Menopause
Our Complex Menopause Service is dedicated to helping women with serious medical conditions to manage their Menopausal symptoms.
What is Menopause?
‘Menopause’ is defined as the ‘final menstrual period’. Leading up to the final period, your hormone levels begin to fluctuate and you may experience symptoms in relation to these fluctuations along with a possible change to your menstrual cycle. This stage is known as ‘Perimenopause’, it may start several months or sometimes several years before you actually have your final period. ‘Postmenopause’ is the term used when you have not had a period for greater than 12 months.
Symptoms
Every woman’s experience of peri/menopause symptoms is different. For some, the symptoms can be extremely debilitating and for others they won’t cause much bother.
The main symptoms include:
- Physical- vasomotor (hot flushes, night sweats), irregular periods, joint aches and pains, weight gain, palpitations, thinning hair, dry skin
- Psychological/Emotional- sleep disturbance, mood swings, low mood, brain fog, anxiety, irritability, loss of confidence, low libido
- Genitourinary: vaginal dryness, urinary frequency and urgency, recurrent UTI’s, painful sex
Who is the Complex Menopause Service for?
Most women can attend their GP/Practice Nurse or a Women’s Health clinic for advice and management of peri/menopause symptoms. For some, it is necessary that they see a menopause specialist for assessment and initiation of treatment.
Women who are eligible to attend our service must live within the HSE Dublin and South East Region (South Dublin, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford and Tipperary South) and have a personal diagnosis or history of:
- Estrogen dependent cancers (such as breast, endometrial, lung, melanoma)
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Venous thromboembolism (DVT, PE)
- Stroke
- Epilepsy
- Active serious Liver disease
- Immunological disease (such as SLE, HIV)
- Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (diagnosis of menopause under the age of 40)
The service is provided by Dr Deirdre Lundy (Clinical Lead), Dr Nicola Cochrane, Clinical Nurse Specialist Claire McElroy and administrative team Sandra Perkins and Lauren Ennis.
There are additional Complex Menopause services provided in the Rotunda Hospital and Coombe Hospital, Dublin, Galway University Hospital, Cork University Maternity Hospital and Nenagh General Hospital.
Referral process
If you feel you meet the above criteria you must discuss a referral to our service with your GP or consultant. The referring doctor must then complete our GP referral form which is located here. They must include all relevant information in relation to your medical condition.
Referrals from outside our catchment area, incomplete referrals and referrals that do not meet our clinical criteria will not be accepted.
Once the complete referral is received, it will be triaged by the team and you will be informed that you have been placed on our waiting list.
Resources for patients
Menopause Information
https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets
Premature Ovarian Insufficiency
https://daisynetwork.org/
https://www.askearlymenopause.org
Local Cancer Support Services
https://www.cancer.ie/our-services/local-cancer-support-centres
Menopause and Clots
https://thrombosisuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/tuk-menopause-clot-leaflet-final.pdf
Contact Us
01 637 3100 and ask for The Menopause Clinic