Ask any middle-aged woman about their feelings regarding menopause, and they will readily tell you managing the symptoms of menopause can be difficult. After questioning many women of various ages, I became aware that menopause does not only affect middle-aged women, younger women as early as their mid-30s report being plagued by symptoms resembling the onset of early menopause (perimenopause), while others shared experiences from various disorders of the uterus. As a woman who has experienced symptoms from the early onset of perimenopause, I am familiar with the physical disparities that menopause can create. Often women dismiss symptoms associated with menopause as a result of feeling they are too young or fearing their doctor may dismiss the symptoms. Unfortunately, as a result, many women suffer until discomfort levels become unbearable, and their health declines, often leading to extreme fatigue, pain, and frustration.
According to research, there are three stages of menopause that a woman experiences usually between the ages of 45 and 55: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Perimenopause occurs when estrogen production declines, leading to symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, and noticeable changes in mood; menopause is the cessation of a period for a full 12 months; and postmenopause is the stage of life after your final menstrual period. It is also important to note that some women experience a fourth stage known as surgical menopause, after the complete removal of the reproductive organs, immediately sending a woman into full-blown menopause. Some of the symptoms associated with these stages are insomnia, lack of concentration, anxiety, energy loss, low libido, headaches, hot flashes, and in some cases depression.
For years, synthetic hormone replacement therapy was the preferred method of treatment prescribed by doctors for patients who lived with chronic discomfort from the stages of menopause; however, in the last few years Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) has become a more favored treatment for women seeking a safer and more natural approach to symptom relief. Unlike synthetic hormones, which are derived in a laboratory, BHRT is made from soybeans and wild yams, which contain unique compounds that are processed and made into like replicas of hormones the body naturally produces. According to information from Body Logic MD, synthetic hormones can be toxic to the body due to their inability to be properly metabolized and can lead to an increase in life-threatening side effects.
St. Louis physician Dr. Kathy Maupin, a board-certified obstetrician, gynecologist, and pioneer in BHRT, offers bioidentical hormone pellet treatment. According to Maupin’s website, bioidentical hormone replacement pellet therapy is effective in treating symptoms including insomnia, loss of balance, inability to concentrate, anxiety, migraine headaches, low libido, lack of energy, loss of muscle tone, and more. Maupin’s treatment consists of using subdermal, all-natural testosterone and estradiol pellets that are implanted in the fatty tissue of the hip.
Whether you’re a woman seeking traditional hormone replacement therapy or BHRT, the decision starts with being informed. It is a personal decision based on what’s right for you. For more information on Maupin and her groundbreaking treatments, click here. You also may want to consult your personal physician to discuss a course of treatment that works best for you. Don’t let menopause keep you from living your best life.
Aline Hanrahan is a Licensed Professional Counselor practicing in St. Charles and St. Louis counties. She specializes in individual, child, family, and marriage counseling and has serviced the mental health and public school systems for 20 years. For more info, visit alinehanrahan.com.
