Menopausal Hormone Therapy

Oxford Women’s Health Endocrinologist Anna Fenton recently delivered a presentation about Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) and the options available to women. Below, we share some of the highlights from her talk.

Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) is a useful tool to support women living with the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. These symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, concentration and memory issues, and sleep disturbance, can have a debilitating impact on a woman’s life.

There are many myths still circulating about MHT, many years after most of them were debunked. For example, MHT does not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure in young women starting it at the time of menopause. It doesn’t cause weight gain and it can be used for women with a history of migraines.

Menopause symptoms that are clearly related to estrogen deficiency and improve with MHT include vasomotor symptoms; sleep disturbance; vaginal or genital dryness; recurrent UTIs; sexual dysfunction; joint pain or stiffness; generalised aches and pains; loss of skin thickness and elasticity and reduced muscle mass.

Changes in short-term memory, word memory, and concentration (which are often worst in the 12 months after periods have stopped), as well as weight and body shape changes, are complicated but do improve in many women taking MHT.

If you are considering taking MHT, it’s important you take the time to discuss the impact of your symptoms during an initial consultation with your GP. It is essential that they assess your risk of cardiovascular disease and fractures, by checking cholesterol, blood
 

Anna Fenton

pressure, glucose levels and bone density. This may take more than one visit, but it is important to consider them early on in the discussion.

MHT should not be used if someone has had breast cancer (unless by specialist consult), an unprovoked clotting event, severe active liver disease, undiagnosed bleeding, previous MI or CVA, and/or untreated hypertension. 

If you have had a hysterectomy, only estrogen will be required. However, a combined hormone therapy of estrogen and progestogen should be used if the uterus is still intact, including after endometrial ablation.

If you need to stop taking MHT, discuss this with your GP first, as it is important to taper off the estrogen slowly. A cold turkey approach to stopping estrogen is more likely to cause short term flare ups with hot flashes.

As well as using MHT to manage the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, it is recommended that women try to maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly to help with their sleep and look after their cardiovascular fitness, mental health and bone health.

Introducing our Mindful Physiotherapist

Oxford Women’s Health is pleased to welcome Jo Hopkinson-Haigh to the team as our new Mindful Physiotherapist.

With more than 20 years’ experience as a physiotherapist in both the public and private health sectors, Jo is passionate about incorporating holistic wellbeing techniques into her work.

Trained in the Bradcliffe Breathing Method, and as a qualified contemporary yoga instructor, myofascial release therapist, and acupuncturist, Jo works with clients to help them manage chronic pain, anxiety, and stress.

“I model a lot of my work on the biopsychosocial model, which recognises that pain can also be associated with our mental health, stress levels, beliefs, behaviours, emotions, past traumas, relationships, and support networks,” she says. “All of these things can influence pain.”

Jo receives referrals for women with chronic pain conditions, such as endometriosis and pelvic pain. If someone requires additional support with their mental health or standard physiotherapy, she refers them to another Oxford Women’s Health practitioner.
 

Jo Hopkinson-Haigh

The techniques that Jo teaches are based on the five ways to wellbeing and support patients to be mindful of their thoughts and emotions, breathe well, move regularly, maximise sleep, and build strong social connections.

“It is very rare that a 40-year-old woman who comes in with a sore shoulder just has a sore shoulder,” she says.

“Often, we find they also feel like they’re carrying the world on their shoulders, they’re stressed and not breathing well. When someone is stressed, they are in the fight and flight response and are breathing badly. That then turns up the pain dial.”

Jo is available for appointments at Oxford Women’s Health on Mondays and Thursdays.

Menopause Centre helps meet increasing demand

We are delighted to announce that we have opened a Menopause Centre, under the guidance of Endocrinologist Dr Anna Fenton.

Oxford Women’s Health has firmly established itself as a leader in this specialist area, and the Centre, which is resourced by an experienced team of GPs, is helping us to meet an increasing number of requests for menopause advice and treatment.

Led by Dr Fenton, the team includes Dr Catherine Smart, Dr Lauren Goldschmidt, Dr Jane Scott, and Dr Victoria Price, who are all passionate about women’s health and wellbeing, and have experience working with hormonal conditions. We’ll introduce Dr Scott and Dr Price in our next newsletter.

Dr Fenton regularly meets with the team to discuss patient presentations and provide ongoing training and support. If you would like to make an appointment at the Menopause Centre, please contact our friendly team on 03 379 0555 or speak with your General Practitioner.

Welcome to Dr Lauren Goldschmidt

We welcome General Practitioner Dr Lauren Goldschmidt to our Menopause Centre team.

Dr Goldschmidt completed her medical training at University College London and has experience working in a specialist hormone clinic in the UK.

In 2019, she moved from London to Christchurch where she has been employed as a General Practitioner.

Dr Goldschmidt’s special clinical interests include menopause, perimenopause, contraception, and sexual health. 

If you would like to make an appointment with Dr Goldschmidt,
 

Dr Lauren Goldschmidt

please talk to your GP or contact Oxford Women’s Health directly on 03 379 0555.

New Dietitian joins our team

We are delighted to announce that Dietitian Kate Collins is joining the team to work alongside our existing Dietitian, Sara Widdowson.

Kate is a New Zealand Registered Dietitian and has experience in working with people with chronic pain, menopause issues, diabetes, digestive health concerns and disordered eating.

She has also managed a team of dietitians at a private practice and has presented education sessions to groups across Canterbury. 

Kate’s special clinical interests include pelvic pain, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), thyroid conditions, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), diabetes, and disordered eating.
 

Kate Collins

To make an appointment to see Kate, please contact our friendly team on 03 379 0555.

Shift for Ashburton team

Oxford Women’s Health’s fortnightly Ashburton clinics have shifted from the Oak Grove Consulting Rooms to Eastfield Health at 135 Tancred Street.

We are very grateful to Eastfield Health for providing these rooms at short notice. Our team is now well

established at the new location and seeing patients in the Ashburton District.
 

Team grows in Queenstown

Gynaecologists Janene Brown, Ben Sharp, and Olivia Smart are all currently taking referrals for women to be seen at the Wakatipu Medical Centre, Shotover. 

We are also operating from Southern Cross Central Lakes Hospital.

We will be moving to our new rooms at the Queenstown Centre of Medical Excellence at Kawarau Park in late June.