What is Menopause?

With over 30 years of experience, Dr Keith Reisler provides women in Plano, TX with care specific to them. Areas of concern for Keith Reisler MD include pregnancy and menopause.

Menopause refers to the time period when the levels of estrogen and progesterone, hormones controlling many aspects of a woman’s bodily functions, are significantly lower than earlier in life. The exact age a woman begins menopause varies, because the premenopausal, transitional period, begins between 45 and 55 years old. The transitional period lasts between seven and 14 years, and during this time, estrogen and progesterone production fluctuate. Menopause formally begins at least 12 months after a woman’s last period.

Menopause symptoms vary between individuals, and they manifest unpredictably, so a woman may experience symptoms at different severities, and at random times. The most noticeable change is a change in the menstrual cycle, where periods no longer occur periodically, and their flow is greater or lesser than normal. Some women may also experience hot flashes, a sudden feeling of heat in the upper or whole body, that may also result in sweating and shivering. Combined, menopausal symptoms may cause a reduction in sleep quality that a doctor can address with medication or lifestyle changes.