Your Menopause Appointment with Your GP
Tips for a Successful Appointment
1. Educate Yourself: Research your symptoms and treatment options using reliable sources like NICE guidelines and Women’s Health Concern.
2. Document Your Symptoms: Use a symptom checker to track physical, menstrual, and emotional changes and compare them to last year.
3. Know Your Medical History: Be aware of family health conditions, including cancers, heart disease, and any medications you’re taking.
4. Set Clear Goals: Decide on your treatment preferences, whether it’s HRT, natural remedies, or lifestyle adjustments, and ask relevant questions.
5. Request the Right Provider: Ask for a GP with a special interest in women’s health.
6. Plan for Time: If needed, request a longer or double appointment to cover everything thoroughly.
WHAT to expect from your GP Appointment
Assessment:
Come prepared to discuss the following:
- Symptoms: Include physical (changes in periods, hot flushes, vaginal dryness, body aches) and psychological (brain fog, anxiety, insomnia, low libido) concerns.
- Chronic Disease Risk: Share your family and personal medical history, including cancers and heart disease.
- Medications: Discuss all medications and supplements you are taking.
- Lifestyle Habits: Review your nutrition, alcohol intake, smoking, exercise, sleep, and stress management.
Examination:
- Check: Blood pressure, BMI, or waist-to-hip ratio (which is a more accurate measure for assessing insulin resistance).
Investigations:
Ask your doctor about essential tests to rule out other causes of symptoms and assess cardiovascular risk and insulin resistance. Common blood tests include:
- Full blood count
- Kidney and liver function
- Thyroid function
- Deficiencies (B12, folate, ferritin, vitamin D, zinc, magnesium)
- Cholesterol profile
- HbA1c (diabetes)
- CRP and ESR (inflammation)
If you’re over 45 with symptoms, hormone tests are usually unnecessary. For those at high risk of osteoporosis, a DEXA scan may be offered, and a FRAX score can be calculated for screening.
NHS Screening:
Are You Up to Date?
- Breast Cancer: Mammogram (ages 50-70, every 3 years)
- Cervical Cancer: Smear (ages 25-64, every 3 years)
- Bowel Cancer: FIT test (ages 54-74, every 2 years)
- Cardiovascular Risk: QRisk assessment (from age 40)
- Bone Density: FRAX score or DEXA scan if risk factors exist (early menopause, breast cancer, fragility fracture over age 50).
Management
This involves discussing hormone therapy, making lifestyle adjustments, and scheduling a follow-up to review progress and make necessary changes.
HRT Options
Hormone therapy is individualised with different types and doses based on personal needs.
- Body identical oestrogen: Preferably delivered via patches or gels, but oral forms can be used if there’s no clotting risk.
- Progesterone options (for women with a womb):
– Micronised progesterone (Utrogestan): Body-identical, taken orally.
– Mirena coil: Provides contraception, helps with bleeding, and lasts up to 5 years.
– Synthetic progesterones: Useful for bleeding issues but may have a higher risk of intolerance and long-term side effects. - Vaginal oestrogen: Targets Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM).
- Contraception: HRT does not prevent pregnancy, so contraception should be discussed if needed.
Lifestyle
HRT is just one aspect of your overall management. Diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management are equally important, as they all influence each other. HRT may help improve mobility and sleep, enabling you to make better choices and enhance these areas of your life.
Follow up
Ensure a follow-up appointment is scheduled to review the results of any investigations and assess whether the management plan you’ve started is working well for you.
DR ELISE DALLAS
BSC, MBCHB, MRCGP, DRCOG
GENERAL PRACTITIONER
Understanding Menopause
Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age of onset being around 51.
Perimenopause, often referred to as the “menopausal transition,” is the stage that precedes menopause. It can start several years before menopause and is characterised by hormonal fluctuations and irregular menstrual cycles.
Find out more about our Menopause services by clicking the links below.
At the London General Practice we screen for cancers individually or as part of one of our comprehensive health screens. Our genetic testing cancer panel can also help you understand if you have an increased genetic risk of developing any one of 57 hereditary cancer conditions.
Enquire now
Web Enquiry LGP: Web Enquiry
Phone: 020 7935 1000
Email: info@thelondongeneralpractice.com
The London General Practice offers a number of screening services. To find out more about all screening services available at The London General Practice click below.
