23 September 2025
Menopause can be a challenging journey in a woman’s life – but the good news is it’s a path they don’t have to walk alone. Women suffering complex or severe symptoms can find free, comprehensive, multidisciplinary menopause support services through South Western Sydney Local Health District’s (SWSLHD) Specialist Menopause Service.
Even those whose symptoms are not severe, but could benefit from talking to a health professional, can find help through a range of different general practice options including teleconferencing with a specialist.
GP Dr Land Phan of Eagle Vale Medical Centre spoke to SWSPHN about menopause on the eve of World Menopause Month in October which is dedicated to raising awareness of menopause and the support options available.
Dr Phan said about a quarter of her female patients were of menopause age and she had noticed a recent surge in clinic visits from women seeking help.
She said although the average age of menopause in Australia is 45 to 55, symptoms could occur at any time within this range. Women who are younger than 45 can also begin to experience perimenopausal symptoms as their hormones begin to fluctuate.
“This can look like changes in the length, regularity and severity of their usual menses and mood disturbances as they start to juggle increasingly complex relationships and responsibilities,” Dr Phan said. “There can also be difficulties with general functioning in their usual roles at home or in the workplace. The ‘post-menopausal’ state is clinically 12 months without menses occurring. Blood tests are not required to make the diagnosis.”
Dr Phan said symptoms could include hot flushes, light-headedness, headaches, brain fog, irritability, depression, anxiety, mood changes, sleeplessness, unusual tiredness, dry skin, reduced libido and uncomfortable intercourse.
“Women can also present with symptoms such as backache, joint and muscle pains, sensory disturbances (crawling feelings under the skin) and urinary frequency,” she said.
The key to understanding the condition is to seek help early from your GP so you feel supported and can gain access to helpful treatment options as early as possible.
“Many women suffer for years in silence thinking it must be something wrong with them, or they are unable to simply cope with the pressures of life – blaming themselves or minimising their symptoms to not be a burden,” Dr Phan said.
“They are also often in the midst of raising adolescent children, with high work pressures and aging parents. Their caregiving roles and self-sacrificing nature can tend to mean they put other people’s needs above their own – while their own needs, including health, come last. They may not visit their GP until they are close to, or completely burnt out, and unable to function anymore.
“I have often had teary, grateful women who are relieved to know there is a reason behind the fact they feel so unwell.”
Dr Phan said GPs could help by setting expectations early on for their patient regarding further investigations and appointments required to fully explore the issues.
“A GP may consider blood tests, breast imaging, cervical screening, a pelvic ultrasound and bone density assessment prior to considering menopausal hormone therapy,” she said. “The woman may require referrals to a gynaecologist, endocrinologist, dietitian, psychologist, physiotherapist or exercise physiologist – and this all takes time.”
GPs can also provide education about the treatment options available so the woman is able to make an informed decision about how to proceed with an individualised approach. GPs can involve the woman in the decision-making process so they have more agency and autonomy in deciding how they want to treat their menopausal symptoms.
Dr Phan said it was also important to consider how to offer treatment options to migrant and refugee women as well as those who speak a language other than English and First Nations women.
“They may experience more barriers to accessing information about menopause for cultural and systemic reasons,” Dr Phan said. “Exploring any reticence to talking about menopause or considering hormone therapy with sensitivity, compassion and understanding is key to engaging these women and supporting them through menopause.”
Find out more:
Specialist Menopause Service
HealthPathways
Primary Care Resource
This article appeared in Practice Pulse on Wednesday, 24 September 2025. If you are a GP, practice nurse or practice manager in South Western Sydney and do not get the weekly Practice Pulse email, speak to your Practice Support Officer.
During the panel discussion, Nisha gave HEAL as one example of a SWSPHN initiative which promoted physical activity saying there is capacity for the program to be scaled through joint collaboration.
