Coping with Menopause - Support & Signposting
Need support with menopause and its side effects because of cancer or treatment? We've got you.
Cancer and its treatments bring tonnes of side effects. From hair loss to constipation (and everything in between!), it’s a bundle of laughs. But one of the side effects that is talked about less than others? Menopause. 40% of women under 40 enter permanent menopause as a result of their treatment. And many of them say navigating menopause after cancer feels harder than chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery altogether.
If you’re looking for support around menopause and cancer, we’ve got you covered. From identifying symptoms to managing treatments to dealing with the impact of early menopause, this guide exists to help you navigate any challenges you’re facing.
Coping with the impact of early menopause
Determining whether symptoms stem from cancer treatment or menopause can be challenging. Use this checklist to monitor symptoms, facilitating informed discussions with your medical team, and tracking your symptoms over time. Consider bringing it to appointments for reference.
Listen to the Menopause and Cancer podcast. Each week Dani Binnington brings a different specialist to the conversation to help you understand your treatment options and what you can do to support your health.
Check out Menopause and Cancer for events, articles, resources and community specifically created for young people who’ve been through cancer and are experiencing the menopause.
Your treatment options
- For those that have been told that HRT is not an option for them, take a look at the position statement for the American Menopause Society for all evidence based treatments.
- Look after your future health. Early menopause can have a negative effect on our bone health. Take a look at the Royal Society of Osteoporosis for more information and ask your doctor if you qualify for a bone density scan (DEXA scan) to check how your bones are faring.
- Your GP can prescribe you vaginal moisturisers and lubricants as well as vaginal moisturisers to help alleviate many symptoms. Here is a great video explaining everything you need to know.
Supporting your lifestyle holistically
- CBT helps people to develop practical ways of managing problems and provides new coping skills and useful strategies. For this reason, it can be a helpful approach to try for managing menopause because the skills can be applied to different problems, and can improve wellbeing in general. Find out more about CBT for menopause
- Can’t fall asleep? Waking up in the middle of the night? Can cancer treatment-induced menopause cause you sleep issues? Do you have insomnia? From mindfulness to medication, here Dr Zoe Schaedel shares her top tips on how to fix sleep issues
- There's evidence that taking a magnesium supplement can improve a number of perimenopause and menopause symptoms, including sleep problems, anxiety, low mood and reduced bone density. Our expert recommends giving this a try
- Use the menopause and cancer checklist to monitor symptoms, helping you to have informed discussions with your medical team, and tracking your symptoms over time. Consider bringing it to appointments for reference
- Your GP can do a full set of bloods. This will help you get a better picture of your Vitamin D, thyroid levels and iron levels and whether you need any support there
- Check your blood pressure, lipids and cholesterol once a year to keep an eye on your overall health.
Did you know?
You can access menopause specialist on the NHS if you’re in the UK? Head to the British Menopause Society website, enter your postcode, click NHS or private on their ‘find a specialist’ tool.
As someone with a history of cancer you have the right to be referred to a specialist. You can also ask your GP or clinical nurse specialist to refer you. You can check here – and if necessary show this to your referring doctor.
You can be referred to a specialist outside of your area – if you’re prepared to travel. However, not all clinics are able to take outside-of area referrals and sometimes the arrangements can be quite complicated.
The waiting list is long – in some cases over 12 months. But don’t worry. Use this time to speak to your GP as they will be able to help you in the meantime. Before you know it – that appointment will happen!
Make sure to follow up with the menopause clinic to make sure you’ve been actually put on the waiting list. If you have any problems, speak to your GP or CNS.
Check out Lydia's story of what it's like to be menopausal at 24.
Other resources
Cancer and its treatments will undoubtedly cause many changes in your life. One change you might not have anticipated at the outset is going through the menopause early. Check out our tips for managing your menopause.
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