Menopause and Perimenopause

What are menopause and perimenopause?

Perimenopause is the period in a woman’s life when the first signs of menopause appear. This transitional period typically appears a few years before the onset of menopause and its most common symptoms are: irregular menstrual patterns (duration and flow of cycle become irregular), vagina dryness, libido fluctuations, sleeping troubles and hot flashes.

Menopause is considered to have installed after the menstrual cycle disappeared for at least 12 consecutive months. The average age of menopause installation is 51 in the western world.

What does menopause and perimenopause care consist of?

When women enter the perimenopause period, a lot of changes occur in their bodies. Throughout this period and the next one (menopause), medical care is strongly advised as the risk of developing certain affections increases. Plus, a medical professional can help you manage the symptoms and make your transition comfortable. These are the main ways in which a gynaecologist can help you:

• Treatment of hot flashes: together with your physician, you can discover what triggers them (caffeine, certain foods, stress etc.) and manage them accordingly. Usually, menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is the best way to deal with them.
• Breast examination: this period comes with an increased risk of breast cancer, so a yearly examination along with a mammogram are mandatory.
• Diet and lifestyle changes: other risk factors associated with this period are colon cancer, heart disease and weight gain. Together with you physician you can find the best way to avoid all these through changes in your diet and lifestyle.

Menopause and perimenopause care in Barrie, Ontario

If you are searching for a way to relieve your menopause symptoms and to manage your transition, you have come to the right place. Dr. Evgenia Fefelova and her team of gynaecologists have vast experience in dealing with menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms and risks. They can provide you with tests, screenings, over-the-counter medication and counseling to help you alleviate your symptoms.