Gynecology & Surgical Care in Folsom.

Perimenopause is the transition leading up to menopause. Changing periods, hot flashes, night sweats, disrupted sleep, or vaginal dryness may be clues. Natural menopause is identified after 12 consecutive months without a period when there is no other explanation. The average age is about 51, but symptoms can begin years earlier. Haven can review your symptoms and history and consider other causes.

Yes. Perimenopause symptoms can begin while periods are changing. You do not need to wait 12 months without a period to ask for an evaluation or discuss treatment; that milestone identifies natural menopause, not eligibility for care.

Usually not. For most otherwise healthy people aged 45 or older with typical symptoms, assessment is based on symptoms and menstrual history. Hormone levels fluctuate, so a single normal result does not rule out perimenopause. Testing may help at younger ages, when the picture is unclear, or when another condition could explain symptoms. Hormonal contraception can make assessment less straightforward.

The experience varies. Hot flashes and night sweats often last several years and may continue longer; vaginal dryness may persist or worsen without treatment. You do not have to wait for symptoms to become severe before asking for help.

Systemic menopausal hormone therapy is the most effective treatment. If hormones are unsuitable or you prefer another approach, certain prescription nonhormonal medicines and menopause-focused cognitive behavioral therapy may help. Treatment depends on your symptoms, medical history, and preferences.

For many healthy people with bothersome symptoms who are younger than 60 or within ten years of menopause, benefits may outweigh risks. This is not a guarantee of safety: your medical history, formulation, route, dose, and duration matter. Risks can include blood clots, stroke, gallbladder disease, and certain cancers. Systemic therapy is not used to prevent heart disease, stroke, or dementia. Review benefits and risks with your clinician.

Patches and pills deliver hormones throughout the body to treat symptoms such as hot flashes. Low-dose vaginal estrogen mainly treats vaginal and urinary symptoms, with much less absorption into the bloodstream; it does not treat hot flashes. If you have a uterus, systemic estrogen generally needs a progestogen to protect the uterine lining.

Bioidentical describes hormones chemically identical to those your body produces; some FDA-approved estradiol and progesterone medicines meet that definition. Compounded preparations and pellets have not been shown safer or more effective than FDA-approved options. ACOG recommends FDA-approved treatments rather than routinely using compounded menopausal hormones when approved options are available. Compounded pellets are not FDA-approved and can be difficult to adjust or stop after insertion.

Hormone changes, night sweats, and interrupted sleep can affect mood and concentration. Persistent or worsening symptoms deserve evaluation for other causes too. Hormone therapy is not recommended specifically to prevent dementia or improve cognition.

Hormonal changes can shift fat toward the abdomen, while aging, muscle loss, sleep, activity, and nutrition also influence weight. Strength training, regular movement, adequate sleep, and sustainable nutrition habits can help. Hormone therapy is not a weight-loss treatment.

Vaginal moisturizers provide ongoing moisture, while lubricants reduce friction during sex. If symptoms continue, low-dose vaginal estrogen or other prescription treatments may help. Pain deserves evaluation because infections, skin conditions, and pelvic floor problems can also contribute.

Changes in desire are common but are not inevitable. Pain, poor sleep, medications, mood, relationship factors, and hormonal changes can all contribute. If the change bothers you, an evaluation can help identify causes and appropriate treatment.

Periods often change, but heavy, prolonged, or frequent bleeding should be evaluated. Bleeding between periods or after sex also needs attention. Hormonal changes may contribute, but fibroids, polyps, and changes in the uterine lining are other possible causes.

Contact your clinician promptly for any vaginal bleeding after 12 months without periods, even light spotting or a single episode. Many causes are benign, but evaluation is important to rule out precancerous changes or uterine cancer. Do not use a symptom score to decide whether to seek care.

Evidence for most menopause supplements is limited or inconsistent. Natural does not guarantee safety, and products may interact with medicines. Bring a list of supplements to your visit so your clinician can review benefits, risks, and alternatives.

At Haven OBGYN, we evaluate perimenopause and menopause symptoms, review your medical history and priorities, and discuss hormonal and nonhormonal options. Care can address hot flashes, sleep disruption, vaginal discomfort, sexual health, abnormal bleeding, and midlife health concerns.

Not always. Yeast, bacterial vaginosis (BV), trichomoniasis, skin irritation, and hormonal changes can cause overlapping symptoms. Symptoms alone may not identify the cause. Examination and testing, when appropriate, help guide treatment.

Haven performs Cepheid Xpert Xpress MVP testing in the office, and results are usually shared the same day. The test itself processes a sample within about 60 minutes; this is not a guarantee of your total visit length or result-delivery time. Your clinician reviews the result alongside your symptoms and examination. Additional testing may take longer.

Arrange reassessment rather than repeatedly treating presumed yeast. A different cause, more than one condition, a less common yeast type, or a noninfectious problem may be involved. Bring the names and dates of treatments you have tried. Persistent symptoms after over-the-counter yeast treatment, or symptoms returning within two months, deserve clinical evaluation.

No. Xpert Xpress MVP helps identify BV, Candida associated with yeast infections, and trichomoniasis. Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection, but this panel is not a complete STI screen: it does not test for infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, or syphilis. Additional testing depends on your symptoms, history, and exposure concerns.

A negative result does not mean your symptoms are not real. This panel does not detect every cause of itching, discharge, burning, or pain. Your clinician may consider skin conditions, irritation, hormonal changes, other infections, or additional testing based on your history and examination.

Recurrence can have several explanations, including recurrent BV or yeast, a different infection, or a noninfectious condition. Diabetes, antibiotics, hormonal changes, or other factors may contribute, but many people have no clear trigger. Confirming the cause helps your clinician discuss treatment and follow-up rather than repeating the same treatment without reassessment.