Menopause is one of the most significant physiological transitions a woman will go through — and one of the most poorly supported by conventional healthcare. The average woman waits over two years for an accurate diagnosis. Many are told their symptoms are anxiety, depression, or simply ageing. They’re often not.
What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the transitional phase before periods stop, typically beginning in the early to mid-40s, though it can start earlier. Oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone begin to fluctuate and decline — triggering a wide range of symptoms that extend far beyond hot flushes. Brain fog, disrupted sleep, joint pain, mood changes, low libido, weight shifts, heart palpitations, and anxiety are all common and all hormonal. Perimenopause can last anywhere from two to twelve years.
Menopause itself is defined as twelve consecutive months without a period. What follows — the postmenopausal years — carries its own long-term health considerations, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and metabolic changes.
What can actually help?
HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) is the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms and has been significantly rehabilitated in the evidence base since earlier concerns. For most healthy women under 60, the benefits outweigh the risks. Lifestyle medicine; nutrition, movement, sleep, stress — is also central to managing this transition well, not as an alternative to HRT but as a complementary approach.
Getting support from a practitioner who specialises in this area, rather than a generalist appointment, makes a meaningful difference.
Work with a menopause specialist through YoYu
Dr Lwin Mar Than — GP, British Menopause Society-registered Menopause Specialist, and Registered Lifestyle Physician offering consultations, coaching, and events for women 40+. London, online and in person.https://yoyu.life/providers/lwin-mar-than/
Dr Francesca Testa — NHS doctor and Registered Associate Nutritionist with specialist experience in women’s hormonal health, PCOS, cycle irregularities, and cardiometabolic health across the lifespan. London, online and in person.https://yoyu.life/providers/dr-francesca-testa/
Both practitioners are verified through the YoYu platform.
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