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Menopause Specialist

Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin Mary Grace Bridges, MD Our Services Menopause

Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin

Mary Grace Bridges, MD

Obstetrician & Gynecologist & Breast Surgery located in Odessa, TX

The passage out of your reproductive years is an inevitable one, which some women sail through easily while others are met with life-altering side effects. If you’re experiencing a bumpy transition through menopause, Mary Grace Bridges, MD, at Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin offers several treatments to help make the journey smoother. To explore your options in menopause treatments, call one of the two locations in Odessa or Midland, Texas, or use the online scheduling tool.

Menopause Q & A

What is menopause?

Menopause is the journey women make from their childbearing years to their postreproductive years as their ovaries begin to shut down. Most women begin this transition in their late 40s and pass through menopause by their early 50s. Once you haven’t had your period for more than 12 months in a row, you’re considered to be postmenopausal.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

Menopause starts when your ovaries begin to wind down the release of your eggs, but it also means that your female hormones, primarily estrogen and progesterone, also wane, and this is what can cause the many symptoms of menopause.

Some women are lucky enough to make the transition with little to no problems, while others suffer varying degrees of:

  • Hot flashes
  • Night sweats
  • Weight gain
  • Hair loss
  • Irritability and anxiety
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Sleep problems
  • Loss of interest in sex


The duration and severity of menopausal symptoms differ from one woman to the next, but if your transition is causing serious quality-of-life issues, there’s much that Dr. Bridges can do to help.

What is the treatment for the symptoms of menopause?

When you first come in, Dr. Bridges spends some time reviewing your symptoms to determine the best approach for your unique journey through menopause. For example, if you’re only experiencing one or two symptoms, she may try and address these individually (topical creams for vaginal dryness, as an example).

If, however, your symptoms cast a wider net, Dr. Bridges may suggest a more systemic approach through hormone replacement therapy.

If you’re having problems with stress urinary incontinence, Dr. Bridges works with you to restrengthen the support of your bladder.

Because lifestyle changes also go a long way toward offsetting the symptoms of menopause, Dr. Bridges integrates them into your overall treatment plan. Diet changes and exercise, for example, can help with many of the side effects of menopause.

Ultimately, since no two women experience menopause exactly the same, Dr. Bridges tailors a treatment plan to your unique situation.

To learn more about the menopause treatments at Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin, call one of the two locations or request an appointment using the online booking tool.