Whether it’s waking up at 2 a.m. with feelings of impending doom, fighting off a sudden freakout about driving on the freeway, or becoming paralyzed on a tricky trail you’ve ridden, hiked, or climbed dozens of times before, anxiety can hit seemingly out of nowhere during the menopause transition. In fact, because it can be one of the earliest symptoms of perimenopause, some women suffer for months or years without connecting the dots to their hormones. The good news is there’s help–and understanding the root cause of menopause-related anxiety is the first step. This week we break it all down with Dr. Clare Spencer, Clinical Director at My Menopause Centre, a menopause clinic based in England and Wales. 

Dr Clare Spencer is a registered menopause specialist and an NHS GP. Along with her role as Clinical Director at My Menopause Centre, she currently runs an NHS menopause service and is a GP partner in a practice in Leeds. She is also a British Menopause Society menopause trainer and is involved in educating GPs about the menopause transition through talks, lectures, and seminars. Dr Spencer has written menopause training modules and pathways for doctors.net, the Primary Care Women’s Health forum publication, Her Life Her Health, and the Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust. She is passionate about educating, empowering, and supporting all women through all stages of their menopause transition. You can learn more about her and her work at mymenopausecentre.com

Resources:

Dr. Spencer’s post on menopause-related anxiety

Selene Yeager’s post on menopause-related fear

My Menopause Centre’s “Am I Menopausal?” Questionnaire 

https://www.mymenopausecentre.com/

https://www.mymenopausecentre.com/symptoms/anxiety/

My fear piece

https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/menopause-increasing-fear

 The checklist

https://www.mymenopausecentre.com/menopause-questionnaire/

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