Menopause care in Leeds
For most women, menopause care can be provided by your GP.
Symptoms of the menopause can vary between individuals and no two women will have the same experience. Common symptoms include hot flushes, night sweats, skin changes, mood changes and sleep disturbance. It is also very common to experience vaginal dryness, difficulties with sex and bladder symptoms. It is important to note that symptoms of the menopause can start before your periods stop.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is used for lots of women to manage symptoms of the menopause, or perimenopause (the time around the menopause itself). There are benefits and risks with HRT, and several different ways of providing HRT to the body. The majority of women can have HRT safely, but it needs to be supervised by a doctor to ensure it is tailored to you. This website includes links to information about HRT and other ways of managing menopause symptoms.
In some cases, perhaps relating to your medical or family history, your GP may need advice from a Menopause Specialist. This may mean having an extra appointment with your GP after they have spoken to a Menopause Specialist, or it could mean having an appointment in the specialist Menopause clinic.
Specialist menopause clinic
The team in the specialist menopause clinic will ask questions to understand your symptoms and history, as well as your current health and any risks to your health. They will discuss this with you and offer options for managing symptoms of the menopause – this might include HRT or other alternatives. After an appointment, the specialist writes to your GP to explain what happened in the appointment and their advice.
Most of the women referred to the specialist menopause clinic only need to be seen once. After this, your GP will be able to supervise your care with the guidance of the specialist. If you need to be seen in the specialist menopause clinic again you will be told about this at your appointment.
We are part of the Leeds Integrated Gynaecology Service. This means that your appointment may be with one of the Community Gynaecology team.
When to ask for help and who from
You should see your pharmacist or GP if you have menopause symptoms that you feel you would like help to manage. To find out more about topics related to menopause and HRT there are lots of resources, but your pharmacist or GP can also help you if needed.
If you have previously been told you shouldn’t be given HRT and you have symptoms of the menopause that you would like help with, please see your GP. Even if you cannot have HRT your GP will discuss what alternatives are suitable for you. If your medical history or family history mean that HRT needs to be discussed with a menopause specialist, your case will be referred on to the team for advice. As above, sometimes this means having an appointment in the specialist menopause clinic.