INDUSTRY INSIGHT
MENOPAUSE
SPONSORED CONTENT
HELP !
I ’ m Having Hot Flashes ! By Christina Cirucci , MD
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m having hot flashes .” “ I can ’ t sleep .” “ I ’ m irritable and moody .” These are common concerns that I hear from women going through menopause . Menopause is a naturally occurring change in women that happens on average at age 51 . For most women their menstrual periods become irregular and start to spread out for a few years prior to menopause . Once a woman has had no menstrual flow for a year , she is considered to be officially postmenopausal . The period of transition prior to menopause is defined as the perimenopause . The symptoms of menopause and perimenopause are a result of the decreasing production of estrogen by the ovaries . In women who have surgical removal of both ovaries , menopause is an abrupt change called surgical menopause . In either case , for many women the perimenopause and menopause are associated with a lot of distressing symptoms such as hot flashes , night sweats , mood changes , decreased sex drive , and vaginal dryness . The severity of the symptoms varies among women . For some women the symptoms are mildly bothersome , but for many women they are quite distressing and life interruptive . The good news is that there is hope , help , and treatment ! There is no need to suffer alone .
There are options for women suffering from the symptoms of menopause . Many women going through the menopause transition come to my office and say “ I ’ m having terrible hot flashes and night sweats and I can ’ t sleep and I ’ m really bitchy … but I don ’ t want hormones .” Although hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) is the most effective treatment for the symptoms of menopause , it is not the only treatment . HRT gained a bad reputation after the landmark study , the Women ’ s Health Initiative , released results in 2002 showing an increased risk of breast cancer , clots ,
stroke , and heart disease in women taking a common form of HRT . Many women are surprised to learn , however , that HRT is much safer than they thought . In fact , the incidence of each of the above mentioned symptoms is less than 1 in 1000 women per year . In younger women ( who start HRT closer to menopause ), the risk is believed to be less . Many times women with terrible menopausal symptoms who initially did not want HRT but then try it for a short time , return to my office saying , “ Wow , I actually got sleep this past year .” Although HRT is an effective and relatively safe treatment for menopausal symptoms , it is not for everyone . Treatment should be individualized . Some women do not want to accept the risks of HRT . Some women are not candidates for HRT because of their personal medical history , such as breast cancer or clots . Fortunately , there are other options such as other prescription pills and creams and non-prescription modalities . Each woman ’ s situation is different , which is why a discussion with your gynecologist is important . Treatment for menopause should be tailored for the individual woman , taking into account her medical history and risk factors , severity of symptoms , and her preference . Don ’ t suffer in silence . Menopause is a natural midlife transition that can be the beginning of a new and positive chapter in a woman ’ s life .
This Industry Insight was written by Christina Cirucci , MD .
Dr . Cirucci is a board-certified gynecologist with Premier Women ’ s Health . She enjoys seeing women of all ages and has a particular interest in menopause . She is a national certified menopause practioner and a member of the North American Menopause Society .
Dr . Cirucci is accepting new patients . Appointments can be made by calling 412.741.6530 . Most insurances are accepted .
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