Care · By concern

Menopause in Paris 16th follow-up, hormone therapy, alternatives

Menopause is not an illness, but it can weigh heavily: hot flashes (flushes), broken nights, dryness, mood, joints. At the practice, 42 avenue Mozart, Dr Chaima Gatri, OB-GYN, devotes a dedicated consultation to this stage of life: she carries out the assessment, explains your options — hormone therapy, local treatments, non-hormonal alternatives — and builds with you the one that fits your situation, in line with current guidelines. English-speaking practice.

Recognizing it

Menopause, perimenopause: what changes

Menopause is the permanent end of periods, confirmed after twelve months without bleeding, most often around the age of fifty. The years leading up to it — perimenopause — are often the most uncomfortable: irregular cycles, heavy periods, first symptoms.

Hot flashes and night sweats — the most frequent sign, sometimes for several years.
Sleep, mood, concentration — fragmented nights, irritability, low mood, fatigue.
Vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse, urinary discomfort — the genitourinary syndrome of menopause, which does not improve on its own over time.
Joint pain, weight gain, skin and hair — changes often wrongly attributed to age alone.
In the longer term — bone loss (osteoporosis) and cardiovascular risk, which are monitored and prevented.

Every woman experiences this stage differently. What matters is the impact on your life — and that is what the consultation measures first.

Book an appointment — Dr GATRI

The consultation

Dedicated time, a complete assessment

The menopause consultation is a time apart: your symptoms and their impact, your personal and family history, a gynecological examination, the screening smear test if it is due, and a pelvic ultrasound performed at the practice during the consultation. Dr Gatri then prescribes the work-up relevant to your situation — mammogram, blood tests, bone density measurement depending on the case — and sets out your options. Bleeding after menopause is always investigated, at the practice: ultrasound, then diagnostic hysteroscopy if necessary.

Dr Gatri also sees patients referred by their gynecologists and general practitioners for menopause care, particularly when hormone therapy is being considered.

Treatments

Hormonal, non-hormonal, local: the options

Menopausal hormone therapy — the most effective treatment for hot flashes and the symptoms that accompany them. It is offered when symptoms affect quality of life, after checking for contraindications, at the lowest effective dose, and reviewed with you every year. It is based on estrogens (oestrogens), combined with a progestogen when the uterus is in place, prescribed according to current guidelines.
Local treatments — for dryness and urinary discomfort: low-dose local estrogens, moisturizers and lubricants; prescribed alone or in addition, including for women who cannot or do not wish to take systemic hormones.
Non-hormonal options — certain non-hormonal medications for hot flashes, and the lifestyle measures that genuinely count: physical activity, sleep, diet, stopping smoking.
Gynecological laser — for vaginal dryness and intimate discomfort, as a non-hormonal option or as a complement, at the practice: three 30-minute sessions, without anesthesia (Fotona IntimaLaser). For urinary leaks appearing at this time of life, pelvic floor rehabilitation is offered first.

The menopause information document of the French Menopause Study Group (GEMVI) is given to you at the consultation: menopause information sheet.

Frequently asked questions

Your questions, our answers

When should I consult?

As soon as symptoms bother you — even before your periods stop. Perimenopause can be treated too, and it is often the most uncomfortable period.

Is hormone therapy dangerous?

It has benefits and risks, which depend on your age, your history and the type of treatment. Current guidelines reserve it for women whose symptoms affect quality of life, without contraindications, at the lowest effective dose, with a review every year. It is a shared decision, made with you after the assessment.

How long does treatment last?

The duration is decided with you: as long as the benefit prevails and you wish to continue, with a review every year. Stopping is done together, gradually.

Can I do without hormones?

Yes. Non-hormonal treatments exist for hot flashes, local treatments relieve dryness, laser is a hormone-free option for intimate discomfort, and lifestyle genuinely matters. The consultation is precisely there to choose.

What can be done about dryness and pain during intercourse?

Do not wait: unlike hot flashes, these concerns do not go away on their own. Local estrogens, moisturizers, gynecological laser — several options, alone or combined, are discussed at the consultation.

Is bleeding after menopause serious?

In the great majority of cases the cause is benign — and it is always investigated: ultrasound at the practice, then diagnostic hysteroscopy if necessary, in the same place.

Is it covered by health insurance?

The consultation, the ultrasound and the prescribed tests are covered by the French health insurance (Assurance maladie) under the usual sector 2 conditions; hormone treatments are medications reimbursed under the rules in force. Laser sessions are not covered. The full picture is in “Fees and reimbursement”, further down.

How do I book?

On Doctolib, with Dr Gatri, choosing the menopause consultation, or by telephone through the secretariat.

Fees

Fees and reimbursement

Consultations and examinations performed at the practice are covered by the Assurance maladie under sector 2 (non-OPTAM) conditions; hormone treatments are medications reimbursed under the rules in force; laser sessions are outside the official schedule and are not reimbursed; a quotation is provided before any such treatment. Fees are listed in the fee schedule and displayed at the practice. The information framework of this site is described on the Patient information and ethics page.