The menopause can be challenging for many women, and you are not alone. If you’re feeling unsure about the best treatment for you, this four-step process offers all the support and treatment you need to get your health back on track.
To find out more about the various routes of treatments available, we speak with GP and menopause specialist Dr Nicolle Green from The Green Menopause Clinic in Wilmslow, Cheshire, who discusses the best way to approach and treat your symptoms.
1. Book a consultation as soon as possible
“Women shouldn’t be suffering alone with menopause,” Nicolle tells us. “The sooner they book in a consultation to discuss their symptoms and concerns, the sooner we can help them to treat them and begin to restore their health.
“At The Green Menopause Clinic, we have a lot of time to listen to our patients and discover the details of their experience, which helps us to understand them and their lifestyle and medical history better,” she says.
Nicolle has worked with menopause expert Dr Louise Newson in the past - “I’ve seen how life-changing some menopause symptoms like hot flushes and mood changes can be for women, and so I wanted to set up my own clinic to help women improve their health and lifestyle.”
2. Create a bespoke treatment plan
“The next stage of the process after a consultation is working with the patient to create a bespoke treatment plan. We don’t just prescribe a one-size-fits-all treatment without their input,” says Nicolle, “we devise a plan together which best suits their day-to-day lifestyle and individual needs.
“This is crucial for improving their symptoms and preserving their future health, because menopause is a significant moment in our lives where women need to be thinking about their changing bodies and needs, and the best way to cater to that.”
Nicolle explains that often women visit her clinic as they have been reading about Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and are wanting to try it. “There are a lot of nuances in HRT, and so it’s important for their future health to tailor the treatment to their specific symptoms so we can aim to target the issues directly.
“At our clinic, we can offer a variety of different treatments including estrogen and testosterone replacements, which may not be offered or available from a GP surgery. Every woman is different and will require a different method of treatment to treat her in the healthiest and most effective way,” she says.
“For some women, there will be a safer option to administer HRT than others, and our bespoke service allows us to explore and discuss different methods to find the most suitable and practical way for each patient. These options can vary from patches to tablets and gels, and sometimes a combination approach is best.
“Some forms will suit their medical history and symptoms better, which is why an in-depth consultation is crucial to creating the best resolution to their symptoms with all of the information we have compiled together.”
3. Liaise with your GP
"Following the initiation of treatment for a patient, our team will contact and liaise with their GP to inform them of our agreed treatment plan. The Green Menopause Clinic is a private service, and we aim to provide everything that the patient needs, but it’s important for their GP to be aware of changes to their medication, which could be relevant for any further medication they are prescribed.”
Nicolle assures us that the team will always gain permission from the patient before passing on any information to their GP but will also encourage them to do so as it helps to keep their GP informed of their health for the future.
4. Check-in with a specialist throughout your treatment
The Green Menopause Clinic books a check-in three months after a patient begins treatment to ensure they are responding well to the treatment and to make any necessary adjustments. “These check-ins provide the perfect opportunity to adjust the dosage or change an ingredient to suit the patient’s experience and symptoms better,” Nicolle says.
“Three months allow for the hormones to develop any side-effects and benefits to their full capacity. We won’t always get it perfect from the start, and we want to work together with our patients on their journey throughout their menopause and not just at the beginning.
“Of course, if a patient requires any support or advice sooner than this, they can either bring their review forward or can get in touch with me by scheduling a quick phone call or dropping me an email,” Nicolle explains. “We’re always here to help our patients in any way that we can to make their menopause journey easier.”
She also tells us about the online service that they are currently in the process of working on, which will provide menopause support to women across the country who aren’t able to visit the clinic itself. “This will also be a great way to provide ongoing support for our existing patients, so they can continue to check in with us virtually whenever they need us.”
For more information on The Green Menopause Clinic’s treatment services or to book a consultation, visit thegreenmenopauseclinic.co.uk/. To speak with the team at the clinic, contact hello@thegreenmenopauseclinic.co.uk.
