Tag Archives: hormone replacement

make the most of your menopause appointment

| August 13, 2022

How to make the most of your GP appointment if you want to discuss menopause?   You’ve only got ten minutes, so how do you make the most of it if you want to talk to your doctor about menopause? This is a question that’s kept Dr Carys Sonnenberg awake for many nights  – tossing and turning over how she can help her patients make the most of a short consultation so they can get the right treatment plan for them as fast as possible – and she’s come up with a plan. Dr Sonnenberg says if you think your…

Menopause, HRT and Breast Cancer

| May 27, 2021

Consultant Gynaecologist Professor Isaac Manyonda answers some frequently asked questions on menopause, HRT and breast cancer. Q: Is HRT safe? A: “There’s no doubt that the one thing what worries women when it comes to HRT is the Big C, breast cancer. When it comes to the WHI studies which were published in 2002-3, the main focus was on breast cancer and sadly there was a lot of confusion about it. “If you take 1000 women and follow them up for 5 years, 23 who are not taking HRT will get breast cancer, so it’s quite common. But if you…

HRT – from bones to your brain – what can it help

| June 23, 2020

Menopause, bones and sex – how HRT could help. Dr Sarah Ball explains.   Dr Sarah Ball is a GP with a special interest in Menopause who works with Newson Health. Here she explains how HRT could benefit women in a myriad of different ways. You can see the original interview here. Brittle bones Bone density and the risk of scanning? After menopause our bone density decreases. This puts us at an increased risk of fractures which can in turn lead to decreased mobility and independence and a decline in health. A scan, known as a DEXA scan, can determine…

HRT – it’s your choice

| June 23, 2020

Often women are told they can’t have HRT. Dr Sarah Ball, a GP with a special interest in menopause, explains why it should ultimately be a woman’s choice. Woman are often told by their doctor that when they reached 60 they can no longer have HRT, or that they’re too young to start taking it in their 40’s. Women who’ve had breast cancer are told they can’t ever have it – but is this always the best information? Dr Sarah Ball argues that women should be given all the facts so they can make their own decisions about whether they…

DHEA, Menopause and the skin – how do they relate?

| August 28, 2017

DHEA is sometimes used to treat the symptoms of menopause. Dr Haran Sivapalan explains what it is and what it does to you and your skin. DHEA stands for dehydroepiandosterone. It is sometimes known as ‘prasterone.’ It is a hormone naturally produced by the body’s adrenal glands. More accurately, it is classified as a ‘precursor hormone’  because it is converted by the body’s tissues (including the ovary, skeleton and breast tissue) into other hormones – oestrogens and testosterone. Your body’s natural production reaches a peak at around age 25. It then declines gradually – reaching as low as 30% of…