Dr. Doyle’s 585 Menopause Clinic: Now Open!
“Kate will experience a dramatic change […] The combination of her physical and mental states will drive her insane and result in mood swings […] After re-living adolescent mood swings triggered by medication, Kate’s body will return to its original state”
That is a psychology student’s description of what a fictional character, Kate, should expect in menopause.
And that’s not all.
“Kate has a husband called Peter who is finding it very difficult to deal with Kate at the present time due to her mood swings.”
“As well as this, she will put on a lot of weight, due to a change in hormones, making her body fat increase.”
No, those quotes are not from 1950. They are taken from a 2022 study in which 102 undergraduate psychology students were asked to complete narratives about Kate. All three quotes were attributed to women.
It would seem that they have accepted a rather dismal fate for themselves.
Fortunately, a growing number of dedicated medical professionals are challenging the pervasive misconceptions and stereotypes associated with menopause, including URMC’s own Dr. Paula J. Doyle.
Dr. Paula J. Doyle Becomes a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner
Dr. Paula J. Doyle is an Associate Professor in the University of Rochester Departments of Ob/Gyn and Urology. She is a specialist in urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery.
Dr. Doyle is also a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP), having completed a training program, certifying exam, and clinical shadowing experiences.
When I started studying for my MSCP, I looked in my original Ob/Gyn textbooks and I found a total of three paragraphs talking about menopause. There is a huge knowledge gap that results in inadequate treatment of our patients.
Dr. Doyle decided to address her own knowledge gap when she began experiencing menopausal symptoms.
“I knew that I wanted hormone therapy and knew that I was a good candidate”, she says. However, it took time for her to identify a practitioner with knowledge and comfort in prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Fortunately, a nurse practitioner provided the care she needed. But the experience motivated her to do more for perimenopausal patients in Rochester.
Menopause Medicine as Longevity Medicine
I decided to open a menopause clinic because ‘Menopause Medicine’ is not just about controlling hot flashes. It’s an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s health”
Dr. Doyle views menopause as one of several stages of a normal life span. It is not just a period of tumult and unpleasantness to endure, but an opportunity for women to rediscover themselves and blossom.
Describing the aging trajectory for people assigned female at birth, Dr. Doyle says, “we do well through our 20s and 30s and then in our mid-40s our bodies start to change, and we experience a period of accelerated aging; this is the perimenopause transition. Then our health stabilizes through menopause until our mid-60s. In our mid-60s we experience another period of accelerated aging that will determine our quality of life in our final decades.”
With this long view in mind, Dr. Doyle’s care plans address present symptoms while also laying the foundation for a patient’s long-term health:
I have patients list what menopausal symptoms they are experiencing and what activities are important for the 70- and 80-year-old version of themselves. Once we get the menopausal symptoms under control and patients are feeling more like themselves, we focus on longevity and opportunities for successful aging through menopause.
The 585 Menopause Clinic Opens its Doors
Dr. Doyle sees patients at the 585 Menopause Clinic, located at 500 Red Creek Drive, Suite 120. No previous diagnosis of menopause is required; she encourages pre-menopause counseling sessions to set younger women up for success when perimenopause begins.
To make an appointment, call 585-487-3400.
Dr. Doyle also shares information about menopause in plain terms on Instagram and Facebook, @585MenopauseClinic. Follow her now to stay up to date on the clinic, and to learn about menopause medicine from a straight-shooting expert!