Menopause is a natural transition that all women go through, marking the end of menstruation and fertility. The years leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause, is often accompanied by unpleasant symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and more. menopause specialist clinics like Optimal Hormone Health Center provide customized menopause treatment plans to help women manage symptoms and maintain optimal health and wellbeing during this transition.
At Optimal Hormone Health Center in Ennis, our experienced endocrinologist specializing in menopause and menopause practitioner offer comprehensive menopause solutions including education, lifestyle recommendations, bioidentical hormone therapy, and more. We partner with each woman to understand her unique situation and develop treatment plans catered to her individual needs.
The onset of menopause symptoms varies but often starts 1-5 years before a woman's final period. Some key signs of perimenopause and menopause include:
Up to 80% of women experience hot flashes and night sweats during the menopause transition. These vasomotor symptoms are often the most bothersome as they interfere with sleep and daily function.
Women with early menopause before age 45 or surgically-induced menopause after hysterectomy tend to have more severe symptoms. Genetics, lifestyle factors like smoking and obesity, and medical conditions like autoimmune disorders can also influence one's risk for moderate to severe menopause symptoms.
In addition to the unpleasant symptoms that disrupt work productivity and quality of life for many women, declining estrogen levels after menopause confer some major health risks:
Starting hormone therapy around the onset of menopause can help mitigate some of these long-term health risks. Our menopause specialists in Ennis stay up-to-date with the latest research to design safe, effective treatment programs for our patients.
Bioidentical hormone therapy involves taking custom-formulated hormones that are molecularly identical to the estradiol, progesterone and testosterone produced naturally in a woman's body. There are few large, long-term studies comparing various types of hormones used in replacement therapy. However, observational data and clinical experience suggests that bioidentical hormones are often preferred for having fewer side effects and conferring better cardiovascular and breast health outcomes.
At Optimal Hormone Health Center Ennis, we provide cutting-edge bioidentical hormone pellet therapy which allows for steady hormone dosing over 3-6 months from a single insertion. Our experts also prescribe bioidentical creams, pills, gels and other delivery methods when appropriate.
Our endocrinologist specializing in menopause tailors each woman's treatment plan based on her:
We re-evaluate patients regularly to ensure optimum therapy and make dosage adjustments as needed over the years.
These and other hormones work synergistically together. Our practitioners are highly specialized in using bioidentical hormone optimization to help women feel their best through menopause and beyond.
Studies show that regular aerobic exercise and a healthy diet rich in plants can significantly reduce unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Simple lifestyle changes like these can improve quality of life without necessarily needing hormonal therapies, providing a more holistic way for women to care for their bodies during this transition.
In addition to hormone therapy, making certain lifestyle adjustments can alleviate unpleasant symptoms while lowering associated health risks:
Nutrition - Emphasize plants - vegetables, fruits, whole grains - Incorporate soy, fatty fish, and foods rich in vitamin D and calcium - Stay hydrated - Limit spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol if triggering hot flashes
Fitness - Get regular exercise - mix aerobic activity with strength training - Try yoga classes tailored for menopausal women - Engage muscles to build bone density and prevent osteoporosis
Stress Management - Make time for relaxing hobbies - Practice deep breathing, meditation, or mindfulness - Get enough sleep - Join a menopause support group
Stop Smoking and Limit Alcohol Intake
Our clinicians provide nutrition and fitness guidance during appointments, and have extensive referral networks with dietitians, personal trainers, acupuncturists, massage therapists, counselors and more to help patients implement a holistic treatment plan.
Accurately assessing a woman's hormone status is critical for determining the best course of treatment. Initial bloodwork panels check levels of key hormones like estradiol, progesterone and testosterone along with other pituitary, thyroid and adrenal hormones that help regulate menopause symptoms. Our on-site lab enables convenient testing before the first visit.
Follow-up hormone testing is done periodically to monitor patient progress on therapy. We also utilize specialized bloodwork and imaging when needed to assess bone density, heart disease risk markers, and screen for cancers routinely before and during treatment.
Ennis enjoys a relatively mild, temperate climate all throughout the four seasons. Average high temperatures range from 40-63°F in winter to 57-75°F in summer. Outdoor walking opportunities in our charming Irish countryside abound year-round for relaxation and exercise.
For women struggling with hot flashes, avoiding sweltering summer heat may provide some relief, though layerable clothing and indoor spaces with AC and fans allow one to stay comfortable when a hot flash strikes. Since hormone levels fluctuate seasonally, testing is best done the same time each year - typically in the fall which provides a good baseline before winter and summer extremes hit.
Spring and fall tend to be delightful times weather-wise for undergoing treatment in Ennis and integrating lifestyle changes. The bountiful greenery and blooming wildflowers help cultivate a sense of renewal and fresh starts during new therapy. Most women find bioidentical hormones provide consistent relief from menopause symptoms year-round, but some additional self-care strategies can augment treatment during periods of extreme heat or cold.
Optimal Hormone Health Center partners with high-quality wellness providers in the community to give our patients holistic support tailored to individual needs:
Lab Testing - Ennis Medical Center Lab - onsite blood draws and fast results - Imagetech Radiology - bone density scans
Fitness - Pilates Hub - classes for menopausal women - Fusion Leisure Center - pool, gym equipment, trainers
Nutrition & Integrative Care - Healthy Bites Cafe - fresh, hormone-friendly meals to-go - Still Point Acupuncture - hot flash relief - Ennis Pharmacy - bioidentical compounds
Mental Health - Mindful Path Counseling - Harmony Light Therapy Center
Between our in-house menopause experts and trusted community partners, Optimal Hormone Health Center provides full-spectrum care for Ennis-area women navigating menopause. We empower patients with individualized solutions promoting health inside and out.
We look forward to caring for you!
