6 Ways To Manage Severe Menopause Symptoms

If menopause symptoms are a problem, talk with your doctor. He or she can help you weigh the risks and benefits of various therapies that may help you. Some of these treatments include menopause hormone therapy, low-dose birth control pills if you’re perimenopausal; antidepressants, blood pressure drugs, or other medications to help with hot flashes; and vaginal estrogen cream. Your doctor may also have lifestyle tips about adjusting your diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management. Here’s a list of solutions that may be available to you: Hormone Replacement Therapy Hormone replacement therapy can ease menopausal symptoms. Various prescription products are available to treat hot flashes and vaginal symptoms. The FDA recommends taking the lowest dose that helps, and only for the shortest time because studies have linked long-term use of hormone replacement therapy to a greater risk of heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, and breast cancer. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy “Bioidentical hormone therapy” for menopausal symptoms can refer to certain FDA-approved prescription drugs. Or it can refer to custom-compounded hormones derived from plants prepared at compounding pharmacies to match each unique patient. Some doctors claim that compounded bioidentical hormones are safer, but the FDA isn’t convinced. The FDA’s advice — take...