Menopause
Welcome to our Menopause Information Page
Given we have oestrogen receptors in every single cell in our bodies, it is little wonder that we can experience such a wide range of symptoms as this hormone reduces over time.
It has been co-produced by women, for women, as a useful starting point to help us to understand and deal with the changes our bodies are going through.
The menopause can have one of the biggest impacts on our lives at a point when we are often more stretched personally and professionally than ever before. Many are supporting ageing parents, whilst also helping young adult children to flee the nest, at the same time as holding down a demanding daily job.
We hope the information on this page, along with the useful links provided, helps you to navigate your personal menopause journey with more understanding and options to cope with all that it can bring.
Co-produced in
collaboration with
Dr Tomlinson, a GP in the Vale of Glamorgan, and a registered member of the British Menopause Society, gives a whistlestop tour of the menopause in less than 4 minutes.
Menopause Explained
Emma's Story
Chrissy's Story
Myth busting
There are many myths and old wives’ tales about the menopause. We put some of these to a specialist GP to find out which are true and which are not. If you have any further questions please consult your own GP.
Click on each myth to reveal the facts about menopause.
The average age for a woman to enter the menopause is 51, but anything between 45 and 55 is normal. Some women in their 30’s can experience an early menopause, with some women as late as their early 60’s.
Bladder tissue does tend to thin during the menopause and the urethra becomes more prominent, making incontinence and urgency an issue for some women. However, pelvic floor exercises, vaginal oestrogen treatments (cream, pessary or gel) and medications can help.
Whilst it is true that hormonal changes cause the body to store more fat around the abdomen and thighs during the menopause, it is certainly not inevitable that you will gain weight, but you may need to tweak your diet and increase your exercise slightly to compensate.
You can start HRT from the moment you experience symptoms of the perimenopause. In fact, there is an argument for taking HRT as a preventative measure, as studies show it provides long-term health benefits for many women, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, fractures and heart disease. New studies also now show a possible reduction in the risk of getting Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Women worry most about dying from breast cancer in relation to HRT. There is only a slight increased risk of getting breast cancer with long term use of HRT (over 5 years). Being obese or drinking more than 2 units of alcohol a day both increase the risk of breast cancer more than taking HRT. More women die of heart disease than die of breast cancer. Most breast cancers are treatable/curable.
HRT, if started by the age of 60 or within 10 years of the menopause, can help prevent cardiovascular disease. There is no evidence of an increased risk of cardiovascular illnesses such as heart attacks or strokes from taking HRT. There is, however, evidence to suggest the risk of bowel cancer is reduced in women who take HRT. Furthermore, HRT may protect against or help osteoarthritis and joint pain, and help control glucose levels for those with Type 2 diabetes.
Therefore, many women weigh up the slight increased risk of getting breast cancer with the huge improvement in their quality of life after taking HRT, and decide it is a risk they consider worth taking, particularly when balanced with the health benefits of HRT in reducing the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease and dementia.
Hot flushes are the most common symptom, but not all women will experience them. 3 out of 4 women unfortunately will.
Your own symptoms may be different and not immediately obvious, but arm yourself with a list of recent changes you have noticed. Anxiety and low mood plus a dwindling libido are also very common perimenopausal symptoms.
HRT has many associated health benefits for many women. Our life expectancy has increased vastly, so that we may now live post-menopausally for 30 years. Our bodies have an oestrogen receptor in every cell and when we are deficient in oestrogen, our bodies may benefit from replacing that oestrogen with body identical hormones.
(Also see information for myth no. 5)
If you have a history of migraine, you could opt for HRT in the form of a patch or gel (transdermal) rather than a tablet, but you can take HRT.
False. There is no maximum length of time you can take HRT for. It depends on your individual circumstances, risks and benefits, and personal choice. You can remain on HRT indefinitely.
If you experience menopausal symptoms after stopping HRT, you would have experienced them even if you had never been on it.
Top Tips
Exercise effectively
Diet
Alcohol
Vaginal dryness
Sleep
Exercise effectively
During perimenopause and menopause, our muscle mass declines due to lower oestrogen levels and some types of exercise are more effective than others.
