Around 13 million women in the UK are peri or post-menopausal. And around 5% of 45- to 69-year-olds (around one million women) are using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to manage their troublesome menopausal symptoms. Continuance, however, is poor, with many women stopping HRT within a year. Some have concerns about using ‘hormones’ and the potential risk of breast cancer or cardiovascular disease, while others experience side effects and stop their HRT without talking to their doctor or nurse. Read the rest of this entry »
The Menopause Exchange Blog
SIDE EFFECTS OF HRT
November 26th, 2021WORKPLACE MENOPAUSE POLICIES AND GUIDANCE
November 25th, 2021I ’ve been presenting talks and workshops in the workplace for 21 years, and more recently webinars. An important focus of interest over the last two years has been the preparation of a menopause policy or guidance for employees and employers.
MENOPAUSE RELIEF THROUGH YOUR PHARMACY
November 24th, 2021Community pharmacists are a vital part of the healthcare team. During the pandemic, their role has become more prominent, as GPs haven’t always been able to offer face-to-face appointments. Read the rest of this entry »
MENOPAUSE ‘ASK THE EXPERTS’ QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
November 2nd, 2021The following ‘Ask the Experts’ questions were sent in to The Menopause Exchange by our members, the answers were provided by our ‘Ask the Experts’ panel and included in issue 87 (winter 2020/21) and issue 88 (spring 2021) of The Menopause Exchange newsletter. If you would like to read the questions and answers in the latest issue of The Menopause Exchange newsletter sign up for FREE emailed newsletters.
What do follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels indicate, and what are the normal levels for women in the perimenopause, at the menopause and after the menopause?
Mr Nick Panay, consultant gynaecologist, replies:
FSH is a hormone made by the anterior pituitary gland in your head. It triggers the release of oestrogen from an ovary. When oestrogen levels fall at the menopause, FSH levels start to rise by a mechanism called “negative feedback” to try to make more oestrogen. But, because the follicles that make oestrogen (and eggs) eventually run out, oestrogen levels remain low. FSH levels remain higher than normal for many years but eventually start to drop. FSH levels vary during your normal menstrual cycle so it’s important that the timing of your blood test is recorded according to the day of your cycle. FSH levels usually remain below 10 International units per litre (IU/L) except at ovulation when levels can increase to more than 20 IU/L. In the perimenopause, FSH can change in a more exaggerated way, although levels usually remain below 40 IU/L. At the menopause, FSH levels are typically more than 40 IU/L and can even be more than 100 IU/L. After the menopause, FSH can remain higher than normal for many years, although eventually levels fall to below 10 IU/L due to the loss of the negative feedback. In the past, FSH was measured to confirm the diagnosis of menopause, but the NICE Menopause: diagnosis and management guideline published in 2015 advised that an FSH test wasn’t required to confirm menopause in women aged 45 years or higher once their periods have stopped and they are experiencing typical hot flushes and sweats. Read the rest of this entry »
EASING VAGINAL DRYNESS
September 21st, 2021Many women struggle with vaginal dryness (atrophy) during the menopause. Vaginal dryness is caused by the thinning, drying and inflammation of your vaginal tissues, and can happen as your oestrogen levels fall. Doctors often describe the condition as the genitourinary syndrome of the menopause (GSM).
PLANT OESTROGENS
August 25th, 2021Plant oestrogens (also known as phytoestrogens) are substances that occur naturally in plants. It’s thought that plants may use them as part of their natural defence against the overpopulation of herbivore animals by controlling female fertility. Plant oestrogens have a similar chemical structure to human oestrogen (one of the main female hormones), and are able to bind to some of the same receptors as your own oestrogens. This means they have an oestrogenic effect on your body, although it’s weaker.
MENOPAUSE CLINICS
October 16th, 2016Most women with menopausal symptoms are seen and successfully treated by their GP or practice nurse. However, sometimes they may need to go to a menopause clinic for special advice. This may be because they have had breast cancer, have medical conditions that make treatment difficult or have experienced a premature menopause. Sometimes a menopause clinic can offer treatments not available to GPs.
If you currently attend, or have attended, a menopause clinic (NHS/private), or you work at a menopause clinic, please email norma@menopause-exchange.co.uk with the clinic’s name and address details.
MENOPAUSE AND HEALTH GLOSSARY
October 23rd, 2012Amenorrhoea: the absence or stopping of menstrual periods
Bilateral oophorectomy: operation to remove both ovaries
Body mass index (BMI): the weight of a person (in kilograms) divided by the square of the height of that person (in metres): used to indicate whether or not a person is over or underweight
Bone density: measurement of the bone’s mass in relation to its volume
Cervix: neck of the uterus (womb)
Climacteric: marks the transition from reproductive to non-reproductive state
Conjugated equine oestrogen: an oestrogen used in HRT which is obtained from mares’ urine
Corticosteroids: hormones produced naturally by the adrenal glands
Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA): method of measuring bone density
Endometriosis: a condition in which fragments of the lining of the uterus grow outside the uterus
Endometrium: uterus lining
Endometrial hyperplasia: a thickening of the lining of the uterus, caused by overgrowth of the cells that line the uterus
Fallopian tubes: tubes which lead from the ovaries into the uterus
Fibroid: benign tumour of fibrous tissue and muscular tissue, one or more of which may develop within or attached to the outside of the uterus
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH): one of the female hormones produced by the pituitary gland
HDL: High-density lipoproteins
Hormone assay: a test or trial to determine the strength of hormones
HRT: hormone replacement therapy
Hyperthyroidism: an overactive thyroid gland
Hypothyroidism: subnormal activity of the thyroid gland
Hyperparathyroidism: an overactive parathyroid gland
Hysterectomy: operation to remove the uterus
Implants: small pellets inserted under the skin
Laparoscopic hysterectomy: an operation to remove the uterus through four small cuts on the abdomen below the navel
LDL: Low-density lipoproteins
Libido: sexual drive
Mammogram: a breast X-ray
Menopause: the occurrence of the last natural menstrual period
Oestrogen: a female sex hormone produced by the ovaries
Osteopenia: a degree of bone loss less severe than osteoporosis
Osteoporosis: loss of bone tissue, resulting in bones that are brittle and liable to fracture
Ovaries: a pair of female sex glands which produce sex hormones and release eggs
Ovulation: The process by which an ovum (egg cell) is released from the ovary
Pelvic floor: spans the area under the pelvis
Perimenopause: the time from the beginning of irregular periods until 12 months after your last period
Pessary: a device which fits into the vagina
Phytoestrogens: natural plant oestrogens
Post-menopause: the stage when menstruation has not occurred for a least 12 months
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS): a group of symptoms experienced in varying degrees by women of reproductive age in the week before menstruation
Progesterone: a female sex hormone produced by the ovaries during the second half of the menstrual cycle
Progestogen: the synthetic form of progesterone
Prolapse: downward displacement of an organ or tissue from its normal position
Systemic: relating to or affecting the body as a whole
Testosterone: a steroid hormone formed by the ovary and adrenal glands
Unilateral oophorectomy: operation to remove one ovary
Urethra: the opening of the bladder
Uterus: a female organ which holds the developing unborn child. Also called the womb
Vagina: the lower part of the female reproductive tract
Vaginal atrophy: inflammation of the vagina and the outer urinary tract
Vaginitis: vaginal inflammation
Vasomotor symptoms: symptoms caused by the irregular function of the part of the brain that controls body heat (such as hot flushes and night sweats)
Vulva: the lips outside of the vagina
Withdrawal bleed: the breaking down of the lining of the uterus and shedding after stopping a course of progestogen
Womb: also called the uterus