Any experiences of the Newsom Clinic? Trying to sort my peri-menopause symptoms

[SweatySpider321]

I have been taking HRT for nearly 2.5 years but my GP has concedes that after a number of different treatment regimes that she is out of her depth. I was referred to the local menopause clinic back in October 2025, so far had a 5 minute telephone appointment in the spring. No treatment as yet. I am bored of waiting for it to be resolved while the NHS operate at a snails pace and l am sick of the symptoms. I am keen to resolve my insomnia, excessive bleeding, hot sweats, irritability and sexual dysfunction. Has anyone tried the Newsom Clinic or similar? Recommendations would be gratefully received

I’ve used the Newsom clinic and another private gynaecologist.
It was a good way of getting on to the regime I wanted but which wasn’t on my local formulary. The gold standard as I see it: Oestrogen gel or patch with the body-identical progesterone utrogestan. And also some testosterone. Vaginal estradiol is also very important.
But you may be able to request all of these from your GP anyway? Or you may already have tried them?

Several of my friends pleaded with their GPs successfully. It can take perseverance. In my health board are we tend to be fobbed off with patches containing synthetic progestin.

Rest assured that all the issues you list can be improved.

Just seen your edited post OP. Sounds like you’ve waited long enough and you might find it money well spent.

No direct experience of that clinic but I have seen a GP privately about similar issues. I would recommend asking about shared care - the private doctor will recommend and tell the doctor what to prescribe, but you get the prescriptions on the NHS.

GP point blank refused to prescribe testosterone despite it being in the NICE guidelines. I have found out retrospectively one of my meds regimes were prescribed for totally the wrong days of my cycle so the confidence in my GP isn’t high. Vaginal estradiol was never mentioned as an option

In all honesty lm bored of the appointments and pleading. Also sick of being awake from 530am. I am now thinking of throwing money we don’t really have at the problem. How much should l budget for the whole thing?

Thanks for the reassurance

Newsom clinic don’t do shared care they told me

OP, it sounds like your GP is out of their depth. It might be worth another go with a different GP and go well-armed with information. There’s lots of evidence for testosterone and vaginal estradiol for sex drive/response. Both oestrogen and utrogestan will massively help sleep in addition to the other countless benefits.
if you still get nowhere then I’d say it’s worth every penny to go private. It’s just really unfair that you have to fork out. It’s about £250 for the consultation and then there will be some prescribing costs but they will write to your GP and the GP will then pick up the prescribing.

One more go with the GP and don’t be afraid to be very pushy and provide evidence. There’s lots online.

I am in the NW and saw a menopause specialist private nurse. I checked her credentials she is the lead nurse at the menopause clinic in the region.
A consultant from the same clinic was close to £600 and the waiting list was huge.
The nurse was absolutely amazing - she had the time to talk to me. I was oestrogen plus progesterone. I did try testosterone for a bit which made little difference but I know it helps some women.
Luckily my GP took over prescribing but I still go back the private clinic every 18 months or so.
It was worth every penny spent.

I would definitely consider a private gynaecologist. I would steer clear of Louise Newsom though.

I’m not hung up on the nurse versus doctor thing. I just want to have medication that makes me feel better. Were they face to face or online? I’m not in the north west and have no immediate plans to be in that area -l travel a bit with work and sometimes got that way

What makes you say that? Have you had some negative experiences?

GP is way out of their depth and like a lot of people out of their depth then they don’t know it. I went about my insomnia a few weeks ago, saw a different GP to my normal one who waxed lyrical about my HRT regime. Always funny hearing from a man how amazing it is, even though he’s never had and it doesn’t work for me. The long and the short of it was he said he would give the menopause clinic a nudge but he wouldn’t even give me a few zoplicone. They clearly think menopause clinic is the 2nd coming -it isn’t! They don’t even understand informed consent so l have little faith or confidence in them. Plus the GP won’t prescribe me anything now anyway

Newsom clinic say they don’t do shared care unfortunately

I tried the Newsome Clinic a few (4?) years ago, when our GP were really not up to speed. Initially fine with Newsome clinic - cautious approach that was logical and well evidenced, and then 3rd appointment different dr and massive over prescribing - wanted me to be on Everol100 and to take testosterone. Then all the over prescribing press stuff came out.

As it turns out I can't actually cope with too much oestrogen (I was also on too low a dose of progesterone and now have a huge fibroid) and was too concerned about testosterone to take it. They were slack on blood tests and monitoring.

GP got up to speed (though still cautious) and I got refferal to a Women's gynae clinic, which while very slow have been super supportive and careful. Unfortunately for me the balances are still not right, but at least I am not over dosing and am properly monitored.

Recent reports seem to indicate that testosterone only helps with libido, if that and not much evidence that it should be prescribed as much as it it currently is.

I would be careful with any private clinic that suggests it can solve things in menopause, and it's very expensive. I now appreciate the more cautious approach of the NHS - there really isn't a magic bullet - there are just adjustments that make things a bit better or a bit worse.

It’s a tricky one as we are all unique and need a different approach. My instinct is l am not being prescribed enough -historically l need with a lot or little of meds (seems like the former)

I am sick of the cautious NHS approach as they aren’t actually medicating me properly. 2.5 years in then there should have been a proper improvement. At this rate l most likely be in menopause, rather then peri-menopausal before they do anything. My current day starts at 5am with a massive hot sweat which wakes me up and l struggle to get back to sleep, fantastic with working full time and toddler twins. The “highlight” was when l had 3 periods in 1 month 🙄

I totally get that and we are all different, I think am just suggesting that more is not necessarily better. I do
hope you get sorted.