Find an activity or exercise that you enjoy
Do weight bearing activities like walking, lifting weights, Pilates, yoga or using a cross-trainer. Not only will it ease menopause symptoms such as the loss of muscle mass and energy, but it will help with anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances.
Exercise can offer invaluable head space, plus release endorphins (happy hormones). The most important thing you can do is reduce the amount of time you spend sitting down. Stand as often as you can and walk to your destination wherever possible.
Yoga
Yoga can help soothe hormonal symptoms in perimenopausal women by stimulating the glands responsible for regulating hormones.
In short, exercise is vitally important to improve mood, keep weight stable and increase bone density.
Diet
Protein becomes increasingly important during the menopause. As oestrogen levels decrease, we no longer process starchy carbs (bread, rice, couscous, pasta, noodles, sugary foods etc) as well as we used to. To avoid constant peaks and troughs in your blood sugar levels, eat more protein. This will help you:
- to stabilise energy levels
- to feel fuller and more satisfied,
- support muscle maintenance and growth
- to keep bones strong.
Aim for 75-90g protein a day. Good sources are meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, tofu, dairy, lentils, chickpeas and beans.
Eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, pulses, nuts, seeds, whilst reducing your intake of starchy carbs.
Eating plenty of fibre helps feed beneficial bacteria in our gut to keep ourselves regular.
Alcohol
The risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is greater if you drink just 2 units of alcohol a day (a medium sized glass of wine) than it is from taking HRT.
Therefore, it makes sense to keep well within the recommended alcohol units, particularly if you are overweight, as this poses an even greater risk to breast cancer.
Tip: swap wine for a spritzer, or alternate drinks on a night out with a no alcohol version or a soft drink.
Vaginal dryness
For those women who can’t take HRT or don’t want to, there is help available for women with vaginal dryness, soreness and urinary incontinence/other bladder issues such as needing a wee several times a night.
See your GP for a prescription for vaginally applied oestrogen in the form of a pessary, cream or gel. This poses no increased cancer risk so is safe even for women living with cancer.
Sleep
- Improve the quality of your sleep by unwinding well before bedtime, avoiding looking at your phone and keeping it out of the bedroom.
- Keep your bedroom cool and dark.
- Avoid caffeinated drinks from lunchtime onwards.
- Listen to a hypnotherapy CD to help you relax and fall asleep.
- Click here for information about sleeping well.
Mindfulness
Make time for YOU
Pelvic floor exercises
Diary of symptoms
Share
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the new buzz word and can seem elusive in our modern frenetic world. However, all it really means is practicing being present in the moment, letting go of stress and worry. There are plenty of Mindfulness apps which you can download.
Tai Chi is another type of Mindfulness activity you could take up. It also helps muscle mass and balance.
Make time for YOU
We are all busy, particularly at this stage of our lives, caring for elderly parents whilst still responsible for offspring, and holding down a job.
Making valuable time for yourself to unwind however will really benefit your mental health.
Some ideas to make time for yourself are:
- join a new group (choir, craft group, walking group)
- do something you enjoy like take a walk through the woods or on a beach
- make something! A cake, a craft project, just get creative … do anything that you enjoy
- meet a friend for a coffee
Pelvic floor exercises
During the menopause our pelvic floor weakens due to decreasing oestrogen levels. Download the free NHS “Squeezy” app which guides you through your daily exercises, keeping a record for you to look back on.
Diary of symptoms
It can be useful to note down your symptoms, feelings and energy levels daily. This will help you decide if you’re perimenopausal, or if you need HRT, or indeed if HRT has improved your symptoms.
Download the free “Balance” app here to log symptoms and learn more about the menopause. If you note down how you are feeling, you can make better decisions for your health, as it can be tricky to remember how you felt a month or more ago.
Share
Last, but not least, remember there are many women going through the menopause at the exact same time as you are. So, reach out, join a support group either on social media or even better, in person. Sharing and discussing your experiences of the menopause will make you feel less alone. Plus, you will learn how other women deal with their symptoms.
A problem shared is a problem halved after all.
