Menopause Clinic Belfast, NI
at vitalis health, WE offer a menopause clinic to help you on your menopause journey.
GP Led Menopause Clinic - our GP’s are specifically trained in the menopause and are here to help you with your overall health & wellbeing. They can provide prescriptions for HRT following the consultation.
Nurse Led Menopause Clinic - Nurse Practitioner Anne McGale (Founder of Menopause Wellbeing NI) offers a menopause awareness and holistic approach to help support you on your menopause journey.
Dr Siobhan Graham and Dr Marjorie Quinlan have updated their knowledge and management of the menopause via the British Menopause Society and the Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Health (FSRH) menopause special skills training.
Dr Marjorie is passionate about listening to her patients and is particularly motivated to improve the care and support available to women in their post-menopausal years.
Both Dr Marjorie and Dr Siobhan can prescribe testosterone where indicated.
All doctors can prescribe HRT including testosterone where needed. see below for information on what’s included.
What’s includeD?
This appointment is 45 minutes
Getting clear on what exactly the peri/menopause are.
Signs and symptoms of menopause.
Diagnosing menopause.
Physical examination
Providing treatment options - both HRT types and alternatives.
Benefits and risks of HRT and other treatments tailored to your individual needs.
Private Prescription for HRT (the medication is purchased in the pharmacy, prices vary)
Menopause and your future health: it’s the eggs that expire, not the chicken.
Our doctors have a holistic and down to earth approach to your health and aim to ensure your overall health and wellbeing are addressed.
If needed we will share notes with your NHS GP .
Price £195
Anne McGale is the founder of Menopause Wellbeing NI and has worked as a Practice nurse in the local community in Belfast for the last 39 years. She is also an experience freelance facilitator delivering workshops in the community across Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Anne understands that some women feel lost during the menopause and need a one to one to discuss their menopause symptoms and feel empowered to make the correct management decisions for them.
Anne is a member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists and takes a holistic approach to the menopause by offering alternative treatments including acupuncture and massage , leaving you feeling empowered.
Whats Included?
This appointment is 90 minutes
Getting clear on what exactly the peri/emopause are
Consultation discussing risk factors for you and also for HRT if that treatment is chosen
Auricular acupuncture is offered during consultation to help calm the nervous system. This involves 5 points in both ears having auricular acupuncture needles inserted in your ears.
Lifestyle and alternative approaches to HRT treatment are discussed
The consultation finishes with some relaxation and reflexology
Please Note that Prescriptions for HRT are NOT offered during this consultation. We can share your notes with your NHS GP to consider HRT treatment.
If you do wish to get a prescription following this, you will need to book a GP appointment with one of our GPs.Price £150
Meet the team!
Dr Marjorie Quinlan
Dr Quinlan is a caring and experienced GP with a specialist interest in women’s health.
She has been a doctor for over 20 years and brings a calm knowledgable approach to her work.
Dr Quinlan worked as a GP in London for five years where, she developed a specialist interest and expertise in women’s health with a focus on contraception and the menopause.
Dr Quinlan can prescribe suitable HRT including testosterone where needed.
She can also insert the hormonal coil as a source of progesterone as an alternative to tablets.
Dr Siobhan Graham
Since opening Vitalis health in 2019, Dr Siobhan has seen numerous women either coming up to, or in the menopause, starting HRT and in some cases finding other causes for their symptoms.
Dr Siobhan has a holistic and pragmatic approach to her patients health with attention to detail.
MENOPAUSE BLOOD TESTS AND GENERAL HEALTH BLOOD packages
We offer different bloods packages to assess your health around or after the menopause.
It is best to discuss with the doctor or Nurse, what is needed for you. If you have had recent bloods taken please bring a copy to your appointment or even email them to us in advance of your appointment.
All prices include the fee for taking and reporting menopause blood results.
Complete menopause wellness check
This is built on our amber wellness check that looks at the functioning of all the main body systems. We then add on a homormal panel to look at your oestrogen level, testosterone level, Sex hormone binding globulin and health status.
It includes a full report and the doctor’s specific recommendations to you.
Price £350
MENOPAUSE STATUS TESTS
This is for anyone who cannot know if they are menopausal become they have a coil in the womb, or no longer have a womb.
Or if you are < age 45 and are questioning if you may be perimenopausal( this test should be done on day 1 or day 2 of your period if the latter is the reason for testing)
We check your FSH level ( a marker from the brain that stimulates the ovaries to produce oestrogen) and your Oestrogen level.
Prive £110
Hormonal tests while on HRT
These tests are useful to ensure your hormones are maintained within normal levels seen in women. The testosterone test is also useful if your symptoms are not controlled by oestrogen alone, but require testosterone replacement.
All testosterone levels and thyroid levels can go down while taking some oestrogens in HRT.
ESTRADIOL, TESTOSTERONE, SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOBULIN (SHBG) Thyroid tests (T4, free T3 and TSH)
Price £230
Frequently asked questions about the menopause clinic
Q. Do I need blood tests to confirM the menopause or perimenopause?
Most patients don’t need bloods to diagnose menopause however we may advise some blood tests to rule out other underlying issues, such as an underactive thyroid and low iron stores. We also like to know how your overall health is and your risk for heart disease, so may recommend some baseline blood tests.
Q. What if I have high blood pressure can I still have HRT?
We will check your blood pressure and assess your heart health and general health at this time. Starting HRT is about weighing up the risks- yes there are risks- and deciding if your current state of health is just not bearable.
We aim to get your blood pressured well controlled before starting HRT, much like starting the Pill for contraception.
Q What if decide I do not want to take HRT?
Even if you don’t choose to take HRT this is great time in your life to address anything that’s been niggling you or simply for an MOT on your health. These appointments provide the time and space to take stock of your overall health and help improve your life span.
Q. Do I have to pay for HRT on a private script?
Yes, you do have to buy the medication in the pharmacy. It usually costs around £20 a month.
However, we can share our medical notes with your GP who can then continue ongoing prescription if appropriate.
Q will you follow me up after the first consultation?
Yes, we like to see all of our patients again around three months to ensure their HRT if working and to adjust dosage where needed.
Many women have great effects with HRT after a few weeks.
Q Can the doctor prescribe testosterone?
Most women manage very well on oestrogen/progesterone replacement, but some women do require testosterone also to eleviate major symtpoms. We can prescribe testosterone but this is usaully after many months on HRT with regular review.
Testosterone replacement drugs for women still remains off licence as there is no specific preparation created for this use as yet; this is likely to change in the next few years
