Wealden Times | WT215 | January 2020 | Travel & Wellbeing supplement inside

WT Travel & Wellbeing Supplement sponsored by
Ask the Expert
Doctor Tina Peers explains how to manage the menopause
Thirteen million women in this
country are menopausal or
postmenopausal – some 30%
of the adult population – and yet there
is a general lack of understanding of it
and what can be done to help women.
The menopause happens to every
woman when she runs out of eggs. The
ovaries then stop producing oestrogen,
progesterone and testosterone.
These hormones have extremely
important functions in a woman’s body
and thus, when they are not there,
80-90% of women will experience
symptoms, and the protection that they
give is lost. As our life expectancy is so
much longer than it used to be, this
can have very negative implications
for a woman’s health and quality
of life in her fifties and beyond.
Premature menopause is when it
happens under the age of 40. This
occurs to 1% of the female population
and it is vitally important that
young women who experience loss
of their periods are fully investigated
and treated as soon as possible.
Early menopause is between 40 and
45. Women in this age group, who think
that they may be going through the
menopause, should have blood tests to
help diagnose this and should receive
HRT. This is very important as they
will be more at risk of heart disease,
osteoporosis and dementia because of
the early start of their menopause.
Perimenopause is when the
hormone production starts to fluctuate
and this may result in changes to the
periods, multiple symptoms (can be
present even when periods are regular
still) and can last four to five years. In
many women these symptoms can be
debilitating and cause 10% to stop
working! Many women visit their
GP and the vast majority are offered
antidepressants when they really
would benefit hugely from HRT.
The menopause should be referred to
as Oestrogen Deficiency, in my opinion.
This is what it is and women’s quality
of life and health can be restored by
taking hormone replacement therapy.
Oestrogen is responsible for
maintaining a healthy, strong skeleton,
for keeping our coronary arteries clear of
plaques, helping our brains function and
the replacement and repair of collagen
– extremely important for our joints
and muscles which will diminish by 2%
per annum without HRT in spite of
exercise. Oestrogen also reduces the risk
of bowel cancer and reduces depression
and the rate of suicide, both of which
increase in peri and postmenopause.
I believe that the two most significant
and important health decisions a
woman will make in her life are her
choice of contraception to control
her fertility and taking HRT.
Not only will HRT improve the
quality of her life now but also into
the future, by reducing her risk of
osteoporosis by 70%, heart disease (heart
attacks and strokes – the biggest cause
of death in women) by up to 60%,
dementia by up to 60%, bowel cancer
by 30%, reduce her risk of Parkinson’s
disease, maintain vaginal and bladder
health and improve her libido.
The new body-identical HRT, available
from GPs and Menopause Specialists,
does not have the same effect on the
breast as some older HRT preparations.
In fact, we have five years of data
to show that natural micronised
progesterone does not increase the risk of
breast cancer – we think that, with time,
it may actually slightly reduce the risk.
Women are becoming more aware
that they do not need to suffer in silence,
with their menopausal symptoms often
causing them to feel like they have
‘lost’ themselves, making work difficult
and putting strains on relationships!
We offer individualised advice and
care for women, which is of paramount
importance and can not only literally
‘give them their life back’, but also
improve the quality of their life in
middle and old age – something that is
totally dependent on their state of health.
Menopause: Know the Facts
is the onset of menopause hereditary?
Will it happen at the same time
as my mum’s did? MAYBE.
What are the possible effects? Night
sweats, hot flushes, irritability, poor sleep,
exhaustion, palpitations, low libido,
peeing at night, aches and pains, muscle
wasting and weakness, itchy skin, vaginal
dryness, pain on intercourse, tearfulness,
forgetfulness, depression and dark thoughts.
Can they be severe? How are they alleviated?
The effects can be debilitating and can be
treated very effectively and quickly with
HRT – regulated and licensed and prescribed
by some GPs and by Menopause Specialists.
What help is available in this situation?
Should i see my GP? Many GPs are
trained and confident in prescribing
HRT, but sadly many are not. Specialists
provide excellent individualised care – like
the Menopause Clinic at Tillow Barn in
Brockham (tillowbarnhealth.co.uk).
How can family members help a woman
who is menopausal? By understanding
the condition and encouraging her to get
expert help. Being patient also helps.
is there anything a woman can do to
prepare for it? It’s always important to have
a healthy diet, be a good body weight and
exercise, none more so than at this time
of life. However, many women will also
benefit hugely from HRT – many say it
literally has given them their life back!
Since qualifying in Medicine at Guy’s
Hospital in London in 1983,
Dr Tina Peers has developed her skills
and knowledge in Women’s health. She
first worked as a GP in Surrey, then
became a Consultant in Contraception
and Reproductive Health in 1996,
leading these services in Surrey until
2018. She now runs menopause clinics
in Surrey and London. For more
information, visit drtinapeers.com
wealdentimes.co.uk
28