As if menstrual cycles and giving birth weren’t difficult enough, menopause comes with a host of unpleasant side effects: mood swings, dry skin, difficulty concentrating, vaginal dryness and vasomotor symptoms (VMS), which is more commonly known as hot flashes – and that’s not even the half of it, honey!
Thankfully, Dr. Bola Oyeyipo, a family physician in San Antonio, Texas and co-founder of Healthgist.com was able to set aside a couple minutes out of her busy day to provide BlackDoctor.org’s readers some helpful tips on how to manage their most common menopause symptoms.
1. Hot flashes
“Regular exercise has been shown to help reduce hot flashes. Supplements and over-the-counter formulations of black cohosh or wild yams work well for some women. For more irritating hot flashes, the antidepressant paroxetine (brand name: Brisdelle) is FDA approved for the treatment of hot flashes. If all else fails and there is no contraindication for using hormones (history of breast or ovarian cancer or smoking), estrogen is still the most effective treatment for hot flashes. The current recommendation is to treat for 2-5 years and to wean off estrogen thereafter.”
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2. Moodiness and irritability
“Exercise helps with reducing the moodiness and irritability of menopause. Antidepressants for six to 24 months also work well in this regard while also treating the hot flashes.”
3. Sleep issues, such as insomnia
“Sleep is frequently interrupted by nighttime hot flashes. Wearing breathable night garments will help you tolerate the body temperature swings that disturb sleep. Exercise also helps reduce hot flashes and also increases the secretion of endorphins from the brain, which promotes a sense of well-being. Melatonin, a sleep aid that’s available over the counter may also help you get more sleep.”
4. Vaginal dryness
“Use a water-based lubrication, such as K-Y jelly during intercourse. Still, nothing works better for vaginal dryness than estrogen. When safe to use, there are vaginal formulations of estrogen as creams and rings that help alleviate vaginal dryness.”
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5. Bone loss
“Make sure to do weight-bearing exercises, such as walking and aerobics to keep the bones strong and dense. Eating calcium-rich foods, such as fish and using calcium with vitamin D supplements will also help prevent bone loss.”
6. Loss of sexual desire/libido
“It’s advisable to first correct the underlying cause of low libido, such as painful intercourse from vaginal dryness and treating the moodiness and irritability. When menopausal women have a sense of well-being, their libido usually returns. Exercise, healthy diet and sleep also help with maintaining libido. Use of low dose testosterone – usually in the form of creams – has been helpful for improved libido in some women.”
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