5 facts about (peri)-menopause you didn’t know!
We aren’t taught much about what happens during menopause and the few years before. Read on for some things you didn’t know were related to the loss of estrogen that your ovaries used to make!
We aren’t taught much about what happens during menopause and the few years before.
Read on for some things you didn’t know were related to the loss of estrogen that your ovaries used to make!
1. Vaginal dryness may be due to menopause!
You may not realize that dryness is related to the loss of estrogen. You may not get aroused as easily during sex. You may not be able to reach orgasm; orgasms are not as strong, or it takes too long and too much work to get there. Sex may even become painful. No worries, low dose vaginal hormones help treat all of these, (and you are normal if this is happening to you)! Giving back the estrogen helps the vagina lubricate. It also makes the vagina stretchy, with good blood flow, and more nerves going to it, which makes sex feel better! The good news is that vaginal hormones don’t have the same risks that go along with other hormone use. They do not increase your risk of breast cancer, heart attack, or stroke.
2. Menopause makes it harder to lose weight.
It is not that you are lazy or crazy. During menopause women become more insulin resistant. This means your body needs to pump out more insulin to get the same amount of glucose into the cells. Insulin makes your body deposit fat, which is not good for your waistline. Menopause leads to fat deposition around your middle instead of your hips and bust. This “apple” shape, as opposed to the typical female “pear” shape, leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attack or stroke. Diet and exercise are the first step to losing weight and making your body less resistant to insulin. Some women may need the help of some of the medicines that are available to help you lose weight.
3. Anxiety, depression and mood swings may worsen around the time of menopause.
Typically, hormone levels become erratic before periods stop. Women may feel like they are on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Also, this is the time the kids leave the home and women may be dealing with an empty nest or a lost identity. They may also be taking care of aging parents or have financial stressors. There are plenty of ways to manage anxiety, stress, or depression. Some are with appropriately chosen medicines, other times yoga or soothing apps like CALM may be all you need.
4. Word finding difficulties, forgetfulness happens.
This can be incredibly scary for menopausal women. You can’t seem to remember why you walked into the kitchen or what task you were supposed to complete today. The good news is that brain exercise helps. Learn a new language or learn how to play an instrument. Exercise and diet also keep the brain “fresh”. Be sure to eat a healthy diet, including omega 3 fatty acids which are found in oily fish like salmon or tuna. A healthy lifestyle lowers your risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and delays the progression of Parkinson’s Disease.
5. Low libido.
Menopause is not all about estrogen. By the time women stop having periods, their testosterone is much lower than it was in their 20s and 30s and this may lead to low or loss of sex drive. Loss of sex drive may significantly impact a women’s relationship, and couples that don’t have sex tend to grow apart. There are plenty of hormonal and non-hormonal ways to improve your sex drive.
Make sure you find a practitioner who is well versed in menopause and sexual health.
Dr. Becky Lynn is a gynecologist, menopause and sexual health specialist in St. Louis, MO. She is licensed to practice medicine in Missouri, Tennessee and Illinois. She she sees patients in her St. Louis office and offers telehealth consults to Illinois and Tennessee. Call today to schedule your appointment. (314) 934-0551 or click click here to schedule.
Imagine Concierge Care from Your Gynecologist
Concierge care is better quality care. Dr. Becky Lynn explains how she improves the patient physician relationship leading to better care leading to better outcomes and a happier you.
How to stop the long waits in the doctors office
Have you ever waited hours in the doctor’s office to see your doctor for all of 5 minutes? Has it taken a month to get your test results back? Or no one would call you back for days and when someone did, it wasn’t the doctor. All of these things will drive a patient crazy. Concierge care came out of frustration with the current system, where doctors carry a load of about 4000 patients and on average spend about 7 minutes with you. After a hello and how is the family, that is really only 5 minutes of medical care!
As a physician, this system really weighed on me. I realized that I didn’t really know my patients like I used to. I didn’t have time to call people back when they needed information and I didn’t have time to follow up on the tests I had run in a timely manner. Not good for patients! It wasn’t so great for doctors either. After a day of seeing as many patients as my hospital system could put on my schedule, I would go home and do charting all night.
I care deeply about my patients
I care deeply about my patients. So I am making the jump into concierge medicine. This means I limit the number of patients in my practice and charge a fee, either a membership fee or a fee for service. I don’t accept insurance. I can then spend time with my patients, taking care of all their needs in one visit. I can spend up to an hour or more with a patient. Unheard of! I can really get to know people, so I can take care of the whole person. I am so excited to go back to the patient physician relationship like it should be!
Can I afford Concierge Care?
If you think not everyone can afford concierge care, well, think again. I offer an affordable, monthly plan. Also, health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts can be used to pay for care. Or you can submit your visit to your insurance company for reimbursement unless you have medicaid or medicare.
Giving Back to the Community
On the second Tuesday of every month, I provide concierge care to anyone and everyone who needs me, free of charge. Or they can contribute whatever they can afford, because everyone deserves quality care. And 7 minutes with your doctor is, plain and simple, not quality.
Dr. Becky Lynn is a gynecologist, menopause and sexual health specialist in St. Louis, MO. She is licensed to practice medicine in Missouri, Tennessee and Illinois. She she sees patients in her St. Louis office and offers telehealth consults to Illinois and Tennessee. Call today to schedule your appointment. (314) 934-0551 or click here to schedule.
Check out my website today for more information.
Or call 314 934 0551 to make your appointment today!
Listen to my radio show
I talked about the benefits of concierge care with Michael Kelley and John Hancock on KMOX on December 27th. You can listen to it here: