Menopause Articles

*Watch Dr Philippa's webinar on details of the menopause not often discussed*

What's your story? How did you come to specialise in women's health and the menopause? 

I am a GP who has always had an interest in women, children, and sexual health. I was drawn to these specialisms whilst working in hospitals but I couldn’t figure out what I loved the most. That’s one of the reasons why I became a GP - so that I can do them all!

My interest in the menopause was born out of the needs of my patients who visited me with the news that they have given up work, thought that they had dementia and more, all because of the perimenopause and menopause. 

Why is HRT in the news? Tell me more...

The good news or the bad? There are more and more conversations around HRT because there’s an increased awareness now, partly because of celebrities sharing their stories. But, it is also in the news from a less positive standpoint due to HRT shortages and the political situations that surround this.

HRT has been a contentious issue for decades now, specifically because of some studies released in the 2000s which meant that lots of women were taken off the treatment. More research has now been done and we have new information about why these studies weren’t all that helpful, they essentially compared apples to oranges! However, HRT continues to have a bad reputation for some people and that takes a lot to unpick. 

Why are you so dedicated to increasing awareness of women's health? 

Women's health is closely intertwined with women's places in culture and society.  Issues around purity, virginity, and shame are absolutely still an issue and have a real and damaging impact on women's health. 

As a society, most people don't even use the correct terms for vagina and vulva which surround the genitals and women's health issues in stigma and shame. This means that people don't come for the help that they need.

What do you think are the biggest misconceptions surrounding menopause?

Lots of people have misconceptions around when menopause will happen and that HRT is hugely dangerous and must never be used. Or, another common misconception is that if you can't have/don't want HRT then there are no other treatment options - there are.

As to what we can do to bust them - keep talking, keep educating, and keep listening to the women telling us what they want and need.

What is the most common question you are asked by women going through the menopause? What's your advice? 

‘Does it ever get better?’ About whichever, or the many symptoms that they have.  

My answer is ‘yes, let's help!’ 

How can we work to make menopause easier for people living through it?

Sorting out the HRT shortages, improving access to menopause specialists, a national formulary for HRT, androfeme to be available on the NHS, more research into the area - I could go on! 

But from a different perspective we still need to raise awareness among everyone, of all genders, so that people can be empowered to take control of their bodies and their health.

Watch Philippa's webinar!