All women experience the menopause at some stage in their life.
It is estimated that more than 80% of women will be menopausal by the age of 54.
It is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman's reproductive years. It occurs when the ovaries stop producing eggs and the levels of reproductive hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone decrease.
When a woman approaches the menopause, less estrogen is produced causing her body to behave differently.
This process is usually a gradual one that progresses over several years.
Typically, menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age around 51. It is a progressive process which begins with perimenopause where irregular periods and symptoms may be noticed, to menopause - the complete cessation of periods.
The symptoms of the menopause can begin several years before periods stop. Some women may initially experience a change in menstrual cycle pattern when periods become infrequent and the cycles become slightly longer.
Whilst not all women will experience menopausal symptoms when they go through the menopause, up to 80-90% will have some symptoms, with 25% describing them as severe and debilitating.
Clearly this has significant implications for women at work.
The most common symptoms are hot flushes and night sweats (vasomotor symptoms), experienced by 70-80% of women. Other common symptoms include disturbed sleep and insomnia, low energy levels, low mood, anxiety, low libido and low sexual drive, impaired memory and concentration, a sensation of ‘brain fog’, joint aches, headaches, palpitations, vaginal dryness and urinary symptoms.
Menopausal symptoms last on average for more than 7 years and it is estimated that more than a third of women experience long-term menopausal symptoms which may continue for a number of years beyond that.
Effects on long-term health - When the ovaries have stopped producing oestrogen, the fall in hormone levels may have an effect on long-term health as estrogen plays an important role in maintaining bone and heart health as well as brain function during the reproductive years.
Most commonly these changes affect the strength and density of bones, increasing the risk of the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis.
The bones of the female skeleton depend on oestrogen to maintain their strength and resistance to fracture. However, whilst a hot flush may be an obvious symptom, there are no obvious symptoms of osteoporosis – the first sign may be a fracture of a bone.
Once you have decided to seek further support in managing your menopausal symptoms you will be invited for a consultation.
At the consultation we will thoroughly explore your symptoms, as well as your past medical history including any other relevant information that will assist us to make a management plan.
You will be given plenty of information upon your symptoms and choices of treatment based on recommendations for best practice from both national and international guidelines, this includes information on both risks and benefits.
You will also be given plenty of time to have a think and reflect upon what you feel is the best option for you and together we will devise a management plan, whether that being to commence HRT or to consider an alternative approach.
Every woman has a completely different experience at this time of her life, therefore every woman has their own unique treatment plan to allow the journey to be as positive as we can make it.
We do not follow a ‘one size fits all’ approach, you will be seen by the same clinician throughout the process and you will never feel rushed or unheard.
Once a treatment has been agreed and commenced, you will be required to have a review at 3 months. Here we will explore your symptom control and investigate any adverse side effects that you may have, as well as look into your current lifestyle. Any changes or adaptations can be made here.
Once you are happy and settled on your treatment plan, you will receive annual reviews.
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