We are delighted to share that Consultant Gynaecologist Mrs Nadia Soliman has recently been reaccredited by the British Menopause Society (BMS) as a registered British Menopause Society Menopause Specialist, and that Haven Medical has also been recognised as a registered Menopause Clinic.
Accreditation by the British Menopause Society is a recognised mark of clinical excellence.
Mrs. Soliman’s reaccreditation shows her commitment to ensuring her expertise and skills in menopause care are kept fully up to date, ensuring her patients receive treatment guided by the latest evidence and best practices, and reflects her ability to manage both routine and more complex menopause cases.
What is the Menopause?
The menopause marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles, usually occurring between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average being 51 years of age. Around 1 in 100 women will go into menopause ‘prematurely’ – before the age of 40.
The menopause is caused by a decline in hormone levels, particularly oestrogen, and can bring symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, and sleep disturbances. 80% of women will experience symptoms to some degree, with around ¼ reporting severe symptoms.
Menopause Symptoms
Symptoms come on during the perimenopause stage (on average lasting 4 years) and can last on average for 4 years after periods stop, meaning that many women can expect around 8 years of symptoms caused by the menopause. For some, these symptoms will be annoying, but manageable, for others the symptoms can be severe – impacting on many areas of a woman’s life.
- Ability to work – 70% of women in their 50s / 60s still work, but 67% say the menopause has had a significant negative impact on their ability to work and many say they have struggled to get career progression.
- Carry our daily activities – joint pain, hot flushes, lack of sleep and brain fog can all mean daily life becomes much harder for some menopausal women
- Physical health – Osteoporosis, high blood pressure, abdominal fat, high cholesterol, risk of stroke and heart disease all raise for menopausal women
- Mental health – Women are most at risk of suicide between the ages of 50 and 54, and research has shown that women are 40% more likely to develop depression during the menopause, than in premenopausal women.
Treatment for Menopausal Symptoms
We know that menopausal symptoms can last for around 10% of a woman’s lifetime, and can have detrimental impacts on all aspects of a woman’s life. But what can be done about it?
HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is a well known treatment, where patches, pills, gels, pessaries and sprays are used to balance hormones during the menopause. Getting the right level of hormones can be trial and error and doses may need changing over time, as the bodies natural levels change.
It is vital that aspects of a woman’s health, such as history of breast cancer, are taken into consideration to ensure that the safest treatment route is found.
Key Hormones Used In HRT
- Oestrogen – needed for bone health, heart health and mood.
During menopause, levels drop resulting in hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, anxiety, depression, increased risk of osteoporosis, tiredness and brain fog. - Progesterone – balances out oestrogen effects
During menopause, levels drops resulting in irregular periods, difficulty staying asleep, irritability, bloating, breast tenderness - Testosterone – libido, muscle mass, mood and energy levels
During menopause, many women report a reduced sex drive, fatigue, decreased muscle mass and depression.
Other hormones can be affected by the menopause, including the thyroid, which is why regular full blood panels and specialist treatment are recommended.
Appointments with Mrs Nadia Soliman are available, often within a few days, at Haven Medical. We are able to offer a full range of blood panels, diagnostic tests and as well as other gynaecological services, for instance prolapse treatment and hysteroscopy.
Read more about our gynaecological services here or call us on 01202 110303 to discuss further.
