When Should I See A Doctor For Menopause Help
The way you experience each stage of menopause will be unique. For example, maybe you dont get hot flashes, but insomnia leaves you feeling tired and irritable. Or perhaps the first sign of change is vaginal dryness.
Menopause symptoms can often be managed by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly and taking advantage of home remedies or over-the-counter medications.
But if your symptoms are intense enough to affect daily activities or keep you from doing the things you love, it may be time to seek advice and care for menopause symptoms.
OB-GYNs and certified nurse-midwives, along with experienced nurse practitioners and other womens health experts, can listen to your concerns and symptoms, and work with you to create a personalized care plan. Care options might include lifestyle changes, hormone replacement therapy , and supplements or medications.
Some menopause symptoms might be harder to talk about than others but dont wait. Womens health specialists have heard it all, and they have the expertise needed to help you manage menopause symptoms. The sooner they know whats bothering you, the sooner they can help you find the right way to manage your symptoms.
Ready to talk menopause? Were here for you at any age and any stage.
Menopause Symptoms At Age 50
Most women will have their last period around the age of 50. After 12 months without a period, menopause is complete and post-menopause begins.
As menopause gets closer, your estrogen and progesterone levels start to decline more rapidly. As a result, your symptoms will likely become more intense.
Your periods will probably become more irregular until they finally stop. You may experience greater mood swings and an increase in insomnia. And youll likely start experiencing new symptoms that are common right around, or right after, reaching menopause, including:
Hot flashes and chills
Hot flashes are sensations of heat that develop around your face, neck and chest, and may spread to other areas of your body. They usually last for just a few minutes.
Alongside the feeling of heat, your skin may redden, you may sweat, your heart rate might increase, and your mood may change. Afterward, you may feel chills.
Doctors arent sure why hot flashes happen, but there are ways to lessen their impact. Some tips include:
- Try to stay in cooler environments
- Dress lightly or wear layers you can remove
- Find effective ways to manage stress
- Monitor your diet
- Reduce how much caffeine or alcohol you drink
Hot flashes can happen during pre-menopause, but theyre most often reported right around menopause and in the first few years of post-menopause.
Night sweats
Other Physical And Mental Changes At Midlife
Some common midlife changes that are often attributed to menopause are not necessarily related to the fluctuating or decreasing hormone levels of menopause. The four most commonly reported changes include mood changes and depression insomnia or other sleep problems cognitive or memory problems and decline in sexual desire, function, or both. Other physical changes that crop up in the middle years include weight gain, urinary incontinence, heart palpitations, dry skin and hair, and headaches. For these, a hormonal link is possible, but has not been proved. Consider the fact that men, who don’t experience a dramatic drop in hormone levels in their early 50s, often notice many of these same symptoms!
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What Medications Are Used To Treat Postmenopausal Symptoms
Hormone therapy could be an option, although healthcare providers often recommend using it for a short amount of time and in people under the age of 60. There are health risks associated with hormone therapy like blood clots and stroke. Some healthcare providers do not recommend using hormone therapy after menopause has ended or if you have certain medical conditions.
Some medications your healthcare provider may consider helping with postmenopausal symptoms are:
- Antidepressants for mood swings or depression.
- Vaginal creams for pain related to sexual intercourse and vaginal dryness.
- Gabapentin to relieve hot flashes.
Oftentimes your provider will recommend lifestyle changes to help manage your symptoms.
Can I Get Pregnant If I Am In Perimenopause
Yes, you can still become pregnant. You may be less likely to get pregnant during perimenopause, but its still possible. As long as you have a period, you can still get pregnant. If you want to expand your family during this time, speak with your healthcare provider about your health, fertility and possible fertility treatment options.
When your periods are irregular, you may be more likely to get pregnant unexpectedly. If you dont want to expand your family at this age, continue using birth control until your healthcare provider tells you its safe to stop. Continue to practice safe sex to prevent sexually transmitted diseases throughout your life.
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What Is The Average Age For Perimenopause To Start
Monitoring your cycle and symptoms can be tough because no two bodies are the same. That means people can experience symptoms differently and at very different times.
Generally speaking, there are two main stages of perimenopause:
The early transition: This is when you start to notice irregularities in your cycle. On average, people reach this milestone when theyre around 47. However, this isnt the case for everyone, and if you start to notice irregularities in your cycle, you should reach out to your health care provider.
The late transition: You may have identified that your cycle is getting increasingly longer . The gaps between your periods will continue to get longer until your period stops altogether. The average age to experience the late transition in perimenopause is 49.
Do All Menopausal People Experience A Decrease In Sexual Desire
Not all people experience a decreased sexual desire. In some cases, its just the opposite. This could be because theres no longer any fear of getting pregnant. For many, this allows them to enjoy sex without worrying about family planning.
However, it’s still important to use protection during sex if not in a monogamous relationship. Once your doctor makes the diagnosis of menopause, you can no longer become pregnant. However, when you are in the menopause transition , you can still become pregnant. You also need to protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections by wearing a condom. You can get an STI at any time in your life . STIs like HPV can lead to cervical cancer.
