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Menopause, the taboo subject that affects every female

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Feels like losing your mind

Malapropisms are not confined to Miss Malaprop (a women of a “certain age”) in Sheridan’s 18th century play, The Rivals. In her book, “Menopause and the Mind”, Claire Warga PhD, a neuropsychologist, highlights how the memory loss, foggy thinking, verbal slips, and other cognitive effects of perimenopause and menopause have caused many successful and high-powered business women to give up work either because they simply couldn’t cope any more or believed themselves to be “losing their mind”.

In a recent interview, the broadcaster Kirsty Wark said that women are still “shockingly ill-informed” about what the menopause actually is and how to deal with it whilst the actress, Gillian Anderson, has talked openly about a sense of life falling apart when she experienced perimenopause.

All of a sudden, I felt like I could handle nothing. I felt completely overwhelmed,” Anderson said. “When I talked to the specialist, she said she often gets phone calls from female CEOs screaming, ‘I need help now! I’m losing my mind!’ I felt like somebody else had taken over my brain.

Dr Louise Newson is a GP with a particular interest in the menopause and has spent many years helping women with perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. She told Women in the City,

It was not until I experienced symptoms myself that I appreciated the full extent of how symptoms can have a detrimental impact on ability to work. I found I was struggling to remember patients’ names, I was constantly rechecking prescriptions to ensure I had not made any mistakes and I felt permanently tired and was often irritable with some of my colleagues. Fortunately, these symptoms only lasted a couple of months and since taking HRT I have felt a different person.

What is the menopause?

The menopause is defined as a year after a woman’s last period. However, many women experience perimenopausal symptoms for years before their periods actually stop. Although a few women are fortunate as they experience hardly any or no symptoms, the vast majority of women will experience perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms that have a negative effect on their lives.

What are the symptoms?

Many women associate the menopause with the classical symptoms of hot flushes and night sweats. However, the symptoms of loss of self-confidence, low self-esteem, irritability, fatigue, anxiety and depressive symptoms are the ones that often affect women the most at work. In addition, poor concentration and memory problems can also commonly occur.

Dr Newson, who runs a private menopause clinic added:

I see numerous women in my clinic who tell me they have reduced their hours, changed their roles at work or even given up work all together as they have been making mistakes, struggling with learning new tasks and generally feeling too tired.

Help is at hand

To improve knowledge about the menopause, Dr Newson has developed a series of pamphlets designed to help women themselves as well as their employers learn more about the menopause and potential ways to help.

I am hoping they will contribute to a more productive workforce for organisations and also to an improved quality of life in women!” she said.

Read more about Dr Newson and the menopause on Menopause Doctor

Download Dr Newson’s leaflets

If you’d like a printed copy, please email Dr Louise Newson

How To Treat & Cure Cystitis

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Cure Cystitis (1)

How To Treat & Cure Cystitis

We tend to be a bit shy when it comes to discussing symptoms and ailments related to the on goings of our “bathroom habits”. Despite how common it is, we try not to bring attention to our bladder infections, pain we experience near or around genitals, or any other aspect related to our “private areas”.

But it’s time we talked about Cystitis because it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, it’s very common, treatable, and affects both men and women — but women are about 8 times more likely to get it than men.

So what exactly is Cystitis?

Bacteria, often from our own bowels, can travel from our back passage (anus) and into the tube that passes from your bladder to your urethra. Cystitis is when your bladder becomes infected and inflamed due to the bacterium that causes the urine infection.

Since the urethra of women is shorter than the urethra of men, (and a woman’s urethra opens closer our back passage) bacteria have a quicker and more accessible way to get to our bladder. This is why women are more likely to develop Cystitis than men.

Symptoms

The symptoms include:

  • Pain when passing urine
  • Frequency or urgency to urinate
  • Small amounts of urine
  • Urine that’s dark, cloudy or smells strong
  • The need to go to the toilet more frequently at night with discomfort

They can be bit difficult because the symptoms of Cystitis sometimes replicate that of other conditions.

