Menopause is a natural transition in a woman's life when her menstrual periods stop permanently and she can no longer become pregnant naturally. The years leading up to menopause are called perimenopause. During perimenopause, estrogen levels become less predictable and begin declining, causing changes in menstrual flow and in common menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, trouble sleeping, and mood changes.
Menopause officially begins 12 months after a woman's last menstrual cycle. The average age for menopause is 51, but it can happen from 40-55 years old. Every woman's experience is different.
The most common sign of approaching menopause is irregular periods. Periods may be lighter or heavier, last longer or shorter, and the time between them may vary. Other common symptoms include:
These symptoms can disrupt daily life and take a toll on physical and emotional health. Fortunately, solutions are available to manage symptoms and reduce long-term health risks associated with menopause.
The main cause of menopause is decreasing production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone in the ovaries. This happens naturally as women age. Lower hormone levels cause changes in menstruation and other body systems.
Menopause before age 40 is considered premature menopause. It can be triggered by medical treatments like chemotherapy, surgeries to remove the ovaries, or autoimmune disorders. Genetics may also play a role for some women.
The hormone changes of menopause can lead to several health conditions over time:
Managing symptoms and long-term risks is key for health in midlife and beyond.
Hormone therapy (HT), including estrogen alone or with progestogen, has been used safely and effectively for decades to manage moderate to severe menopause symptoms.
When started before age 60, hormone therapy has significant benefits:
The risks of hormone therapy are low when used for less than 5 years. Your doctor can help determine if hormone therapy is right for your situation.
Hormone therapy delivers low doses of estrogen and progestogen to supplement the declining levels produced by the ovaries. It's available as pills, skin patches, gels, creams or vaginal inserts.
Estrogen relieves hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, bladder problems, and prevents bone loss.
Progestogen balances the effects of estrogen on the uterine lining to lower cancer risk. Those without a uterus can take estrogen alone.
Getting a balance of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone optimized for your body is key. Blood tests help create custom treatment plans with bioidentical hormones and optimal dosing.
Results are noticed quickly, often within 1-2 months. Supportive treatments boost the benefits. Most women use hormone therapy short-term, around 5 years.
The Optimal Hormone Wellness Center Menopause Center provides specialized care for women in perimenopause and postmenopause. Our compassionate doctors specializing in menopause offer advanced hormone testing, balancing and treatments to restore wellness and vitality.
A few key features that set Optimal Hormone Wellness Center apart:
We dig deep to understand your unique symptoms, health history and needs to create custom treatment plans. Supportive therapies enhance the benefits. Follow up is scheduled regularly to ensure your plan is working optimally.
Getting your hormone balance right is critical. We use advanced clinical tests to measure reproductive hormone and thyroid levels and how they interact. Testing is done throughout treatment to optimize results.
Pills and synthetic hormones are not always best. We provide bioidentical hormone replacement therapies custom blended to match your body exactly. With fewer side effects, results feel more natural.
Symptoms affect more than the physical body. We address the emotional, mental and nutritional aspects as well for whole-person healing. Lifestyle changes make a big difference too.
Our comprehensive approach delivers life-changing relief to help you thrive in menopause and beyond.
Studies show that practicing yoga can help ease many symptoms of menopause. Specific yoga poses help improve mood, reduce hot flashes and night sweats, ease anxiety and depression, improve sleep quality, and increase energy levels. This free, accessible way of exercising can provide women real relief during a challenging transition.
Accurately diagnosing menopause is key to effective treatment and management. We evaluate multiple factors:
Tracking menstrual cycles helps identify perimenopause onset. We ask details about:
We'll have an in-depth discussion about symptoms you've experienced, including:
Your mother's menopause age offers clues about when you may experience it. Genetics impact up to half of the menopausal timing variance.
Pelvic exams check ovarian function and screen for any issues. Breast exams and pap smears are done as well at annual visits.
Blood testing analyzes hormones like estradiol, FSH, AMH to identify menopausal status. Thyroid levels are checked too since they work closely with reproductive hormones.
Getting started with hormone therapy is straightforward. We help make the process simple and convenient.
