Menopause is a natural transition in a woman's life when her menstrual periods stop permanently and she can no longer become pregnant. The years leading up to menopause are called perimenopause. During perimenopause, levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones fluctuate irregularly, causing symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, difficulty sleeping, and mood changes.
Menopause officially begins when a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months and signals the end of a woman's reproductive years. The average age for menopause is 51, but it can happen anytime between the ages of 40 and 55.
The most common physical and emotional symptoms of menopause include:
Menopause increases risks for certain medical conditions, including:
Careful monitoring and early treatment of menopausal symptoms can help minimize risks.
Hormone therapy (HT), also called menopausal hormone therapy, is the most effective treatment option for relieving moderate to severe menopause symptoms.
HT typically involves taking estrogen alone or estrogen combined with progestin (a form of progesterone) to replace what the body is no longer producing naturally. HT works by:
There are many types, doses, and schedules for taking HT. Our experienced menopause specialists tailor treatments to each woman's needs and health profile to provide symptom relief with minimal risks.
HT is generally recommended for women before age 60 or within 10 years of menopause onset who have moderate to severe symptoms such as:
HT risks tend to outweigh benefits for older women. However, an individual assessment is necessary to determine appropriateness. Our practitioners review your health history, risk factors, lifestyle, preferences, and treatment goals when developing a personalized plan.
Women with a history of breast cancer, blood clots, liver disease, heart disease, or stroke may be advised to avoid HT. For these patients, we offer effective non-hormonal therapies.
There are many estrogen and progesterone preparations and ways to take them.
Estrogen
Progestin
HT delivery methods provide different drug concentrations and metabolic effects. Our practitioners select the optimal regimen tailored for you.
For women without a uterus, estrogen alone can be given. Those still having menstrual periods require combination estrogen-progestin therapy. Taking progestin along with estrogen protects the uterine lining from overgrowth that can lead to cancer.
When beginning HT, it can take 2-3 months to achieve full therapeutic effects. Most women take hormones for relief of menopause symptoms or osteoporosis prevention for at least 3 to 5 years.
Potential side effects at the start of therapy include: - Breast tenderness - Headaches - Nausea - Bloating - Spotting
These typically resolve within a few weeks to months as the body adjusts. Notify your practitioner promptly about concerning or disruptive side effects. Your treatment plan can be modified to minimize issues.
Gradually tapering off HT over time is better than abruptly stopping. Quitting "cold turkey" can cause severe rebound symptoms. Develop an appropriate exit strategy with your practitioner as you approach discontinuation.
Patients using HT require consistent long-term professional care. Follow-up visits for pelvic exams, lab tests, and screenings are essential for monitoring treatment results and assessing potential risks. We will establish an appropriate follow-up schedule based on your health profile and chosen treatment regimen.
Consistent long-term care with experienced professionals ensures safe, effective hormone therapy outcomes. Our practitioners have deep expertise in all aspects of HT to guide you through the duration of treatment from early perimenopause into postmenopausal years.
Hormone Harmony Clinic practitioners include OB-GYNs, endocrinologists, and anti-aging medicine experts specializing in menopause management. We pursue regular continuing education and stay current with latest advancements in women's hormone therapies. Our providers possess exceptional skill and judgement honed from years of specialized practice.
We take time getting to know patients as whole persons---mind, body and spirit. An intimate understanding of each woman's unique health profile and lifestyle enables developing customized treatment plans for optimal outcomes. We listen attentively to understand your individual needs and preferences when making joint decisions about your care.
Balancing hormones is only one part of managing menopause. We help patients implement comprehensive lifestyle changes that complement HT---proper nutrition, stress reduction, fitness, and connecting with community provide a foundation for overall wellbeing. We empower women to embrace menopause as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery.
We offer cutting edge hormone balancing options including bioidentical hormones, testosterone therapies to improve desire and performance, compounded specialty preparations, peptide protocols and other regenerative treatments. Our on-site body composition testing, brain mapping assessments, and nutritional optimization programs set us apart from traditional clinics.
Caring Patient Support Hormone Harmony Clinic staff provide exceptional responsive customer care every step of the treatment journey. You will never feel rushed or dismissed. We understand this profound transition can stir up many emotions and questions. Our patient advocates ensure you receive caring assistance customizing treatment plans, scheduling visits, processing insurance claims and handling prescriptions. We strive to alleviate discomforts of menopause safely and effectively so you can continue thriving through midlife into later years. Hormone Harmony Clinic compassionately supports women to age gracefully on their own terms.
