Frequently Asked Questions

Perimenopause is the time leading up to the menopause.

During perimenopause hormone levels start to fluctuate. This can last many years, and may begin in your late 30s/early 40s (or earlier in some cases).

Possible symptoms include changes to your periods, hot flushes or night sweats, brain fog, irritability, sleep disturbances, urinary symptoms, vaginal dryness or irritation, mood swings or weight gain. These symptoms may be intermittent, become worse at certain times of your menstrual cycle, or be there for a while and then settle, before recurring. The variability occurs due to the fluctuating hormone levels.

Read our perimenopause guide.

The menopause is considered to have occurred when you have had 12 months without a period (when you are not taking an oral contraceptive, and have no hormone releasing coil in place). In women using contraception, or with a hormone coil in place, we often do not know when someone becomes menopausal, but it becomes increasingly likely as women approach their mid 50s. The average age of menopause within the UK is around the age of 51. A normal age range for menopause is between 45 and 55, but some women will be earlier, and some a little later.

We provide personalised, bespoke perimenopause and menopause care, with highly experienced menopause specialist doctors, who are here to support you along your treatment journey.

We are specialists in more complex menopause care, and can support women with medical or family histories that have made accessing menopause treatment more difficult.

We are trained in lifestyle medicine as well as menopause care. We use both to fully optimise your symptoms and improve your future health and longevity.

In our experience, the best outcomes for women include advice on aspects of your lifestyle which you wish to improve, as well as HRT treatment (if this is something you wish to consider).

To really improve your current health and wellbeing, and future longevity, we therefore take a comprehensive, holistic approach.

We may explore aspects of your sleep, nutrition, movement, relationships, stress and mental wellbeing – whatever feels most important to you. We are both trained in lifestyle medicine, to provide you with specialist support for these aspects of your wellbeing. 

Lifestyle medicine helps address the root cause of many common symptoms and supports overall wellbeing. When we improve our diet, activity levels, sleep better and manage stress we can also reduce hot flushes, improve our mood, support weight loss and protect our future bone and heart health. We work with you, to address areas of concern to you, and discuss evidence-based strategies to improve your symptoms via lifestyle.

Lifestyle medicine changes can improve symptoms and your long term health.

Some women chose this alone, while others combine it with HRT or other prescribed medications or supplements.

We create a personalised plan that works for you, and can be adjusted over time.

Not always. HRT can be highly effective for menopause and perimenopause symptoms, but is not your only option. We will discuss your medical history, personal preferences, the symptoms you wish to address and help you decide which treatment options are right for you.

Yes we are registered menopause specialists, and can support all women with their menopause symptoms, and advise on their symptoms, and ways to improve their future health.

You may wish to read our guide on Menopause after Breast Cancer.

Yes we are registered menopause specialists, and can support all women with their menopause symptoms, and advise on their symptoms, and ways to improve their future health

Yes we are registered menopause specialists, and can support all women with their menopause symptoms, and advise on their symptoms, and ways to improve their future health.

You will need to confirm with your insurer if menopause treatment is covered. We are not registered with any private health insurers.

We recommend that your GP is kept informed about all your medical treatment. In the NHS they hold your full treatment record, which helps improve the safety of your medical treatment.

We need your consent to contact your GP about your treatment, and will ask you to provide us with the GP surgery NHS secure email address if you are happy for us to contact them. You will often need to ask them for this, explaining what this is for.

With your permission, we will then send your GP a copy of your clinic letter, outlining your treatment plan and a summary of your consultation. Some women prefer to see their clinic letter before it is sent to their GP. Please do let us know during your appointment if you wish to do this.

We aim to be inclusive and sensitive to the diverse needs of individuals experiencing menopause. Please email us on hello@lemalahealth.co.uk so we can ensure our expertise is suitable to help you.