Menopause

What is menopause?

Menopause is a condition all women go through in which they stop menstruating. This change marks the end of a woman’s reproductive stage in life. While the average age that menopause begins is 51, it’s normal to begin experiencing changes after the age of 40, a time called perimenopause.

What causes menopause?

Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, typically one to three million eggs. Your body naturally loses these eggs over the course of your lifetime. Many die off, while others are lost during ovulation.

As you approach your late 30s, your body naturally becomes more resistant to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), a hormone responsible for the growth of your eggs, while your ovaries begin producing less estrogen. This stimulates the start of menopause and stops your ability to ovulate every month.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

If you haven’t had a period for 12 months or more, you have likely entered menopause. Some other common menopause symptoms include:

• Hot flashes
• Sweating
• Insomnia
• Weight gain
• Low sex drive
• Irritability
• Headaches
• Vaginal dryness
• Mood swings
• General fatigue

Most women experience at least one or more of the above menopause menopausal symptoms, but not everybody does. If you’re unsure about whether or not you’ve started menopause, discuss your symptoms with the doctor and she will order the appropriate tests you may need.

How is menopause treated?

Menopause is a natural part of every woman’s life, so it doesn’t necessarily treatment. However, South Florida Gynecology & Women's Health offers many therapies and tips to manage it:

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone therapy helps increase your estrogen levels during menopause to relieve hot flashes and other symptoms. It can be used in cases where menopausal symptoms are interfering with your daily life and are not appropriate for all patients. When prescribed, our doctors typically will recommend bioidentical hormone therapies that are FDA approved. The doctor can help you decide if hormone replacement therapy is right for you.

Vaginal Estrogen

Vaginal estrogen, which you can be in the form of a ring, cream, or tablet, helps decrease vaginal dryness and may help with urinary symptoms related to menopause.

Low-dose antidepressants

If you are not a candidate for homone therapy, but are looking for other treatment options for your symptoms, a low-dose antidepressant can help reduce hot flashes and balance mood swings. 

Osteoporosis medication

One of the main concerns with menopause is bone loss (osteoporosis). If the doctor is concerned that you’re losing bone mass, osteoporosis treatment can help slow down the condition.

Whether you’ve started menopause already or want to prepare, South Florida Gynecology & Women's Health can help walk you through this important change in your life. Call the office located in two convenient locations: the Dadeland area of Miami, and Pembroke Pines, Florida or schedule a consultation online to learn more.