Discussing menopause
with your gp
What to expect when you visit your GP
If your GP knows you want to discuss your perimenopausal or menopause, they might send you a medical questionnaire, such as the GCS (Greene Climacteric Scale), to fill out before you see them. This is totally normal and allows them to find out some important information before the appointment. They may also ask a few questions about your general physical and mental health, and your medical history.
Try to be as honest as possible and be sure to give them as much detail as you can about your symptoms. You may feel uncomfortable or even a little embarrassed, but remember, they’re trained to support you, and they’re likely to have heard it all before! An open conversation will enable them to decide what course of action could help you.
Checklist of how to best prepare for your appointment
- ✓ Your main reason for booking this appointment
- ✓ What symptoms you’ve experienced, how often, and when they began
- ✓ How your symptoms affect your life and whether they follow a pattern – for example – if they occur after you’ve eaten certain foods or during a particular point in your menstrual cycle
- ✓ Any medications you’re taking
- ✓ Any urgent questions you want to ask before leaving the consulting room
What your GP may say and what they mean
Here are a few technical terms you might not be familiar with that describe perimenopause and menopause symptoms. You’ll find more in our jargon buster that you can download below.
Urogenital symptoms1,2
Vasomotor symptoms1,2
These can include night sweats, hot flushes, a racing heart, and changes in blood pressure.
Greene Climacteric Scale3
A questionnaire GPs sometimes use to help gauge how menopause symptoms might be affecting a person’s day-to-day life.
Getting the most of your GP appointment
Be honest
It’s important that you are honest with your GP about your symptoms and concerns. The more they know, the better they can support you.
Make a note
There can be a lot of information to take in during your appointment. It might help you remember next steps, lifestyle changes, treatment options and so on, if you write them down on your phone or in a notebook.
Ask questions
Ask about anything you are unsure of before leaving the room, your GP wants to know that they’ve answered all your questions during your appointment. You’ll find some common questions to ask your doctor about menopause later on in this page.
Bring support
If you feel you need it, you can take a relative, friend or carer to your appointment for support. They can help you answer any questions and take notes for you.
Questions to ask your doctor about menopause
I am having medical treatment that will trigger menopause: can you explain what I should expect?
If I am overweight or a smoker, does it affect my treatment options?
If I already take an antidepressant, will that affect any treatments I can try for mood changes during menopause?
What types of treatment are suitable for my symptoms?
What are the benefits and risks of different treatments?
Are there any complementary therapies that could help?
What type of HRT is suitable for me?
How quickly may HRT improve my symptoms?
How and when do we decide I should stop taking HRT?
Can I still become pregnant on HRT?
Are there any long-term effects of taking HRT?
If I don’t want to take HRT, or can’t for medical reasons, what other treatments are there?
Should I still use contraception during menopause to avoid pregnancy?
Are there any support organisations in my local area?
Can you provide any information for my family or carers?
How might menopause impact my ability to exercise?
Will treatment impact my sex life?
How can I manage conversations at work about menopause symptoms?
- NHS Menopause symptoms. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/symptoms/ Accessed October 2025.
- HSE. Menopause: symptoms. Available at: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/menopause/symptoms/ Accessed October 2025.
- Greene JG. Constructing a standard climacteric scale. Maturitas. 1998;29:25–31