I keep trying to post but my posts get deleted in the edit function.

but briefly OP, you shouldn’t be suffering hot flushes and your oestrogen sounds too low.

would you be willing to share your regime?

I’m a believer in replacing everything menopause takes from us. I understand caution about very high doses but they’re don’t achieve blood levels that are high compared with those of our youth.

PM sending.

I have and didn’t have a great experience. It felt like a rote response and prescription. I ended up with oestrogen (fine) progesterone even though I said I don’t tolerate that well. I lasted three months on it. Stopped because for the progesterone days I felt terrible. I didn’t feel that it was tailored or took me into account at all.

I have had really positive experiences with the Newson Clinic. I see Sian Rees who is a menopause nurse and is excellent. I saw her (online) when I had been on HRT for while and felt it could be improved. I was also interested in trying testosterone.

Sian reviewed all my medication and wrote to my GP who then prescribed what she recommended. I also started testosterone privately. Newson clinic said I would need blood tests after 6 months on testosterone and my GP agreed to do them. Newson then reviewed the results. I think
i paid £300 for the initial appointment and about £165 for an annual review.

Apart from testosterone, all my HRT is prescribed by my NHS GP. My GP would also prescribe testogel but I prefer Androfeme which a testosterone cream formulated for women. At the moment this is only available on private prescription.

HTH. Feel free to PM me.

I'm a big fan of the Newson Clinic & Louise Newson and am just about to revisit. They will write a letter to your GP which your GP may or may not be on board with.

I also need a bigger Oestrogen dose than Evoral 100. I had been thriving on my 'bigger' done for 3 years. Came off my anxiety meds too. Had to move GP surgery & my life has been made a misery since - they have halved my dose & all my symptoms (and new ones) are back. Local menopause clinic were no better.

So am going back to Newson Clinic. You can get HRT via a private prescription through them if your GP is unhelpful.

Take a look at the GP Bios on their website to see if someone in particular stands out to you. This will be the 5th appointment I have had.

I went to newson clinic. Then my gp prescribes what Newson drs prescribed initially. V happy.

Yes, both me and my partner have used them and found them to be fantastic.

Another option would be the BUPA menopause plan. You don't need to be a member of BUPA. £290 (ish) for an initial 45 Mon consultation, then a 30 min follow up. I have also paid extra for a couple of additional consultations (all over video and with the same doctor).
I cannot praise it enough. Feeling great on my prescribed HRT ,and the GP wrote to my doctor to ask them to continue the prescription on the NHS, which they agreed to without any questions.
I have also been prescribed testosterone through the service, but have been too scared to use it yet (well, used it once and felt my libido immediately improved, which I'm assuming must be placebo effect!!)
Honestly, a great service. I have felt listened to and in very safe hand. Evorel 75 patches, 100mg micronised progesterone each night (fat better for me than twice as much for 12 days of cycle), and the pop. I feel like a different person.

I have used My Menopause Centre and had consultations with three of their doctors via zoom. They are very good, and even if you don't use them, their advice pages are excellent.

www.mymenopausecentre.com/menopause-landing-page/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23998853669&gbraid=0AAAAABZwzrsFqhMnkO7Sj4iVI0b5TNwND&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuqjbyb3ulQMV-6RQBh2vXSCgEAAYASAAEgJCa_D_BwE

I have read the BMS guidelines and they adhere to them closely, so they may be more cautious than you are hoping for if perhaps you want more oestrogen (as I gather Newsome will prescribe).

They are open to problem solving beyond what GPs seem to - for instance I get the impression GPs only want to prescribe Utrogestan or Mirena - I did not get on at all well with Utrogestan (oral or vaginal) - it made me very anxious. I am going to try for a Mirena insertion with my local women's health clinic - 3 months wait - but for now I am on Noriday (mini-pill) 3X day

I had no problem obtaining testosterone (chose Testogel because GP will prescribe) from them but first had to switch from Kliofem (oral combined HRT) to oestrogen plus prog.as you need to be settled on a well-absorbed dose of oestrogen to make testosterone worthwhile (otherwise the testosterone gets converted to oestrogen).

My GP has taken over all prescriptions.

I really sympathise with you. It seems many things have never been sorted on HRT.

It is terrible that vaginal oestrogen is not routinely mentioned by GP's - my vaginal atrophy came on slowly (despite being on oral HRT), then very fast until I was in great discomfort - I now use Vagifem 4 x week and - top tip- estriol topical cream rubbed on the clitoris stops it disappearing (!)

I believe that magnesium bisglycinate helped with my anxiety during sleep and especially on waking.

The clinics set up by Dr Newson are all over the country now but many of the doctors there are GPs and have a variety of experience. I have no personal experience of them but have had private menopause treatment for many years.

One thing I'd suggest you check with the Newson clinics is how much is charged for reviews, repeat prescriptions, any tests etc as they can be pricy. Many of their fees are 'consultant level' but they doctors are not always consultants. There are so many doctors working for them now that it would be very difficult to choose one over the other.

My consultant is very 'hands off' with tests and only does anything that is absolutely necessary and this does not include routine blood tests.

If you could find a consultant who doesn't belong to a large organisation (like Newson clinics are) you might get a more personal service.

Have you looked at the BMS specialist list or researched menopause specialists in your area? Worth doing first.