Personalized Care for Midlife Transitions
Our experts help women 40 and older deal with issues and symptoms caused by perimenopause and menopause. You’ll receive personalized guidance and counseling along with education and resources to help manage your menopause transition with ease.
We are comprised of specialized physicians, advanced care practitioners, psychotherapists and many other specialties working together to provide a customized consult/ individualized care. We offer both a Menopause Program and a Sexual Wellness Program.
What is Menopause?
You may know it as the stop of your montly period, but menopause involves more than the end of menstration. Menopause occurs when your ovaries stop producing estrogen, or are surgically removed. while some women experience no symptoms, hormonal changes can cause some women to experience hot flashes, vaginal dryness, recurrent bladder infections, insomia, mood swings, brain fog and weight gain. Once entering menopause, women are also at increased risk for such medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease and bone density loss.
The spectrum of concerns, questions and bothersome symptoms associated with perimenopause/menopause are extremely varied. Postmenopausal women make up the fastest growing segment of the population with the average woman now living into her mid-80ʼs. Addressing menopausal symptoms, associated medical conditions and knowing oneʼs health risk assessment for certain cancers/heart disease and bone health are paramount to healthy aging. Menopause is a natural stage of life. There is no shame in seeking assistance! Our program is made up of Certified Menopause Practitioners of the North American Menopause Society. Our goal is to provide evidence-based information and treatment options in a comprehensive manner under one roof.
Common consults are for:
- Bleeding concerns
- Urinary or Bowel Incontinence
- Pelvic pain/pressure
- Libido/arousal/orgasm concerns
- Vulvar itching/pain
- Painful intercourse
- Vaginal dryness
- Weight gain
- Sleep disturbances
- Mood changes
- Hot flashes
- Vulvar abnormalities
- If your condition is not listed please contact us and we will let you know if a referral is appropriate.
Women of all ages can be negatively affected by issues related to sexual health. Such conditions include low desire, low arousal, pain, vulvar skin problems, painful sex, cancer related sexual problems, contraception sexual side effects, vestibulitis, persistent genital arousal disorder, vaginismus, and side effects due to past negative sexual encounters. We welcome your consult and enjoy helping you with these important quality of life concerns!
Why schedule a consult? You can call our appointment line: (218)-545-1049, option 1.
Before your visit
Our goal is to ensure that at the time of your visit, we have all of the information we need. A coordinator will contact you to schedule an appointment and send you a questionnaire. You must fill out and return this questionnaire before your first visit. Our clinical staff will review the questionnaire and also review any records that are part of your Cuyuna Regional Medical Center electronic medical record. You may be contacted before your first visit if we have questions or if we need to obtain other records such as a procedure or biopsy report.
What to expect during your first visit
You will be greeted by one of our nursing staff. Our advanced practice clinician who have already reviewed your questionnaire will then do your intake. They may ask questions to better understand the reason for your visit and what you hope to accomplish.
You will be asked to change into a gown for a physical examination, which will be performed by one of our attending physicians. This exam will likely be more detailed than your usual gynecologic exam, with more attention fo the vulva (external genitalia), vagina, pelvic structures and pelvic floor muscles.
You will be offered a mirror during the exam so that we can point out both healthy and normal findings, along with any areas of concern.
If you have a vulvar condition, with your permission, we may take a photo. This helps us not only in documenting changes, but also in tracking progress during treatment. The photo will be taken with a HIPAA-compliant application that loads the photo directly into your electronic medical record. The photo will be stored in an area that is not part of your progress and notes and will not be seen by other practitioners. If you have any concerns about this, please let us know.
After your examination, the advanced practice clinician and attending physician will meet with you to outline a proposed plan of treatment. We will spend time education you about your condition. We will present all of your options using a shared decision model, in which patient and clinician make the decision together.
Follow-up visits are sometimes virtual, using telehealth. Depending on the nature of the condition, you may require another visit in person. You will be advised at the time of your first visit when a follow-up is needed, if it will be virtual or in person, and who you will se for that visit.
Dr.Rachel Cady is the director of CRMC: Menopause and Healthy Aging program. She is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a member of the International Society for the Study of Womenʼs Sexual Health, American Urogynecologic Society, and American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists. She is a Certified Menopause Practitioner of the North American Menopause Society.
