Menopause and perimenopause consultation
Consultations can be held at our clinic in Nelson, or online if you are elsewhere in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Initial consultation
– 45 minutes
It’s important that everyone who comes to Bloom Menopause Care has this initial longer consultation. This is where we take the time to hear you and learn about your needs. Scroll down to “preparing for your appointment” for information about our pre consultation questionnaire that must be returned prior to the Initial consultation.
We’ll then recommend a healthcare plan, tailored to you.
Follow-up consultation
– 20 minutes
We usually recommend a follow up consultation six to 12 weeks after your initial consult. Sometimes your treatment plan will need tweaking as we discover what works best for you.
We also recommend a follow-up consultation at least every year if Bloom Menopause Care is your prescription provider. If it has been more than 12 months since your last appointment, we will require a longer initial consultation to reassess your health status.
Prescription renewals
We can renew your prescriptions. You may also wish to get your regular general practitioner (GP, or family doctor) to renew your prescriptions once your treatment regime is established and stable. In order for us to renew your prescription, you must have had a consultation with us in the preceding 12 months.
For prescription renewals please email: hello@bloommenopause.co.nz.
Please include which items you are requesting and, importantly, which pharmacy you wish to pick up your medication from.
We will let you know by email if the prescription can be completed. Please do not pay for your prescription until receiving this notification from us. The cost of repeat prescription requests is $35.
Preparing for your appointment
Before your first consultation, we’ll send you a questionnaire you can fill out online. This will cover your medical history and give you an opportunity to tell us about your main concerns and any symptoms you are experiencing. It is important to send this back to us at least three days before your appointment, to maximise the care we can offer.
Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)
MHT is also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
While hormone therapy may have been contentious in the past, scientific research has shown us that it is generally a safe and effective treatment in the right dose and preparation. When appropriate, we do recommend MHT to our patients.
While hormones aren’t all we offer, we recognise they can play an important part in controlling symptoms in perimenopause and menopause and getting your “you” back.
Holistic healthcare
We may recommend non-hormone treatments alongside MHT, or instead of it.
Some people cannot have MHT due to their medical history. Some people prefer not to have MHT. In both cases, there are other treatments we can recommend to you.
Other treatments include non-hormone medications, and making adjustments to your lifestyle to help with your menopause symptoms and general wellbeing.