Last week Nick Panay, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ (RCOG) spokesman on menopause, suggested that more women experiencing low libido should be offered testosterone on the NHS. Speaking at the Royal College of GPs’ conference in Harrogate, he spoke of how testosterone not only improved sex drive, but energy, wellbeing, muscle strength and […]
HRT
HRT and Me: Utrogestan vs Cyclogest Natural Progesterone
Do I kill myself or give in to the uge to kill others? That’s what it ultimately came down to when I weighed up the difference between taking Utrogestan or Cyclogest natural progesterone. A year ago I wrote a post HRT and Me: Progesterone Intolerance in which I described the problems I had been experiencing […]
The NICE Menopause Guideline Does Not Go Far Enough
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued its first guideline on menopause last week. The guideline contains recommendations for doctors, nurses and hospital specialists working within the NHS on how to diagnose and manage the often debilitating symptoms that many women suffer during the menopause. The main thrust of the guideline, which […]
HRT and Me: Fibroids, Polyps and Adenomyosis
This week I’ve mostly been thinking about my uterus. Apparently, a transvaginal ultrasound will do that to a woman. Up until this point I have to admit to a lifetime of thinking about other body parts; I fret about my liver, worry about my heart, and am acutely aware of my digestive tract, but I’ve never […]
HRT and Me: Progesterone Intolerance
Things have not been going well for me lately as far as my HRT is concerned. I’ve been experiencing problems with both my progesterone and testosterone treatment. Low Testosterone Levels Despite the fact that I’ve been applying Testim gel very day for over two years now, a recent blood test showed that my testosterone levels […]
From Hormone Hell to Feeling Well: A True Story
A few weeks ago I told a story at the In This Body conference in London. Called From Hormone Hell to Feeling Well, it is the story of how I first experienced menopause symptoms when I was thirty. I was misdiagnosed, told that my symptoms were “all in my head” and eventually referred to a […]
Utrogestan 200mg Capsules Discontinued
I was shocked to discover last week that Utrogestan® 200mg Capsules have been discontinued. As from 1 August 2014 women who take Utrogestan® 200mg to treat infertility or menopausal symptoms will have to ask their doctors to write them a new prescription. Besins Healthcare Discontinue Utrogestan 200mg Capsules Belgian pharmaceutical company Besins Healthcare, who are […]
How to Become an Empowered Patient
How can you become an empowered patient and work with your doctor to make the right choices and access the best treatment for your menopausal symptoms? Be Pro-Active in Managing Your Health Professor David Haslam, chairman of the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggests that you become more pro-active about managing your […]
Is Your HRT made from Pregnant Mare’s Urine?
If you’re pre or post-menopausal you may have been prescribed or even begged your GP for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to try and relieve some of the awful symptoms. Perhaps you’ve read up on the wonders of bioidentical hormones and decided you’d like to try them. But, if your experience is anything like mine, you […]
Can Testosterone Help with Menopause?
The Daily Mail Health section ran an excellent article on testosterone and the menopause in December. In the article Can testosterone help beat the menopause? medical journalist Jane Feinmann took an in-depth look at the important role that testosterone can play in a woman’s health during the menopause. Can Testosterone Help With Menopause? The benefits […]