Menopause marks the end of a woman's menstrual cycles and fertility. It usually occurs naturally between the ages of 45 and 55 as estrogen levels decline. The transition to menopause is called perimenopause and can begin years earlier, causing irregular periods and bothersome symptoms before menstruation fully stops.
Common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause include:
Not all women experience severe symptoms, but most have at least some difficulties from hormone changes that can impact their quality of life. Timely treatment is important for managing symptoms and reducing long-term health risks like osteoporosis.
Hormone therapy (HT) can provide relief by replacing estrogen and often progesterone to stabilize hormone levels. When started before significant bone loss occurs, HT is also highly effective for building bone density and preventing fractures.
Additional benefits of hormone therapy include:
The risks and benefits of HT differ depending on the individual, when treatment begins, and whether it includes estrogen alone or a combination with progesterone. Doctors specializing in menopause can provide personalized guidance about the type and duration of therapy appropriate for each woman.
The first step is having hormone blood tests to accurately identify deficiencies. Common tests include:
Test results along with a full evaluation of risk factors and lifestyle habits allow Harmony Hormone Clinic practitioners to create customized treatment plans. These usually combine hormone therapy with nutrition and fitness guidance for best outcomes.
The main hormone therapy options include:
Estrogen helps relieve hot flashes, vaginal changes, and bone loss. Progesterone counterbalances estrogen's effects on the uterus to lower cancer risk. Both are often prescribed in combination, with many delivery method choices depending on individual needs and preferences.
Bioidentical hormones like estradiol and progesterone match the molecular structure of hormones made in the body. Custom-compounded bioidentical hormones allow more flexibility in dosing.
Testosterone levels also drop substantially at menopause, contributing to low libido, fat gain, and loss of muscle mass. Testosterone therapy for women may utilize gels, creams, pellets, or other sustained-release options to improve energy, sexual health, body composition, and psychological wellbeing without masculinizing effects.
Vitamins and supplements such as calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and omega-3 fish oil help provide nutritional support during hormone changes. Botanical options like black cohosh, maca, and flaxseed may also help alleviate certain menopausal concerns.
Adopting healthy lifestyle habits is equally important for managing symptoms, lowering disease risks, and ensuring hormone therapy effectiveness:
Founded in 2021, Harmony Hormone Clinic provides personalized care for women and men experiencing age-related hormone changes. Our clinic specializes in hormone balance therapies to help patients enjoy improved wellbeing during midlife and beyond.
Our practitioners include endocrinologists specializing in menopause along with experienced physicians, pharmacists, nutritionists, and health coaches. Together we develop tailored treatment strategies to meet each patient's needs and health objectives.
In addition to the latest medical therapies, we offer lifestyle guidance and holistic modalities like meditation, yoga, and acupuncture for comprehensive support. Patients receive caring one-on-one attention throughout their treatment journey.
Accurately assessing hormone levels is crucial for proper diagnosis and dosing. We utilize advanced hormone tests along with genetic, microbiome, and other precision testing to uncover root causes and optimize treatment plans. Ongoing testing ensures therapies remain effective over the long term.
Located in central Dunedin near major bus routes and highways, our welcoming clinic provides flexible morning, afternoon, and weekend appointments to accommodate busy schedules. Telehealth visits are also available when preferred.
We offer extended office hours from 8 am – 7 pm on weekdays along with 8 am – 1 pm hours on Saturdays. Our after-hours on-call service also allows patients to speak with a practitioner anytime about pressing issues.
Our practitioners establish caring partnerships based on trust, empathy and clear communication. We listen deeply, provide education to empower informed choices, and support patients each step of the way.
While menopause marks the end of fertility, we view it as an exciting gateway to new possibilities for personal growth, rewarding relationships and more intentional living aligned with individual values and priorities. We're here to help patients thrive through this transition and beyond.
Over half of women going through menopause don't seek medical treatment or advice. Many try to manage symptoms themselves with lifestyle changes, herbal remedies, or by talking to friends and family who have gone through it. Getting guidance from a doctor can help provide relief through hormone therapy, medications, nutrition plans, or recommendations for managing the transition.
Detecting the early stages of perimenopause is essential for effectively managing changing hormone levels over time. But clear diagnosis can be complicated by irregular cycles and vague, intermittent symptoms.
Signs more likely indicating peri- or full menopause include:
Useful tests for confirming menopause stage include:
Tracking symptoms and undergoing repeat testing helps distinguish menopause onset from other issues like thyroid disorders or anemia that cause similar problems.
The perimenopausal transition typically unfolds over a span of 5-7 years with much variability. Some women notice a fairly abrupt change in cycles before periods end. Others continue regular cycles with intensifying PMS and heavy bleeding.
Cycle patterns:
Hormone levels fluctuate but generally decline as fewer viable eggs remain. The duration and symptom severity depends of the rate of ovarian follicle loss, which differs among women.
Genetics play a role. Caucasian women deplete follicles faster on average than Hispanics or African Americans and undergo menopause 1-3 years earlier. Other biological and lifestyle factor influence timing as well, including autoimmune issues, smoking, never giving birth.
Women with robust overall health may adapt to menopause changes with fewer issues. Those proactively preparing through smart lifestyle choices can also help smooth the transition ahead of time.
See Also: Diet and Exercise Plan for Menopause Transition
Health-protective practices that support menopause adaptation include:
Building up resilience buffers helps ensure fewer troublesome symptoms so life stays vibrant and fulfilling after fertility wanes.
While individually frustrating, hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal changes, sleep disruption and other common menopausal symptoms are not directly dangerous or damaging. However, suffering from multiple uncontrolled symptoms daily can severely undermine women's functioning and quality of life.
