Menopause Management in Fort Worth, TX

Menopause is a natural process that marks the permanent end of menstruation in women, usually signaled by the ovaries no longer releasing an egg every month. To confirm or diagnose menopause, a woman must have gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle. While it’s a natural process that every woman will experience, menopause can cause a range of symptoms that affect quality of life.

Dr. Carolyn Quist is a board-certified gynecologist in Fort Worth with over 25 years of experience caring for women throughout the area. If you’re experiencing symptoms of menopause, Dr. Quist can help you manage them. She’ll take the time to fully evaluate your symptoms and provide personalized care to help you stay healthy and comfortable. To schedule an appointment at our gynecology clinic in Fort Worth, TX, call (817) 926-1313 today.

What Is Perimenopause?

Perimenopause is the stage that occurs several years before a woman reaches menopause. The body begins to make less estrogen and progesterone, which are the primary female sex hormones. During this time, patients may experience irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness, or decreased sex drive. If more than 60 days elapse in between menstruation, this may be a sign that a woman is nearing the end of perimenopause. The most common symptom of perimenopause is:

Irregular Periods

When nearing menopause, periods may become irregular in regard to how often it occurs, how long it lasts, and how heavy it is. Certain medications, including birth control, can help make your period more regular during the transition. Women still need contraception until menopause is confirmed.

What is Menopause?

Menopause typically begins when a woman reaches 51-52 years of age, but symptoms can occur up to ten years beforehand. Symptoms may be more pronounced at the beginning of the process, and can last up to 14 years. The severity of symptoms and how long they last during menopause varies for each woman. Bio-Identical hormone therapy can help ease these symptoms for women during menopause. Individualization is key in the decision to use hormone therapy. Consideration should be given to the woman’s quality of life priorities as well as her personal risk factors such as age, time since menopause, and her risk of blood clots, heart disease, stroke, and breast cancer.

The most common signs of menopause include:

Hot flashes and Night Sweats

Hot flashes are the most frequent symptom of menopause and can result in a feeling of heat, a flushed face or neck, or sweating. Many women experience night sweats, which are hot flashes that come on during the night, associated with intense sweating, and can make it difficult to sleep. Avoiding certain triggers of hot flashes can help, like stress, caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, hot liquids or tight clothing.

Changes in Mood and Memory

The changes in hormones can cause changes in your mood and can worsen existing anxiety or depression. Forgetfulness can stem from this additional stress. Women should contact a gynecologist if they have been feeling down for an extended period of time or think they are forgetting things too often.

Vaginal Dryness

The skin around and in the vagina can become drier during and after menopause because of the drop in estrogen levels, which can cause sex to be painful.

Decreased Libido

Decreased sex drive (libido) is typically due to a drop in estrogen and/or testosterone levels. The constant exposure to herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals are causing earlier declines in hormones than in the past. Taking anti-depressants can also contribute to this problem. Hormone replacement therapy is the best treatment for this issue and we can help!

What Is Postmenopause?

Postmenopause is the period after menopause when a woman hasn’t had her period for 12 months. The symptoms related to menopause gradually improve over many years for most women. However, because of the lower levels of estrogen, postmenopausal women are at an increased risk of certain health problems, including osteoporosis and heart disease. It’s important to continue to see your gynecologist for routine exams and tests even after menopause.