Miss Tipples is a menopause specialist and is committed to providing expert, person-centred guidance and advice on what treatment may help relieve patient specific symptoms. All treatment is individually tailored in line with the latest evidence from The British Menopause Society (BMS) The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). This also includes the potential role of testosterone as part of a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) regime.
An HRT consultation will typically last 30 minutes, and treatment can usually be commenced straight away although occasionally it will be necessary to wait for the results of blood tests. A private prescription can be given in the first instance to enable swift commencement of treatment and Miss Tipples can request your GP to continue this if you prefer.
Sometimes, it is not always possible to prescribe HRT. For example, if there is a history of blood clot / DVT. Also, if you have had breast cancer your choices may be limited; NICE guidance states that HRT should not be routinely offered to women with a history of breast cancer. Non-hormonal treatments can be discussed and an MDT approach may be useful in managing symptoms.
The menopause is a natural biological process, which typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. The average age a woman in the UK experiences menopause is 51. It marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years, when periods stop permanently and are no longer able to conceive naturally. Menopause could also begin if the ovaries have been removed and can happen with other medical treatments, for example chemotherapy.
The menopause is officially defined as the point when a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months (without any other medical cause). Ovaries stop releasing eggs and oestrogen and progesterone levels fall.
Women are all affected differently, by the menopause. Some women may have no symptoms whatsoever; others may experience extremes. Common symptoms include:
Hot flushes, mood swings, night sweats, anxiety or depression, vaginal dryness, brain fog or memory issues, irregular or absent periods, sleep disturbances, low libido, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, irritability, headaches, low confidence.
Diagnosis is usually based on symptoms if you’re over 45 but Miss Tipples can request hormone bloods tests such as FSH to confirm or rule out the diagnosis.
