Dana Cann could have a hot flash and feel like she was going to pass out. She bought a neck fan. She bought extra sets of bed sheets because she needed to change the sheets so frequently due to her sweat. Brain fog brought on by perimenopause and menopause was making it difficult for her to concentrate.
She tried progesterone cream, online advice and supplements to no avail. At the time, her symptoms were not recognized and it began to affect her job performance.
“I had stepped into a second leadership role at work and after the first year and a half I had to step down. I
felt like I might lose my job because I didn’t understand what was happening to my body,” Cann said.
Instead, the 49-year-old from the Bloomington-Normal area took three months leave from her job and thanks to her employer’s medical directory listing of certified menopause providers, she found Maddie Gresham, WHNP, NCMP, at the Carle Health OB-GYN clinic in Peoria. Gresham is a nurse practitioner whose practice includes supporting women experiencing perimenopause and menopause.
Gresham said she wants women to know that perimenopause and menopause can be very challenging.
“Perimenopause and menopause are transitions all women will experience,” Gresham said. “It’s very important that women are not suffering through these changes or any bothersome symptoms.”
Changes in a woman’s body can be intense and affect overall health including heart, metabolic, bone and cognitive health, she said.
“It was nice having someone who understood what I was going through. I had a huge turnaround because of hormone replacement therapy,” Cann said. Gresham helped her feel seen and heard. She received a prescription for an estrogen patch and progesterone pill, which is common for most women, but her treatment did not end with a prescription for hormone therapy.
Her overall symptoms also required more tests where it was determined she had anemia as well as sarcoidosis, or high levels of calcium needing treatment with a prednisone prescription. “Because of the blood tests she ordered, I realized something else was at play also,” Cann said.
At Carle Health, women who see Gresham receive an individualized approach to risk assessment and care around perimenopause and menopause. Patients will also find that Gresham keeps up on the latest information about use of hormone replacement therapy to treat symptoms and new findings on how perimenopause and menopause affect women’s health in the long term.
Legislators are also recognizing the importance of women’s needs when it comes to maintaining good health through perimenopause and menopause. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, health insurance plans must cover medically necessary hormonal and non-hormonal therapies for menopause symptoms. There is also pending legislation in the Illinois General Assembly called the Menopause Equity and Care Act mandating insurance coverage and evaluations starting in 2028. It also expands the Illinois Human Rights law to prohibit discrimination because of menopause-related conditions.
Categories: Staying Healthy, Redefining Healthcare, Community
Tags: gynecology, menopause, obstetrics, Peoria, Women's Health