Tips for Living With Menopause

Technically, menopause is exactly one day. It’s the day 12 months after your last menstrual period. When people talk about menopause, they are often referring to perimenopause. 

Perimenopause is the stage of life leading up to menopause. It can last for as long as 10 years and can bring uncomfortable symptoms. 

At The Fertility & Gynecology Center - Monterey Bay IVF, our board-certified OB/GYN, Edward J. Rameriz, MD, and his staff have helped many women through the transitional period leading up to menopause. 

Just because menopause is a perfectly normal and natural biological process doesn’t mean that you have to live with the undesirable symptoms it can cause. 

Hormone changes can be problematic

When your hormones are fluctuating, you probably don’t feel fantastic. You may experience both physical and emotional shifts. Hot flashes, night sweats, and fatigue are just as difficult to deal with as mood swings, irritability, and lack of libido. 

Hormone replacement therapy is one solution if you find yourself suffering due to hormone fluctuations. If you just don’t feel like yourself and menopause-related symptoms are interfering with your day-to-day life, talk to Dr. Rameriz about hormone replacement therapy. 

Here are some of the ways menopause can affect your life. 

Your weight is creeping up

If you’ve noticed that the number on the scale is going up, seemingly for no reason, it could be due to menopause. Many women find it harder to keep weight off and much easier to add a few pounds as they transition through menopause. Even additional exercise may not help.

You can blame hormones. They play an important part in maintaining muscle and preventing your body from storing excess fat. They also help retain bone density so that your bones are strong. 

When your hormones are out of whack as you approach menopause, you may face weight gain or have trouble losing weight.

Your sex drive is slowing

Regardless of your age, a healthy intimate life is a component of an overall healthy lifestyle. But once estrogen levels start declining, you may notice a change in your interest in sex. 

Lower-than-normal estrogen levels can also cause changes in vaginal tissue. It may become thin and dry, making sex uncomfortable or even painful, reducing sexual pleasure.

Your hair is thinning or falling out

Have you always loved your locks, but now find they are lacking? Less estrogen and an imbalance among your other hormones can change your hair. Hormone replacement therapy can rebalance your androgens and stop the process of thinning hair. 

Sleep evades you 

Are you tossing and turning all night? Taking longer to fall asleep than usual? Waking up multiple times during the night? Menopause can disrupt your sleep.

About half of women say that sleep disruption is part of their menopause experience. Poor sleep can leave you sleepy during the day, make it more difficult to concentrate, and make you irritable. Many women who choose hormone replacement find that their sleep improves. 

Your aches and pains multiply

You may find that aches and pains are more frequent as you go through the transition to menopause. As many as 60% of menopausal women experience joint pain. You can attribute the joint pain to the lack of cushioning, which had been supported by the hormone estrogen. 

Making adjustments to your diet and other, similar lifestyle changes can help with joint pain. Choose whole foods over processed foods, avoid processed sugar, and reach for fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. 

You don’t have to live with symptoms

Hot flashes, night sweats, moodiness, and all the rest can lower your quality of life. We can help. To learn more, schedule an appointment today. You can request an appointment online or call us at 831-205-2593.