The menopausal transition can be a very challenging time for many women. You are officially “in menopause” when you have not had a period for a year. However, the time before this when your hormones start to decline and/or wildly fluctuate- “perimenopause”- is often more difficult.

Symptoms associated with menopause/perimenopause:

• Hot flashes, night sweats
• Vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. 
• Sleep problems
• Depression and anxiety
• Weight gain
• Cognitive (memory) problems
• Loss of sex drive 
• Fatigue

 

Not all of these symptoms are directly attributable to the loss of estrogen, but often may result from changes that accompany this stage of life and the loss of balance of the hormones.

Treatment options:

• Alternative/herbal therapies: a variety of herbal remedies are available both over the counter and through health-care practitioners. We carry a full line of products in our office and we are happy to recommend ones that may be right for you. Keep in mind that these therapies have no data proving either efficacy or safety. 
• Serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been used in breast cancer patients and seem to decrease hot flashes and night sweats in some patients.
• Hormone replacement therapy. 

HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

At Peachtree Gynecology, our philosophy is in line with national guidelines to take the lowest amount of hormone therapy for the shortest amount of time. We also feel there are advantages to using bioidentical hormones and trying to achieve a physiologic balance in the hormone levels to resolve symptoms and restore a normal sense of energy and well being. We also favor transdermal estrogens, found in patches, gels, troches or pellets, as they may be safer than oral estrogens.

The advantages of transdermal estrogen compared to oral estrogen:

• Does not affect the coagulation factors associated with increased risk of blood clots;
• Lower plasma triglycerides
• No effect on cardiac CRP levels (an inflammatory marker associated with heart disease)
• Lower rate of glucose intolerance
• Associated with increased lean body mass (compared to oral estrogens)

To help you through your perimenopause transition, we offer:

• Blood and saliva testing for hormone levels
• Bioidentical hormone therapy • Hormone pellets

As we believe there are many factors associated with feeling good, we also offer the following additional services:

• Saliva testing for adrenal function and food allergies
• Spectracell Nutritional testing to identify specific vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements