Tag Archives: hormone

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…

What to do when your GP says ‘No’ to HRT

| August 13, 2020

Women are often given a range of reasons why they can’t have HRT, but are they correct? Dr Naomi Potter sets the record straight.   ‘Too old’, ‘too young’, ‘you have migraines’, ‘you’ve had a clot’ – these are just some of the reason women are given by their doctor as justification for not prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopause symptoms. Many women may sail through menopause with barely a symptom, but for others they can be debilitating. Yet, 44% of respondents to a poll by Harley Street Emporium said they had been turned away when they had…

Do You Need A Blood Test To Diagnose Menopause

| March 15, 2019

Do you need to have blood test to diagnose menopause? Gynaecologist Vikram Talaulikar gives you a guide.   When you sit down with your GP and tell them you’re feeling irritable, waking in a pool of sweat every night or feeling like you’re lacking in energy, they may think you’re on the path to menopause. The first thing they might do is ask you to have a blood test to establish your hormone levels, in particular oestrogen and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). These days though it’s not considered necessary unless the GP has reason to believe there are other underlying…