Menopause Clinic

Menopause clinic is a group / personal session conducted at Gadgil clinic for perimenopausal and Menopausal women. These sessions encourage women to come forward and discuss their symptoms and problems.

The purpose of these clinics is to educate women about Menopausal changes / Symptoms and make them positively face the same and not hide or shy away. Menopause is defined as the point in time when menstrual cycles permanently cease due to the natural depletion of ovarian oocytes from aging. The diagnosis is typically made retrospectively after the woman has missed menses for 12 consecutive months.

There are many factors that help determine when you’ll begin menopause, including genetics and ovary health. Perimenopause occurs before menopause. Perimenopause is a time when your hormones begin to change in preparation for menopause.

It can last anywhere from a few months to several years. Many women begin Perimenopause some point after their mid-40s. Other women skip Perimenopause and enter menopause suddenly.

About 1 percent of women begin menopause before the age of 40, which is called premature menopause or primary ovarian insufficiency. About 5 percent of women undergo menopause between the ages of 40 and 45. This is referred to as early menopause.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

Every woman’s menopause experience is unique. Symptoms are usually more severe when menopause occurs suddenly or over a shorter period of time.

The most common early signs of Perimenopause are:

• Less frequent menstruation
• Heavier or lighter periods than you normally experience
• Vasomotor symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, and flushing
• An estimated 75 percent of women experience hot flashes with menopause.

Other common symptoms of menopause include:

1. Mood Changes:

Some women find that hormone fluctuations in Perimenopause create a feeling of being out of control. Reports of increased irritability, anxiety, fatigue, and blue moods are not uncommon. Relaxation and stress-reduction techniques, including deep-breathing exercises and healthy lifestyle (good nutrition and daily exercise) help.

Discussing mood issues with your Doctor is important. For depression, prescription antidepressant medications may be indicated to correct a chemical imbalance. Some antidepressants have also been found to treat hot flashes. Antidepressant therapy is most effective when combined with counseling or psychotherapy.

2. Urinary Incontinence (Involuntary leaking of urine):

Try drinking adequate water to keep urine diluted and avoid foods or beverages with a high acid or caffeine content, which may irritate the bladder lining. These include grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes, coffee, and caffeine-containing soft drinks. Also try Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and reduce incontinence episodes.

3. Night Sweats:

To get relief from night sweats (hot flashes that occur during sleep), try different strategies to stay cool while you sleep:

• Dress in light nightclothes.
• Use layered bedding that can easily be removed during the night.
• Cool down with an electric fan.
• Sip cool water throughout the night.
• Keep a frozen cold pack under your pillow and turn over the pillow often so that your head is always resting on a cool surface, or put a cold pack on your feet.

4. Trouble Falling Asleep:

• Establish a regular sleep schedule
• Wake up and go to bed at consistent times, even on weekends.
• Relax and wind down before sleep by reading a book, listening to music, or taking a leisurely bath.
• Milk and peanuts contain tryptophan, which helps the body relax.
• A cup of chamomile tea may also do the trick.
• Keep bedroom light, noise, and temperature at a comfortable level -- dark, quiet, and cool are conditions that support sleep.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol late in the day.

5. Sexual Discomfort:

Menopause contributes to sexual function changes through the decreases in ovarian hormone production and may lead to vaginal dryness and a decline in sexual function. To counteract these changes, try:

• Vaginal lubricants
• Vaginal moisturizers
• Regular sexual stimulation

How to reduce the symptoms?

Food that help to reduce menopausal symptoms:

A whole-foods diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, high-quality protein and dairy products may reduce menopause symptoms. Phytoestrogens and healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids from fish, may also help.

Exercise isn't a proven way to reduce menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and sleep disturbances. However, regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, relieve stress and improve your quality of life.

Testing FSH levels has been used to roughly predict menopause, but as it varies a lot through the menstrual cycle the results have been harder to interpret. The AMH test was more accurate than FSH and was most accurate for estimating of menopause.

Below are screening guidelines for women ages 40 to 64:

PHYSICAL EXAM:

Your height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) should be checked at each exam.

BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING:

Have your blood pressure checked at least once every 2 years.

BREAST CANCER SCREENING:

Women may do a monthly breast self-exam. However, Women ages 40 to 49 may have a mammogram every 1 to 2 years. Women with a mother or sister who had breast cancer at a younger age should consider yearly mammograms. They should begin earlier than the age at which their youngest family member was diagnosed.

CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING:

Cervical cancer screening should start at age 21. After the first test: Women ages 30 through 65 should be screened with either a Pap test every 3 years or the HPV test every 5 years. Women ages 65 through 70 can stop having Pap tests as long as they have had 3 normal tests within the past 10 years.

If you have had your uterus and cervix removed (total hysterectomy), and you have not been diagnosed with cervical cancer, you do not need to have Pap smears.

CHOLESTEROL SCREENING:

Recommended starting age for cholesterol screening is age 45 for women with no known risk factors for coronary heart disease. Once cholesterol screening has started, your cholesterol should be checked every 5 years.

COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING:

You should be screened if you have a strong family history of colon cancer or polyps. Screening may also be considered if you have risk factors such as a history of inflammatory bowel disease or polyps.
If you are age 50 to 75, you should be screened for colorectal cancer. There are several screening tests available

• A fecal occult blood (stool-based) test done every year
• Colonoscopy every 10 years

You may need a colonoscopy more often if you have risk factors for colorectal cancer, such as:

DENTAL EXAM:

Go to the dentist once or twice every year for an exam and cleaning. Your dentist will evaluate if you have a need for more frequent visits.

DIABETES SCREENING:

If you are over age 44, you should be screened every 3 years.

Having a BMI over 25 means that you are overweight. If you are overweight, you should be screened at a younger age. Asian Americans should be screened if their BMI is greater than 23.

If your blood pressure is above 130/80 mm Hg, or you have other risk factors for diabetes, your doctor may test your blood sugar level for diabetes.

EYE EXAM:

Have an eye exam every 2 to 4 years ages 40 to 54 and every 1 to 3 years ages 55 to 64. Your provider may recommend more frequent eye exams if you have vision problems or glaucoma risk. Have an eye exam at least every year if you have diabetes.

IMMUNIZATIONS:

You should get a flu shot every year. You should have a tetanus-diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine once as part of your tetanus-diphtheria vaccines if you did not receive it previously as an adolescent. You should have a tetanus-diphtheria booster every 10 years.

You may get a shingles or herpes zoster vaccine at or after age 50. Your provider may recommend other immunizations if you are at high risk for certain conditions.

OSTEOPOROSIS SCREENING:

All women over age 50 with fractures should have a bone density test (DEXA scan). If you are under age 65 and have risk factors for osteoporosis, you should be screened.