Menopause Management 

Menopause is when people with a uterus and ovaries permanently stop having menstrual cycles (periods). Menopause usually happens in your late 40s or early 50s but may happen earlier.

Menopause happens in the stage of life when your reproductive hormone levels go down. Your ovaries get smaller and gradually stop making estrogen, as well as slow down making progesterone. Without these hormones, you stop getting your period and stop being able to get pregnant. 

If you’re between the ages of 45 to 55 and you haven’t had your period in a year, you aren’t pregnant, and you don’t have a serious illness, menopause has probably happened.

Other Causes of Menopause
Not everyone goes through menopause because of aging. Sometimes health issues kickstart menopause. If your ovaries are removed through surgery, you may experience sudden symptoms of menopause instead of the gradual change that happens with age (AKA induced menopause). Medical treatments like certain chemotherapy drugs can also make menopause happen early or suddenly.

Our providers can help you figure out if you’re going through menopause. They can also help you manage menopause symptoms.

Perimenopause means the time leading up to menopause where you may have symptoms. This stage can last anywhere from a few months to up to 10 years, and is a process that may start, stop, and start up again.

The amount of estrogen made by your ovaries starts to change in your 30s and 40s — it can go up and down. You may notice this is happening because your periods begin to change.

Changes to periods during perimenopause are common and totally normal.

Some changes you might notice include:

• The time between one period and another changing (either longer or shorter)
• Totally skipping a period
• Bleeding patterns changing during your period (heavier or lighter)
• Bleeding between periods

Changes in menstrual bleeding are common during perimenopause, but it’s still a good idea to talk with your doctor or nurse about them.

It’s important to remember you can still get pregnant during perimenopause. If you don’t want to get pregnant, continue using your birth control method for at least a year after you have your last period. Your doctor or nurse can talk with you about stopping your birth control method and answer any other questions you have about perimenopause. 

Some people don’t have symptoms of perimenopause or menopause. Some folks have irregular periods or hot flashes, or one or more of these symptoms. 

If your symptoms don’t bother you, you don’t need treatment. But if you have disruptive symptoms that affect your ability to sleep or perform daily functions, the treatment that works best is menopausal hormone therapy (MHT).

Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) works by replacing 2 hormones that your ovaries stop making when you’re going through perimenopause and menopause: estrogen and progesterone. They’re like the hormones in some birth control methods.

There are two different kinds of hormone therapy: estrogen only, or estrogen with a progestogen.

Estrogen therapy:

This is the best treatment for hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. People who had surgery to remove their uterus, called a hysterectomy, only need to take estrogen and don’t need to take combined hormone therapy.

Combined hormone therapy:

If you have a uterus, your doctor may prescribe combined hormone therapy. This is estrogen and artificial progesterone (called progestogen) taken together. Combined hormone therapy may lower your risk of getting uterine cancer and colon cancer.

Hormone therapy can help with:

• hot flashes
• vaginal dryness
• sleep problems
• urinary tract infections 
• sudden urges to pee
• lowering your risk of osteoporosis, colon cancer, and diabetes
• lowering your risk of heart disease if you start MHT within 10 years of menopause

Learn more about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT).

During a telehealth visit, you talk to a provider virtually on any device – computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can discuss your symptoms, ask questions, and get care.

For a menopause management telehealth appointment, you’ll meet with a provider and discuss your concerns and symptoms. During your visit, a provider may recommend treatment and will discuss those next steps with you.