Menopause & Peri-Menopause Advice & Treatment
A 40-minute consultation with Dr Hukins - £186
Dr Hukins provides the opportunity to talk about your peri-menopause and menopausal journey and provides individualised, holistic, patient centred care. Through discussion of symptoms, past history and family history, Dr Hukins will help guide your decisions on both Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and non-hormonal treatments relevant to optimise your health today and in the future. This can be face to face or via a video consultation. The doctor may suggest a set of blood tests as it is important to rule out any underlying medical problems which may be causing your symptoms and are not necessarily hormone related. The tests will be arranged at another convenient time as soon as possible. Please note, the cost of blood tests vary depending on the laboratory charge, but we will provide you with the cost before any blood test appointment is arranged. For more information please click on the FAQ box below.
Follow up appointments with Dr Hukins
These can be 30 or 40 minute appointments depending on the outcome of the first appointment and any test results received. The doctor will advise the best follow-up appointment for you, but you can of course request additional follow-up appointments at any time if you have additional questions or concerns. Once you feel better and have settled upon an appropriate course of action, you may find a 20-minute bi-annual or annual appointment is appropriate for your needs.
- 20-minute appointment - £93
- 30-minute appointment - £139.50
- 40-minute appointment - £186
Help from our Partnered Nutritionist Francesca Moore
Alongside the advice and treatment from Dr Hukins, we can also offer you the help and support from the expert nutritionist Francesca Moore.
Francesca specialises in optimising women’s health. Using a holistic approach to peri-menopause and menopause care, Francesca can help you make small changes to diet and lifestyle which can pay huge dividends at this life stage regardless of whether you choose to take HRT or not.
Francesca will assess your health history and current symptoms and will put together a nutrition, supplement and lifestyle plan to address your personal requirements.
The following symptoms are common during the peri-menopause and menopause and all can be addressed with nutitional support from Francesca.
- Brain fog
- Joint pain
- Hot flushes
- Poor memory
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Unexplained weight gain
- Fatigue
- Digestive issues
- Poor immune function
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Peri-Menopause & Menopause?
The menopause is when your ovaries stop producing eggs and levels of the hormones oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone fall. The clinical definition of the menopause is when you haven’t had a period for 12 consecutive months.
The peri-menopause is the time before the menopause when your hormone levels start to decline. Your periods may still be regular or they can have changed in nature or frequency. All of this is a natural process but it can cause physical and emotional symptoms. Some women may get a couple of symptoms, but some may have many.
What are the symptoms of Peri-Menopause & Menopause?
- A change in the normal pattern of your periods (irregular)
- Low mood, lack of motivation, anxiety, mood swings and low self-esteem
- Poor mental focus or problems with concentration (brain fog)
- Hot flushes, when you have sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest which can make you dizzy
- Night sweats
- Tiredness and insomnia
- Headaches
- Joint Pains or numbness and tingling in arms, legs, hands or feet
- Low sex drive or changes in sexual pleasure
- Painful sexual intercourse
- Vaginal dryness or vulval soreness
- Urinary and bladder problems/infections
- Weight Gain
What age can the Peri-Menopause & Menopause start?
The average age for peri-menopause is early to mid-40s, however it can happen earlier or later for reasons such as genetics or due to surgery or treatment.
Some women experience peri-menopause over several years or it may only be for a few months before your periods stop completely.
The average age of menopause is 51. (When you have not had a period for 12 consecutive months). Menopause before 45 is known as an early menopause and menopause before the age of 40 is known as premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).
POI is more common than you may think. It affects 1 in 100 women under the age of 40 and 1 in 1000 women under the age of 30.
How can Dr Hukins at Dorset Private GP help?
You can book an initial 40-minute appointment with Dr Hukins every Tuesday. An email will be sent to you at the time of booking and this requests you to complete and submit two documents. The first is a questionnaire asking about any symptoms you may be suffering from and the second document asks questions about your health and medical history.
At your appointment with Dr Hukins, she will go through your symptoms and medical history with you. There will be plenty of time to ask questions and discuss next steps. Dr Hukins is extremely experienced in this area and has a wealth of knowledge and passion to help women.
She may recommend you have some blood testing carried out as this is important to rule out something other than hormones for causing your symptoms. We can arrange the blood testing on another day for you as soon as possible.
Blood tests are priced depending on the laboratory fee, but we will always give you the cost before booking in an appointment. There is a phlebotomy fee of £40 for the appointment plus the laboratory fee of the test(s).
How much are blood tests if they are required?
The doctor may suggest you need a blood test to check your general health. There are many different tests the doctor can choose from depending on your symptoms. The tests range from £50 to £110, depending on what is required.
If the doctor suggests some hormone blood tests, there is also a range to choose from depending on your symptoms/treatment. The prices range from £43 to £120
If a more specialised test needs to be added onto the above tests, (for example, a rheumatoid or coeliac disease test), then this will increase the overall price.
Please note the prices above are the laboratory fees and we charge a set £40 phlebotomy fee for the blood test appointment.
What are the treatments for Peri-Menopause and Menopause?
The most effective treatment for the relief of immediate symptoms is Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
The doctor can prescribe the following types of HRT. Not all of the following are always required and doses can be altered over a few months.
- Body identical oestrogen – administered trans-dermally (via the skin) using patches, gel or spray.
- Body identical progesterone – administered orally or via a Mirena Coil (which can be fitted at our clinic by Dr Rosemary Crinion)
- Testosterone replacement – administered as a cream or gel onto the skin
For any genitourinary problems such as vaginal dryness, vulval soreness, pain on intercourse or recurrent urinary infections, there is local oestrogen medication available which is administered inside the vagina or can be applied to the vulva.
As well as HRT, there are also other ways to help alleviate symptoms and these include changes to your diet and lifestyle. Dr Hukins will be able to provide this advice and you may feel that you would also like the support of our nutritionist Francesca Moore.
What are the long-term benefits of HRT?
HRT not only helps relieve unwanted symptoms, but it also helps protect women from multiple long-term problems.
- Protection against osteoporosis (thinning of the bones)
- Cardiovascular protection (reduces blood pressure and coronary events such as heart attacks)
- Protects cognitive function (can reduce dementia risk)
- Reduces risk of diabetes developing
How can I make a booking or ask any questions?
To make a booking online, please click here. In the appointments drop down menu, select the Peri-Menopause & Menopause 40-minute Consultation.
If you have any queries or you would like to make a booking by email or over the phone, please contact us on 01202 761150 or reception@dorsetprivategp.co.uk. Alternatively, you can fill in the Contact Form below.
HOW TO BOOK OR ASK ANY QUESTIONS
You can book an appointment online with Dr Hukins (please select the Peri-Menopause & Menopause Consultation when selecting your appointment online) or alternatively, please fill in the form below and we will be in touch as soon as possible. You can also call us on 01202 761150 or email reception@dorsetprivategp.co.uk
