POST-MENOPAUSAL DEPRESSION TREATMENT IN SCOTTSDALE

I treat a lot of women with postmenopausal depression in my Scottsdale AZ office. The rate of depression in women is 50% greater than in men. This increase is due to the regular hormonal changes that take place in the female body. The risk of major depression is further increased during the transition from the menopausal period to the post-menopausal period. This form of depression is treated as most other forms of depression using antidepressants such as the SSRIs and A-typical antidepressants. I have noticed an increase in post-menopausal depression in my practice. Many women are not taking hormone replacement therapy which is also a factor in the increased incidences of post-menopausal depression. The aging population in Scottsdale is also increasing, adding to the increase incidences. Despite the hormonal issues, as a first line of evaluation; I often look for an underlying physical condition that might be the cause of the depression as well as other triggers.

Hormone Imbalances – Depression

A recent study on the risk of post-menopausal depression concluded that when the body goes through such radical changes as menopause. Acute depression or major depression can occur due to the imbalance of hormones in the body. The body is experiencing great changes during and after menopause. We know that estrogen acts as a hormonal antidepressant and with menopause the estrogen levels in a woman’s body significantly decline.

The study included 221 women aged 42 to 52 who were pre-menopausal at the unset of the study. Extensive screening was conducted to rule out any per-existing or current depressive conditions in the women to reduce any biases. It turned out that these women were at a significantly greater risk during menopause and also within two years after their last menstrual period. One surprise from the study was that the risk was much greater for the women during the post-menopausal periods instead of the pre-menopausal periods. The researchers were hesitant to attribute the depression to the change in the reproductive hormones but did indicate the possibility of a correlation.

Treatment Options for Depression

The newer antidepressants have a very high rate of effectiveness approaching 70% for the first medication tried. Effexor XR has been shown to be a very effective antidepressant medication for those suffering from depression related to menopause. The other SSRIs, NDRIs will work as well, yet the SNRIs are the best for this particular form of depression.

Prevention of Post-Menopausal Depression

Even though the estrogen levels are quite low in menopausal woman, many are reluctant to introduce synthetic or even more natural hormones into their bodies. This reluctance is due to an increased risk of certain cancers in women that used these hormone treatments. With these risks associated with hormone replacement, more women are not taking replacement therapy and this may be one of the causes for the increase in depression among this group. Exercise and diet, lowering trans-fats, and possible antidepressant therapy are very important. We are not sure if the depression associated with menopause is either temporary or a trigger for life long major depression.

Women entering this period of life can make life-style changes to reduce the risk such as increasing their exercise program. This is important since the earlier we intervene with antidepressant medications, the less debilitating the depression will be. Also offer a better prognosis.

If you are seeking a female psychiatrist in Scottsdale, please contact me to schedule an appointment. Read more on depression.

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