Proactive treatments based on knowledge.

Benefit from a thorough evaluation that can include a hormonal panel of blood tests including testosterone levels and, if required, a physical examination, ensuring a tailored approach to managing your menopause symptoms.

Gain insights into your hormone levels and treatment options to make informed choices about your menopause journey.

Continuous monitoring and adjustment of HRT based on follow-up assessments to ensure optimal hormone balance and alleviation of symptoms.

One of the most distressing changes that can affect women around the time of their menopause is weight gain. On average women will gain around 10KG in weight but some women gain much more, and this in itself not only affects future health increasing the risk of conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, liver disease and some cancers but can also have a dramatic impact on mental health and self-confidence.

Women commonly find it extremely difficult to lose weight in the menopause and can often feel that they are ‘stuck in a rut’ where the weight gain has affected motivation and ability to exercise.

Weight loss injections in conjunction with lifestyle changes with or without HRT can have a dramatic impact on quality of life with minimal side effects.

They are available to women with body mass index of >35 or >30 if the woman has a health complication due to their obesity. It works by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1 which regulates appetite and increases feeling of fullness as well as reducing hunger and food cravings.

Wegovy is an easy-to-use weekly self-administered injection which starts at a low dose, gradually increasing over several weeks to reduce any risk of side effects (commonly nausea or stomach upset) and can be used for up to 2 years.

Serious side effects are extremely rare with Wegovy but these can include inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), gallstones, allergy and increased risk of low blood sugar if already on diabetic treatment and should not be used in people with a rare type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma.

I have found that helping women to lose weight is an integral part of menopause care and would be very happy to see any woman who wants to discuss the possibility of being prescribed weight loss treatment in my menopause clinics.

Testosterone replacement has become increasingly popular over the past 2 years with many women using it alongside their HRT.  Levels of testosterone tend to gradually decrease in women from the age of 40 or even earlier and can particularly impact women who have had an early menopause due to medical treatment such as the ovaries being surgically removed.

Low levels can be associated with a reduction in libido and ability to respond to sexual stimulus, which can have a significant impact on relationships although there are often multiple different factors affecting sex drive, which should be explored properly prior to treatment.

The aim of testosterone replacement is to use low doses of testosterone to allow women to achieve levels within the normal female range and therefore avoid any side effects related to higher than usual levels. In order to ensure the levels are not too high testosterone blood tests are required to be taken before treatment, at 6-12 weeks, at 6 months and then annually.

This treatment, although in widespread use, is currently off license in the UK and usually requires women to take a very low dose of a male testosterone product in the form of a gel with the only female testosterone product (androfem) being available from online pharmacies who import it from Australia.

There is no evidence from current clinical trials that testosterone replacement treats anything other than low libido although, in my experience, some women do report an improvement in energy levels, muscle strength and brain fog.

These symptoms, however usually improve with adequate oestrogen and it is important to ensure that HRT is being used effectively prior to consideration of testosterone replacement.

It is also recommended that any response to testosterone treatment be evaluated at 6 months and that testosterone is discontinued if there has not been any improvement.

Please feel free to book an appointment if you wish to discuss whether testosterone replacement may be of benefit to you or to look at other causes of reduction in libido.

If your bone density scan confirms osteoporosis or you are diagnosed with any other endocrine disorder I can arrange a referral to a consultant endocrinologist for specialist treatment at both the Nuffield and Spire hospitals.