Menopause FAQs

That is a very nuanced question to a very patient-specific issue which can be discussed during a clinic visit where we discuss your personal situation. Please refer to my blog post specifically addressing this specific concern.

At a minimum, there are ways to help manage symptoms and heath issues that occur with the menopause change. Specifically regarding breast cancer: consider watching this podcast with Dr. Menn, a breast cancer survivor and ObGyn who teaches on this subject: The Truth about HRT and Breast Cancer with Dr. Menn and referring to my blog post about breast cancer and HRT.

Please also see my blog posts on uterine cancer and HRT, and on ovarian cancer and HRT. Coming up will be my final one on cervical cancer and HRT.

Menopause is officially the time in your life after you have not had a period for 12 months (in women who have never had a medical diagnosis or treatment that stops her periods). Normal menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 58. Before the official menopause stage is perimenopause (see next FAQ). Common symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, increases in anxiety or depression and brain fog. There are many symptoms of menopause and any physical changes around this period of life may be related to menopause or perimenopause.

I don’t accept insurance for my services, but I will provide you with a detailed bill that you can submit to your insurance carrier for possible out-of-network reimbursement. You may still use your insurance to help cover the costs of prescriptions, labs, and imaging studies.

You may also use your HSA funds to pay for your visit.

Why don’t I take insurance? Because menopause care deserves time—something busy insurance-based practices often can’t provide. Taking the time to understand your unique needs and staying up to date on the best treatments are essential for creating an effective, personalized care plan for you. For more information, please see my blog post Why I Chose a Direct Care Model for My Menopause Practice.

Unfortunately, due to specific rules for Medicare and Medicaid, I am unable to care for patients with these plans at this time.

If you’re ready for care that focuses entirely on you, I’d be honored to guide you through this phase of life with compassion and expertise.

Many women have not had menstrual periods for years before menopause due to medical conditions, uterine ablations, or having an IUD, for example. If a woman does not get hot flashes (the classic symptoms of the menopause change) there are other symptoms that may disrupt her life and signal a loss of estrogen and progesterone.

There are estrogen receptors in every tissue of our bodies making the loss of estrogen symptomatic in ways much more diverse than hot flashes alone.

Perimenopause and Menopause symptoms can include prolonged PMS, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse or other vaginal and pelvic discomfort, brain fog, joint aches, trouble sleeping, hair loss, and dry skin.

Estrogen, progesterone, and sometimes testosterone among other therapies may be helpful for these symptoms.

Menopause is officially the time in your life after you have not had a period for 12 months (in women who have never had a medical diagnosis or treatment that stops her periods). Normal menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 58. Before the official menopause stage is perimenopause (see next FAQ). Common symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, increases in anxiety or depression and brain fog. There are many symptoms of menopause and any physical changes around this period of life may be related to menopause or perimenopause.

Yes. I prefer to meet you in person especially for our first visit. If it is more convenient to schedule a virtual visit that is always an option.

Perimenopause is when you may start to notice changes with your period or start experiencing typical menopause symptoms before going through menopause (the date at which you have not had a period for 12 months). It is the often symptomatic time before you stop menstruating altogether. Many of the typical menopause symptoms listed above are often present during perimenopause and are treatable.

Unfortunately I can only see patients in Minnesota at this time.

Unfortunately, due to Medicare and Medicaid rules, I am unable to see patients covered by these programs in my practice. This is because I am not "opted out" of Medicare, as my work in the emergency room requires me to remain "opted in." I find this rule frustrating and hope it will change in the future. For now, I am truly sorry that I cannot provide care to these patients and greatly appreciate your understanding.

Many women have not had menstrual periods for years before menopause due to medical conditions, uterine ablations, or having an IUD, for example. If a woman does not get hot flashes (the classic symptoms of the menopause change) there are other symptoms that may disrupt her life and signal a loss of estrogen and progesterone.

There are estrogen receptors in every tissue of our bodies making the loss of estrogen symptomatic in ways much more diverse than hot flashes alone.

Perimenopause and Menopause symptoms can include prolonged PMS, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse or other vaginal and pelvic discomfort, brain fog, joint aches, trouble sleeping, hair loss, and dry skin.

Estrogen, progesterone, and sometimes testosterone among other therapies may be helpful for these symptoms.

Yes. Your visit with Dr. Waymire qualifies for HSA reimbursement. You may use your HSA debit card to pay for your visits as well.

Typically, you'll need two initial visits about 6–8 weeks apart to get started with treatment. After that, most patients only need one visit per year to maintain their care. Sometimes follow up visits every 3-6 months are necessary.

If something comes up during the year, you can always schedule an appointment, and simple questions might even be handled by email or text when appropriate.

Some women have been told they cannot take hormones. In some cases, based on new information or new interpretation of old information, hormones are an option for these women on a case by case basis. That said, there are many alternatives to menopausal hormone therapy. If you are suffering with symptoms that you suspect are related to (peri)menopause I am happy to discuss prescription and non-prescription treatments to help your symptoms. It would be my pleasure to discuss all options at your visit.

I do not at this time. I have heard so many mixed reviews (both very positive and very negative). They are also oftentimes fairly expensive. I am open to other perspectives but I feel that there are many other ways to manage menopause with hormone therapy and for now this is not part of my practice. To learn more, please see my blog post: Hormone Pellets: Why I Don't Use Them in My Practice.

Yes. Testosterone is a commonly-used treatment for women suffering with (peri)menopause symptoms. To learn more about my approach to testosterone, please see my blog post Testosterone and Menopause: What Women Deserve to Know

There are multiple reasons that estrogen and progesterone can help manage and prevent menopause-related health changed that occur in a woman even if she does not have any uncomfortable symptoms. Such medical conditions include osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, genitourinary problems such as UTIs. Studies also suggest that menopausal hormone therapy decreases fasting insulin levels and insulin resistance, LDL (bad) cholesterol, total cholesterol.

Yes, if they are backed by evidence. I recommend several both for menopause and also for weight and metabolism management.

During menopause, it's common to notice an increase in belly fat due to hormonal changes. Symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and joint pain can make it harder to get good sleep, which affects energy and motivation for exercise. Poor sleep and increased stress often lead to cravings for sugary and high-carb foods, creating the perfect storm for weight gain.

The good news is there are effective ways to manage this! Lifestyle changes, such as focusing on a healthy diet and regular exercise, improving sleep habits, and considering menopause hormone therapy, can make a big difference in maintaining a healthy weight and feeling your best.

There are also medications besides hormones that can be prescribed to help with stubborn menopausal weight gain. I am happy to discuss these options with you.

Most importantly, focus on muscle mass rather than the scale. Lifestyle adjustments are the best way to obtain your healthiest menopausal body-- and it is possible to feel even better than you did before menopause.

Absolutely. Women can slow the relatively rapid post-menopausal bone loss with lifestyle changes such as resistance exercise and good nutrition but that alone is not enough to stop it. Menopausal hormone therapy has been shown to prevent bone loss. If you are unable to take hormone therapies, there are other prescription medications that can help as well.