Tag Archives: endometriosis

Menopause – the messy bits

| December 12, 2022

From flash flood bleeding to fibroids and polyps – menopause can be messy. Dr Carys Sonnenberg explains what’s going on.   We women go through a lot around menopause and our hormones play a big role in quite a few of them. Our periods can change. They can become lighter, heavier, closer together or further apart – of a combination of all of these. Beyond the irregular bleeding there can be flash floods of heavy bleeding or even unexplained bleeding. Then there are conditions like Endometriosis, or adenomyosis that can cause heavy bleeding and pain. and that’s not all, there…

The Gender Pain Gap – Can We Close It?

| November 17, 2022

The gender (and racial) pain gap – it’s not new, but can we close it?  (Warning – skip the first few paragraphs if you have a weak stomach!)   In 1808 a physician called John Rutter gave a talk to colleagues in Liverpool about a case of Hysteralgia – or hysterical pain. The woman he was describing was known as J.S. She died in pain at the age of 78 and, at her request, an autopsy was performed. Rutter outlined her medical history as best he could. He described letters she’d written to her previous doctors since her mid 20’s…

Progesterone -what you need to know about this hormone and menopause

| April 30, 2021

Confused about how to use progesterone or you don’t tolerate it well? Dr Juliet Balfour explains your options. If you have a uterus you need progesterone as part of your HRT. It is vital for controlling the thickness of the endometrium or lining of the womb. By stopping it from becoming too thick it reduces our risk of endometrial or womb cancer. Dr Juliet Balfour, a menopause GP from Somerset says progesterone is produced by our ovaries and in our fertile years its job is to prepare the womb for pregnancy. If we don’t get pregnant the levels drop and…