UK HealthCast: Our new Midlife Health and Menopause Clinic

UK HealthCast is a podcast series featuring interviews with UK HealthCare experts on a variety of health-related topics.

On this edition of UK HealthCast, Dr. Deidra Beshear provides a comprehensive overview of menopause and UK HealthCare's new Midlife Health and Menopause Clinic. The clinic was established due to increasing demand for specialized care related to menopause, and offers personalized consultations and treatment plans for women experiencing menopausal symptoms or those seeking advice on managing the transition.

Some key points from Dr. Beshear's conversation:

What is menopause?

• Menopause marks the end of a woman's reproductive years when she stops menstruating.
• Perimenopause refers to the transitional period leading up to menopause, characterized by hormonal fluctuations and symptoms that can begin several years before menopause.
• Common menopause symptoms include hot flashes (experienced by up to 80% of women), mood changes, insomnia, vaginal dryness, bone loss leading to osteoporosis, brain fog and weight changes.
• Women can begin experiencing symptoms of perimenopause as early as their late 30s. In the U.S., most women experience menopause between 45 and 55. Some women experience menopause symptoms as they enter their 60s and beyond.

What treatment options exist for menopause?

• Hormone therapy: This includes estrogen, progesterone, and possibly testosterone replacement. Most menopausal symptoms are caused by a loss of estrogen. 
• Non-hormonal options: These include medications like fezolinetant, which targets the thermoregulatory center in the brain to help decrease the severity and frequency of hot flashes; SSRIs, commonly used for anxiety and depression; and lifestyle adjustments such as dietary changes, increased exercise, and improved sleep hygiene to help manage this transition.

Who should consider treatment or consultation?

•   Women experiencing menopausal symptoms.
•   Women approaching or in the perimenopausal stage.
•   Postmenopausal women with ongoing symptoms or health concerns related to aging.

For more, listen to Dr. Beshear on UK HealthCast below.