“What your doctor won’t tell you about menopause”
“Menopause treatment breakthrough”
“Don’t make these menopause mistakes!”
These are just a few of the clickbait headings I saw (again) this week!
🌸Menopausal Hormone Replacement (MHT, or HRT) has been a hot topic recently. It’s often hard to sort through what information is accurate versus what is marketing aimed at selling you the latest menopause supplement. It can be like going to the supermarket with a list of what you know you need, then getting tempted along all the aisles with promises of taste and health that may or may not deliver!
🌸I thought this week it might be useful to do a quick refresher on the facts about menopause and MHT.
What happens in our bodies at menopause?
Menopause is the last menstrual period (normally around aged 50)
It occurs due to the loss of ovarian follicles (eggs) and hormone production from the ovaries with age.
The resulting hormonal withdrawal has various effects on the body.
Around 20% of women have no symptoms.
Common symptoms can include night sweats, hot flushes, vaginal dryness, bladder symptoms, mood changes, trouble sleeping, loss of libido, memory/cognition issues and aches and pains.
There are also metabolic and bone changes
What is perimenopause?
This is the transition time from when menopausal symptoms start up until 12 months after the last period. Hormones are fluctuating and there may be anovulatory cycles (menstrual cycles where no egg is produced) which are irregular and there may be heavy bleeding. Pregnancy can still occur and contraception is required.
🌸Because women are now likely to live one third of their life after menopause, it’s important to reassess their health and lifestyle at this time.
What is MHT?
🌼This is simply the replacement of hormones that are no longer (or only in tiny amounts) being produced in the body, with the aim of relieving troublesome menopausal symptoms. Often a combination of estrogen and progesterone is used (and some women find testosterone can be useful specifically for post menopausal loss of sexual desire - there’s no evidence it is effective pre menopause).
🌼If a woman still has a uterus, combined MHT (both estrogen and progesterone) are needed.
🌼If a woman has had a hysterectomy (uterus removed) then estrogen only is often given. Progesterone may or may not be added depending on her symptoms.
🌼MHT can be given as tablets, patches or gels. The risks and safety profiles of the different types of MHT differ so this is something each person needs to discuss individually with their doctor.
Do you have more questions about MHT?? Let me know by emailing me on [email protected] and I’ll answer them in upcoming newsletters (no personal information will be shared!!)
If you’re finding this newsletter useful please share it with your friends (https://erikas-newsletter-21b621.beehiiv.com/subscribe) so I can help support more women in midlife 🩷
And if you want an appointment to discuss your menopause concerns you can connect on [email protected]
Stay happy and healthy!
Erika.
PS: remember to “Be proud of how you show up every day, feeling comfortable in your own skin, being your magnificent you.” — Bonnie Marcus
