Can HRT Help Stop My Menopausal Symptoms?

Menopause — the phase in a woman’s life when her period stops and her childbearing years conclude — was, until recently, shrouded with a hefty dose of “hush-hush.” Among the many reasons for this are pressure on women to remain youthful and concern about how others perceive them in the workplace. 

Fortunately, we’re talking more about how menopause affects women physically and emotionally. Even though it’s a natural transformative path every woman travels, there are ways to make it easier and more comfortable — and we’re talking more about that, too.

The Southdale OB/GYN team provides the most advanced care for women during every life stage—and does so with genuine heart and compassion. No two women’s menopausal experiences are the same, but we can talk to you about how this transition specifically impacts you and create a customized treatment plan from there.

What happens during menopause?

You get a hint of what menopause will be like during perimenopause — the period before menopause (which can last up to a decade) during which your body starts preparing for the major transition ahead. 

Many perimenopause symptoms echo menopause symptoms and include:

• Hot flashes
• Sleep problems
• Mood changes
• Lowered libido

As you approach menopause, your periods become irregular, and you’ve officially entered menopause when you’ve gone at least 12 consecutive months without a period. 

Many of the classic symptoms of menopause occur as a result of decreased estrogen levels. Additional symptoms you may experience are weight gain, vaginal dryness, fatigue, joint pain, and skin and hair changes. However, as we noted before, symptoms are very different for every woman.

We offer safe and effective treatment for menopausal symptoms

Because you and your Southdale OB/GYN provider are partners in your care, we want to hear about how menopause affects your overall health and offer a range of ideas on how you can get relief. 

Lifestyle changes can help with specific menopausal challenges. These include dietary changes, an increase in physical activity, limiting alcohol consumption, and if you smoke, quitting the habit.

We also offer innovative MonaLisa Touch®, a noninvasive laser treatment that addresses vaginal atrophy — when lack of estrogen causes thinning of the vaginal tissue, which contributes to painful intercourse and incontinence issues, among other symptoms. Sometimes over-the-counter topic medications can help with vaginal dryness problems, also. 

Another treatment that can be a game-changer for women experiencing menopausal discomfort is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), where you take estrogen and progesterone to ease symptoms, though if you’ve undergone a hysterectomy, you only take supplemental estrogen.

We also offer bioidentical hormone therapy (BHT), plant-derived, processed hormones. Once your hormones rebalance, you’ll notice an improvement in your menopausal symptoms, including weight stabilization, level moods, increased vaginal comfort, insomnia relief, and a reduction of those dreaded hot flashes. 

As a result, you enjoy better rest, less stress, and an improved, more comfortable sex life, for starters. Many patients also report a higher energy level and an ability to focus better.

Your endocrine system is exquisitely sensitive and regulates so many of your body’s systems, so balancing your hormones can restore your comfort during this phase of life.

Southdale’s women’s health nurse practitioner, functional medicine, and holistic health practitioner Krista Bernnoft Margolis offers an informative Perimenopause Workshop for perimenopausal women. She also hosts a welcoming and fact-filled workshop, “Mondays: Let’s Talk Menopause.”

Both of these events provide valuable education about the changes that accompany “The Change.” They also help you realize you’re not alone — you’re sitting with a group of women who are also going through what you are, and nothing is more validating than that.

Don’t hesitate to talk openly about menopause symptoms you’re experiencing with your Southdale provider — we’re here to help.

Call our Burnsville or Edina office at 952-920-7001 to schedule an appointment or reserve your spot for one of our education sessions. You can also book online.