Table of Contents Triggers The effect of hormones What about HRT? Migraine specific treatment Lifestyle Useful resources Migraines affect 1 in 5 women, with three times as many women being affected as men. The symptoms can be really debilitating and include much more than headaches. Triggers There is often a history of migraine in the family, suggesting a genetic susceptibility. It can be helpful to look at whether there are triggers for an attack, sometimes it’s a combination of these triggers rather than one alone. Common ones include lack of sleep, increased stress, missed meals, alco ..read more

Sleep support at menopause, what you need to know The impact of hormones Sleep and perimenopause Sleep hygiene Sleep support  Yoga and sleep Sleep has such an impact on how we feel day to day, aswell as on our long-term health and wellbeing. In this blog, I’ll explore how hormones influence our sleep, and measures we can try to improve our sleep pattern. The impact of hormones Our sleep is affected by our hormones. It varies with our menstrual cycle, typically being at its best just after ovulation in the middle of the cycle, and at its most disturbed at the end of the luteal phase jus ..read more

Table of Contents What happens for a new drug to be prescribed? So who can take Fezolinetant? How is it taken? What about side-effects? The new non-hormonal drug for hot flushes and night sweats, Fezolinetant, is part of an entirely new class of drug, the NK3 antagonists. Fezolinetant has now been approved for use in the UK, having been approved for use in the USA since May 2023. Currently the non-hormonal options available for hot flushes and night sweats include  antidepressants epilepsy medications a blood pressure treatment  a treatment for urinary urgency and incontinence ..read more

Table of Contents The Hidden Threat: Osteoporosis and Osteopenia How does menopause affect bone health? Building Strong Bones Medications and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Conclusion In my experience, bone health is not something many people are that concerned by, unless they have seen first hand how significantly osteoporosis has affected a family member. However, the implications of falls and fractures, especially for postmenopausal women, underscore the importance of proactive bone care. In the UK, 50% of postmenopausal women will break a bone, often because of osteoporosis. Even se ..read more

Yoga has been around for thousands of years, originating in ancient India. There are lots of definitions, most helpful to me is to do with the idea of union – of the body, mind and breath. We tend to think of it as making shapes on a mat, to improve our flexibility and build strength, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It didn’t start out like that though, and some would say the purpose of the asana (postures) is to prepare the body and mind for meditation. There are ancient texts which set out the yoga way, that include ethical principles to live by, breath-work and meditation as well as t ..read more

A cervical screen, or smear test, takes just 5 minutes and can help us to know whether we are at risk of developing cervical cancer, yet so many of us put it off. This blog will give you more information about what’s involved, to inform your decision making. Cervical cancer In the UK <1% people with a cervix will develop cervical cancer. Risk factors for developing cervical cancer include: smoking combined contraceptive pill usage HIV maternal history of DES usage (a medication given to some pregnant women for miscarriage until the 70s) Cervical cancer mortality rates have reduced by 70 ..read more

Table of Contents The role of testosterone Indications for testosterone HRT When testosterone use is not recommended Testosterone is an unlicensed medication The testosterone leaflet How to use testosterone HRT How long will it take to work? What if I forget to use it? Do I need more blood tests? Can my GP take over the testosterone prescription on the NHS? What about side-effects? Looking after your medicine  Resources with more information Testosterone advice and treatment is one of the most common reasons for women to book a consultation with Rethink. In this blog, I’ll help you un ..read more

I completely understand the rationale to want to have hormone blood tests checked to see where you are in the menopause transition, and understand your experience. Unfortunately the tests we currently have available often aren’t that helpful. They give a level at the particular point in time the test was taken, not an average, and those levels can fluctuate significantly during perimenopause. Hormone blood tests for menopause diagnosis Current guidance is that the FSH blood test is considered for those aged under 45 with symptoms of menopause. This test cannot be done if you are using a metho ..read more

Table of Contents Antidepressants for menopausal symptoms Gabapentinoids for menopausal symptoms Clonidine for menopausal symptoms Oxybutynin for menopausal symptoms Neurokinin receptor 3 (NK3) antagonists for menopausal symptoms Non-hormonal treatments for menopause are sometimes overshadowed, but not everyone can or wants to take HRT. This blog will cover the non-hormonal treatments for menopause that are available, including for those with hormone sensitive breast cancer and menopause. I’ll be focusing on prescribed medications, what’s available now and new developments that are coming ..read more

A cervical screen, or smear test, takes just 5 minutes and can help us to know whether we are at risk of developing cervical cancer, yet so many of us put it off. This blog will give you more information about what’s involved, to inform your decision making. Cervical cancer In the UK <1% people with a cervix will develop cervical cancer. Risk factors for developing cervical cancer include: smoking combined contraceptive pill usage HIV maternal history of DES usage (a medication given to some pregnant women for miscarriage until the 70s) Cervical cancer mortality rates have reduced by 70 ..read more