What is menopause?

Menopause is the name for the time in a woman’s life when her menstrual cycle stops, and her body stops producing and releasing viable eggs. Your menopause is official when you haven’t had a menstrual period in a year.

Many women talk about perimenopause as if it were menopause, which is understandable — these stages of life are closely linked.

Perimenopause is the time before menopause, when hormone levels begin to decrease and many of the symptoms of menopause begin.

Menopause is when your ovulation and menses officially stop.

What are common symptoms of menopause?

The hormonal changes associated with menopause cause noticeable symptoms, including:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Irritability and mood swings
• Libido changes
• Vaginal atrophy
• Painful sex
• Stress incontinence
• Weight gain
• Headaches
• Insomnia

When should I talk to my doctor about menopause?

You should have a well-woman exam every year so that you can talk to Dr. Jean-Gilles about your health concerns and menopausal symptoms at any time.

These visits are an opportunity for you to check in on your health and talk to him about what you can do to improve your health and well-being. If you start to experience symptoms associated with menopause, these appointments are a great time to talk about your needs.

If you find that your menopausal symptoms are disrupting your life and overall well-being, you can make an appointment at any time to talk to Dr. Jean-Gilles about your needs. He wants to work closely with you to keep you healthy and active for a long time.

How is menopause treated?

Dr. Jean-Gilles offers customized menopause management plans to reduce your symptoms and ensure your continued health and well-being — during and after menopause.

He often suggests lifestyle changes, including modifications to your diet and exercise habits, which can help improve your overall well-being and control your weight — a common side effect of the hormone loss of menopause.

You might also benefit from vaginal estrogen treatments to relieve vaginal dryness. This often helps reduce pain during intercourse and can help with urinary incontinence issues.

Dr. Jean-Gilles also offers hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This is a highly customized treatment where you take hormones to replace the deficit created by menopause.

HRT is either provided orally or in a pellet that’s inserted into the flesh of your upper buttock where it slowly releases hormones. Dr. Jean-Gilles carefully monitors your health and hormone levels when you start HRT to make sure the treatment is effective.

If you have questions or concerns about menopause or HRT, call or schedule an appointment online today.