Cardiff Menopause clinic

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Cardiff Menopause clinic For all your perimenopause / menopause needs

First line: CBT should be routinely considered for severe PMS — this has strong (Grade A) evidence, it’s not just a fall...
18/10/2026

First line: CBT should be routinely considered for severe PMS — this has strong (Grade A) evidence, it’s not just a fallback option. Certain combined pills containing a specific type of progestogen are also a genuine first-line pharmaceutical choice.

SSRIs: these are a first-line treatment for severe PMS in their own right — not just for mood disorders. They can be taken continuously or only in the two weeks before your period.
Second line: oestrogen patches combined with micronised progesterone can be highly effective by suppressing ovulation. The Mirena coil can be used alongside this to protect the womb lining.

What doesn’t work: progesterone or progestogens used alone are not an effective treatment for PMS — the evidence is clear on this.

Severe cases: GnRH analogues can be highly effective when other options haven’t worked. Surgery — removing the ovaries — is reserved as a genuine last resort.

Missed Part 1? Check my previous post for what PMS and PMDD actually are, and how they’re diagnosed.

Book a consultation at cardiffmenopauseclinic.co.uk

13/10/2026

Is it ever too late to start HRT?
Age alone doesn’t determine whether you can start HRT. Your symptoms, medical history and time since menopause all matter
One clinical nuance worth retaining: the under-60/within-10-years guidance is a favourable benefit–risk window, not an absolute cut-off. Starting after that may still be appropriate following individual assessment.

09/10/2026

Does HRT increase your risk of blood clots? 🩸

Not all HRT carries the same risk!

Oral oestrogen increases the risk of blood clots, but transdermal oestrogen — patches, gels and sprays — is not associated with an increased risk at standard doses.

And here’s something many women don’t realise: even if you’ve had a previous blood clot or have thrombophilia, transdermal HRT may still be an option, following an individual risk assessment.

The route of oestrogen matters!

Did you know this?

PMS affects around 4 in 10 women — and for 5 to 8%, it’s severe enough to disrupt daily life, work and relationships. 💙I...
06/10/2026

PMS affects around 4 in 10 women — and for 5 to 8%, it’s severe enough to disrupt daily life, work and relationships. 💙

It’s not the type of symptom that defines PMS — it’s the timing. Low mood, anxiety, irritability, bloating, breast tenderness — all of these can be PMS if they follow a clear cyclical pattern and ease once your period starts.

There’s no blood test for it. The proper way to diagnose PMS is a symptom diary over at least two full cycles — because retrospective memory of symptoms isn’t reliable.

And then there’s PMDD — Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. This is a distinct, more severe diagnosis requiring at least 5 of 11 specific symptoms, with mood disturbance being one of them, severe enough to disrupt daily functioning. It’s not just “bad PMS” — it’s recognised as its own condition.

PMS also isn’t always the same — there are variant types too, including symptoms without periods or symptoms triggered by hormonal treatment itself.

Part 2 is coming soon — how PMS and PMDD are actually treated.

Book a consultation at cardiffmenopauseclinic.co.uk

04/10/2026

Menopause: TRUE or FALSE? 🤔

Some of these might surprise you!

How many did you get right? đź‘€
And which one caught you out?

30/09/2026

Rapid-fire menopause Q&A !

The daughter is back — and this time she’s firing the questions at me!

Can you take HRT while you’re still having periods?
Do you need blood tests before starting HRT?
Can you use vaginal oestrogen as well as HRT?
And how do you know if your HRT dose is right?

Quick questions. Straight answers.

What should she ask me next?

A lovely bit of news for Cardiff Menopause Clinic 💕We’ve been nominated for the Health Champion Award at the Mastering D...
28/09/2026

A lovely bit of news for Cardiff Menopause Clinic đź’•

We’ve been nominated for the Health Champion Award at the Mastering Diversity Awards 2026, being held at the Senedd in November.

I’m particularly pleased because so much of what we do is about making specialist menopause and women’s healthcare more accessible, joined-up and responsive to women’s individual needs.

Thank you to whoever put us forward — it really does mean a lot. ❤️

26/09/2026

Menopause hair loss — what can you actually do about it? 💇‍♀️

Not all hair thinning is caused by menopause — and the right treatment depends on the cause.

There are evidence-based treatments for some types of hair loss.

What have you tried — and did it work?

21/09/2026

menopause making your hair thinner? 💇‍♀️

Not all hair loss during perimenopause and menopause is the same.

A gradually widening parting may suggest female-pattern hair loss, while sudden, increased shedding may be telogen effluvium — and sometimes you can have both.

The first step is working out what type of hair loss you have, because that affects what you do next.

Have you noticed gradual thinning or sudden shedding?

The details that make all the difference. 💙Vaginal oestrogen matters too. If you’re being treated for low s*xual desire,...
11/09/2026

The details that make all the difference. đź’™

Vaginal oestrogen matters too. If you’re being treated for low s*xual desire, the vaginal tissues need to be properly oestrogenised as well. Without this, dryness and pain during s*x can undermine everything else. It’s safe, local, and works alongside testosterone.

How long before it works? Give it 3 to 6 months before judging whether it’s helping. After that, there should be an annual review weighing up the benefits and risks — just like with any hormone therapy.

Good news on UK licensing. AndroFeme, the cream designed specifically for women, has now been granted full UK marketing authorisation — pending a pump pack becoming available, hoped for later this year. It’s already licensed in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Your GP can prescribe it. The British Menopause Society is clear that prescribing and monitoring testosterone should be feasible in primary care. You shouldn’t have to fight for this.

Missed Part 1? Check my previous post for the products available, how to apply it, and side effects.

Book a consultation at cardiffmenopauseclinic.co.uk

General information only — not personal medical advice. Source: BMS Tool for Clinicians, May 2026.

Address

Cyncoed Consulting Rooms
Cardiff
CF238SQ

Opening Hours

Thursday 6pm - 8pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+442920764611

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