Helen the Menopause Pharmacist

Helen the Menopause Pharmacist Hi, I'm Helen and I am a clinical pharmacist specialising in menopause care.

14/09/2026

My favourite night of the week!!!

The fundamental principle of co-designed menopause care is simple:

Start with what women need — not with what I think they ought to know or do.

Listen first. Understand. Then work together to find what’s right for them. 💜

DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR 👀We all know someone who “sailed through” menopause.Or perhaps you’ve heard that every...
09/09/2026

DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR 👀

We all know someone who “sailed through” menopause.

Or perhaps you’ve heard that every woman in your family “never really had a problem” with it.

But maybe it’s not quite that simple…

I’ve heard so many stories that sound like this:

“My mum never had any symptoms. She was in great health… well, apart from the mental breakdown she had around 50.”

And that’s the thing.

You don’t know what you don’t know.

If generations before us were only counting hot flushes and night sweats as “menopause symptoms”, of course they thought they were fine.

What about the anxiety?

The palpitations?

The joint aches and pains?

The brain fog and forgetfulness?

The headaches?

The low mood?

The vaginal irritation and dryness?

The sleep problems?

The overwhelming fatigue?

We could go on and on.

So many women were told, or simply assumed, that these things were “just part of getting older”.

They didn’t necessarily know they were experiencing menopause.

And that is through no fault of their own.

So, before you feel like a complete failure because menopause has got a firm grip on you while your friend, your sister or your mum apparently “sailed through”…

Please know this.

You are NOT alone.

And you may actually be more educated and empowered about menopause than the woman who says she sailed through it.

Because knowing what to look for changes everything.

Ask questions.

Keep learning.

Talk about it.

Share what you know.

And pass that knowledge on.

Because that woman who is “sailing through” menopause might not actually be sailing through at all.

She might simply not have connected the dots yet. ❤️

So I want to know…

What symptom did you once think was “just part of getting older” before you realised it could actually be menopause?

Tell me in the comments. You never know who might read your answer and finally realise, “Oh… that’s me too.” ❤️

And if we can help her do that, we’re changing the menopause conversation for the next generation.

04/09/2026

What’s stopping you from accessing menopause care?

I’ve recently started a new menopause service, and I’m absolutely thrilled that so many women have engaged with it.

But here’s the thing…

I’m just as interested in the women who haven’t.

Why?

Because if we really want to innovate in healthcare, we need to understand not just who is using a service, but who isn’t and why.

Is it cost?

Time?

Not knowing where to go?

Previous experiences with healthcare?

Feeling dismissed?

Not feeling that your symptoms are “bad enough”?

Work, family or caring responsibilities?

Or perhaps the service simply isn’t designed in a way that works for you.

There are so many possible barriers, and unless we ask, we’re guessing.

For me, innovation in healthcare isn’t about launching a new service and declaring success because people are using it.

It’s about continually asking:

Who are we reaching?

Who aren’t we reaching?

And what can we change?

So I’d really love to hear from you.

💬 What are the barriers that have stopped you from accessing menopause care?

You can comment below, send me a message, or simply share this with someone who might have a perspective.

Your experience could help us design better care for the women who aren’t being reached yet.

Thank you so much. I value your opinion, your voice is important, YOU matter. 💛

02/09/2026

Perimenopause has taught me that not every trip to the gym is about smashing a workout. 😂

Sometimes the task is simply:

🏃‍♀️ Get on the treadmill
📺 Put Netflix on
🍿 Walk at a respectable pace
😌 Watch an entire episode
✨ Leave feeling like you’ve absolutely nailed your fitness goals

And honestly? That counts.

Because sometimes perimenopause means your energy is nowhere to be found, your sleep has been questionable, your hormones are doing their own thing… and the thought of HIIT feels like a personal attack. 😂

So if getting yourself to the gym means walking on the treadmill while watching your favourite show guilt free, then do it.

Movement doesn’t have to be punishment.

Exercise doesn’t have to be intense.

And your workout doesn’t have to look impressive on Strava to be worthwhile.

Sometimes the win is simply turning up.

And if you happen to binge watch two episodes while getting your steps in…

That’s just multitasking. 😉

Tell me I'm not there only one, right?

This is an absolute MUST READ for your pelvic health. It will change your life 💛 and I recommend following Thrive - Phys...
30/08/2026

This is an absolute MUST READ for your pelvic health. It will change your life 💛 and I recommend following Thrive - Physiotherapy for Women for lots more great info

This one really broke my heart 💔Last night I met a woman in her early 40s who was postmenopausal.And actually, it wasn’t...
28/08/2026

This one really broke my heart 💔

Last night I met a woman in her early 40s who was postmenopausal.

And actually, it wasn’t a huge surprise to her. Her mum had gone through menopause in her early 40s and her grandma even younger.

She’d done everything “right”.

✨ She tracked her symptoms
✨ She changed her lifestyle
✨ She asked questions
✨ She went to see her GP

And what happened?

She was told she shouldn’t have HRT because she’d “have to stay on it until she was 80”.

Instead, she was offered an antidepressant.

Yep. You read that right.

She didn’t take it — because she knew she wasn’t depressed. And she wasn’t even experiencing hot flushes or night sweats.

But the biggest issue, wasn't even the completely inappropriate prescribing and scaremongering (don't get me started).

It was how the whole experience made her FEEL

Unheard.
Unseen.
Dismissed.

And, understandably, she’d lost trust in her GP practice.

So last night, we talked.

I listened.

I answered the questions she’d been left with.

I explained the evidence around early menopause and HRT, and we talked through what *her* options could look like.

Most importantly, I wanted her to know:

You weren’t imagining it. You weren’t being difficult. You deserved to be listened to.

I can’t undo what happened.

And one appointment can’t magically rebuild trust that’s been lost.

But we can start.

Because women deserve better menopause care.

Not being fobbed off.
Not being made to feel like it’s “just part of being a woman”.
And not being handed an antidepressant when what they really need is someone to stop, listen and investigate what’s actually going on.

We have to do better.

And honestly? We CAN do better.

HRT isn’t one medicine. It’s a treatment that can be tailored to you. 💊There are different types of oestrogen, different...
24/08/2026

HRT isn’t one medicine. It’s a treatment that can be tailored to you. 💊

There are different types of oestrogen, different ways to take it, and different options for the progesterone component.

For example:

🌸 Oestrogen patches, gels, sprays — absorbed through the skin
💊 Progesterone — can be taken as a capsule, delivered through a hormonal coil or in a combined patch with oestrogen
🩹 Oestrogen-only HRT — usually an option if you’ve had a hysterectomy
🌿 Local vaginal oestrogen — specifically targets vaginal and urinary symptoms and uses a much lower dose

And you don’t necessarily have to stick with the first option you try!

If your HRT isn’t working for you, that doesn’t mean HRT doesn’t work for you. Sometimes the type, dose or route needs adjusting.

That’s where personalised advice matters.

I'm here to help you understand HRT, not just hand you a prescription. 💛

Tell me what's worked for you....

Always happy to support community groups doing such brilliant work in the space of women’s health. 💜A lovely few hours s...
22/08/2026

Always happy to support community groups doing such brilliant work in the space of women’s health. 💜

A lovely few hours spent with the wonderful women at The Period Place UK, talking all things peri/menopause — how to navigate it, what to expect, and most importantly, how to make sure women feel informed, supported and heard.

A fabulous group of women, great energy and some really thoughtful conversations.

It’s such a privilege to be invited to share something you’re genuinely passionate about.

More conversations like this, please. 🙌

22/08/2026

Thanks to the amazing Dr Nighat Arif for this great explanation as to why it's worth peeing after s*x for women 💛

20/08/2026

Tomorrow I’m travelling to Glasgow to speak to my peers at the Royal College of Pharmacy Scotland conference.

And I have one thing on my agenda: menopause care.

At Great Western Medical Practice, we set up a brand-new service: group menopause consultations.

I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created. But services designed WITH women to meet THEIR needs should be available everywhere

Because every woman deserves to be listened to, supported and have access to timely, evidence-based, up-to-date menopause care — whatever that care looks like for her.

HRT.
Lifestyle advice.
Reassurance.
Shared decision-making.
Or simply having someone listen and take her symptoms seriously.

For the seven minutes I have with everyone tomorrow, my hope is simple: that my colleagues across Scotland will pick up the baton.

For their patients.
Their wives.
Their sisters.
Their daughters.
Their friends.
Their colleagues.

Menopause care needs to be better. And we all have a role to play in making that happen.

I’m proud of what we’ve started at Great Western.

But it’s not enough. It’s not nearly enough.

So tomorrow, I’ll share what we’ve learned, what we’ve built, and why I believe we need to think differently about how we support women through menopause.

Because this isn’t the end of the journey.

I set up a new service. Job done? Absolutely not.

I’m just getting started. 💪

I'd love for you to tell me what YOU would like menopause care to look like.....

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