Menopause brings hundreds of questions, some expected, many surprising, and almost all of them under-discussed. That’s exactly why we built the Q&A feature inside the Emsee App: a place where you can ask our clinical team anything and browse what thousands of other women are experiencing too.
You can download the app here.
Whether it’s a symptom that pops up out of nowhere, a worry about medications, or an “Is this normal?” moment at 2am, expert advice is in the palm of your hand.
Below are some of the most common questions women have been asking in our app, along with guidance from our experienced menopause healthcare team.
Yes, that could have been a hot flush. They don't always feel the same, sometimes it's ringing in the ears, feeling off-centre, or brief warmth. Even on HRT, slight hormone fluctuations can cause these episodes.
Hormonal changes during menopause affect metabolism and fat storage, making weight loss harder even with healthy habits. You've been on HRT for 2 months - hormones need time to stabilise. Thyroid function, sleep, and stress also play a role. Once optimised, weight management often becomes easier.
Yes, itchy skin is a very common symptom during menopause. Declining estrogen levels affect your skin's ability to retain moisture and maintain its natural barrier function. This hormonal shift often leads to dryness and itching, which can range from mild to more persistent.
However, itchy skin can also stem from other causes like dry climate, certain skincare products, allergies, or thyroid conditions. Our team recommends discussing this with your GP to determine the cause.
In the meantime, strategies that often help include staying well-hydrated, using fragrance-free moisturisers regularly (especially right after showering), avoiding very hot water, and wearing breathable fabrics.
Our clinical team includes naturopaths and nutritionists who understand how supplements work with your medications. They'll help you understand whether there are any interactions to worry about, if timing matters, and what to watch for when adding something new.
Intermittent fasting can be beneficial for cardiovascular health, brain health, inflammation, and weight loss. However, if weight loss is the goal, timing matters for women during perimenopause.
The popular 16:8 method (eating in an 8-hour window) works better when the eating window is earlier in the day rather than later. This is due to morning cortisol levels, metabolism, and blood sugar management. Skipping breakfast might work short-term, but our experience shows that long-term, skipping dinner works better for most women for weight loss.
If skipping dinner isn't an option, explore other styles like 5:2 or the Fast800 diet. The food you consume during eating hours is also important—we generally recommend a low-carb Mediterranean style diet.
You're doing nothing wrong. But there are things that can help: keeping your bedroom cool, avoiding large meals and alcohol before bed, and maintaining a consistent bedtime routine.
Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) refers to a persistent lack of sexual desire that causes distress. It's quite common during and after menopause, largely due to declining estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels.
But hormones are only part of the story. Vaginal dryness, fatigue, stress, mood changes, relationship factors, or certain medications can also influence desire. At 58, it's normal for sex drive to fluctuate, but if you've noticed a significant change affecting your wellbeing, it's worth exploring.
Supportive measures such as vaginal estrogen, adjustments to hormone therapy, or addressing mood and relationship factors can often make a meaningful difference.
While testosterone can help with some cognitive symptoms like brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and mental fatigue, it's not a substitute for ADHD medication.
Testosterone optimisation can improve focus, mental clarity, and energy levels in people with low testosterone. However, these benefits relate to correcting a hormone deficiency, not treating ADHD itself. ADHD medications work on specific neurotransmitter systems that testosterone doesn't affect.
The best approach is using both treatments together. Many women find that optimising their hormones makes their ADHD medication work more effectively, as hormone fluctuations can worsen ADHD symptoms.
Two ways to use Q&A:
Browse Community Q&A to see what other women are asking - you might find your answer is already there.
Ask your own question any time No question is too big, too small, or too personal.
The Emsee App gives you direct access to menopause-trained doctors, naturopaths, and nutritionists, plus a growing library of real questions from women just like you.
Download the Emsee App and get the answers you need, when you need them.
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