Menopause & HRT
Menopause
- Menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels. It usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 55, but it can happen earlier.
- It affects anyone who has periods.
- Menopause can happen naturally, or for reasons such as surgery to remove the ovaries (oophorectomy) or the uterus (hysterectomy), cancer treatments like chemotherapy, or a genetic reason. Sometimes the reason is unknown.
- Perimenopause is when you have symptoms of menopause but your periods have not stopped. Perimenopause ends and you reach menopause when you have not had a period for 12 months.
- Menopause and perimenopause can cause symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flushes and irregular periods. These symptoms can start years before your periods stop and carry on afterwards.
- Menopause and perimenopause symptoms can have a big impact on your life, including relationships and work.
- There are things you can do to help with symptoms. There are also medicines that can replace the missing hormones and help relieve your symptoms.
Physical symptoms
Common physical symptoms of menopause and perimenopause include:
- hot flushes, when you have sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest which can make you dizzy
- difficulty sleeping, which may be a result of night sweats and make you feel tired and irritable during the day
- palpitations, when your heartbeats suddenly become more noticeable
- headaches and migraines that are worse than usual
- muscle aches and joint pains
- changed body shape and weight gain
- skin changes including dry and itchy skin
- reduced sex drive
- vaginal dryness and pain, itching or discomfort during sex
- recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- sensitive teeth, painful gums or other mouth problems
Treatment:
If you need help with your symptoms please request to speak to your GP in the first instance to see how we can help.
The main medicine treatment for menopause and perimenopause symptoms is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which replaces the hormones that are at low levels.
There are other treatments if you cannot, or choose not to have HRT, please see the NHS website for more information: Menopause – Treatment – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
If you do decide to try HRT you will need to have regular reviews with either a Nurse or GP, our team can advise on who you need to see and offer you a suitable appointment. These reviews can be done on the telephone as long as we have an up to date Blood Pressure (BP) reading and your current weight. During the review the Nurse or GP will ask you multiple questions around your symptoms, any side effects and review the treatment before we can issue the next batch of HRT.
Treatment, Natural Alternatives:
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Prescriptions
Patients who receive hormone replacement therapy (HRT) through the practice are required to have regular reviews to ensure their treatment remains appropriate.
Annual HRT Review
The practice requires an annual HRT telephone review with one of our Practice Nurses, this provides an opportunity to discuss your symptoms, treatment, safety questions and possible side effects and any changes to your health. If you are happy with your HRT and there are no issues raised by your answers, we should be able to give you another prescription for 1 year (made up of 2x 6 month batches) without an appointment with a GP or nurse. These prescriptions will be sent directly to your pharmacy of choice.
The Pharmacy should advise you at the point of collecting your second 6 month batch prescription, so you know you will need to book your HRT review in a few months time to get your next batch issued. We recommend booking your review appointment when you start your final month of HRT, review appointments are bookable up to 1 month in advance
What if I Run Out Before My Review?
If your medication is due to run out before your scheduled review, the practice can issue a one-month supply, provided that you attend the required review appointment.
Any interim prescription is subject to the clinician’s assessment and approval.
Please arrange your annual HRT review in good time to avoid interruptions to your treatment.
Did you know you may be eligible to access a NHS HRT prepayment certificate which can save you money on your prescriptions? Please see this link for all the information and how to sign up:
