Many patients tell me they had been so profoundly affected by menopausal symptoms that they literally crave having a thorough understanding of what is exactly happening to them. This transition is nothing like they have imagined before or heard from friends. And each one thinks their case is different – and they are right! Every woman has her own, unique experience of menopause. Some suffer deeply, while others have no symptoms at all. For me as a GP, it is important to

Do you wonder why menopause tends to be portrayed in a negative light? Why does everyone talk about bothersome symptoms, anxiety, struggles? I encourage you to start talking about positive things related to it, like liberation from periods and contraception! In this article I referred to issues surrounding menopause in the workplace, but let’s not forget women also face challenges earlier on – due to periods and pregnancy. There are many ways in which employers can demonstr

Part 1 You feel hot, red, sluggish and unmotivated at work. Last night was difficult. You couldn’t sleep, being drenched in sweat. Then anxiety kicked in: “What if this is something serious?” So you book another appointment with your doctor. He hesitantly runs a blood test and then seems to reassure you: “Look, as I said before, these are all symptoms of your menopause...” But you do not feel reassured. You wonder if the GP can call your boss and explain this to him?

When patients come to see me about their menopause, what they want most is information. Despite plentiful advice available online, questions remain. Some ladies find it difficult to comb through lots of online material, and they cannot tell which information is true, credible and based on evidence – and this is the kind of information they want. There are some questions that get asked more than others, and so I decided to share two common and interesting ones in this post, a

Part 2 Another day in the office, another problem. You just can’t focus on your task. You feel absent-minded and can’t remember where you left off yesterday. You check the calendar and to your horror realise you missed a 1:1 with your manager. You think: “After the messed-up presentation yesterday I am one foot out of the door already.” Why are women embarrassed to talk to their employers about menopause? Why is it still a taboo, even though it is a perfectly normal,

All your friends are talking about it. Menopause is on the news, in magazines. Your sister asks if you considered treatment. She assumes: “Come on, you just turned 50, surely you need hormones now?” You answer something random and change the topic. You realise you are not actually quite clear on facts about menopause. A thought crosses your mind: “Hmm. Maybe I will book an appointment with my doctor to finally crystallise my understanding?” If you consider not knowing eno

To find out more... Click here for British Society of Lifestyle Medicine Click here for my video which explains exercising in menopause in more detail

References NICE CKS Guideline: Menopause, September 2022 Use of hormonal contraceptives in perimenopause: A systematic review

Click here for NHS physical activity guidelines References Menopause - a Healthy Lifestyle Guide, Cambridge University Hospitals WHO Infographic: Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour