Transitioning to your postmenopausal years, the time when you no longer get monthly periods, isn’t always an easy journey. As your ovaries stop producing the same amount of estrogen and progesterone, your health can be impacted more than you realize.
Dr. Soudabeh Ahadi and Dr. Martin Pakideh offer compassionate care for menopause-related symptoms that can begin as early as your 30s. When your symptoms become severe enough to interfere with your everyday life, they can provide solutions to ease your transition.
How menopause affects your health
In the years before your periods stop, the decline of estrogen and progesterone production can influence a number of your body’s major systems. In addition to the well-known hot flashes and night sweats, a reduction in your reproductive hormones can also cause:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Painful sex
- Vaginal dryness
- Urinary incontinence
A loss of estrogen can also trigger the development of osteoporosis, a condition that causes your bones to weaken, putting you at risk for breaks and fractures.
Solutions for severe menopause symptoms
Menopause affects women in different ways and not everyone will experience the same journey. Dr. Ahadi and Dr. Pakideh can evaluate your symptoms and first confirm they are related to menopause and not an underlying health condition.
A blood test allows a thorough evaluation of your hormone levels and can help your doctors identify the right treatments to reduce the severity of your symptoms.
For women experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of menopause, Dr. Ahadi and Dr. Pakideh may recommend hormone replacement therapy. This type of treatment can reduce the erratic decline of your hormones by delivering a controlled amount of estrogen and progesterone to your system.
How hormone therapy works
Hormone replacement therapy steadies your hormone levels, effectively reducing severe symptoms like night sweats, mood swings, and anxiety. However, hormone replacement therapy may not be right for everyone.
Women over 35, smokers, and those with a history of cancer may not be able to tolerate hormone therapy. For some, using hormones can increase their risk for blood clots, heart attacks, and stroke. In these situations, Dr. Ahadi and Dr. Pakideh can identify other treatment options.
Nonhormonal options for menopause
If you’re unable to tolerate hormone treatments, you can still make lifestyle changes that naturally balance your hormones and stabilize your overall health. These changes may include:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Staying physically active
- Practicing relaxation techniques
If painful sex and urinary incontinence are affecting your life, physical therapy can help improve your vaginal health and strengthen the muscles that support your bladder.
You also have the full support of the Monroe OB/GYN medical staff in the event your symptoms worsen, or new symptoms develop. Through routine checkups, the team monitors your overall health and hormone levels. Dr. Ahadi and Dr. Pakideh can also provide additional resources to help you cope with the many changes menopause brings to the table.
If you’re struggling with severe menopause symptoms and want to find solutions, schedule a consultation today, online or by phone.
