Menopause
Early symptoms
Initially barely noticeable, the processes of follicle maturation are altered, initially even accelerating follicle maturation. This initially leads to more frequent ovulations and a shortening of the menstrual cycle. Additionally, typical menopausal symptoms such as facial flushing, hot flashes, heart palpitations, and sudden sweating can occur several years before the actual menopause.
Menopausal symptoms
The increasing exhaustion of the ovaries and the resulting hormonal changes lead to a variety of more or less pronounced menopausal symptoms in two out of three women – hot flashes, night sweats, often alternating with chills, heart palpitations, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, and joint pain – to name just a few common symptoms. Mood can also be affected – usually in the form of melancholy, sadness, or depression, often accompanied by a sudden lack of energy. These symptoms are usually extremely burdensome in everyday and professional life and significantly impair quality of life. Moreover, menopausal symptoms often persist for many years, usually much longer than initially expected. It is therefore strongly advised not to simply "endure" or "grit your teeth" until the symptoms "go away on their own." Under no circumstances should valuable years of life be wasted with a diminished quality of life. This is especially important because there are now effective and safe treatment options available for every affected woman – and not just hormonal ones. So don't hesitate to get informed and seek advice – we're happy to help if needed. in a personal online conversation with me.
Long-term health risks
In the later stages of post-menopause (the years following menopause itself), the persistent deficiency of female hormones, especially estrogen, often leads to increased fragility of mucous membranes, resulting in inflammatory changes, often bladder problems, and frequent urinary tract infections. This can also frequently cause pain during sex. Very effective relief can be achieved with appropriate topical creams or suppositories, ideally containing estriol, which acts only locally. This form of estrogen acts only locally and is not absorbed into the bloodstream.
In the long term, a chronic estrogen deficiency can gradually lead to other, sometimes very serious, physical problems: (1) reduced bone density, which in the long term increases bone fragility (osteoporosis); (2) changes in vascular health, which increases the risk of circulatory disorders and cardiovascular diseases; (3) central nervous system problems, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, increasing forgetfulness – partly also a consequence of postmenopausal hormone deficiency.
In summary, for a variety of reasons, it is strongly recommended to carefully monitor and manage the short- and long-term hormonal challenges of the peri- and post-menopause. This is all the more important given the multitude of effective and safe treatment options available for all medical problems. However, a thorough and individualized understanding and evaluation of numerous contributing factors is always of paramount importance. If needed, I can provide you with detailed online advice. Under the menu items „Appointments“ and „"Contact"“ You can find all the details on how to arrange a personal online appointment with me here.