Menopause
The Menopause Clinic
All women can expect to go through the menopause, that stage in one’s life when the ovaries have exhausted their function and cease to produce eggs and the female hormone oestrogen, and also testosterone, and menstruation stops. The period before and after the cessation of menses, which can span anything from 2 to 15 years, is called the climacteric. The average age of the menopause is 51 years, but some women can start as early as age 40 years while others may not become menopausal until well into their late 50’s. While the majority of women will experience minor symptoms such the occasional hot flush or night sweat, there are some who will experience debilitating symptoms that include the following:
- severe daytime hot flushes which can interfere with daily functioning such as effective work performance.
- severe night sweats which can disturb sleep, and therefore interfere with daytime normal activities.
- fatigue and poor energy, in part due to poor sleep, but also a direct result of the lack of oestrogen as well as testosterone.
- poor memory (you go downstairs to make a cup of tea, but when you get there you simply can’t remember why you are there!) and poor concentration.
- loss of libido, due in part to a deficiency of the hormone testosterone (the ovaries do produce what is often thought of as “the male hormone” testosterone, and cease to do so after the menopause). Sexual difficulties also arise as a result of loss of oestrogen, which causes vaginal dryness and painful intercourse.
- some women will notice a progressive thinning and drying of hair, hair loss, dry and thinning skin, and that their nails break easily.
- others will experience a loss of confidence, a global sense of anxiety, a tendency to being emotional, weepy and of low mood for no good reason they can put their finger on.
- Women are at increased risk of developing osteoporosis (brittle bones) as a result of the loss of oestrogen. This puts them at significant risk of bone fracture and the consequent debility.
Of course, even when experiencing these debilitating symptoms, it would be most unusual for any woman to experience all of them.
Many affected women will benefit from hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but for many the word “HRT” is a byword for all kinds of risks such as breast cancer, stroke and heart attacks, mainly as a result of the publicity that accompanied research that came out of America around 2002 to 2004 (the Women’s Health Initiative or WHI studies). The great news is that even the investigators have withdrawn virtually all of the major side effects from the WHI study. It seems quite clear that the major side effects occurred in women who started the wrong dose of HRT over the age of 60. In women who started below the age of 60 there were fewer heart attacks, fewer deaths, fewer osteoporotic fractures and even less breast cancer. The one residual side effect is that there probably is a very slight i.e. 1% extra life time risk of developing breast cancer but this is no more than the breast cancer risk of being overweight, drinking wine, having no children or even taking statins.
At Parkside a menopause service is offered by gynaecologists which caters for the following women:
- women whose menopausal symptoms have failed to respond to conventional HRT in the GP surgery. women who may have contra-indications to conventional oestrogen therapy.
- women wishing to explore the treatment of menopausal symptoms without oestrogen.
- women with libido problems, not responding oestrogen therapy.
- women uncertain about the benefits and dangers of hormone replacement therapy.
- any peri-menopausal woman seeking information and advice on matters relating to the menopause or to well-woman assessment. This may include problems with anxiety, lack of confidence, concern over the aging process, lack of concentration, poor memory etc.
Not all women with symptoms of lack of oestrogen need treatment with conventional HRT. Some will benefit from natural progesterone, while others may respond to alternative therapies that include phyto-oestrogens (found in red clover, black cohosh, soya bean flower products etc), yoga, acupuncture or even just the opportunity to talk to an expert on these matters. Our menopause service offers you the guidance you require to overcome symptoms that can have a profound negative impact on your quality of life, at a time in your life when you deserve better.
If you would like more information about our Menopause service, please get in contact with us by phoning 020 8971 8000 or use our contact page.
