Menopause is a natural transition that all women experience as they reach middle age. It marks the end of a woman's reproductive years and is defined as occurring 12 months after a woman's last menstrual period. The average age of menopause is 51, but it can happen anytime between the ages of 45 and 55.
As a woman approaches menopause, she may start to notice some symptoms caused by hormonal fluctuations and declining estrogen levels. Some of the most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause include:
While some women breeze through "the change", the majority will experience at least some effects that may significantly impact their quality of life. Fortunately, the right treatment approach can alleviate many bothersome symptoms and help women feel their best.
Hormone therapy (HT) is one of the most effective treatment options for relieving menopausal symptoms. HT replaces hormones that decline during perimenopause and menopause - primarily estrogen. For women who still have a uterus, progestin may be included in the hormone regimen to protect the uterine lining.
There are few different types of estrogen and progestin that may be used in HT, including pills, skin patches, topical gels and creams, vaginal rings, and pellet implants. Your menopause hormone specialist will determine which option may work best for your individual needs and preferences.
The benefits of HT include:
There are some risks associated with hormone therapy that need to be considered. These include increased risk of blood clots, strokes, gallbladder disease, and uterine cancer (when estrogen is used alone). However, for women under age 60 or within 10 years of menopause onset, the benefits of HT typically outweigh the potential risks.
The key is to have a thoughtful discussion with your menopause specialist about your options. An individualized treatment plan can be developed with the specific hormone regimen and dose that fits your needs. Most women can use hormone therapy safely for relief of symptoms for as long as needed.
At Hormone Harmony Clinic in Lafayette, we specialize in providing exceptional care for women going through perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Our menopause experts have advanced training in hormone therapy and stay up to date on the latest treatment guidelines and research.
Some of the services we provide include:
We take the time to listen to your concerns, educate you about your options, and develop an individualized treatment plan aimed at improving your symptoms and quality of life. Our goal is for you to feel healthy, energized, and yourself again.
If you believe you could benefit from hormone therapy, the first step is booking a consultation at our Lafayette clinic. We recommend scheduling your appointment for when symptoms are at their worst, often first thing in the morning.
Our certified menopause practitioner will review your medical history, ask questions about your symptoms, perform a physical exam, and order relevant lab tests. Bloodwork may include tests for estradiol, FSH, testosterone, progesterone, thyroid hormones, and other values to identify any hormonal imbalances.
We will go over your test results and determine if you are a candidate for hormone replacement therapy. If so, we will discuss the different treatment options and develop a customized regimen designed to get your symptoms under control quickly and safely.
Follow-up visits will be scheduled to evaluate your response to treatment, make any necessary dose adjustments, and ensure you are not experiencing any side effects. We work as a team to continually refine your hormone therapy plan to find what works best for your body.
Did you know that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be an effective menopause treatment? CBT can help women manage troublesome symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia, and mood changes by teaching coping strategies, changing negative thought patterns, and promoting healthy behaviors. CBT provides women going through menopause with drug-free skills to better handle this transition.
Lafayette enjoys a pleasant climate year-round, making it a comfortable place to live all seasons. However, the late fall and winter months do tend to be milder and drier - ideal weather for starting hormone therapy.
Many women find hot flashes and night sweats worse during hot, humid weather. Keeping cool and preventing sweating and dehydration can be challenging. The cooler temperatures and lower humidity from November through March make it easier to regulate body temperature.
This can allow hormone therapy to work more effectively at eliminating or reducing the severity of those symptoms. Starting treatment when hot flashes are less frequent or intense may help some women better gauge improvements with their regimen.
Of course, bothersome menopause symptoms should be treated whenever they arise and not delayed. Yet for Lafayette residents, the late fall to early spring period may provide ideal circumstances for beginning hormone replacement therapy.
Before hormone therapy can begin, lab testing is needed to evaluate your hormone levels. There are a few options for getting these blood tests done in the Lafayette area:
Having your blood drawn for hormone testing is quick and easy. Be sure not to eat anything for 10-12 hours beforehand. The results will provide the information needed to determine if hormone therapy is right for you and develop an optimal treatment regimen.
Managing symptoms and starting hormone therapy during menopause can be stressful at times. It is important to nurture your mental health and find healthy ways to relax and cope with changes.
Here are some great spots to unwind and de-stress while going through treatment in Lafayette:
Take advantage of the many places in our vibrant community to unwind and find your inner calm during this transition.
Regular exercise is important for women going through menopause, providing a wealth of physical and mental health benefits. There are many high quality fitness centers available throughout Lafayette to help you stay active.
Some top options include:
Check out a class or grab a free pass to find a fitness center in Lafayette that is the right fit for your needs and preferences. Staying active provides physical and emotional benefits during menopause treatment.
For women who are experiencing unpleasant perimenopause or menopause symptoms, receiving a prompt diagnosis and starting treatment can make a significant difference in quality of life.
Being evaluated quickly avoids prolonging symptoms and allows hormone therapy to be implemented when it can provide the greatest benefits. Our menopause specialists have the expertise to accurately diagnose the problem during an initial consultation.
We will order the appropriate lab testing to identify any hormone deficiencies and determine if replacement therapy is indicated. When hormone imbalance is present, treatment can then begin right away to help stabilize levels and relieve symptoms.
The sooner bothersome symptoms are brought under control, the faster women are able to get back to enjoying their regular activities with improved comfort and wellbeing. We aim to establish an effective treatment regimen on the first try to avoid a lengthy trial-and-error process.
Don't continue to suffer through hot flashes, sleepless nights, or painful intercourse - call our Lafayette clinic today to schedule a diagnostic evaluation. You can feel like yourself again.
Menopause treatment does not end after the initial diagnosis and prescription of hormone therapy. Regular follow-up and monitoring is crucial to achieve optimal results and avoid potential problems.
Hormone levels and needs can fluctuate throughout the menopausal transition and postmenopause period. A hormone regimen that worked well initially may require dosage adjustments over time to continue effectively managing symptoms.
We will schedule regular reassessments to see how you are responding to treatment. Your feedback on how you are feeling and any changes experienced allows us to refine the customized therapy to keep you symptom-free.
Monitoring is also necessary to check that hormone levels are within target ranges. If they get too high or low, side effects could emerge, or menopausal symptoms may return. Appropriate lab testing identifies if dosing corrections are required.
Routine health screenings are also an important part of ongoing menopause care to help prevent issues like osteoporosis, heart disease, and urogenital atrophy. We take a holistic approach focused on women's full health during this transition and beyond.
If you are struggling with perimenopause or menopause, seek help from the experts at Hormone Harmony Clinic in Lafayette. We have extensive training in treating hormonal changes and related health issues.
Through accurate diagnosis, customized treatment plans, and ongoing monitoring - we can get your symptoms under control so you can feel your best again. Contact our caring team today to schedule a consultation and learn more about your options.
