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Treating Women
Since 2003
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Treating Women
Since 2003
Since 2003
Since 2003
Don’t suffer through your menopause symptoms any longer; book an obligation-free initial video or phone consultation with us today.
More than 57% of women report hot flushes and night sweats during menopause, with symptoms often beginning between ages 45 and 49 (1). It’s not uncommon for women to experience moderate to severe hot flushes for up to 10 years. For some, these symptoms can continue well beyond the age of 80.
Hot flushes are described as a sudden feeling of heat or warmth, often paired with profuse sweating. Some women may experience an increase in their heart rate, a red or flushed face, and heat affecting the whole body.
These moments can last anywhere between a few seconds to 30 minutes or more (2). You may find that your skin often also feels hot to the touch.
Other hot flush symptoms may include nausea, anxiety, light-headedness, the feeling of being unwell, sleeplessness (due to being woken by overheating) and an overactive mind (3).
No hot flush experience is the same from woman to woman, with differences in individual symptoms, severity and duration of symptoms.
One significant factor that determines the duration of symptoms is the timing of the onset of hot flushes and night sweats. If these symptoms are experienced before menstruation ends or during the perimenopause stage, then symptoms tend to last for more than 11 years. For women who are already post-menopausal when hot flushes first set in, symptoms instead average between 3-4 years (4).
Night sweats affect many women during menopause – it’s one of the most common symptoms, impacting over 70% of menopausal women.
Night sweats share similar symptoms to hot flushes but only take place at night while sleeping. The excessive sweating experienced is unrelated to an overly warm sleeping environment (although this may contribute to the severity).
Night sweats are known for their unpredictability, causing women to wake up with pyjamas and bedsheets soaked in sweat.
Disturbed sleep patterns caused by night sweats during menopause or peri-menopause can lead to other problems, including irritability, difficulties in concentration, insomnia, exhaustion, increased stress and extreme levels of tiredness (1). Without a solid amount of sleep in your routine, this can lead to ongoing impacts on your moods, energy levels and general sense of wellbeing.
While menopause is the most common cause of night sweats in women, there are a number of other possible causes which need to be ruled out, including sleep apnoea, thyroid dysfunction and diabetes (2).
Our team works with you to assess the source of your night sweat experiences and find an ongoing treatment solution.
Mood changes (or mood swings) are another prevalent symptom in menopausal and peri-menopausal women. Defined by their extreme or rapid changes in mood, hormonal imbalances (changes to levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone) can result in mood changes that may feel wild or erratic (1).
Have you found yourself reacting to the slightest things lately with larger-than-normal reactions?
Whether it’s an inexplicable surge of anger, sudden tears, deep sadness or irritability, the changing hormones in your body can contribute to rapidly altering moods and emotions. These changes not only impact you but your family and friends. If you’ve found yourself wondering what’s happening in your body, you’re not alone.
In preparation for menopause, a woman’s oestrogen levels begin to drop, and hormone levels fluctuate. This rollercoaster is directly responsible for the symptoms of mood swings and sudden changes. With the North American Menopause Society finding that up to 23% of women experience mood swings before, during and after menopause, this is an entirely normal part of the menopause experience (2).
Drops in oestrogen are believed to affect the body’s management of serotonin (3). Hormone shifts can also intensify existing feelings and emotional experiences.
For women experiencing mood swings due to menopausal changes, there’s a wide range of treatments available to help moderate the impacts. Treatment options include counselling, medication and lifestyle recommendations. If you’re experiencing mood swings as a result of menopause, reach out to find the friendly expert advice you need to find a new pathway forward.
Memory loss is not unusual for women to experience during menopause. Commonly referred to as ‘brain fog’, many women may struggle to recall details, names, addresses and more.
As menopause leads to a depletion of ovarian hormones, there can be an impact on the oestrogen that works within the brain. One ovarian hormone in particular directly relates to changes in memory performance and memory function (1).
For women with other medical conditions, such as diabetes or hypertension, there’s an increased risk again for cognitive decline. While research is continuing on these correlations, there are preventative measures that can look to increase overall health and wellbeing, leading to the protection of necessary brain functions.
