You can also request an appointment online. Previous Next. View Larger Image. When Does Menopause Start? How Long Does Menopause Last?
Non-hormonal medications to help symptoms may include: Antidepressants for mood changes. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs are not only effective in the treatment of anxiety and depression, but they can help with hot flashes as well.
Sleep medications for insomnia. Medications that protect against osteoporosis Topical treatments for both hair loss and unwanted body hair growth Non-hormonal vaginal lubricants and moisturizers. Adjustments to daily life can also help you manage the symptoms of menopause: Eating right and exercising can help with weight management and improve your mood.
Wearing lightweight clothing and using breathable bedding can help you cope with hot flashes. Limit drinking and stop smoking, as it has been shown that these activities can worsen symptoms. Ask your doctor about supplements that might help and any alternative remedies you are considering. Make an Appointment Heading into a life change like menopause can be overwhelming and intimidating, but choosing the right doctor to provide guidance and treatment can make things a lot easier.
About the Author: whitecoat. Related Posts. Planning Ahead for Menopause. Menopause may happen early when a woman is in her forties or later when she is in her late 50s. The onset of menopause can also follow surgery that reduces ovarian function or hormones, such as a hysterectomy, where a surgeon removes the uterus, or surgery or other treatments for cancer.
In these circumstances, symptoms may begin rapidly as an adverse effect of these procedures. Typically, this happens in the 3—5 years before menopause starts. This is the perimenopause. Irregular menstruation: As estrogen levels drop, the menstrual cycle may change.
A woman may miss periods or experience more time between periods. The menstrual flow may also be heavier or lighter than before the hormonal changes. Vaginal dryness: Decreases in estrogen levels can cause a reduction in vaginal lubrication.
As lubrication decreases, the vaginal tissues also become thinner. This can lead to pain during intercourse and vaginal inflammation. Decreased fertility: As estrogen levels drop in perimenopause, pregnancy might become more difficult. When a woman reaches menopause, her ovaries no longer release eggs, meaning that pregnancy is not possible.
This weight gain can happen without any changes to diet or exercise routine. Hot flashes: Fluctuations in hormone levels might lead to hot flashes or an abrupt feeling of heat and flushing. These flashes may be mild, occurring primarily in the upper body, or they may radiate throughout the body.
Hot flashes can last from a few seconds to many minutes. Night sweats: Hot flashes that happen during sleep cause night sweats, and these may prompt such intense sweating that they wake a person up. Sleep disturbances: Menopause often makes it hard to sleep.
Many women find that sleep disturbances occur more often around the time of menopause. The disturbances may be related to night sweats. Low mood: Some women may experience mood changes during menopause. These may be due to hormonal fluctuations, but life circumstances that tend to occur around the time of menopause can also contribute. Low mood may also be a result of fatigue from sleep disturbances or the psychological adjustment to the loss of fertility. Fortunately, it can be possible to delay early menopause if perimenopause has begun, but this depends on the cause of the condition.
In some cases, it is possible to reduce the time that menopause symptoms last through treatment. If these symptoms are recurring for an extended period of time and are bothersome, you may consider HRT hormone replacement therapy.
This is considered to be a safe and effective option for postmenopausal women. Essentially, this therapy is used to increase your estrogen levels, which will reduce or eliminate the symptoms of menopause in many cases. However, HRT will not reverse the process of menopause, but some types of treatment can bring back certain aspects of monthly cycles for some women e. However, fertility does not return after menopause, even if a woman is taking hormone replacement therapy. There are two main types of hormone replacement therapy HRT.
The most common type of HRT involves taking both estrogen and progestin taken daily. Another regimen involves taking estrogen daily and supplementing that with progestin taken daily but only during a two week period each month.
A combination of estrogen and progestin taken daily will generally not cause a return of monthly cycles, but alternating estrogen and progestin may for some women. However, this typically only occurs for a few months. Rarely, this reaction to the treatment will last for a longer period of time, but it is uncommon.
In most cases, HRT is well-tolerated, and it can be continued for years if this is necessary. This is often for a period of around 10 years if therapy is started at the beginning of perimenopause. Andrew Krinsky can assess you to determine the best hormonal therapy for your menopause symptoms. At our practice, we have numerous satisfied patients, and the treatments we offer can dramatically reduce or even eliminate the symptoms associated with menopause.
Krinsky is compassionate and offers the most modern, up-to-date gynecological care. Give us a call or get in touch with us online today, and get relief from your menopausal or perimenopausal symptoms.
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