What is Menopause Medicine?
Menopause medicine is a growing area of healthcare in NZ that goes well beyond just prescribing hormones. It's about supporting women through one of the biggest transitions of their lives — physically, mentally, and emotionally. We want to see women thriving in midlife not just surviving.

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What does it cover?
The focus is on health issues that may be experienced during the perimenopause, menopause and beyond due to changing hormone levels. This includes but is not limited to hot flushes, night sweats, sleep issues, mood changes, vaginal dryness,
loss of libido, joint and muscle aches, headaches and migraines, dizziness, skin and hair changes, bloating, weight gain, and changes in cardiovascular and bone health. The type, severity, and duration of symptoms vary hugely from person to person. Some women sail through menopause with minimal issues, while others find it significantly impacts their daily life.

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What treatments are used?

• Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) with oestrogen +/- progesterone (and possibly testosterone). This is often the most effective treatment for the relief of menopausal/perimenopausal symptoms. Newer body identical formulations are safe and effective for most women. There are many different formulations of oestrogen and progesterone and what works best for one women will be different to another.

• Other medications such as some antidepressants like SSRIs and SNRIs can have a role where woman are unable to or not wanting to take MHT with both vasomotor symptoms and mood.

• Lifestyle measures can also help, studies have shown regular resistance training can reduce menopausal symptoms including hot flushes and sleep issues.

• Weight loss may help menopausal symptoms as well as improving overall health reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer including breast cancer and diabetes.

• Referral to other providers such as pelvic floor physios, gynaecologists, counsellors or others as indicated by your needs.

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Who should see a Menopause Doctor?

• If you are experiencing symptoms you suspect are due to your hormones that are impacting on your quality of life, relationships or performance at work.

• Women with complex medical histories which may make treatment of menopausal symptoms more challenging.

• Those who suspect they are going through early or premature menopause. Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is menopause before the age of 40 and these individuals experience greater and longer health impacts due to early loss of oestrogen and therefore benefit more from MHT. Most likely those going through early menopause (40-45) will also have increased benefits from MHT.

• Those not getting adequate symptom relief from current treatment or not tolerating the treatments they have been given.

• If you are unsure if your symptoms are menopause related.

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Some useful resources:
https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-topics/menopause/
https://www.menopause.org.au/

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To book an appointment please give us a call on 021 400 473

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