Preparing to talk about sexual health at a menopause visit starts before you walk in. Causes and treatments are for that conversation with your clinician, so the steps below cover what to do before you go.
Step one: Name what you have noticed
Say it in plain words
Write one sentence for each change. Use your own words and skip medical terms you would not normally use.
Add the timing
Next to each sentence, note when you first noticed the change and whether it comes and goes.
Step two: Read the background
The Menopause Society's patient page on perimenopause gives background on the years before menopause. Read it so the terms in your visit are familiar.
Step three: Gather what to bring
Medicines and supplements
List everything you take, including over-the-counter products and supplements.
What you have already tried
Note any product or approach you have used for these changes and what happened.
Step four: Ask at the visit
Open with the concern, then ask:
- What could explain what I have noticed?
- What are my options, and what does each one involve?
- Is any exam or lab work planned, and what is it for?
Say the concern first
Bring your notes and say the concern in your first sentence. For a second source on the transition, read the Office on Women's Health menopause basics page. Preparation is your part, and the medical answers come from the clinician you see.