All About Menopause

Have you been getting heated in air-conditioned spaces or can’t seem to keep off pesky weight gain? Or maybe you’ve noticed you wake up tossing and turning with night sweats? These maybe signs of menopause. As women, we transition through phases of life and menopause is part of that. At Mowery Women’s Clinic we can help you ease into this new stage of life and keep living to the fullest without pesky symptoms getting in the way.

What is Menopause?

Menopause is a natural occurrence in women that occurs typically over the age of 50. It’s when your body begins to change and ovulation slows. When ovulation slows, the body stops producing as much estrogen and progesterone which leads your menstrual cycle to stop. You’re officially in menopause when you have not had a period in one year. Prior to reaching menopause, you may experience perimenopause, which is typically characterized by irregular periods, vaginal dryness, and fatigue.

While there is no way to predict when your body may reach menopause, the average age is around 50 years old.

Symptoms of menopause include:

• Hot flushes and chills
• Issues sleeping
• Irritability
• Vaginal dryness
• Lack of sex drive
• Weight gain
• Increased anxiety
• Osteoporosis
• Hair loss
• Tender breasts
• Memory issues

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you may be in menopause.

Can You Treat Menopause?

A question we get a lot is “can you treat menopause?”. Menopause happens to every woman over the course of her life, while some women choose to manage symptoms without treatment others choose to undergo hormone therapy. That decision is completely yours. If the symptoms become unmanageable with a healthy lifestyle, it may be something you want to consider.

Estrogen therapy or estrogen progesterone therapy can be prescribed. The therapy consists of taking medication to level out your hormones which helps to ease the symptoms of menopause. There is also non-hormonal medication that can be prescribed for hot flashes specifically. Estrogen therapy does have potential risks, your physician will discuss these with you.

Make an Appointment to Discuss Your Options

If you believe you may be perimenopausal or experiencing symptoms of menopause, call us at (785) 825-9024 and set up an appointment. Our caring team of physicians will help you enter this new stage of life seamlessly.