Midlife Health and Menopause Clinic
During midlife, the transition to menopause and the years following can cause a variety of physical and emotional changes for women. But you don’t have to weather them in silence without relief and support. The UK HealthCare Midlife Health and Menopause Clinic, part of the UK Women’s Health – Primary Care Clinic, provides expert evaluation of menopause symptoms and support for the changes this major health event can bring.
We know menopause symptoms can have wide-ranging effects on your life. These symptoms can hamper your ability to get a good night’s sleep, concentrate on work or enjoy your favorite activities. Your ovaries produce much less estrogen and progesterone throughout this transition and in the postmenopausal years. This can place you at increased risk for certain medical conditions, including heart disease and osteoporosis.
That’s why we take a holistic, compassionate approach to care. We’ll partner with you to create a care strategy that fits your needs and can help you achieve your goals. As a consultative clinic, we work with experts across UK HealthCare – in nutrition, hormone therapy, integrative medicine, bone health and other areas – to get you the support and services you need.
Conditions we treat
During menopause, perimenopause (the years when a person’s body transitions into menopause), and the years after menopause (postmenopause), you may experience a variety of signs and symptoms, including:
- Natural menopause (resulting from the natural aging process)
- Early menopause (menopause before the age of 45)
- Surgical menopause (resulting from damage or removal of the ovaries)
- Changes to your menstrual cycle
- Difficulty sleeping
- Irritability and mood changes, including depression, anxiety or irritability
- Hot flashes and night sweats (vasomotor symptoms)
- Problems with memory and concentration
- Reduced sex drive
- Painful intercourse
- Vaginal dryness, discomfort and pain
- Weight management concerns/weight gain
- Bone health concerns
- Cardiovascular health in midlife
- Menopausal concerns of breast cancer survivors and those at high risk of breast cancer and other malignancies
- Hair loss
- Urinary frequency/urgency
- Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Cognitive concerns, such as difficulty thinking or understanding
- Skin irritation (dryness, redness, acne)
Any of the above symptoms can be an indication of midlife health changes, including:
- Menopause: This phase of life that begins when you’ve gone one year without having a menstrual period. Menopause occurs, on average, at age 52. Some women experience early menopause from ages 40 to 45.
- Perimenopause: During this time leading up to menopause, a woman experiences hormonal changes and her periods are often irregular. This transition phase can last a few months or up to a decade and ends one year after your final menstrual period.
- Postmenopause: Symptoms, including hot flashes, may continue in the years after menopause, though they usually decrease in frequency and intensity.
- Primary ovarian insufficiency: This condition occurs if the ovaries stop functioning correctly before age 40. Primary ovarian insufficiency may occur with irregular periods and cause menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
Our care
We provide answers and care for women at a variety of life stages, including the years leading up to, during and following menopause. We are here to answer questions, address concerns or help you find treatment and relief. Our clinic accepts all insurance plans accepted at UK HealthCare.
Why choose UK HealthCare for menopause and midlife health treatment?
While not all women will need specialized care during the onset of menopause, some will benefit from the expertise of a physician who specializes in menopause and is passionate about helping women improve their quality of life by managing symptoms. Our menopause expert, Deidra Beshear, MD, MSCP, is a certified menopause practitioner through the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). NAMS is composed of medical professionals from a variety of specialties who are dedicated to promoting the understanding of menopause and helping women enjoy a healthy midlife. Dr. Beshear, medical director of the UK HealthCare Women’s Health Clinic and a board-certified internal medicine physician, has been active in the Menopause Society and Society of General Internal Medicine Women’s Health for years. She is passionate about providing evidence-based treatment for women during the menopausal transition and beyond.
If you’re dealing with chronic medical conditions that may be related to menopause, we can connect you with the appropriate specialists at UK HealthCare to ensure you receive the care you need. UK HealthCare includes the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, which U.S. News & World Report has named the No. 1 hospital in Kentucky and the Bluegrass Region.
Make an appointment
Appointments in the Midlife Health and Menopause Clinic are available Tuesdays, 8 a.m. – noon.
For patients
To schedule a visit, call 859-323-3900. Appointments for the Mid-Life Health and Menopause Clinic should be made through the UK Women’s Health – Primary Care Clinic.
For referring providers
To refer a patient, submit your order for “Ambulatory referral to Women’s Health” in UK HealthCare EpicCare Link.
