Menopause Specialist

What is menopause?

As a woman, menopause is a natural and normal part of your life cycle. It’s a hormonal change that usually happens in late middle age when your period stops for 12 straight months without pregnancy or sickness being a factor. The cessation of menstrual bleeding is due to an age-related decrease in the female sex hormone, causing the ovaries to stop releasing eggs.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

Symptoms range greatly from woman to woman, and some women don’t have any symptoms at all. The usual symptoms leading up to menopause, called perimenopause, include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Mood swings
• Irregular periods
• Forgetfulness
• Depression

When will I go through menopause?

The timing of menopause varies from woman to woman but usually, it happens in your 40s or 50s. If you have had your uterus or ovaries surgically removed or have had other cancer treatments, you may experience menopause earlier.

Is there a link between PMS and menopause?

Usually, women who experience PMS are more likely to experience a more difficult transition into menopause. These women are twice as likely to experience severe hot flashes and mood swings.

Sometimes it’s really difficult to tell the difference between perimenopause symptoms and PMS symptoms. The main indicator of perimenopause is that the symptoms happen at any random time of month while PMS happens in a more cyclical pattern due to your menstrual cycle.

What are the treatments for menopause?

Many different treatment options are available for you, depending on your symptoms. Here are a few options that might work well for you:

Hormone replacement therapy

This therapy helps relieve symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and osteoporosis.

Estrogen vaginal cream

This is a treatment option to improve lubrication for women who suffer from the thinning tissue that can accompany menopause.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants might be a good option for some women who suffer from the depression that the fluctuating hormones and changes of menopause can cause.

Dr. Brown and the team at Northwest Ohio OB-GYN can help work with you to craft a treatment plan perfectly customized to meet your unique needs. Call the office or schedule an appointment online today to begin to finally feel relief from menopause.