Accurately assessing menopause status is essential for determining appropriate treatments. Changes can begin 8-10 years before periods actually stop. Perimenopause is often missed leading to unnecessary suffering. Getting proper care requires proactively monitoring subtle symptoms.
We help identify the phase of menopause and pinpoint which symptoms are attributable to shifting hormones vs. other causes. Multi-dimensional assessments include:
Key lab tests check levels of fertility hormones like estradiol, AMH and FSH as well as stress hormones implicated in menopause symptoms---cortisol, thyroid, testosterone and progesterone. Testing may need to be done serially since hormones fluctuate erratically during perimenopause.
Accurately diagnosing your menopausal phase enables selecting the best treatments to ease this transition whether using HT, supplements, holistic modalities or supportive self-care strategies. We provide specialized testing and compassionate guidance tailored to your menopausal stage.
Proper nutrition and lifestyle practices can ease menopausal changes safely and naturally. Optimizing health empowers resilient functioning despite hormonal shifts. We offer customized plans to fit your needs and preferences that may include:
Eating Patterns
Fitness Recommendations
Stress Reduction Techniques
Community Connections
Lifestyle changes reap optimal results combined with hormone balancing treatments. We help find personalized solutions enabling you to stay healthy and feel your best through menopause into later years.
Vaginal tissues are highly sensitive to decreasing estrogen. Early changes like dryness, burning, irritation or pain with intercourse can have profound effects on relationships and quality of life. Left untreated, atrophy can lead to chronic pain and higher risk for urinary tract infections.
Low-dose vaginal estrogen preparations can quickly replenish delicate tissues. Users often note major improvements allowing comfortable intimacy within a month or two.
We offer hormone-based therapies appropriate for peri-through post-menopause including:
Regular use is generally safe with minimal systemic effects. Routine gynecologic care monitors for potential irritation or abnormal cell changes.
Some women prefer not to use hormones internally. Alternatives like ospemifene tablets effectively treat symptoms without raising risks for cancer or cardiovascular disease. Vaginal laser and radiofrequency therapies are newer options to enhance blood flow and collagen production.
We thoughtfully consider all aspects of your health, preferences and relationships when advising personalized therapies for revitalizing vaginal wellness.
Estrogen plays a key role promoting bone strength by facilitating calcium absorption and bone rebuilding. During menopause, bone loss accelerates increasing susceptibility to osteoporosis and fractures. About 30% of caucasian women have osteoporosis by age 65.
Detecting bone loss early is key---often no symptoms appear until a fracture happens. We provide specialized testing like bone density scans and urine/blood tests for bone turnover markers.
Bone protecting treatments help stabilize or even re-build mineral content. Recommendations may include:
Newer bone regenerative treatments show promising results for strengthening bones without side effects of traditional osteoporosis drugs. Emerging options include:
We optimize bone health throughout menopause using exercise, nutrition, hormones and leading edge therapies to maintain strength and prevent devastating fractures.
Studies show that regular aerobic exercise during menopause can significantly reduce unpleasant symptoms like hot flashes. Brisk walking just 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week for 12 weeks has been found to decrease hot flash frequency and intensity by nearly 60% in some women going through menopause. The exercise boosts endorphin levels naturally.
Hormone Harmony Clinic mission focuses on supporting women to transition through perimenopause and beyond safely, comfortably and confidently while continuing to thrive. Our experienced menopause specialists offer personalized care integrating hormone balancing therapies with nutrition, fitness and lifestyle recommendations for optimal wellbeing.
We understand shifts in womanhood can stir up many emotions and questions. Our staff provides exceptional responsive support explaining treatment options clearly, scheduling timely appointments, efficiently handling insurance claims and prescriptions.
Hormone Harmony Clinic offers state-of-the art hormone assessments using blood, salivary and genomic testing to accurately identify imbalances. The latest bioidentical preparations including testosterone, DHEA and peptide protocols deliver balanced relief without excess side effects.
You will feel heard, understood and cared for like family when you entrust your menopause treatment to Hormone Harmony Clinic. We ease discomforts and answer your questions to help thrive through midlife changes and beyond.
Contact us today to learn more and schedule a consultation with one of our menopause specialists. Discover how Hormone Harmony Clinic can guide you to embrace menopause gracefully, on your own terms.
