Menopause and Perimenopause
Menopause and Perimenopause Management Options Brisbane.
Menopause and perimenopause are two stages that mark the end of reproductive years and a significant change in a woman's life.
During these phases, women experience various physical, emotional and hormonal changes, which can influence your overall well-being. These changes can be difficult to navigate and while it isn’t possible to prevent these natural stages of life, our experienced healthcare professionals are here to partner with you and support you during these changes.
How Our Team Can Help
At Narangba Station Medical Centre, we work closely with you, practising empathy and compassion, to provide quality management options of menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms, minimising their impact on your daily life and any discomfort being experienced.
Call us on (07) 3521 4333, book via the AMS Connect App or click the button below to view our availability online.
Opening Hours
We're open 7 days a week with late-night availability on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Weekend appointments are also available to all patients.
Book with us today!
While menopause is a natural part of life, it can bring with it some distressing physical symptoms for many women. Don't go through it alone, make an appointment with Narangba Station Medical Centre today!
What is Menopause?
Menopause is a natural biological process that occurs in women as they age. It is your final menstrual period and closes the chapter on the reproductive phase. Most women in Australia reach menopause between the ages of 45 and 55.
Menopause is caused by a gradual decline in the production of oestrogen and progesterone hormones by the ovaries. This hormonal change leads to a wide range of symptoms which can vary in intensity and duration among women.
Every woman is different and may experience different symptoms.
These symptoms could include:
- Anxiety
- Bone loss
- Brain fog
- Breast pain
- Changes in sexual desire
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue
- Forgetfulness
- Hair loss
- Headaches
- Hot flashes
- Irregular periods
- Irritability
- Joint pain
- Lack of energy
- Lighter or heavier periods
- Memory lapses
- Mood swings
- Nausea
- Night sweats
- Sleep disturbances
- Urinary incontinence
- Vaginal dryness
- Vaginal itchiness
- Weight gain
Experiencing the symptoms of menopause is different for each and every woman. It can be challenging and mentally exhausting navigating these changes in your body, but you don’t have to do it alone. Our supportive and experienced medical professionals at Narangba Station Medical Centre are ready to go on this journey with you.
What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause - the transition phase. This is when periods start to become irregular and hormone levels fluctuate. Perimenopause typically begins several years before menopause, often between the ages of 40 and 44.
During this phase, oestrogen and progesterone production fluctuates as the number of viable eggs in a woman’s ovaries decrease. This can lead to changes in a woman's menstrual patterns.
Perimenopause is a unique experience for each and every woman. The duration and severity of symptoms can vary, but may include the following:
- Bloating
- Bone loss
- Brain fog
- Breast tenderness
- Changes in sexual desire
- Concentration difficulties
- Decreased fertility
- Discomfort during intercourse
- Dry skin
- Fatigue
- Forgetfulness
- Frequent urination
- Hair loss
- Headaches
- Heartbeat changes
- Hot flashes
- Increased cholesterol levels
- Irregular periods
- Joint pain
- Memory difficulties
- Mood swings
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Vaginal itching
- Weight gain
As you experience this transition in your body, managing your symptoms, energy levels and your mental wellbeing during this time can be challenging. Get the support you need and let the experienced medical professionals at Narangba Station Medical Centre be there to guide you each step of this new journey.
Management Options for Menopause
Although menopause is a natural process, it’s possible to experience symptoms that interfere with daily life and cause discomfort. Some women may also experience vaginal bleeding after menopause, which must be assessed and treated.
If you are experiencing issues surrounding menopause, visit Narangba Station Medical Centre and let us support you through these changes. There are many menopause management options that our experienced doctors may discuss with you and refer you to, depending on your symptoms and medical history. These include:
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
HRT is a potential treatment that may be implemented to keep your hormone levels stable and relieve your symptoms. It may be prescribed in tablets, patches, gels, or other medication forms.
Lifestyle Changes
Our holistic medical doctors may also recommend tailored lifestyle changes, such as herbal supplements or specific exercise plans, including pelvic floor exercises, to target menopause symptoms.
Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)
Menopause symptoms and vaginal bleeding can be reduced through IUDs, which regularly release hormones over an extended period. These devices can be inserted by our general practitioners.
Oral Contraceptive Pill
Oestrogen and progesterone may also be taken to reduce symptoms associated with menopause via the oral contraceptive pill, which can be prescribed by a doctor at Narangba Station Medical Centre.
Treatment options may differ if you have a long-term medical condition, including heart disease and osteoporosis. It is important to discuss any conditions with your doctor when seeking menopause management. Book an appointment today.
Management Options for Perimenopause
If you are experiencing perimenopause symptoms, don’t let these interfere with your daily life and overall well-being. See a doctor at Narangba Station Medical Centre and let us support you towards a personalised management option. There are a range of options which may be suggested by one of our experienced general practitioners to reduce symptoms and better your quality of life during this transition, including:
Prescription Vaginal Creams
Vaginal dryness and painful sexual intercourse can be managed through the application of prescribed creams.
Exercise
Adding 40 minutes of exercise into your daily life, including walking, vigorous aerobic exercise, weight training, and team sports, can help to reduce symptoms. Pelvic floor exercises may also be implemented to reduce urinary symptoms.
Self-Care
Better your mental well-being through meditation, stress management strategies, relaxation, and sleep hygiene.
