Wellness for women with Dr Sarah Callaghan

It’s great to see the ongoing interest in all things related to Women’s Health.

Having the right information allows you to know when you need to talk to a doctor.

Some interesting questions this week.

Keep them coming to [email protected]

Dear Dr Sarah,

I have not been feeling well since the beginning of Covid. I am 44 years old and have been feeling stressed, irritable, not sleeping well and my periods have got heavier.

Things have been really hard at home with money worries and trying to keep everyone safe from Covid. I have been hearing this talk about perimenopause.

I am not sure whether it could be part of my problem or whether I am just stressed or maybe it is my anxiety that I had in the past flaring up again.

Is it worth talking to a doctor or should I just wait for things to settle down a bit?

Shauna

Dear Shauna,

It has been a really challenging time for many people over the past 15 months.

It can be so hard to separate out what is causing what.

But it is important to do this because you do not want to waste time feeling unwell if there are supports available.

A doctor with an interest in Women’s Health should be able to go through your history and look at the whole picture for you and assess whether this is stress/burnout, anxiety disorder or perimenopause related.

Each of these problems need different treatments so it is important to accurately figure out where the issue is. Particularly it is important not to miss perimenopause symptoms which can really affect your quality of life.

Sarah

Hi Dr Sarah,

I started on HRT with my doctor a few years ago when I was 52. I took a tablet for about a year as I am having really bad flushes and not sleeping but it did not really help so I stopped it.

I am now almost 55 and still having these problems but also joint pains and vaginal dryness and I have no interest in sex anymore.

Is there any point in talking about HRT again or did it just not work for me?
Tanya

Hi Tanya,
I am sorry you are feeling so rough. It is definitely worth talking to a doctor again.

HRT in tablet form may not suit everyone. The dose could have been too low for you.

There can be other problems if you do not absorb the tablet from your gut properly, which happens for some women.

HRT is an individualised treatment plan. It is not a one size fits all.

So, it needs careful follow-up after you start it to figure out if there are any ongoing issues and if so to adjust the treatment to allow it to work well for you.

I would urge you not to give up but go back and talk to your doctor about the problems.

It should be possible to treat these symptoms and get you feeling much better.

Good luck!

Sarah

For more resources on menopause issues visit: www.completewomenshealth.ie 

If you have a question for Dr Sarah email [email protected].