Menopause
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Inland Women Care
Geeta Patel, MD
Obstetrics & Gynecology located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Menopause might not affect you much at all, or it could cause you any number of problems. If menopausal symptoms are having an adverse effect on your life, experienced OB/GYN Geeta Patel, MD, of Inland Women Care in Rancho Cucamonga, California, can help with a range of treatments and advice on making lifestyle changes to improve your well-being. Dr. Patel has considerable expertise in helping women who are struggling through menopause, so call Inland Women Care today to schedule a consultation or book an appointment online.
Menopause Q & A
What is menopause?
Menopause is a natural process that all women have to go through when they come to the end of the reproductive stage of their life. You’re in menopause once you’ve gone for a year without having a period. Prior to this, you’re in perimenopause.
Perimenopause starts when you’re in your 40s as a rule, when production of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone slows down. Menopause typically happens at around 50, but a few years either side is also normal.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
When perimenopause begins, you could start to experience a range of symptoms, such as:
- Irregular menstruation
- Low libido
- Hot flashes
- Mood swings
- Night sweats
- Palpitations
- Dry or itchy vagina
- Pain during sex
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Depression
- Problems sleeping
Some women have few if any of these symptoms when they go through menopause. Other women have some or many of these symptoms, which can sometimes be severe enough to affect their quality of life. Most women find it takes around four years or even longer to transition to menopause, which is a long time when your symptoms are affecting you badly.
What treatments are there for menopause symptoms?
One of the most important ways to deal with symptoms of menopause is to help yourself by leading a healthy lifestyle. That means:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Regular exercise
- Quitting smoking
- Cutting down on alcohol
- Avoiding caffeine and spicy food
- Dressing in light layers
- Doing yoga or meditation
If you’re a suitable candidate, Dr. Patel can prescribe bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). BHRT uses natural plant-based sources of estrogen and progesterone that are a perfect match for your own hormones. By boosting your body’s levels of the female sex hormones, you can reduce the symptoms of menopause.
You might also benefit from other medications, for example, antidepressants if menopause is causing depression, or blood pressure drugs to help manage hot flashes.
Many women find vaginal dryness and atrophy is a significant issue during menopause. You can try using vaginal creams or pills that contain estrogen to help with vaginal dryness, and a lubricant to help when dryness makes sex painful. Dr. Patel also uses the Cutera® Juliet™ laser to restore vaginal health.
To find out more about managing your transition through menopause, call Inland Women Care today, or book an appointment online.
