Perimenopause

When female reproductive hormone levels fall in mid-life, you enter perimenopause. If you develop problems like night sweats and vaginal dryness during perimenopause, contact board-certified gynecologist Kristen Matsik, MD, at Women’s Wellness and Sexual Health in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Matsik specializes in menopause care and offers comprehensive treatment to relieve the unpleasant side effects perimenopause can cause. To schedule an in-person or telehealth consultation at Women’s Wellness and Sexual Health, request an appointment online today. 

What is perimenopause?

Perimenopause is a transition phase in women’s lives where the production of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone reduces significantly. The transition takes several years — four on average — and ends with menopause, achieved when you haven’t had a menstrual period for 12 months.

Perimenopause is a natural process that typically occurs in the mid-to-late forties but could happen earlier or later. The average age American women reach menopause is 51. After menopause, you no longer release eggs from your ovaries and can’t have children naturally.

As with menstruation, women’s experience of perimenopause varies considerably. Some experience few adverse effects, while others are troubled by minor problems that they manage without too much difficulty. However, many women suffer from significant side effects that have a lasting impact on their mental and physical well-being.

What problems does perimenopause cause?

Problems that may affect you during perimenopause include:

• Irregular periods
• Hot flashes
• Breast tenderness
• Reduced libido (low sex drive)
• Fatigue
• Night sweats
• Discomfort during sex
• Vaginal dryness
• Trouble sleeping
• Brain fog
• Mood swings

You may have some or many of these symptoms in varying degrees of severity.

What can I do to minimize perimenopause’s effects?

Many perimenopause symptoms improve if you make lifestyle changes, such as:

• Learning stress management techniques
• Exercising regularly
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Eating a nutritious diet
• Quitting smoking
• Reducing alcohol intake
• Improving nighttime routine for better sleep

Counseling can help with problems like mood swings, depression, or anxiety.

Women’s Wellness and Sexual Health also offers hormonal treatments to compensate for hormone reduction during perimenopause. Bioidentical hormones are compounds that have the same chemical and molecular structure as hormones that are produced by the body. They are FDA-approved and therefore tested for efficacy and absorption.

Estrogen cream, rings or inserts can improve your symptoms if you have a specific issue like vaginal dryness. Or you could use lubricating gels to stay comfortable and prevent problems during sex.

Call Women’s Wellness and Sexual Health or book an appointment online today for personally tailored support through perimenopause.