A Welsh doctor has launched a new menopause consultancy business in a bid to offer care and support to women going through the menopause and perimenopause. Dr Jayne Forrester-Paton has started Your Menopause Doctor, a consultancy business with two clinics in Cardiff and Penarth, with the aim of increasing women's access to advice and treatment for menopausal symptoms where there is often a lack of support.
The business offers face-to-face and over-the-phone consultations to women without the need for a referral, with an initial consultation costing £250 and a follow-up at £150. The consultation fee includes any prescriptions with some women only needing one appointment and potentially a follow-up after three months.
A trained GP and co-founder of the Wales Menopause Network, Dr Forrester-Paton believes the lack of awareness, education and funding for menopause care has led to women struggling with often debilitating symptoms, getting misdiagnosed and incorrectly refused appropriate treatment.
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She said: “Unfortunately, women can struggle to access accurate advice, support and treatment when they need it most. There can be a lack of recognition of the symptoms of the menopause and a fear of prescribing HRT. Too often, women are misdiagnosed or refused treatment for the wrong reasons.”
“Part of this is a lack of education and awareness about the menopause and its impact on women. There isn’t enough recognition of the wide range of menopausal symptoms. A woman can experience everything from hot flushes and night sweats to weight gain, vaginal dryness, anxiety, brain fog, low mood, and even suicidal thoughts. Everyone’s experience will be different and the symptoms can creep up gradually and it can take time to recognise what is happening.”
She added: “Too often, women are offered anti-depressants which won’t treat the route cause, or they may have many appointments about their symptoms without getting the answers they need. Some women are told they are too young to be in the perimenopause or too old or their medical history too complex to have treatment.
“In some cases, HRT may have been prescribed but it might be the wrong dosage or type for that individual. We need to do things better. When a woman has the right support, evidence-based information and advice specific to them, it can be transformational.”
Dr Forrester-Paton took on additional menopause training and set up an NHS menopause service to combat the lack of care. However, despite its popularity with patients, the service was ended due to a lack of ongoing funding.
She now works for the menopause service at the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board alongside running the private clinics.
Though the new private service has only recently launched, Dr Forrester-Paton is already seeing 16 women a week for menopause support.
She said: “Everyone should have access to NHS menopause care but, in its absence, there needs to be someone to go to for help and advice. There is a huge need for menopause support and I felt compelled to address this and help people who have not been listened to or who aren’t being taken seriously. As a professional and a woman, I want a better deal for women.”
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