When troublesome symptoms persist, hormone testing accurately pinpoints deficiencies allowing corrective treatment through:
We tailor combinations of hormone therapies, lifestyle changes, and holistic therapies to effectively alleviate each woman's spectrum of most bothersome symptoms. This allows clients to feel like themselves again.
Ongoing monitoring ensures dosing remains optimal over months and years. We also educate women on what signs and symptoms may indicate potential side effects needing attention.
Hot flashes arise from estrogen withdrawal altering hypothalamus control of body temperature. They often begin subtly with flushing or breaking out in sweat that later intensifies. Night sweats frequently disturb sleep.
Studies confirm hormone therapy with systemic estrogen or higher dose vaginal estrogen provides the most reliable hot flash relief and control.
We also recommend:
Tracking episodes and triggers helps evaluate improvements over the first months of therapy. Most women experience substantial hot flash reduction within 12 weeks at optimal hormone dosing.
The vaginal lining texture and pH depend on estrogen circulating in blood supply. So as levels fall, tissue becomes thinner, less elastic, fragile and prone to tearing.
Many women suffer painful intercourse, urinary urgency, recurrent infections and light bleeding from fragility. Low dose vaginal estrogen products reverse these changes wonderfully through local effects without entering the bloodstream.
Treatment options:
We provide guidance on product use, dose adjustments and complementary lubricants or moisturizers. Partner support and open communication also helps alleviate concerns about sexual changes.
Plummeting testosterone is a key culprit in lost sex drive for both women and men at midlife. Declining estrogen leads to poorer genital sensation and lubrication difficulties further hampering enjoyment.
Studies confirm testosterone therapy safely and effectively improves low libido, arousal, sexual responsiveness and satisfaction along with energy and body image.
We offer:
An integrative approach allows clients to resurrect their sex lives holistically by addressing physiological roadblocks along with cultivating self-acceptance and skills for enhanced connection.
Menopause hormone shifts interact uniquely with each woman's stress load, thought patterns, lifestyle habits and resilience factors to potentially exacerbate anxiety, irritability, sadness or difficulties concentrating.
Relieving hot flashes and night sweats offers partial mood relief but neuronal estrogen and testosterone loss changes brain pathways more directly too. Supportive therapies help smooth out imbalances.
Our practitioners may advise:
We also encourage sufficient physical activity, social engagement and mental challenges along with smart dietary choices to nourish brain pathways organically. Tracking mood and trigger insights aids personally tailored therapies.
Menopause onset sparks a new life phase with evolving health priorities woman must appreciate to make informed preventative and screening choices.
Cardiovascular, bone, neurological and metabolic shifts require diligent monitoring and evidence-based early interventions to ensure continued vitality and wellness through later decades. Our practitioners translate clinical guidelines into personalized care maps designed around individual risk profiles, values and priorities.
We explain in plain language what changes may lie ahead and empower woman with knowledge to optimize health trajectories proactively. Shared decision making allows clients to shape health plans aligned with their goals.
Cardiovascular disease risk increases after menopause as women lose endogenous estrogen’s protective effects on arteries and cholesterol balance.
Our cardiology team:
Evidence affirms hormone therapy initiated before age 60 significantly lowers heart attack and stroke rates unless contraindicated. Later starts offer fewer cardiac benefits. We discuss options thoroughly based on timing and discuss ongoing controversy in this area.
Estrogen helps retain bone mineral density by improving calcium absorption and bone cell health. So both estrogen and testosterone loss after menopause accelerate bone loss raising fracture risks substantially.
Our clinicians guide clients on:
Starting hormone therapy, and testosterone especially, during the perimenopause transition provides the best osteoporosis protection. We monitor bone density regularly and intervene rapidly when indicated.
While some mild cognitive difficulties often arise during menopause transition itself, more significant memory issues and Alzheimer’s disease linkage emerge years later during the postmenopausal period.
Estrogen and testosterone offer neuroprotective effects so their loss theoretically might increase neurodegeneration risks. But study data remains inconclusive thus far. Other midlife factors like vascular disease, inactivity and diets clearly heighten risk more substantially at this point.
Our practitioners:
Supporting cognitive resilience protects both short and long-term mental acuity and everyday functioning. Clients find reassurance in our careful tracking over time.
Taking charge of your health during the menopausal transition and beyond requires understanding typical changes, risks and proactive self care strategies. Local centers provide a range of wellness services, screening tests and lifestyle supports that reinforce therapies recommended by our clinicians.
The Dunedin Public Library hosts free monthly seminars by local experts about midlife women's health topics including:
Regional Radiology locations perform bone density DEXA scans to assess for development osteopenia or osteoporosis along with body composition testing.
DirectLabs Dunedin offers health screening packages for reproductive hormone levels plus cardiac risk markers, vitamins D/B12, blood sugar levels and more without requiring a doctor's order. Convenient payment plans available.
The Mind-Body Institute teaches meditation, trauma-sensitive yoga, tapping, breathwork and other evidence based modalities for mitigating stress scientifically known to exacerbate menopausal concerns and aging.
Several licensed clinical psychologists and therapists in Dunedin specialize in helping women navigate life adjustments during midlife and beyond. Compassionate professionals skilled at fostering resilience.
The YMCA, Peak Physique Gym and many local studios offer group classes focused on gentle strength training, Pelvic floor health, fall prevention and maintaining mobility essential for healthy aging. Special senior member plans available.
We encourage you to take advantage of these exceptional community resources supporting your best health during the exciting life transition of menopause and beyond!
