Every woman will go through Menopause at some stage in her life. For some, menopause is an easy transition, but the time leading up to and after menopause can be problematic for most women. Menopause can be a difficult time for both women and their partners/families. The uncomfortable range of physical and emotional symptoms experienced during this time can be surprisingly debilitating, causing distress and anxiety, putting pressure on relationships. At The Surrey Park Clinic, we feel women should feel their best and thrive during the years leading up to and after menopause.
The official definition for Menopause: is the time when a woman stops having her periods for at least a year and can no longer get pregnant naturally. For most women, menopause can occur between 45 -55 years of age. As women age, their ovaries produce less oestrogen and testosterone as ovulation becomes less regular. The declining levels of oestrogen cause menopausal symptoms, and these symptoms can occur a few years before and sometimes after the actual menopause.
For some women, menopause may occur prematurely, i.e. before the age of 40 (due to premature ovarian insufficiency) or may be brought about by a life event, surgery or other treatment.
With over 10 years experience of in managing menopausal symptoms and hormones for women, we aim to improve the quality of our patient’s lives with a personalised, professional and innovative approach to treatment tailored to our patients’ precise needs. We also treat patients covering a wide range of hormonal imbalance conditions, including Thyroid Dysfunction, acne, hair growth, burning tongue and PMS.
It can be confusing to know if you are peri-menopausal (the time leading up to menopause when oestrogen levels are in decline). It might be helpful to note down any symptoms you are experiencing or complete our menopause questionnaire. Throughout the body, there are oestrogen receptors, and when oestrogen levels decline, the impact can be widespread. You may experience a few, many or all of these symptoms:
Hot flushes
Irregular periods which may be lighter or heavier than usual
Night sweats
Vaginal dryness and discomfort during sex
Disturbed sleeping patterns
Low mood or increased anxiety
Confusion or brain fog
Increasing headaches
Thinning hair and dry/itchy skin
Bladder weakness or irritable bladder (frequent urination)
Joint/Muscle aches
Vaginal infections
Loss of muscle mass
Every woman going through menopause is different.
Some women are fortunate to have only mild symptoms and sail through menopause easily. Other women may have severe symptoms, and this can negatively affect their mental and physical health. The majority of women will incur some discomfort. Menopause can be difficult, but there are ways to minimise symptoms, and our specialist menopause clinicians are here to help you feel like yourself again.
Depending on your medical history and symptoms, your clinician may recommend following:
Please book a consultation with one of our specialised Menopause Doctors or Consultants if you would like help managing your symptoms. Our specialists will review your medical history, blood pressure, BMI, symptoms and discuss the best options available to you.
They may recommend a range of investigations, including Hormone profile blood tests or an Ultrasound scan.
Once the results of any additional investigations have been received, your specialist will talk through the benefits and risks associated with the recommended treatment.
Should you decide to go on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), they will arrange Follow-Up appointments and Annual Review appointments to ensure your hormone levels are as they should be and your symptoms are being managed well.
All treatment is tailored to you as an individual according to your medical history, symptoms and clinical needs.
A combination of altered hormone levels due to various factors can lead to short term symptoms and long term health problems. These symptoms are explained in more detail below: