HRT and more…
The amount of information online about HRT and menopause in general can be pretty overwhelming - so thank goodness for the kind of solid, evidence-based expertise you can trust, from two brilliant BMS-accredited experts, Dr Katie Barber from Oxford Menopause, and our own clinical lead, Dr Beth Thomas. Listen below to their podcast episodes on a range of related topics, including testosterone, HRT risks and benefits, mythbusting and more…
In this episode, our own Dr Beth Thomas talks about how best to talk to your GP (and what to do if you feel that you're not getting anywhere); the different types of HRT and risks vs protective benefits (especially regarding breast cancer); the difference between body identical and bio identical HRT; how to assess your osteoporosis risk; how and why your GP might prescribe testosterone; and why hormone testing is not helpful if you are over 45. We also talk about the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in perimenopause.
In this episode, Dr Katie Barber of Oxford Menopause talks to us about common myths and misconceptions surrounding perimenopause, menopause, and HRT. These include: being told we're 'too young' to be in perimenopause, that we can't be in perimenopause because we 'still have periods' or 'the blood tests seem fine'...we also cover understanding relative risks (eg for breast cancer), why testosterone is generally prescribed in addition to HRT and not on its own (and why it's such an important hormone for women), as well as what to expect if you decide to stop taking HRT later in life, (and why you might want to stay on it for longer than you might think).
In this episode our clinical lead Dr Beth Thomas talks us through the latest research and developments that were presented at the 2023 British Menopause Society conference, including: Veozah – the new class of drug for vasomotor symptoms for those who can’t take HRT; why rates of endometrial cancer have greatly increased over the last decade; the ‘Rule of 20’ for addressing weight gain in menopause; fascinating facts about our gut microbiome and why this is the next big thing; ethnic differences in menopause symptoms, onset, and access to care; female-specific risk factors for increased risk of cardiovascular disease; how to deal with sleep disturbance – and why you should care about ‘WASO.’ And last, but by no means least, tune in to find out about ‘Beth’s Rule’ and why we might all want to Be More Beth!
In this packed episode with Dr Katie Barber we do a deep dive on everything you might want to know about testosterone including: what being prescribed ‘off license’ actually means; why there are no products in the UK designed for use by women and whether that is that likely to change; why testosterone is only licensed to treat low libido; why doctors don’t prescribe testosterone on its own without systemic HRT; the three products available in the UK on the NHS; why low libido is a multifactorial issue and why that is important; what blood tests and checks are routinely carried out before and after prescribing; future research planned to look at testosterone use for other symptoms; what to do if your GP is reluctant to prescribe testosterone.
In this episode from late 2023, Dr Katie Barber came back to help us understand more about the NICE guidelines for menopause and unpack some of the media interest in CBT for menopause. Katie explains what the NICE guidelines actually are, for anyone who isn’t familiar with them; that CBT isn’t a ‘new’ addition to the guidelines, and can be a part of a ‘toolkit’ of options, including for those who can’t take HRT; the need for more research in several areas, including those on gender-affirming hormone treatment and HRT, breast cancer patients, and outcomes for ethnic minority groups; the overarching need for informed choice – as always – with both the benefits of HRT being clearly articulated as well as the risks.