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Oral Contraceptives And Vaginal Treatments
Oral contraceptive pills
Oral contraceptive pills are another form of hormone therapy often prescribed for women in perimenopause to treat irregular vaginal bleeding. Women in the menopausal transition tend to have considerable breakthrough bleeding when given estrogen therapy. Therefore, oral contraceptives are often given to women in the menopause transition to regulate menstrual periods, relieve hot flashes, as well as to provide contraception. They are not recommended for women who have already reached menopause, because the dose of estrogen is higher than that needed to control hot flashes and other symptoms. The contraindications for oral contraceptives in women going through the menopause transition are the same as those for premenopausal women.
Local hormone and non-hormone treatments
There are also local hormonal treatments for the symptoms of vaginal estrogen deficiency. Local treatments include the vaginal estrogen ring , vaginal estrogen cream, or vaginal estrogen tablets. Local and oral estrogen treatments are sometimes combined for this purpose.
Vaginal moisturizing agents such as creams or lotions , as well as the use of lubricants during intercourse, are non-hormonal options for managing the discomfort of vaginal dryness.
Other Drugs Used For Menopausal Symptoms
Despite its risks, hormone therapy appears to be the most effective treatment for hot flashes. There are, however, nonhormonal treatments for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
Antidepressants
The antidepressants known as selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors are sometimes used for managing mood changes and hot flashes. A low-dose formulation of paroxetine is approved to treat moderate-to-severe hot flashes associated with menopause. Other SSRIs and similar antidepressant medicines are used “off-label” and may have some benefit too. They include fluoxetine , sertraline , venlafaxine , desvenlafaxine , paroxetine , and escitalopram .
Gabapentin
Several small studies have suggested that gabapentin , a drug used for seizures and nerve pain, may relieve hot flashes. This drug is sometimes prescribed “off-label” for treating hot flash symptoms. However, in 2013 the FDA decided against approving gabapentin for this indication because the drug demonstrated only modest benefit. Gabapentin may cause:
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What Tests Diagnose Menopause
Because hormone levels may fluctuate greatly in an individual woman, even from one day to the next, hormone levels are not a reliable method for diagnosing menopause. There is no single blood test that reliably predicts when a woman is going through the menopausal transition, so there is currently no proven role for blood testing to diagnose menopause. The only way to diagnose menopause is to observe the lack of menstrual periods for 12 months in a woman in the expected age range.
Masturbation Shouldnt Affect A Childs Social Life
For adults, the answer to how much masturbation is too much is any amount that gets in the way of their daily lives. Since young children do not have jobs or responsibilities, this is more challenging to quantify. But its not impossible. If masturbation habits are getting in the way of eating or sleeping, that might be something to worry about. Beyond that, when healthy boundaries about masturbation are effectively set and children are only doing it privately, then parents just have to make sure children enjoy enough time outside of their bedroom.
Not so much the quantity as much as the context of masturbation. In other words, do they seem to prefer to be alone to social interactions with their friends? Are they becoming increasingly isolated? Pierre-Louis says.
If parents suspect their child is masturbating too much, they can try encouraging more social activities that kids enjoy to naturally curb masturbation without shaming them. Ideally, this will get them out of their rooms without making them feel bad about the masturbating theyve already done.
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Vaginal Dryness And Atrophy
If you experience a sudden drop in estrogen , these vaginal symptoms might appear more suddenly than if you go through a natural premature menopause. Either way, though, its a very unpleasant side effect of going through menopause and often very emotionally upsetting when youre in your 20s or 30s.
All in all, sex may become less and less pleasurable making you feel even worse about being in premature menopause. I remember I began thinking that, at the not-so-ripe age of 38, my days of enjoying sex were over and was very glad when I learned that I was wrong.
Thats the good news where vaginal dryness is concerned: it is one of the most treatable symptoms of menopause and its very often completely reversible.
How To Cope
When you raise your estrogen levels through hormone replacement therapy , your vaginal tissues generally improve dramatically. In addition to standard estrogen replacement therapy you can also use a vaginally-inserted estrogen cream or an estrogen ring specifically designed to help with vaginal dryness and atrophy. But there are other things you can try as well:
Also consult our helpsheet on sex and early menopause for further information on this topic.
First Signs Of Menopause
Perimenopause and menopause can bring about a number of physical and emotional changes. Many women are surprised to learn that perimenopause can begin early in life.
Katzenmoyer says regular exercise, a healthy diet, and limiting caffeine and alcohol can all help manage perimenopause symptoms.
- Irregular periods
- Loss of libido and sexual discomfort
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What Happens After Menopause
After menopause you will no longer be able to get pregnant and you will no longer get a period. If you have any type of vaginal bleeding after menopause, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Vaginal bleeding after menopause is not normal and can mean that you have a serious health problem.