While some women will find that the menopause ‘brain fog’ is mild and goes away with time, others experience more severe, ongoing issues with memory loss and recall.
Our trained specialists are equipped to work with you to rule out any other issues, and also explore necessary treatment options that may reduce and manage this experience. Treatment options include hormone treatment, lifestyle prevention options, exercise and more.
Women struggling to get an appropriate amount of sleep each night can experience issues with concentration, irritability, and a weakened immune system.
Sleep disorders can be a difficult experience for women undergoing menopause – the impacts of reduced are sleep exacerbated by shifting hormone levels (1). Hormone levels can also be the root of sleep problems, creating an ongoing cycle if the core issue isn’t resolved.
We want to help you get the sleep you need. There are a number of treatments available for women experiencing sleep disorders related to menopausal changes. With treatment plans adaptable across individual health concerns and considerations, sleep disorders can be treated through a mixture of medications, lifestyle and behavioural modifications.
Weight gain is commonplace for women going through menopause, with approximately 90% of women gaining weight during this time (1).
This is due in part to the slowing of metabolisms that occur during aging, as well as fluctuating hormone levels. Decreases in levels of progesterone, testosterone, and oestrogen impact how a woman’s body stores and loses fat (2).
With a proactive approach to lifestyle choices, many women are able to find a rhythm in maintaining a healthy weight during menopause.
Just like in any other life stage, there are some simple areas that can make a dramatic difference in weight gain during menopause. These include:
Our experienced menopause consultants can work with you to develop an appropriate treatment plan that’s tailored to your individual needs. Benefit from a team that specialises in menopause support and find the care you need during this new season.
During menopause, the vagina goes through several changes, including vaginal atrophy. This is the medical term for the thinning of the vaginal wall that occurs during menopause as oestrogen levels drop, leading to the official pronouncement of menopause after 12 months without a period.
While the vagina is normally moist, red and plump, dips in oestrogen levels lead to a thinning of the vaginal lining, a change in colour to light pink or blue, and a drier, less elastic quality (1). This change begins during peri-menopause and is generally evident once menopause has finished and women are post-menopausal.
Seeking help and support from trained practitioners is one way you can support yourself through this new season of life and these intense hormonal changes.
Many women experience vaginal symptoms before and during menopause that include (2):
It’s important to pay attention to these symptoms, as any changes in the vagina can also lead to an increased risk of various vaginal infections.
A number of treatments are available for women suffering from menopause’s vaginal impacts, including non-hormonal and hormonal treatments. Our menopause consultants can assist in building personalised treatment plans that are designed to suit your individual needs and health considerations.
In recent years, one of the most important shifts in menopause research and treatment is the recognition that body-identical hormone treatments have proven to be much safer than synthetic hormone treatments. This is something that the doctors at the Centre have supported since our inception in 2003. This has also meant that commercially produced TGA-registered body-identical hormones are available in specific doses.
Best practice menopause treatment should be patient centred and specific for her needs. As such, treatment options, dosing and length of treatment should be considered based on the individual’s symptoms, circumstances, and expectations. Click here to learn more about what to expect when you sign up with us!
Think you might be suffering menopause symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, low libido, lack of energy, poor sleep…the list goes on? We’d like to invite you to…
The Australian Menopause Centre was founded out of a desire to provide a listening ear and ongoing care during a difficult stage in a woman’s life.
Don’t suffer through your menopause symptoms any longer; book an obligation-free initial video or phone consultation with us today.
Join one of the many women who have come to us for help? Contact us now!
Please find details on our current doctors below:
MBBS
Registration number: MED0001201143
MBChB, AMC, DCH, FPAA
Registration number: MED0001603521
MBBS (UNSW), FRACP, DCH Registration number: MED0001191755
MBBS, FRACGP Registration number: MED0002061632
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After your consultation with the doctor and you are considered suitable for hormone therapy, a treatment program fee will be discussed before proceeding further.