Am I menopausal?<\/p>\n
How close am I to menopause?<\/p>\n
Is there any way to stop these hot flashes?<\/p>\n
Like many other parts of a woman\u2019s life, menopause is a natural, yet often confusing time. It\u2019s also very different from woman to woman \u2014 symptoms vary, onset varies and severity of symptoms vary.<\/p>\n
Here are a few tips for helping you navigate your journey from perimenopause (\u201caround menopause\u201d or the period right before you become menopausal) to menopause and beyond.<\/p>\n
As midwives, we want to take care of the whole you, and menopause symptoms \u2014 from night sweats to depression to insomnia \u2014 can impact your entire life. Although we may not be able to determine how close you are to menopause, I always encourage women to ask me lots of questions, and I let them know that I\u2019ll listen and spend time with them. I\u2019ll provide options and together we can come up with a plan to help meet your needs.<\/p>\n
In recent years, it\u2019s certainly become more common for women to talk about menopause. Yet I still find women can be uncomfortable with the topic.<\/p>\n
I want women to understand the more they can open up about what they\u2019re experiencing, the more I\u2019m able to help. I think it\u2019s important women know that menopause symptoms are a bit of a chicken-egg issue. Do night sweats and hot flashes lead to insomnia, which leads to irritability, which leads to a lack of interest in sex \u2026 ?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not always easy to figure out what leads to what. Most important, I listen, I reassure and I help every woman I see come up with a plan that\u2019s tailored to her needs, symptoms and health risks.<\/p>\n
Just because menopause is a normal part of a woman\u2019s life doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s easy. For many women, menopause is disruptive and challenging \u2014 and you shouldn\u2019t just suffer through it.<\/p>\n
We can help.<\/p>\n
Sometimes we can suggest small changes (limiting caffeine and increasing exercise) and herbal remedies (black cohosh and melatonin) that provide helpful relief. In other cases, we need to consider hormone replacement or other treatments.<\/p>\n
Medications and even herbal supplements may have side effects, so I think it\u2019s important we spend time considering risk factors and family history and weigh this against the backdrop of how menopause symptoms are impacting your health, your family relationships, your work or other aspects of your life.<\/p>\n