Menopause Tracking and Treatment: A New and Free Period of Your Life
Menopause is a completely natural, biological transition process in a woman’s life, just like puberty or pregnancy. Although often associated with negative concepts such as “aging” or “illness,” it is actually a phase where women step into a brand new, free period both physically and mentally, with the right medical support and conscious follow-up.
Op. Dr. Sadık Sözdinler offers personalized, up-to-date, and reliable follow-up programs for you to go through the menopause process in Izmir in the most comfortable way physically and psychologically, and to maintain your quality of life and energy.
What is Menopause and When Does it Start?
Menopause is the permanent end of the menstrual cycle as a result of the ovaries slowly losing their functions and the decrease in the production of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. For a woman to be considered fully in menopause, she must not have had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months.
The average age of entering menopause in Turkey is around 48-50. However, conditions that develop before the age of 40 due to genetic factors, stress, lifestyle, or surgical operations are called “Premature Menopause” and absolutely require close medical follow-up.
What are the Warning Signs of Menopause?
The decrease in estrogen levels in the body brings some typical complaints during this transition period (perimenopause) and afterwards. Although every woman’s menopause experience is different, the most common symptoms are:
Infrequent menstrual bleeding, changes in amount, or becoming completely irregular.
Sudden hot flashes, especially felt in the face, neck, and chest area.
Night sweats and resulting chronic sleep disorders.
Vaginal dryness, burning, itching, and pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia).
Mood swings, sudden irritability, anxiety, or depressive feelings.
Weight gain due to a slowing metabolism.
A significant increase in the risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases in the long term.
Treatment and Follow-up Approaches During Menopause
Since menopause is not a disease, it is not a condition that needs to be “cured”; however, medical management is essential to alleviate the complaints it creates and to prevent serious health problems (such as osteoporosis) that may arise at advanced ages. A completely personalized plan is created by Op. Dr. Sadık Sözdinler according to the patient’s age, the severity of her complaints, and her general medical history:
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): In symptoms that severely reduce the quality of life, such as hot flashes, sweating, and vaginal dryness, it is the process of replacing the depleted estrogen externally in low doses. When applied to the right patient and for the right duration after a detailed examination, it is an extremely safe treatment that increases the quality of life.
Non-Hormonal (Alternative) Treatments: In patients for whom hormone use is medically contraindicated (e.g., those with a history of breast cancer or coagulation problems), complaints are effectively managed with herbal supplements, antidepressants, or simply bone-protecting medications.
Vaginal Dryness Treatments: In vaginal atrophy (thinning) and dryness complaints developing due to menopause, the moisture and elasticity of the tissue are instantly restored with locally applied estrogen creams or non-surgical rejuvenation methods such as Genital PRP and laser applied in our clinic.
Routine Screening Tests: To protect women’s health during this period, gynecological ultrasound, smear (HPV) test, mammography, and bone density measurement (bone densitometry), which should be done once a year, are meticulously followed.
You do not have to spend this new period in fear or by silently accepting physical complaints. You can schedule your annual check-ups and examination immediately to manage your menopause process in a healthy, energetic, and comfortable way.
