Mumsnet Zoomchat with menopause expert Dr Rebecca Lewis and Davina documentary producer Kate Muir

[AnnaCMumsnet]

Hello

We’re delighted to announce a Mumsnet Zoomchat with Dr Rebecca Lewis, a GP menopause specialist and Kate Muir, the producer of new Channel 4 show Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause. Register now for one of our limited places

As well as being a documentary maker, Kate is writing a revolutionary menopause book out later this year. Both Kate and Dr Lewis are on the executive board of a new menopause charity.

Dr Lewis is an expert on the mental health effects of perimenopause and menopause too. She works for Newson Health.

Newson Health and its founder Louise Newson appears on Kate’s documentary, which aired on Channel 4 yesterday [Wednesday 12th May]. If you’ve missed it you can stream it on All4.

Dr Lewis and Kate will be chatting with Mumsnet HQ and answering your menopause-related questions on Wednesday 19th May at 1pm, and you can book your place now by registering

Please note 1 If you join the Zoom chat, your camera will be turned off by default. Your screen name may be visible if we ask you to read your question out ‘live’, so consider whether you’re happy to use your RL name or want to use your MN posting name, or something else entirely.

Please note 2 We can only take questions from Zoomchat attendees on the night - please don’t use this thread to ask questions in advance as we can’t promise we’ll be able to put them forwards.

Register for free (only 100 places are available) here.

Thanks
MNHQ

Thanks so much for the web chat - it was really very interesting. I'm planning to ring the GP tomorrow to request HRT.

Thank you, the talk was very interesting.

Shame my question wasn't asked but I understand the time constraints.

[quote jennyfromtheblock22]@NurseButtercup you can get testosterone on the NHS. I'm on it. The only issue is it's not licensed for women in the U.K. so will need to be prescribed 'off label'. When I asked for testosterone my excellent GP referred me to our area's menopause clinic and the consultant I saw there wrote to my GP with advice on dosing and when to check testosterone blood levels. I've been on it for the last 3 or 4 years prescribed by my GP. [/quote]
Interesting. However, I live in NI and our only meno clinic is a private one so I would need to pay about £200 for even a phone consultation.

I do think I need testosterone though. Does it help with energy and brain fog? Have been on HRT for nine months, Femoston and now Evorel. Some relief with vm symptoms, tiredness etc but still feel very flat, unmotivated and cognitively zapped. Also have zero confidence, don't want to take exercise, & feel very withdrawn. I have read that HRT can actually make natural testosterone levels plummet further!

I don't really give a damn about libido (zero) but I would take T for the other difficulties. Is it worth paying the private fees do you think?

@junipertree2 that's a shame there's no NHS menopause clinic you can access. It might be worth a chat to your GP anyway in the first instance. My GP didn't have any issue prescribing it for me but she wanted to refer me to a consultant to confirm doses and advice on when to check testosterone blood levels after starting therapy. Maybe your GP will have experience prescribing this or will maybe need able to refer to secondary care that isn't a meno clinic?? Not sure who? An endocrinologist? An gynaecologist? Don't know.
Anyway yes I think it helps me with energy and 'get up an go' but I still have brain fog. My brain fog might have been loads worse without testosterone though so it's difficult to measure I think.
I think it's a real shame more women don't use testosterone at menopause.

Thanks - my GP only prescribed HRT after five months of arguing and with great reluctance, after doing blood tests and discovering I had basement level of oestrogen and sky high FSH he was forced to offer it! I'm 48 and should have been a shoo-in for HRT, so I don't know what younger women have to contend with. God knows what he would be like if I requested testosterone!

@junipertree2 that's not good. I started HRT at 43 (following blood tests) without any problems at all. After the age of 45 blood tests aren't recommended but at least you're on HRT now.

@junipertree2 there is a NHS menopause clinic at the Mater hospital. As far as I know it is regional, so covers all of NI.

Hi @NigellaAwesome I had heard of that one, but I thought it was only for women with very severe problems? I will try my luck asking the GP, but God knows what their waiting list is if they have to see every woman in Belfast and Co Antrim. I think the same consultant who leads it runs a private meno practice in Holywood. Really sick of the sidelining of women's health in NI...