New patients have lab work done to measure baseline hormone levels. This helps guide precise therapy plans. We use Quest Diagnostics with over 2000 locations, or can do blood draws in-office.
Hormone prescriptions are created to address your specific deficit areas and symptoms. Estrogen, testosterone, or thyroid medications may be recommended.
Follow up blood tests are done about 6 weeks later to ensure levels are optimized, then every 6-12 months. The goal is balancing your hormones in the ideal range.
We are always available to answer questions during the process. Dose adjustments happen as needed until symptoms resolve and testing looks great.
Complementary lifestyle approaches enhance hormone therapy results. Here are some areas we advise women focus on during menopause:
Eating more plants and less processed foods helps hormones and overall health. Be sure to get enough calcium, Vitamin D, magnesium and protein too. Consider supplements if diet is insufficient.
Aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate activity minimum to help manage weight, mood, sleep and bone strength. Walking, weights, yoga and swimming are great options.
Relaxation practices like meditation, deep breathing, massage and nature time alleviate anxiety. Get good sleep, connect with others and do more of what brings joy.
Condoms prevent pregnancy risk until 12 months after last period. Use lube and communicate with partners about menopause. Annual STI tests are wise too.
We offer support and resources on all these areas as part of our holistic approach.
Getting tested and starting treatment promptly is vital for the best menopause relief and health protection. However, we often see women delay care. Reasons include:
We aim to overcome these barriers with education and support. Our goal is helping women understand all their options to make the most informed choices.
Menopause care does not need to disrupt life or be unbearable. Common symptoms nearly always respond well to properly balanced and monitored hormone therapy programs. We guide women to the solutions that work best for their situation.
Coral Springs provides a wonderful environment to embrace this new chapter of life. With optimal weather year-round, a vibrant community and proximity to beach relaxation, women have every opportunity to thrive during menopause and beyond.
Sunny South Florida allows for plenty of outdoor lifestyle enjoyment with average highs of 83F and lows of 66F. The winter dry season from November to April features especially lovely weather in the mid 70s.
Named America's Top Swim City, Coral Springs boasts over 80 parks, 10 pools, 2 fitness centers and more than 200 group exercise classes for staying active. The walkable downtown district also encourages exploration with many shops, cafes and events nearby.
Several high quality medical providers, spas and wellness centers are conveniently located in Coral Springs including Quest Diagnostics, Cleveland Clinic, Laser Spa MD and Garden of Life Vitamin Shoppe.
Whether you're working, volunteering, spending time with grandchildren, traveling or engaged with clubs, Coral Springs supports healthy, fulfilling living before, during and after menopause. We help women struggling with disruptive symptoms get back to enjoying all this vibrant city offers.
Getting tested and starting treatment promptly is vital for the best menopause relief and health protection. However, we often see women delay care. Reasons include:
We aim to overcome these barriers with education and support. Our goal is helping women understand all their options to make the most informed choices.
Menopause care does not need to disrupt life or be unbearable. Common symptoms nearly always respond well to properly balanced and monitored hormone therapy programs. We guide women to the solutions that work best for their situation.
Choosing the right menopause specialist makes a big difference in finding relief. At Optimal Hormone Wellness Center Menopause Center, compassionate doctors specializing in menopause offer personalized care plans, advanced testing, bioidentical hormone therapy, nutritional support and more to help women thrive.
A few reasons we stand out from other menopause hormone specialist options in the area:
Our menopause specialist endocrinologist have deeper knowledge from advanced fellowship training in reproductive endocrinology with thousands of menopause patients successfully treated.
In addition to standard labs, we also test hormone metabolites which gives greater insight into what’s happening in tissues. Testing cortisol, progesterone and more ensures nothing gets missed.
The latest medical research informs our continually evolving best practices for hormone therapy, nutrition, stress management and wellness. We stay on the leading edge.
Our staff appreciates all the ways fluctuating hormones affect women’s lives. We listen deeply and partner to find solutions tailored to your needs and priorities.
When you’re ready to get the relief you deserve, we are here to help. Renewed energy, resilience and wellbeing await!
