Menopause And Hormone Replacement Specialist

What is perimenopause?

Perimenopause begins when women are in their 30s and 40s. This is the time before menopause when the amount of estrogen produced by the ovaries starts to fluctuate. As a result, menstrual periods begin to change. They may become lighter, heavier, or irregular.

When do you reach menopause?

Women reach menopause when their ovaries stop making estrogen. You’re in menopause when you haven’t had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months and the missing periods weren’t caused by a health condition or medication. On average, women reach menopause around the age of 51.

What symptoms occur during perimenopause and menopause?

The frequency, severity, and duration of symptoms vary for each woman. Some women don’t have symptoms, or they have only mild hot flashes. Others experience severe symptoms that interrupt daily life and make it impossible to get a good night’s sleep.

All of the following symptoms may occur during perimenopause and after menopause:

• Hot flashes
• Vaginal dryness
• Night sweats
• Difficulty sleeping
• Painful intercourse
• Low sex drive
• Fatigue
• Depression and mood swings
• Frequent vaginal infections (yeast or bacterial vagniosis)
• Urinary incontinence

What other health concerns do you face after menopause?

Loss of estrogen leads to other physical changes because the hormone affects many body systems. For example, it helps bones retain calcium and maintains elasticity in the skin and tissues lining your vagina.

After menopause, lack of estrogen increases your risk for:

• Osteoporosis
• Urinary incontinence
• Vaginal atrophy
• Dry skin
• Heart disease

What treatments are available for menopausal symptoms?

Several treatment options are available, so Dr. Mahller takes the time to explain your choices and help you decide which one is best for your symptoms and overall health needs.

Some women choose prescription medications that target a specific symptom such as hot flashes. Others take estrogen and progesterone, known as hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement therapy effectively treats the full range of menopausal symptoms. As you replace estrogen, you also lower the risk for developing osteoporosis and improve the elasticity of blood vessels and skin. There are also non-hormonal treatments for menopausal symptoms.

MonaLisa Touch® is an advanced treatment option using a gentle fractional CO2 laser. This particular type of laser treats vaginal dryness, vaginal atrophy, and urinary incontinence. The laser stimulates the production of collagen, and new blood vessel formation which improves the tone and texture of tissues.