrenal imbalances can:- Intensify hot flashes and night sweats
- Contribute to anxiety and irritability
- Disrupt sleep and energy patterns
- Integrative strategies to support thyroid and adrenals may include:
- Nutrient repletion where appropriate (such as selenium, zinc, iodine, B vitamins, vitamin C)
- Stress reduction and nervous system regulation through breathing practices, relaxation techniques, and other mind-body tools
- Adequate protein and blood-sugar-stable meals to support hormone production and energy
- Thoughtful use of targeted supplements based on your labs and health history
Nutritional and Lifestyle Strategies
Food and daily habits can dramatically influence how you feel during menopause. Dr. Williamson weaves practical, realistic changes into your treatment plan, rather than expecting perfection.
Key areas of focus include:
- Anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar-balanced nutrition
- Emphasis on whole foods, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fiber
- Limiting highly processed foods and excess sugar that can worsen inflammation, hot flashes, and mood swings
- Whole-food emphasis
- Plenty of colorful vegetables and fruits for antioxidant support
- Healthy fats (like olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds) for hormone and brain health
- Sufficient protein to support muscle mass and metabolism
- Gut health support
- Strategies to support digestion and a healthy microbiome, which can help with hormone metabolism, mood, and immune balance
- Hydration and mineral support
- Encouraging adequate water intake
- Using minerals like magnesium (when appropriate) to support muscle relaxation, regularity, and better sleep
- Gentle detox support
- Incorporating liver-friendly foods such as leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, and adequate protein
- Reducing exposure to unnecessary chemicals in personal care and household products
Natural & Integrative Therapies
Beyond hormones and nutrition, Dr. Williamson may incorporate natural and integrative therapies to support your overall well-being:
- Evidence-informed botanicals and nutraceuticals
- Select herbs and nutrients that may help support hot flashes, mood, sleep, and resilience—chosen based on your unique profile rather than a generic menopause formula.
- Mind-body tools
- Breathwork
- Meditation or mindfulness
- Yoga and gentle movement
- Other nervous system regulation techniques
- Advanced integrative therapies
When appropriate, Dr. Williamson may discuss therapies such as:- Ozone therapies (including advanced ozone delivery methods)
- EBOO (a specialized ozone-based treatment)
- NAD therapy
- Advanced light therapies (such as TheraLumen and HemaLumen)
Finding Balance Through Menopause in La Mesa
Menopause is not a disease—it’s a natural and powerful life transition. But just because it’s natural doesn’t mean you have to struggle through it or accept the discomfort as inevitable. If you’re a woman in La Mesa experiencing hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, or sleepless nights, it’s important to know that relief is possible and your symptoms are not “just part of aging.”
Dr. Linette Williamson and her team believe every woman deserves to feel balanced, clear-headed, and vibrant during midlife and beyond. Through her integrative and functional approach, Dr. Williamson helps uncover the root causes of your symptoms and supports your body’s natural ability to heal and rebalance.
Schedule Your Menopause Consultation Near La Mesa
If you’re ready to take control of your menopause journey and finally find answers that go beyond temporary fixes, now is the perfect time to schedule your comprehensive evaluation with Dr. Linette Williamson. Together, you’ll uncover the underlying causes of your symptoms and build a plan designed just for you.
Address:
317 North El Camino Real, Suite 107
Encinitas, CA 92024
Phone:
📞 (760) 875-2627
Website:
https://www.linettewilliamsonmd.com/
.png)