Menopause

While many women experience menopause and the lead up to it differently, there are some common symptoms, including:

• Hot flushes.
• Night sweats.
• Irregular bleeding.
• Insomnia.
• Fatigue and tiredness.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Tearfulness.
• Anxiety.
• Low mood or depression.
• Vaginal dryness, itching, or discomfort.
• Urinary urgency.
• Decrease in libido.
• Formication (the feeling that your skin is crawling).

The average age at which women start menopause in the UK is 51. For most women, the menopause starts between the ages of 45 and 55, though some of the symptoms of perimenopause can begin in the early 40’s.

Early menopause – which is the term for menopause that starts between the ages of 40 and 45 - affects around 5% of women.

Premature menopause (also known as Premature Ovarian Insufficiency) is where menopause takes place before the age of 40. This affects approximately 1 in 100 women in the UK.

Their are several possible causes of menopause, including:

• Natural decline of reproductive hormones that comes with age. As you approach your late 30s, your ovaries start producing less oestrogen and progesterone (the hormones that regulate menstruation and fertility). As you continue to age, your menstrual cycle becomes irregular, until eventually, around the age of 51, your ovaries stop producing eggs and you have no more periods.
• Hysterectomy: Induced menopause due to the removal of your ovaries and uterus (in the case of total hysterectomy).
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• Primary Ovarian Insufficiency.

Dr. Paulina is a highly experienced private physician with a special interest in women’s health, menopause, and lifestyle medicine. He can help with all aspects of your menopause care, including:

• Diagnose perimenopause and menopause (blood tests as needed).
• Discuss at length your medical and family history to personalise your treatment.
• Prescribe Regulated Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (rBHRT).
• Prescribe testosterone.
• Blood tests and follow-ups to tailor rBHRT formulations and doses as needed.
• Give lifestyle advice to address sleep, mood, weight, diet, strength, and tiredness.
• Help women unable to take rBHRT with symptom control.

A menopause consultation at VL will start with a detailed medical history and a symptom and lifestyle assessment (including blood pressure / Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement). After counselling about all available options, a comprehensive management plan will be agreed.

It is important to bring details of any significant medical problems and previous Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) prescriptions.

Gynaecological examination and transvaginal ultrasound may be clinically indicated in some women but are not included in a menopause consultation (these can be arranged if needed).

Please note: Dr. Paulina only recommends regulated licensed products in line with safe evidence-based prescribing.

The most effective treatment for symptoms of menopause is Regulated Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (rBHRT). Other medical treatments tend to address specific issues and include:

• Vaginal oestrogen – administered directly to the vagina to help relieve vaginal dryness.
• Osteoporosis medications – help reduce bone loss and risk of fractures.
• Antidepressants – for those who are struggling with their mental health as a result of the menopause, certain antidepressants may be prescribed.

Unlike Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Regulated Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (rBHRT) contains precise duplicates of human hormones developed in a conventional way by the pharmaceutical industry and authorised by national regulators such as the MHRA in the UK.

rBHRT studies have demonstrated some advantages over other types of HRT, particularly those with androgenic progestogens.

Studies have found that HRT reduces the risk future diseases, including:

• Reduces the risk of heart disease by 50% if started within 10 years of menopause.
• Reduces osteoporosis and hip fractures by 30-50%.
• Reduces colon cancer by 50%.
• Likely reduces diabetes and dementia risk.
• Reduces ‘all-cause mortality’ in women compared with those not taking HRT.

We are here to discuss any concerns that you have about your health, so please arrange to see us if you’re worried about:

• Abdominal aches and pains
• Allergies
• Back problems
• Blood pressure
• Bowel problems
• Concerns about cholesterol
• Earache, sore throat, or swallowing problems
• Eye problems
• General aches and pains
• General health concerns
• Headaches and migraines
• Joint pains and possible arthritis
• Men’s health
• Persistent cough
• Skin complaints including cysts, acne, and dermatitis
• Stress / anxiety
• Urinary problems
• Women’s health

Please note: We do not offer a service for medical emergencies - if you think you have a medical emergency, call your NHS GP - dial 111 or 999.

At VL Aesthetics' Medical Department we offer private GP services where you can have access to a highly experienced and dedicated physician. Here is a short summary for why people choose our private doctor:

• Speed – Our Private GP is readily available with short waiting times.
• Quality Time – Our private doctor allows for longer appointments so that conditions can be fully explored, understood, and managed.
• Professional – Excellent patient care is our primary focus.
• Efficiency – With teams of professional experts on hand, referrals can be fast and efficient.
• One-Stop Shop – Our private GP clinic offers additional services for your convenience (e.g. travel injections).
• Speed of Results – Tests or results are processed much faster by our private doctor.

A private menopause consultation at VL is £295 and is approximately 60 minutes long.

A standard appointment is 30 minutes long, which is usually sufficient for most health concerns. However, should you require longer, that is no problem at all.

Our private doctor will try to solve your concerns during your appointment. However, if specialist support is required, he will write a GP referral letter so you can quickly see a specialist for e.g. x-rays, MRIs, physio, or mental health services.

Yes - we offer a range of blood tests in our clinic.

We believe that you should never put your health on hold. That’s why we offer quick and reliable appointments without the long waiting lists.

Whether you need a specialist referral, a physiotherapy consultation, or an appointment with a dermatologist, we can offer these services and more, when you need them, so you are never left waiting and worrying.

Located just outside of the town centre on Kingmoor Road, we are very easy to get to and have lots of free parking space – We’re on the left past Austin Friars School heading towards Rockliffe, or if you’re coming of the bypass on Kingmoor Road (East) roundabout follow the sign for Etterby under the low bridge and we’re ¼ of a mile on the right.