Menopause information:
- In addition to the resources she was given about menopause, she is offered a referral to a healthcare provider with expertise in menopause. Morag declines the referral at this point in time and prefers to wait and see how she feels after starting the treatment plan.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol treatment:
- Morag is provided with a blood pressure machine to take home with her. She is shown how to use it and given information about what blood pressure readings mean. She is advised to take her blood pressure readings for a week and then have a high blood pressure (hypertension) review with her GP or practice nurse. She is also advised to continue taking her prescription medications for this condition and discuss these at her high blood pressure review appointment.
- Morag is recommended to adapt the lifestyle changes discussed as part of her treatment plan to help lower her cholesterol, but she also is advised to continue taking her prescription medication for this and have follow-up appointment with her GP or practice nurse to measure her levels again.
Smoking cessation recommended:
- Morag is counselled by her healthcare provider that smoking is a bad for her cardiovascular health, bone health, and it can also make her menopause symptoms worse. She is advised to stop smoking and is referred to a smoking cessation team.
- People are 4 times more likely to give up smoking for good if they have the support from a smoking cessation advisor than if they try on their own.
- To find stop smoking services near you, visit NHS stop smoking services help you quit – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- To learn more, visit Stopping Smoking – Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (chss.org.uk)
Healthy diet and physical activity recommended:
- She is provided with information and resources to take home about a healthy diet and physical activity for older adults.
- Morag is counselled about a healthy diet and is advised to make changes to her diet. She is referred to a registered dietician to receive more advice about how she can adjust her diet to help improve her high cholesterol as well.
- They discuss her exercise habits a bit more and Morag is recommended to start weight bearing exercises like walking, climbing stairs, yoga, and dancing to promote her bone health and heart health.
- The diet and exercise changes may help improve Morag’s menopause symptoms including joint pain, difficulty sleeping, hot flushes, night sweats
- To learn more, visit:
Vaginal dryness treatment:
- Morag is provided with a prescription for topical oestrogen for her vagina and she is also encouraged to use lubricants during sexual intercourse.
Low sex drive treatment:
- They discussed topical testosterone as an option, but Morag is not ready to try this at this time. Her healthcare provider suggests that if she changes her mind, then they continue their discussion about the referral to a healthcare provider with expertise in menopause so she can potentially receive this prescription.
Difficulty sleeping treatment:
- Morag is recommended to try lifestyle changes to help improve her sleep and is provided with information and resources about recommendations for better sleep to take home with her.
- The other recommendations provided to her including diet, exercise, smoking, and mindfulness may also help improve her ability to sleep
- To learn more, visit: F58-Difficulty-Sleeping-WEB-2024.pdf (chss.org.uk)
Mood treatment:
- They discuss her history of anxiety and how she manages this. Morag reports that she is managing her anxiety well with her prescription medication. She is having difficulty with feeling irritable though.
- Her healthcare provider recommends mindfulness practices including meditation and yoga. She is provided with information and resources to take home about this.
- They also discuss how lifestyle changes recommended including changes to her diet, exercise, and sleep may help improve her mood as well.
Dry skin and joint pain treatment:
- Morag prefers to continue managing her joint pain by taking ibuprofen and paracetamol as needed. Her lifestyle changes to her diet, exercise, and smoking may also help to improve this symptom. Her healthcare provider recommends that she make another appointment to discuss this further if she is still having pain or her symptoms worsen.
Dry skin treatment:
- Her healthcare provider recommends a few different over the counter moisturisers to try to help manage her dry skin. Morag agrees to try these for a few months to see if they make a difference.
Hot flushes and night sweats treatment:
- She is recommended to try reducing her intake of alcohol, caffeine, hot drinks, and spicy foods.
- They also explain that the recommended changes included stopping smoking, exercise and diet changes, management of her high blood pressure, and mindfulness practicing may also help to improve these symptoms as well.
- Other options include dressing in layers and using a portable fan.
