During the aging process, changes take place in a woman’s reproductive system. At a certain point in your life, most typically in your 50s, you’ll start to experience hormonal shifts that herald the end of your monthly menstrual cycle and your ability to become pregnant.
Menopause is a process, not a single event, and it can take a while to complete your transition. Meanwhile, you might be struggling with menopause side effects like hot flashes, nighttime sweats, and metabolic disruption.
At Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin, obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Mary Grace Bridges supports women throughout the entire period of perimenopause, menopause, and full menstrual cessation. She sees new and existing patients at her offices in Odessa and Midland, Texas.
How long should you expect to be dealing with menopause side effects? Here’s what Dr. Bridges wants her patients to know about the timeline of the menopause process.
Before your periods completely end, you can spend around 10 years in perimenopause. During this time, your body begins the hormonal changes that end your reproductive years. Some people start to experience menopause symptoms during perimenopause, and around 80% of women notice some symptoms before their periods completely cease.
Menopause officially begins one year after your final menstrual period. After you experience your final period, you can expect to continue to notice menopause symptoms for some time, over a period of several years.
The average duration of menopause symptoms is around seven years, with about four and a half years’ worth of symptoms following the date of your final period, but this can vary widely from person to person.
If you started to see symptoms early, during perimenopause or in the first months of menopause, studies show that your symptoms may stay with you longer, up to ten years or more.
During menopause, continuing hormonal shifts can impact your health and wellness. Your body produces lower amounts of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Your metabolism, sleep, mood, and sexuality can all be negatively disrupted by menopause. You might also notice issues with weight gain, thinning hair, and temperature dysregulation.
Since menopause can last for nearly a decade of your life, managing these symptoms is an important part of women’s health and wellness care. You don’t need to live with menopause-related discomfort. Today’s medicine has options for symptom reduction and management that can smooth the progress of your menopause.
Dr. Bridges provides comprehensive support for patients in perimenopause and menopause. Talk to her about your symptoms, and find out the best way for you to make it through this transitional time in your life with a minimum of disruption and discomfort.
You may be able to benefit from treatments, therapies, and adjustments including:
Dr. Bridges creates your personal treatment plan based on your unique symptoms and treatment needs.
Schedule your consultation with Dr. Bridges by calling Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin today, or request your appointment online now.
