Is There a Cure for My Terrible Menopausal Symptoms?

Menopause is a life transition that occurs when you stop having a period for good. Technically, it’s when you haven’t had a period for an entire year. However, perimenopause, the time leading up to that last period, comes with multiple symptoms ranging from mild to severe.

At Mira Women’s Health & Midwifery in Boca Raton, Florida, board-certified OB/GYNs Kenneth Konsker, MD, and Emily Woodbury, MD, and our knowledgeable women’s health team can recommend the best menopause treatments to help manage your most bothersome symptoms. 

Common menopause symptoms

Menopause occurs when your body slows estrogen production (or stops producing it after a hysterectomy), usually between the ages of 45 and 55, although it can happen earlier or later. 

While menopause has a definite start date, which is 12 months after your last menstruation, perimenopause can last for several years. During this time, your hormones usually fluctuate until they reach their final resting point post-menopause.

These fluctuating and declining hormones can cause various symptoms, including:

• Hot flashes or night sweats
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Sleep problems
• Brain fog
• Vaginal dryness and painful sex

Not everyone experiences the same symptoms or the same frequency or severity. About 75% of women experience the most common symptoms: hot flashes and night sweats. 

Menopause symptom relief

There are a variety of safe and effective menopause symptom therapy options. Drs. Konsker and Woodbury can recommend the best options depending on your symptoms, lifestyle, and health history. Treatment options include:

Hormone therapy replacement (HRT)

HRT is the gold standard when it comes to treating hot flashes. If you have a uterus, meaning you haven’t had a hysterectomy, you need to combine estrogen replacement with progesterone to protect your uterine lining. 

HRT, also called menopause hormone therapy (MRT), also helps reduce other menopause symptoms such as vaginal dryness, mood swings, and sleep disturbance. HRT, however, isn’t the right choice for everyone. Mira Women’s Health & Midwifery providers can help you decide if HRT is an option.

Topical estrogen cream

If your most bothersome symptom is painful sex due to thinning of your vaginal walls and vaginal dryness, a topical estrogen cream may be all you need. Applying estrogen cream to your vagina can help ease vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. 

Antidepressants and anti-seizure medications

If you can’t take HRT or don’t want to, antidepressants can improve your mood and relieve hot flashes. Also, gabapentin, an anti-seizure medication, can help reduce hot flashes and night sweats.

Lifestyle modifications

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you can manage them with simple lifestyle hacks. For example, you can dress in layers to address changes in body temperature or use a cold compress to cool a hot flash down. 

Eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising can help improve sleep, mood, and weight gain. 

Stress-reducing practices such as yoga and meditation can help with many moderate symptoms.

While menopause is inevitable, you don’t have to suffer through hot flashes, painful sex, and sleep problems. Call Mira Women’s Health & Midwifery or make an appointment online to learn how to reduce bothersome menopausal symptoms. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.