Healthy Eating
Perimenopause symptoms may be managed with a targeted diet, including whole grains, fresh vegetables, lean meats in small portions, calcium-rich nutrients, low-gi foods, and healthy fats. Processed and fatty foods should be reduced.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Oestrogen or a combination of oestrogen and progesterone may be consumed through tablets, gels, patches or creams to reduce your perimenopause symptoms.
If you have any concerns about perimenopause symptoms, visit one of our caring general practitioners at Narangba Station Medical Centre for assessment and let’s start discussing your management options today.
Fees & Medicare Rebate
We're a mixed billing practice and a partial Medicare rebate will be available for Medicare card holders. The fees outlined below are strictly for your consultation. Additional fees may apply for any treatments or scripts as recommended by your doctor.
For a detailed overview of all our practice fees, please visit our Fees page.
Initial Consultation Fees
Time | Our Fee | Medicare | You Pay |
Mon-Fri (8am-6pm) | $170.00 | $42.85 | $127.15 |
Mon-Fri (6pm-8pm) | $170.00 | $42.85 | $127.15 |
Saturday (8am-1pm) | $170.00 | $42.85 | $127.15 |
All Other Times* | $185.00 | $55.80 | $129.20 |
Follow-Up Consultation Fees
Time | Our Fee | Medicare | You Pay |
Mon-Fri (8am-6pm) | $115.00 | $42.85 | $72.15 |
Mon-Fri (6pm-8pm) | $130.00 | $42.85 | $87.15 |
Saturday (8am-1pm) | $130.00 | $42.85 | $87.15 |
All Other Times* | $145.00 | $55.80 | $89.20 |
Telehealth (Any Time) | $80.00 | No Rebate | $80.00 |
Book an appointment with us today!
Come and see our team to discuss menopause and perimenopause management options specific to you and create a customised plan today!
Frequently Asked Questions
No doubt you'll have plenty of questions around menopause and perimenopause symptoms and management plans, and we look forward to moving through these with you during your appointment! In the meantime, here are some of the most commonly asked questions our GP's receive.
Generally if you are experiencing signs and symptoms of menopause, for most women this is usually enough to tell that the menopausal transition has begun. However, we recommend booking in with our experienced professionals at Narangba Station Medical Centre to further evaluate.Â
While tests typically aren’t needed to diagnose menopause, there are some circumstances where we may recommend blood tests to check your level of Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and oestrogen (estradiol), as FSH levels increase and estradiol decreases as menopause occurs. Additionally we may test your Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) because an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) may cause similar symptoms to those of menopause.
Most women in Australia reach menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. Perimenopause typically begins several years before menopause, often between the ages of 40 and 44.
Although the average age of menopause is 51, menopause can actually happen any time from the 30s to the mid-50s or later.Â
Menopause can also happen for reasons other than natural reasons. These include:
- Premature menopause: Premature menopause may happen when there is ovarian failure before the age of 40. It may be associated with smoking, radiation exposure, chemotherapeutic drugs, or surgery that impairs the ovarian blood supply. Premature ovarian failure is also called primary ovarian insufficiency.
- Surgical menopause. Surgical menopause may follow the removal of one or both ovaries, or radiation of the pelvis, including the ovaries, in premenopausal women. This results in an abrupt menopause. These women often have more severe menopausal symptoms than if they were to have menopause naturally.
One of the most common symptoms of menopause and perimenopause, about 75% of all women experience hot flashes which are sudden, brief, periodic increases in their body temperature.
Usually hot flashes start before a woman’s last period and for 80% of women, hot flashes occur for two years or less. Although a small percentage of women may experience hot flashes for more than two years. These flashes seem to be directly related to decreasing levels of oestrogen and vary in frequency and intensity for each woman.
In addition to the increase in the temperature of the skin, a hot flash may cause an increase in a woman's heart rate. This causes sudden perspiration as the body tries to reduce its temperature. This symptom may also be accompanied by heart palpitations and dizziness.
Hot flashes that happen at night are called night sweats. A woman may wake up drenched in sweat and have to change her night clothes and sheets.
Hormone therapy has been shown to relieve some of the discomfort of hot flashes for many women.Â
Perimenopause refers to the transitional period leading up to menopause, during which hormone levels fluctuate and women may begin to experience menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, irregular periods, and mood swings. Menopause is officially diagnosed when a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months. Once menopause has occurred, a woman is considered post-menopausal.
At Narangba Station Medical Centre, we offer a range of treatments to help manage menopause symptoms. These include hormone therapy (HRT), which can help alleviate symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, and non-hormonal treatments such as lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments, and prescription medications. We work closely with our patients to create personalised treatment plans tailored to their unique needs and health profiles.
Yes, the hormonal changes that occur during perimenopause and menopause can impact mental health. Some women experience mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and even depression.
The duration of menopause symptoms varies from woman to woman. While some women experience relief within a few years, others may continue to have symptoms for a decade or longer. The most common symptoms, like hot flashes and night sweats, typically improve over time, but some women experience lingering symptoms well into their postmenopausal years. We recommend discussing any ongoing concerns with our healthcare team to explore long-term management options.
Contact & Bookings
To make an appointment, please call reception or use our online booking system via the button below. You can also visit our contact page to see further details about our location and directions.
Bookings are available from as early as 7AM on weekdays and Saturday. We are also open Sunday afternoon and late evening on Tuesday and Thursday until 8:30PM.Â
Can't find us? - We are situated across the road from Narangba Train Station next to the Narangba Village shopping complex. Look for signs for Narangba Health Centre and IGA.
Serving patients in Narangba, Burpengary, Dakabin, Deception Bay, Morayfield, North Lakes and North Brisbane surrounds