World menopause day is fast approaching on the 18th October. Led by the International Menopause Society, it aims at raising awareness and helping empower and educate women (and their loved ones) on this very natural and normal condition and the available treatments. This year they are putting an emphasis on hormone therapy for peri-menopausal and menopausal women. Menopause can really be a stressful ordeal on the mind and body and many are not fully aware of what it is, what they might experience and if there is anything they can do about their symptoms.
What is menopause?
While the term is talked about enough in conversation that almost everyone has heard of it, and probably a few know of the common symptoms (such as hot flushes); the actual nature of it is rarely discussed. As described by the NHS, menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels. On average it affects women between the ages of 45-55 but can begin earlier than that. Menopause can happen on its own, or be caused by surgery – such as a hysterectomy. The symptoms can vary and also vary in severity and it’s different for everyone going through it. Some women may not have many symptoms at all, and some may feel like the list of potential symptoms is more of a checklist. They can affect everything in our lives from our relationships to work. While this is normal, it doesn’t mean you have to suffer through it.
So, what is a peri-menopause?
While menopause is well known, peri-menopause is the less talked about part of the whole process. Peri-menopause means “around menopause” and is the time when the body is transitioning to the menopause. This is normally when your hormones start to decline. Your periods might still be regular at this time, yet you may notice some physical or emotional symptoms typical of the menopause. Just like when a woman is in a fully established menopause, this may be just one or two symptoms or many. Some women find the peri-menopause stage even more difficult and taxing. If that’s you, it’s important to talk to someone and seek help to ease your symptoms.
What are the symptoms of peri-menopause and menopause?
One of the earliest common symptoms of a menopause is for a change to your periods, with them becoming more irregular. This is not always the case especially during peri-menopause. Some of the symptoms you may experience are:
- Low moods
- Anxiety
- Low self esteem
- Problems with memory (memory fog)
- Hot flushes
- Night sweats
- Difficulty sleeping
- Worse headaches or migraines
- Skin changes
- Body and weight changes
- 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
If you are feeling particularly affected by any of these symptoms, please do not think you have to silently cope. There are treatments available to alleviate symptoms.
How Dorset Private GP (DPGP) can help…
Dorset Private GP offers advice and treatment for peri-menopause and menopause. You can book a consultation with Dr Catherine Hukins at our clinic in Bournemouth (face to face or by video), to discuss your symptoms and possible treatments. Dr Hukins is an expert in Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medication and can also prescribe the Testosterone medication called Androfeme which is currently not available on the NHS.
Dr Hukins is our specialist in everything menopause, she is part of the British Menopause Society, has training from Newson Health – specialists in menopausal care, is “Confidence in the Menopause” accredited and Post Reproductive Medicine (RCOG) accredited. Having a consultation with Dr Hukins could be the first step in understanding your peri-menopausal and menopausal journey and what treatments are right for you and your symptoms.
Blood tests can be arranged quickly and easily and we also offer follow up appointments not just to go over any results from tests you may have had, but also to discuss any further questions or concerns you have too. You can have these follow up appointments at any time, ensuring that you are supported every step of the way for the whole journey, not just during the initial onset.
You can find out more information about our menopause and peri-menopause services on our website page here: https://dorsetprivategp.co.uk/our-services/womens-health-and-contraception/menopause-peri-menopause-advice-treatment/
If you want to see what you can do to support the International Menopause Society and help raise awareness in the buildup to World Menopause day, have a look at the IMS website here https://www.imsociety.org/
