Surrey Homes | SH59 | September 2019 | Education supplement inside

Spotting the signs
Speaking from her own personal experience,
Sarah Maxwell looks into the stigma and concerns
surrounding the menopause and perimenopause
Consultant Gynaecologist
Anne Henderson explains
what’s available for us during
perimenopause and menopause
If I see a specialist privately for
menopause am I still in the NHS
system? Most GPs will provide NHS
prescriptions for body-identical HRT
if requested by a specialist like myself,
and they are usually happy to carry
out certain hormone tests as well.
Perimenopause generally
occurs in a woman’s 40s but
can happen in her 30s or
even earlier. With this in mind we
need to be talking about it more!
The acceptance of the menopause
was the most important thing for
me. I remember my mum and her
friends talking about it in hushed,
almost ashamed tones – thankfully
it’s now not a taboo subject and I’m
wearing mine loud and proud!
It’s taken some time though – denial,
confusion and frustration have reigned
for a number of years. It didn’t cross
my mind what was happening. I
struggled with night sweats, anxiety,
disturbed sleep and my mood to name
but a few symptoms. Some people sail
through it and some people don’t, so
while we will all go through it, our
experiences may well be miles apart.
As with so much in life, it’s important
to remember not to compare yourself to
others – we are all different and we need
to stop beating ourselves up because of
it! Easier said than done I know, but
you will thank yourself for it later.
It’s more important than ever to look
after yourself – with falling oestrogen
levels our muscle mass and bone density
starts to decrease and we are more likely
to gain weight around our middles.
To help counteract this, I recommend
introducing some weight training into
your fitness regime as the more muscle
mass you can build the more fat you
will burn, even when resting. Body
resistance training – squats, lunges
and press-ups (yes, I did say pressups!)
along with some cardiovascular
exercise, such as walking or running,
are also a good way to work on
building that muscle. To help bone
density try weight bearing exercises
such as HIT (High Intensity Training)
sessions and Ballet Barre classes.
Many women rely on swimming
for their fitness, but whilst it is a great
all-rounder and can improve both
your cardiovascular fitness and muscle
strength, you will benefit hugely from
adding in both weight training and
weight bearing exercises to your routine.
Eating well, exercising and
making sure you are getting the
right support, whatever treatment
route you choose, are vital.
As for me, Self-love, Care, ‘Me’
Time, Relaxation and Fun are my new
mantras – I fully intend to stop and
smell the roses and live life to the full.
Sarah Maxwell is a multiple awardwinning
Fitness and Lifestyle coach
and mum of two who juggles a lot
of balls. Find out more about Sarah
and her work at sarahmaxwell.com
Sarah shares her Fitness and
Lifestyle tips on Instagram
@sarahmaxwelllifestyle
If I start taking oestrogen do I
need progesterone? Oestrogenprogesterone
balance is essential in
menopausal women who still have
a uterus. Additional progesterone is
not required in women who have
had a hysterectomy.
What are your thoughts on the
homeopathic approach? Herbal
options are something I would
strongly recommend, both as a
primary and secondary treatment,
and can be taken effectively in
conjunction with conventional HRT.
I would always recommend that
patients seek specialist advice from
a fully qualified English Medical
Herbalist, such as Anita Ralph
(MNIMH) medicinetreeherbs.co.uk
If I ask to see a gynaecologist will they
be able to help me with menopause?
It’s important to note that you need to
see a menopause specialist. A general
gynaecologist will not have any training
or expertise in the menopause and HRT
as this is not currently a mandatory
part of GP or gynaecological training.
Find out more:
• You can search menopause clinics both
private and NHS throughout the UK at
https://thebms.org.uk/finda-menopause-specialist/
• My current favourite book on
everything menopause is The good
Menopause Guide by Liz Earle
Consultant Gynaecologist and
BMS Accredited Specialist Anne
Henderson runs clinics in Kent and
London. judith@gynae-expert.co.uk
01622 662422
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