No its not. Adding to our more sluggish metabolism in midlife is the fact that around the menopause women become less sensitive to the energy storage hormone (insulin). This changes the way we handle glucose in the body and causes more energy to be stored as fat. This fat is mostly stored around the middle (hence the term ‘middle aged spread’) which unfortunately is the type of weight gain that is most associated with developing high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease. Fat around the middle also contributes to insulin resistance and insulin resistance itself can make it more difficult to lose weight so you can see how a vicious cycle may ensue. HRT can partly help to reverse this process and there are changes that can be made to diet that can help to improve our metabolic profile and increase overall metabolism.

FAQs Archive - Page 8 of 9 - Chelvey Menopause

Q: If I need to take HRT at a younger age does that mean my risk increases over time more than someone who starts HRT at the natural age of the menopause?

No- if you have premature ovarian insufficiency or early menopause we are simply replacing hormones that you have lost too early. We only start counting ‘years on HRT’ from the age of the natural menopause, around age 51. The ‘extra’ years on HRT if you have had to start it at a younger age are not thought to incur a cumulative risk of breast cancer.

Q: What if I have a Family history of breast cancer?

Many women will have a relative who has had breast cancer because it is a relatively common cancer. It depends on the strength of the family history of certain cancers. For the majority of women with a family history of breast cancer this will not change their background risk of developing breast cancer by much and taking HRT is unlikely to contribute to that risk much either. In these women (the majority) the benefits of taking HRT are likely to outweigh the risks. Women with multiple family members or close family members who had breast cancer at a young age may require advice from the genetics team before they take

Q: Does using vaginal oestrogen increase my risk of breast cancer?

No - vaginal oestrogen in thought to be very safe even for long term use as only a very small amount is absorbed around the body.

Q: Will HRT make me gain weight?

It is a common concern of women that HRT will make them gain weight but there is no evidence that HRT leads to weight gain. In fact HRT can have a positive impact on weight and metabolism. A small number of women will experience fluid retention which may be seen as weight gain but this often settles within 4-6 weeks.

Q: Why do women gain weight around the menopause?

Basal metabolic weight decreases as we get older- so every calorie we eat will be a little bit harder to burn off. Unfortunately this means that unless we eat less or move more we are likely to gain weight at this time.

Q: Is there anything I need to do before my appointment?

Once you have booked an appointment you will be sent an email with a link to complete your pre-consultation questionnaire. We ask patients to have a recent blood pressure, weight and height ready for their appointment, without this information we may not be able to prescribe certain medications. If you have any other medical problems, then a list of these is very helpful. You can ask your GP to print out a summary of your NHS health record. If you have had recent bloods done, then please share a copy of these with us via your patient portal. This will avoid unnecessary repeats and cost.

Q: Can I use my health insurance to pay for my appointment?

Unfortunately, menopause care is not covered by private health insurance.

Q: How do I pay for my appointment?

You will be asked for card details at the time of booking.

Q: Do I need a referral from my GP?

[fusion_builder_container type="flex" hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="true" min_height="" hover_type="none" link="" border_sizes_top="" border_sizes_bottom="" border_sizes_left="" border_sizes_right="" first="true"][fusion_text] No, you can self-refer to see one of our doctors. All you need to do is book an appointment using the link below. [/fusion_text][fusion_global id="2303"][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

If I need to take HRT at a younger age does that mean my risk increases over time more than someone who starts HRT at the natural age of the menopause?

By menopause matters|2022-11-28T21:59:06+00:00November 28, 2022|Breast Cancer|

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