You may experience any of the following after menopause:
- Low hormone levels. With menopause, your ovaries make very little of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Because of changing hormone levels, you may develop certain health risks, including osteoporosis, heart disease, and stroke.
- Menopause symptoms instead of period problems. After menopause, most women get relief from period problems or menopause symptoms. However, you may still experience symptoms such as hot flashes because of changing estrogen levels. One recent study found that hot flashes can continue for up to 14 years after menopause.6,7
- Vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness may be more common post-menopause. Learn more about treatments for vaginal dryness.
How Can I Reduce My Risk Of Perimenopause Complications
Irregular periods are the most common symptom of perimenopause. But its important to know when to talk to your healthcare provider about your periods. Sometimes, irregular bleeding can point to an underlying problem.
You can lower your risk of complications by seeking treatment when necessary. Talk to your healthcare provider if you:
- Bleed for more than seven days in a row.
- Bleed between periods.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Heavy Periods:
Diagnosing heavy periods isnt always easy and women can often have the odd heavy one and then return to normal again.
Here are a few signals and signs that indicate you are facing a heavy period.
If these are occurring more often than not, then it might suggest that your periods are heavy.
Let us dive deeper into it to understand these symptoms
How much blood you lose
The amount of blood loss per period is the obvious indicator of how heavy your period is. Periods are considered heavy if you lose more than 60 80ml per period . However, unless you have a tablespoon handy this might be hard to measure. Generally, if you are having to change your pad or tampon every hour for several consecutive hours then this is classed as a heavy period.
Flooding
Flooding is a heavy surge of blood loss that often results in you soaking through your period product and onto your clothes or bedding. This shouldnt happen for an extended period of time or you can become anaemic very quickly. Frequent flooding suggests you have heavy periods.
Note make sure you are choosing the right period products for you. If the shape or size is wrong, you could leak as a consequence and confuse this for flooding.
Changing your period product during the night
Generally having to get up during the night to change your period products can suggest you have a heavy flow.
Try avoiding intense exercise, hot baths, and the sauna in order not to increase the flow during sleep.
Blood clots
Anxiety Or Mood Changes
Most of us feel anxious at times, but you might find that things that you can usually cope with make you feel overwhelmed with anxiety. You might also feel upset, sad or angry in situations thatwould not have bothered you before.
These increases in anxiety and mood changes can be caused by hormonal changes.
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Antidepressants And Other Medications
Antidepressant medications: The class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and related medications has been shown to be effective in controlling the symptoms of hot flashes in up to 60% of women. Specifically, venlafaxine , a drug-related to the SSRIs, and the paroxetine , desvenlafaxine , citalopram , and escitalopram have all been shown to decrease the severity of hot flashes in some women. However, antidepressant medications may be associated with side effects, including or sexual dysfunction.
Other medications: Other prescription medications have been shown to provide some relief for hot flashes, although their specific purpose is not the treatment of hot flashes. All of these may have side effects, and their use should be discussed with and monitored by a doctor. Some of these medications that have been shown to help relieve hot flashes include the antiseizure drug gabapentin and clonidine , a drug used to treat high blood pressure.
How Can Your Doctor Help
If your symptoms are becoming unbearable and self-help tips and herbal remedies havent helped, it might be time to pay a visit to your doctor.
Traditionally doctors would recommend HRT for the menopause. HRT involves the introduction of medication that provides synthetic forms of the sex hormone oestrogen and progesterone. This can help with some symptoms of the menopause initially but for many women coming off of
HRT, they experience symptoms of the menopause all over again as a similar drop in hormones is apparent. HRT has also has some bad publication in recent years due to some of the associated side effects and health risks.
In some situations HRT might be necessary or recommended speak to your doctor for more information and in order to carefully discuss and consider your options.
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How Can I Treat The Symptoms
There are a bunch of ways.
Lifestyle changes. A healthy diet and regular exercise program will help manage your symptoms and boost your health. This is a great time to finally kick any old, unhealthy habits like smoking or drinking too much alcohol. To help with hot flashes, dress lightly and in layers. Avoid triggers like caffeine and spicy foods. And if you stay sexually active, that may help preserve your vaginal lining.
Prescription medication for hot flashes. If you still have your uterus, your doctor might prescribe treatment with estrogen and progesterone. This is called combination hormone therapy or hormone replacement therapy . It helps with hot flashes and night sweats, and it may help prevent osteoporosis. If you donât have a uterus, you might get estrogen alone.
Hormone therapy isnât for everyone. Donât take it if you’ve ever had breast cancer, uterine or “endometrial” cancer, blood clots, liver disease, or a stroke. Also don’t take it if you might be pregnant or you have undiagnosed vaginal bleeding.
If you can’t or don’t want to take hormones, other medications can ease symptoms. They include antidepressants, antiseizure drugs, or blood pressure medications to help with hot flashes and mood swings.
Prescription and OTC medication for vaginal dryness and sleep problems. You can try topical estrogen, lubricants, and non-estrogen prescriptions for dryness and painful sex. OTC or prescription sleep aids can help if you have trouble falling asleep.