Are You Going Through Menopause? Tips To Get Through This Time In Your Life

Menopause will happen and there is no way to stop it. If you are going through many of the symptoms that are common with menopause, there is no reason you should suffer because there are many things you can do. Below is some more information about this to help you decide what would be best for you.

Stages of Menopause

When you think of menopause you should know there are three different stages you will go through.

The first stage is known as perimenopause, which is the stage before you go into actual menopause. The perimenopause stage can last eight to 10 years. During this stage, your estrogen starts to drop and your periods will be erratic. You will likely have hot flashes, fatigue, low sex drive, breast tenderness, vaginal dryness, and more. You can still get pregnant during the stages of perimenopause because your eggs have not completely stopped production.

Once you completely stop having periods, you are into menopause, which is stage 2. When you go one year without a period, you are at the end of the menopause stage and in post menopause, which is stage 3, the final stage of menopause.

Starting with menopause, many of your symptoms will gradually decline and by the time you reach post menopause, you will likely feel back to normal. Some symptoms will never go away, however. For example, vaginal dryness will continue without any kind of treatment because you have no estrogen in your body.

Treatment for Menopause

When you start having symptoms, your doctor can help you in many ways. They may suggest hormone therapy, also known as estrogen therapy. This can relieve your flashes. If you still have your uterus, your doctor may also prescribe estrogen in a low dose. Estrogen offers other benefits as well. For example, it can help prevent bone loss, which can cause osteoporosis.

If you have vaginal dryness, your doctor can prescribe vaginal estrogen. This may be a vaginal cream, ring, or a tablet. When used, your vagina absorbs the estrogen and can help greatly with the dryness problem. Because sex is painful if your vagina is dry, you likely have a low sex drive. If so, estrogen can help your low libido because you will no longer be dry in this area.

If you are feeling depressed due to the menopause symptoms, your doctor may prescribe an anti-depressant.

Your doctor can go over these treatment options, as well as some others they may offer, with you. Together you can come up with the best plan to treat your symptoms and help you feel much better. 

For more information, talk to a professional like Bay Area Women's Care.