Menopause

What is menopause?

Menopause is a process women go through, typically either side of 50, when their years of being able to have children reach their end.

The female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone regulate your reproductive capability. Your ovaries produce these hormones from puberty through to middle age, when they begin to slow production down.

The phase when your hormone levels start reducing is known as perimenopause. Menopause is the result of your body adjusting to the loss of hormones. If you haven’t had a period in twelve months, you've reached menopause.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

The primary symptom of the first stage of menopause is experiencing irregular periods. They could be more frequent or spaced farther apart, or a mixture of both.

Other symptoms you might experience include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Depression or anxiety
• Mood swings
• Painful intercourse
• Irritability
• Problems sleeping
• Vaginal dryness
• Dry, thinning hair and skin
• Loss of libido
• Increased number of UTIs (urinary tract infections)

Your symptoms might not include all these examples. The severity of each symptom can vary greatly between women, too. You might find some of your symptoms continue after menopause.

How does hormone replacement therapy (HRT) help with menopause?

One of the most widely used treatment options for women experiencing troubling menopausal symptoms is hormone replacement therapy. HRT raises your levels of estrogen or progesterone, or both, which helps reverse the effects of hormone loss. 

Many women find HRT highly beneficial, but it isn’t suitable for everyone. Your Advanced Women's Health Specialists provider reviews your medical history and carries out tests before prescribing HRT to ensure you’re a good candidate.

Advanced Women's Health Specialists uses the BioTe hormone replacement system custom-compounded bioidentical hormone pellets. These are a better match for your body than mass-produced HRT and formulated to each patient's exact requirements. They’re long-lasting, too, as your provider injects a pellet into your buttock for slow release.

What other treatments are there for menopause?

Other potential treatments for menopausal symptoms include estrogen creams, pills, or rings that you can use if your vagina is dry or itchy. Medications containing estrogen might not be suitable for you if you’ve had breast cancer or a history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), though.

Other medications like antidepressants can help with low mood, while antiseizure medications like gabapentin can improve your quality of sleep and help prevent hot flashes. You can also benefit from taking medications called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) for hot flashes and painful sex.

Leading a healthy lifestyle, for example, improving your diet, exercising regularly, managing stress, and getting good quality sleep, can all be very effective when managing menopause.

If the symptoms of menopause are affecting your quality of life, call Advanced Women's Health Specialists today or book an appointment online.