Perimenopause & menopause · Lakeland, Florida
Hormone & Menopause Care in Lakeland, Florida
Waking at 3 a.m., a temper that surprises you, periods that have gone strange, sex that hurts, a body that no longer responds to what used to work. None of that is something to wait out quietly.
At Lakeland Birth & Gynecology, Ashley Payne, CNM, evaluates hormonal symptoms properly and treats them, including hormone therapy when it is appropriate for you.
Ashley Payne, APRN, CNM, C-EFM · Serving Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Plant City and the surrounding Polk County area.
Concerns we treat
What brings women in
Hot flashes & night sweats
Vasomotor symptoms that disrupt sleep, work and patience, with both hormonal and non-hormonal treatment options.
Sleep & mood changes
Insomnia, anxiety, irritability and low mood in the perimenopause years, evaluated rather than brushed off.
Cycle changes
Heavier, closer together, skipped or unpredictable periods, and when a bleeding pattern needs further evaluation.
Vaginal dryness & painful sex
Genitourinary symptoms of menopause, including local treatment options that work well and are often underused.
Libido & energy
Honest conversation about what is hormonal, what is not, and what can realistically be improved.
Hormone therapy management
Starting, adjusting or reassessing therapy over time, including route and dose, with periodic review.
What to expect
How a hormone visit works
The first visit is mostly history: your symptoms and how much they are costing you, your cycle pattern, your medications, your personal and family health history. That history is what shapes the plan, and it is why the appointment is longer than a typical office slot.
Labs are ordered when they change the plan, for example thyroid studies or evaluation of abnormal bleeding. We then talk through options together, with the benefits and risks as they apply to you, and choose something to try. Follow-up is scheduled to see how it is actually working, and telehealth is available for those check-ins across Florida.
Hormone therapy is not right for everyone, and no plan here comes with a promise about outcomes. Care follows current professional guidance and is revisited as your situation changes.
Common questions
Questions patients ask us
When does perimenopause start?
Often in the forties, sometimes earlier. Cycles get shorter or longer, sleep changes, mood shifts and hot flashes may begin while you are still having periods. Perimenopause can last several years before the final period.
Do I need hormone testing?
Usually the diagnosis is based on your age, your cycle pattern and your symptoms rather than a single hormone level, because levels fluctuate day to day in perimenopause. Testing is used when it will actually change the plan, such as ruling out thyroid disease or other causes.
Is hormone therapy safe?
For many healthy people within about ten years of menopause and under age 60, current professional guidance supports hormone therapy as an effective option for bothersome symptoms, with risks that depend on your personal and family history, the type used and the route. We go through your specific picture together rather than applying a blanket answer.
What if I cannot or do not want to use hormones?
There are non-hormonal medications and practical approaches for hot flashes, sleep and mood, plus targeted treatment for vaginal dryness and painful sex. Those options are discussed alongside hormone therapy, not as a consolation prize.
Can menopause care happen by telehealth?
Much of it can, for eligible patients anywhere in Florida: symptom review, medication adjustments and lab review. Some evaluations, such as abnormal bleeding, need an in-person visit.
Should new bleeding after menopause be evaluated?
Yes. Bleeding after menopause always deserves evaluation, and it should not wait for your annual visit.
Keep reading
- Women's health in Lakeland
Annual exams, screening and gynecologic care across the lifespan.
- Telehealth across Florida
Follow-ups and medication management without the drive.
- Services & Pricing
Hormone and menopause visit fees, listed openly.
- Medical weight management
For the metabolic changes that often show up in the same years.
You do not have to white-knuckle this
Book a hormone or menopause visit online, or call us to ask whether it is the right appointment for you.