APPOINTMENT BOOKED, MIND BLANK
Appointment booked and your mind goes blank?
Here's a tick-list of what to jot down and bring, so nothing slips your mind.
TICK: YOUR SYMPTOMS
Jot down what you notice
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Changes in memory or focus
- The NHS says symptoms usually last 7 to 9 years, sometimes longer, and can change during that time
TICK: YOUR PERIODS
Note any change in your cycle
- Periods coming closer together or further apart
- Bleeding that's heavier or lighter than before
- The NHS says a change in periods is usually one of the first signs of perimenopause
TICK: HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION
Note any hormonal contraception or treatments
- Hormonal contraception, such as the pill, coil, implant or injection: write down which one
- The NHS says hormonal contraception affects your periods, which can blur where you are in the transition
- NICE says menopause can be hard to spot if you take hormonal treatments, such as for heavy bleeding
TICK: YOUR HEALTH HISTORY
Bring personal and family history
NICE counts both your own history and your family's, for example of breast cancer. The NHS says the pros and cons of HRT depend on your age, symptoms and risk factors.
Bring this to your appointment
Questions for your doctor
- What are my options, and the benefits and risks of each?
- If HRT comes up, how long might I use it, and when do we review it?
- My symptoms keep shifting. What should I keep tracking?
As slides
Sources
- NHS: www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/symptoms/
- NICE (UK) NG23, Menopause: identification and management: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations
- NHS: www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/benefits-and-risk
General information, not medical advice.