Need A Chat About Your Menopause?
Struggling and need to talk to someone with answers that will help?
Book in for an online consultation, we'll explore options open to you and get you on the road to your normal self again.
The Problem With Menopause
I'm a GP working in the NHS. I'm also a women who needed help when I ran into trouble with my own menopause. It was at this point I realised for the first time how short-changed the menopausal woman can be, unless she's lucky enough to have not only a GP knowledgeable about menopause, but also one who has time.
As a women going through the menopause I was wondering what the hell was happening to me. Well of course I knew - it was the menopause, but I didn't expect much of what I was hit with.
Like a lot of women, I just didn't feel anything like myself anymore.
Everyone's familiar with the hot sweats associated with the menopause, but these lose any comedy value when you experience it yourself. It's unpleasant during the day, but at night when it totally ruins your sleep it's torturous.
Many women are hit with exhaustion, low mood, a sense of losing your mind, aching, a non-existent sex drive, and a whole load of other symptoms too.
The Problem With General Practice
As a GP I am a General Practitioner.
Since educating myself about menopause, HRT, and health beyond the menopause I've realised what a specialised area this field is. Prior to my own menopause I'll admit to being pretty clueless compared to where I am today.
The field of medicine is huge, GPs are expected to know about so many different things, including menopause. Some GPs are really clued up about menopause and HRT, but unfortunately many are not.
GPs have to options to refer patients when presented with something beyond their expertise. Some areas are served better than others when it comes to access to specialised menopause clinics.
I've heard so may stories of women feeling upset after seeing their GP, feeling that they've not been properly heard and given treatment they don't feeling is appropriate. Antidepressants is probably the most common one.
Some women see their GP with the intention of starting HRT but get told they can't because:
- They're too young
- Their blood test results are normal so they don't need it yet
- They are still having periods so they can't be menopausal
- It's risky
Even if you're lucky and have a GP who has an interest in menopause and is up to date with it all - you're still faced with the problem of lack to time. This where I'm really struggling now as a GP, because I know how much time you need, especially on the first time you've made an appointment to talk about it all, and I just don't have it.
A lot of women are faced with a number of problems:
- You feel awful
- Your doctor isn't up on the menopause
- Your NHS GP doesn't have a lot of time for you
None of this helps you, just when you need help.
To get the advice you need means connecting with someone who knows what they're talking about.
A Chat With Me
If you'd like a whole hour to talk through solutions to the problems you're having with your menopause then drop me an email or a message via the contact form for availability and prices.
These are common reasons women book in with me:
- Help decide if HRT is a good option
- Advice on what you're entitled to from your GP
- Advice on a good HRT plan to ask for from your GP
- Information regarding seeing a private GP for bio-identical HRT
- Specific problems relating to menopause, e.g. weight gain, fatigue, insomnia
At present I'm not offering prescriptions of either conventional or bio-identical HRT, but I will give you the information to enable you to get what you need and deserve so you can get your life back.
Contact me at info@juliecoffey.com for available slots and prices, or even if it's a query about whether I can offer advice for your problem.