Menopause means a lot more than the discontinuation of your period and bidding farewell to fertility. It’s a time when you go through a rollercoaster of physical and emotional changes.
Dr. Andrea Olanescu and our team at Medical Care for Women are experienced with providing insight into your menopausal symptoms, and effective treatments to relieve them. What’s more, we provide care in Bengali, Spanish, and Arabic, to meet the needs of our diverse community members.
Technically, you’re in menopause if you haven’t had your period for one year or 12 consecutive months. The time following the end of your periods is known as post-menopause, and the time before you reach the 12-month marker is called perimenopause.
Perimenopause is when you start experiencing menopausal symptoms, including irregular periods and even hot flashes. These are the result of fluctuations in your reproductive hormone levels because your body is producing less estrogen and progesterone.
Your hormones regulate your monthly menstrual cycle. Estrogen and progesterone govern many other tasks in your body, too. As your levels of each begin to decline, you can experience many symptoms.
Every woman is different. One can begin experiencing menopausal symptoms as early as her 30s, another, not until she’s well over 50. This is why it’s best to learn about the most common menopause symptoms, some of which might surprise you.
The most-discussed menopause symptoms discussed in our office include:
Changes with your period signal the beginning of perimenopause. Sometimes you’ll skip a month, or you might have very light periods. Then again, you might also experience heavier periods, and notice your periods last longer than usual.
Estrogen is a fountain of youth, to a certain extent. It keeps your skin supple and your hair lustrous. As estrogen levels wane, you may notice your hair is thinning and your skin is drier. Some women also experience hair loss when hormones begin to fluctuate.
Body temperature is another thing your hormones regulate. When they fluctuate, you can have a hot flash whose onset is sudden and intense. They’re distracting, uncomfortable, and unpredictable, which is why many women consider them to be one of the most aggravating menopause symptoms.
Night sweats are their equally annoying cousins, except they sneak up on you while you’re sleeping. It’s time to seek help if you’re awakening with sheets and pajamas you could wring out.
Your hormones also drive your moods, and you know if you’ve ever had PMS. Unexpected mood changes, including anxiety and depression, are known to accompany menopause. Hormonal changes can also impact your ability to focus, which is something you’d probably never suspect was menopause-related.
Reduced estrogen leads to chronic vaginal dryness and painful sex due to a lack of lubrication, which interferes with intimacy. Another unfortunate side effect of this irritation is it puts you at greater risk for infection.
Low libido can also impact your sex life but, unfortunately, it's a common symptom of menopause. So is vaginal dryness. Again, it’s your now-absent reproductive hormones that are to blame. We have solutions that enhance your relationship and restore your intimacy.
Yet another bodily system that’s managed by your hormones is your metabolism, and with menopause often comes a sluggish one. Weight gain is a natural, unwelcome result. You may also notice you lack motivation and energy.
Sleep becomes elusive during perimenopause and menopause, and your ever-changing hormones are responsible. It’s not unusual to develop insomnia when you’re dealing with the night sweats and mood swings of menopause. Or, you may fall asleep but be unable to get back to sleep if you awaken in the middle of the night.
If you’re living with any of these symptoms, you know they’re most disruptive. Fortunately, Medical Care for Women offers customized treatments that not only ease your menopause symptoms, but they also combat bone loss from osteoporosis — another serious, silent condition that afflicts menopausal women.
Dr. Olanescu may prescribe estrogen therapy to replenish your hormone levels and provide you with long-term relief from these life-altering symptoms. You can receive estrogen therapy in the form of vaginal tablets, rings, creams, or suppositories.
There are also medications available that help with mood issues, hot flashes, and sleep problems. Finally, Dr. Olanescu is attentive to monitoring your osteoporosis risk and proactively treating you to lower your risk for it.
To find out if you’re a candidate for hormone replacement therapy and learn more about the treatments we offer, book an appointment with Dr. Olanescu today.
