As the female body ages, natural changes occur relating to your reproductive system. You reach menopause when you haven’t had a menstrual period in one year, bringing an end to your ability to conceive and become pregnant. Menopause typically occurs in your 50s, although perimenopause leading up to “the change” may begin in your 40s.
While you may be relieved to skip the monthly hassle of your menstrual cycle, and ready to move on to the next chapter of your life, the time of transition before menopause often comes with difficult symptoms that disrupt your quality of life. Mood swings, night sweats, and changes around your desire for sex and intimacy may make you feel like you’ve lost control of your life, your mental health, and your physical wellness.
With the right support, navigating the transitional period between perimenopause and menopause becomes much easier. At Advanced Urogynecology of Maitland, Florida, Dr. Kristin M. Jackson and her team take your distress and symptoms seriously, offering treatments and therapies that can significantly improve your peace of mind and sense of well-being.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) often substantially improves your experience. Here are five common menopause symptoms that HRT can help with.
It takes some time for your menstrual cycle to completely cease, and, in that time, your periods may become less regular, or less easy to deal with, than you’re used to. Irregular or very heavy periods cause stress and uncertainty. You never know when you’re going to be menstruating, or how severe your menstrual symptoms may be.
While your body transitions away from a monthly menstrual cycle, you can normalize your periods with bioidentical HRT. Your medical treatment supplements your fluctuating hormones with synthetic hormones that work the same way your naturally occurring ones do, putting you back in control of your menstruation.
You may be surprised to realize, as you approach menopause, that your hormones contribute a lot to your vaginal moistness, as well as your interest in and pleasure from sexual intercourse. Vaginal dryness leaves your tissues feeling uncomfortable and delicate.
These personally-impactful menopause symptoms may be embarrassing to admit. Still, discuss them with Dr. Jackson, and learn if starting HRT could help.
Another area of physical wellness that you may not realize is related to hormones is your body’s ability to regulate your sense of temperature. During perimenopause, many women experience hot flashes, brief periods when they feel intensely overheated. Temperature dysregulation at night may mean you wake unexpectedly drenched in sweat.
Managing hot flashes and night sweats on your own can be challenging. You may feel like you’re never dressed with the right amount of warmth or coolness in mind. Often, starting HRT reduces or eliminates menopausal struggles with temperature regulation.
If you think back to your teen years or your children's teen years, you probably remember plenty of mood swings and overall moodiness. Again, this symptom is related to fluctuating hormone levels. The teens are often a time of hormonal change.
You may not have expected to cope with teen-style mood swings again later in life, but menopause may cause your mood to destabilize or become unpredictable. HRT rebalances your hormones, and, in turn, tames your mood swings.
Brain fog, problems with memory, focus, and concentration, and even sleep problems can all become problems for you during perimenopause and menopause. Instead of feeling insecure about your loss of mental acuity, reach out to Dr. Jackson at Advanced Urogynecology and find out if HRT could help. Blood testing lets Dr. Jackson know if an underlying hormone imbalance could be causing the issue.
For HRT in the form of patches, pills, gels, or sprays, contact Dr. Jackson at Advanced Urogynecology today. Schedule your initial consultation appointment online, or call now to book.
