Menopause Specialist

What is menopause?

Menopause is defined as the time 12 months after a woman’s last period. It is a natural process that most women experience in their 40s or 50s. The average age of menopause in the U.S. is 51 years of age. Menopause happens when hormone levels in your body change.

Pre menopause includes the time before menopause, and is an appropriate time to seek medical advice to prevent long-term complications. Skipped and irregular periods can let you know that you may be in the peri-menopausal stage. Medical tests can also help determine if you are entering menopause. For example, blood FSH levels increase and estradiol levels decrease during menopause.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

Classic symptoms of menopause start during pre-menopause, which can be months or years. They include the following.

• Vaginal dryness
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Thinning hair
• Slower metabolism and weight gain
• Mood changes
• Trouble sleeping

When your hormone levels drop, you have a higher risk for certain conditions, such as heart disease, urinary incontinence, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction. You can also lose bone mass rapidly during this period of your life, putting you at risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures.

What treatments are available for menopause?

Many women go through menopause and experience only mild symptoms. However, if your symptoms are severe enough to trouble you, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be an option for you. It typically includes a prescription of estrogen in a low dose to help reduce symptoms. You may also take progestin. These hormones mimic the hormones that your body produces in smaller amounts after menopause compared to in your child-bearing years.

Other treatments can include the following.

• Vaginal estrogen to decrease vaginal dryness and urinary incontinence.
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a type of antidepressant, to decrease hot flashes.
• Medications for osteoporosis prevention.