When it comes to perimenopause and menopause, if you are one of the millions of women who is misunderstood, misdiagnosed or sometimes simply dismissed by your GP, then the fact that it’s a hot topic on BBC Breakfast, isn’t much comfort.
For all the news headlines, support is still distinctly lacking and even now it can be a struggle to
get the proper care you need to help manage your symptoms.
If you've always thought that private menopause care is too expensive, you may be interested to find out more about The Latte Lounge Plus and Stella, the online menopause clinic.
RELATED ARTICLE: The 34 symptoms of perimenopause and menopause
GPs are massively overstretched as well as many being under-trained when it comes to menopause.
A survey by Stella revealed that a staggering 90 per cent of UK women say they don’t get the menopause relief they need from their doctor.
With ‘blink-and-you-miss-it’ appointment times, it can be difficult for doctors to identify specific symptoms as being menopause-related or for them to have the opportunity to put a myriad of symptoms together as having the same root cause.
Women may also doubt themselves and trust their well-meaning GPs, some of whom have little to no experience of the challenges of this time of life.
As a result, people are so often being dismissed by their GPs, prescribed incorrectly, and left unsupported.
Although there are plans to improve menopause education and training for GPs, that doesn’t help the millions of women who need help now. In short, the system is broken.
In a cruel twist, a dip in confidence often happens during menopause and yet exactly that lack of
self-belief could be what prevents many women from getting the help they need.
We tell ourselves, ‘It’s just a phase’, ‘I’m getting older’ or ‘My child/partner/parents’ needs are greater than mine.’
As a result, women don’t prioritise themselves and struggle along, feeling awful and putting their long-term health at risk too.
While there is so much focus on symptoms like hot flushes, women may not realise that their
heart palpitations, dry eyes or irritability could be down to menopause too.
Stella’s research showed that hot flushes don’t even make the top 5 on the list of symptoms. Instead, what troubles women most is:
Dr Google can only tell us so much and, as everyone’s experience of menopause is different, it can be hard to wade through all the information to find what’s trustworthy as well as relevant to you. You want to know that the information you’re getting can be trusted and is based on scientific evidence, not just hearsay.
Menopause affects families. If one member is struggling, this will of course impact others and put a strain on relationships.
Your partner may struggle to recognise that things like low libido could be a symptom of menopause, and not be a reflection of your feelings for them. Night sweats, low self-esteem and irritability are not exactly aphrodisiacs.
All these things are going to affect how you interact so it’s important to get your partner on board and let them know how they can help you.
For many families, menopause also coincides with teenagers in the house and the double whammy of hormonal fluctuations can cause explosive arguments and dramatic fallouts. Making sure everyone understands what’s happening and knows how to support you is crucial for at least a semblance of family harmony.
And it’s not just at home. Businesses are also slowly waking up to the economic implications of women leaving the workplace as a result of menopause.
Employers are losing experienced staff, often those with institutional knowledge. Not only are the costs of recruitment and training vast but their senior gender diversity is likely impacted. And it’s all preventable.
The Latte Lounge Plus online menopause clinic, powered by Stella was created because of all the reasons above. It’s not right that you are not getting the care you need, that you are struggling physically and emotionally, that your relationships are put under strain, that you end up leaving work before you’re ready.
There’s a lack of credible evidence-based information out there, for both lifestyle changes and treatment options. So we wanted to give you a better option.
Our lives have become ever more digital. We order our shopping online, check the weather on our phones, listen to podcasts, keep up to date on family events on WhatsApp, book tickets through an app - it’s so convenient to have everything in one place and know that the answers to any questions you have are one click away.
Why should your menopause care be any different?
The Latte Lounge Plus and Stella is that missing link. Menopause is complex and everyone’s experience and severity is different. The Latte Lounge Plus and Stella is an all-encompassing online menopause clinic providing you with a tailored lifestyle plan as well as access to treatment options such as HRT if you’re eligible. It’s all based on what you tell us about your symptoms, your family history and your health.
And they have a team of clinicians and menopause experts on hand to look after you, support you and get you back to feeling more like you again.
All you need to do is make yourself a cup of tea, answer some questions online in the free assessment and they'll give you a detailed assessment of your symptoms with a choice of options.
If HRT is right for you, your prescription will arrive at your door within 3-5 days. And if you would like to speak to a doctor, you can do that online too.
As you’re probably aware, an appointment at a private menopause care clinic is expensive - estimated to be around £250 for your first consultation.
And that’s before your treatments, ongoing support, check-in reviews etc. More than ever people are having to watch their outgoings closely.
The Latte Lounge Plus and Stella package comes in at £45 a month (for a three-month period) and gives you:
The fact that menopause is making the headlines is great news, but it can also make it difficult to cut through the noise and find what really works.
The Latte Lounge together with Stella believe that you deserve options, that however you choose to manage your symptoms, should be tailored to your specific symptoms, and that it should be flexible to adapt to changes. Menopause is not a linear journey as you’re probably well aware!
If you’ve been struggling with your symptoms why not give The Latte Lounge Plus & Stella a go?
You can get started with a free assessment of your symptoms to begin with:
Get started on The Latte Lounge Plus and Stella.
Find a menopause specialist, download our symptom checker, tips on preparing for your GP visit and so much more.
Speak to the team at The Latte Lounge+ powered by Stella
Speak to us about how we can help you support employees affected by menopause symptoms.
The original home of The Latte Lounge - our private group of more than 25,000 women discussing all things midlife.