You can talk to the healthcare team at Instant e-Care Online Doctor & Pharmacy if you are not sure about your symptoms and if you really have Cystitis. Seeing a doctor and providing a urine sample is one of the best and quickest ways to know whether it’s really Cystitis or something else going on. And if it doesn’t clear out within a couple weeks, your doctors can pass the sample to a lab to pinpoint exactly which bacteria is leading to the infection and tell you where to go from there.

Already Know You Have Cystitis?

Cystitis can be reoccurring and sometimes you already know you have it because you have had it before. Besides knowing Cystitis is treatable and that you shouldn’t be embarrassed if you do have it since people (especially women) are likely to have it at least once in their lifetime, there are different treatments you can do it to flush the infection out of your bladder quickly (pun unintended)!

Types of treatment

Luckily, Cystitis doesn’t require any special medication that would make you jump through hoops or flatten your wallet. You have a couple of options depending on your symptoms and how quickly you’d like them cleared up.

No Medication

There’s a chance your body can flush Cystitis out of your system naturally without the help of medications. This is often more ideal for pregnant women. Just remember the symptoms of Cystitis can last at least a week or more without using antibiotics.

Antibiotics — Trimethoprim

If you don’t want to live through the week+ long symptoms, antibiotics may be your answer. They help flush Cystitis out of your system sooner by limiting the symptoms by 1 to a few days. If your symptoms intensify or show little sign of improvement, antibiotics are the way to go.

The most well-known medication that is recommended is Trimethoprim. Doesn’t sound pleasant but it’s a very popular and safe antibiotic that can lessen your chances of developing Cystitis in the future on top of curing your current symptoms.
A short course of Trimethoprim, 1 tablet twice a day, for 3 days usually sorts out Cystitis.

Do remember:

Cystitis affects both men and women. It’s common, and there’s a good chance you’ll experience it at least once in your life. Though it can go away naturally thanks to our loving immune system, medications can diminish the duration of the symptoms if you need a quick but safe and reliable fix.

If Trimethoprim antibiotics doesn’t help (your symptoms don’t cease and desist or they appear again after a couple of weeks) you should contact your doctor or even the healthcare team over at Instant e-Care Online Doctor & Pharmacy to provide you advice for where to go from there.

For any other questions related to Cystitis just contact Instant e-Care Online Doctor & Pharmacy and their team will respond with accurate information promptly.

Written By The Today Writer, Kiesha Frue.

Find out more about Kiesha Frue at Instant e-Care’s Health & Wellness Care Centre or visit Instant e-Care Online Doctor & Pharmacy for more information.

Shop til you drop at moloh, Pimlico 13 November

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We’re delighted that moloh has signed up for a second year as our Brand Partners.

And to celebrate, we’re holding another of our highly successful shopping evenings at their Pimlico boutique on Thursday 13th November (6.30 – 8.30pm).

View the latest moloh arrivals, meet like-minded business women and treat yourself to something special for the Festive Season – or even for our Annual Celebration Lunch on 28 November!

There’s lots of choice: accessories including footwear, belts and bags; dresses, skirts, shirts, knitwear; jackets fabric and leather, too.  Whether you want something flirty, statement or strictly business, you’ll find it at moloh.

There’s fizz, conversation and discount on the night.

To reserve your place,  click HERE and complete our short booking form.

We look forward to seeing you.

2014 Women of Achievement Award make your nomination now

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The search is on for this year’s Woman of Achievement. Launched in 2007, this Award recognises senior level women who are championing the progress of women in their organisations and sector. If you know a woman who stands out from the crowd, nominate her now.   She might be a role model, someone who sponsors women, someone who got a gender diversity initiative off the ground.

There are 7 Categories: Construction & Engineering, Professional Services, Healthcare, Technology, Public Sector, Facilities Management and Financial Services.

Category Winners will be announced on 23 October and the 2014 Woman of Achievement Winner will be selected from the Category Winners and announced on 28 November.

Nominations CLOSE 25 September.
Applications CLOSE 30 September.

Visit the Woman of Achievement website NOW and make your nomination.

If you want to make an “anonymous” nomination, send Name, Job Title, Company and email address of the person you want to nominate to admin@citywomen.co.uk and we’ll do the rest for you.