From a prolapsed womb to anxiety after having kids – Dr Zoe Williams helps fix your health concerns
WOMEN are generally more in touch with their health than men.
I notice more women than men write to me about their own health and their partner’s.
And studies confirm women are more likely to consult their GP.
In part, it can be down to women having contact with doctors from a younger age, due to menstrual and contraceptive issues.
Last week, a report from men’s health charity Movember said that when men do visit a GP they often feel rushed or that concerns are downplayed.
Some reported a lack of personal rapport with the doctor, which put them off visiting again.
As a society we need to give men space and time to open up about their physical and mental health.
Advocate for yourself, too.
If you feel you haven’t been heard by a medical professional, get a second opinion.
I want to hear more from men – no matter how small they think a problem is – for a men’s health edition of my column.
Meanwhile, here’s what some female readers asked this week.
In fear now I’m a mum
Q: I’VE got general health anxiety since becoming a mum.
What can I do about this?
A: Worrying thoughts and anxious feelings are pretty common when you have a baby.
You now have to be healthy in order to look after this little one that is suddenly outside your body in the big wide world full of all its germs, diseases and other risks.
Health anxiety is when these thoughts and emotions have become debilitating.
It’s related to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and a person with health anxiety usually experiences obsessional preoccupations with being unwell in some way or becoming unwell.
Any physical symptoms can be interpreted as a sign of serious disease, such as cancer, and it can consume a person’s thoughts and cause distress.
It’s important to seek support from your GP or health visitor so they can connect you with the local services that can help you through this.
Talking therapies, such as CBT, can be highly effective at treating health anxiety.
If your baby is under the age of one then you might be able to access the perinatal mental health team, who may have much shorter waiting times.
There are also things you can do yourself if you don’t think that’s necessary, though.
Firstly, keep a diary to see if there’s a theme to your concerns or if your anxiety gets especially bad when you haven’t slept well.
Secondly, using two different columns, write down your health anxiety and then the possible or probable outcome.
For example, if heart palpitations caused by anxiety are making you fear a serious heart problem, in the first column you might write “I have a heart problem” and in the second column you might write “I’ll do two minutes of calming breathing exercise to see if it settles before jumping to conclusions”.
If you find the urge to check your body for anything wrong, try distracting yourself – go out for a nice walk or sing your baby a song.
The purpose of this is to try to turn the fear and anxiety into something positive and fun – you’re replacing fear with enjoyment.
There are also online breathing exercises and the Mind website – mind.org.uk – has relaxation exercises that can help.
Help for menopause and ADHD
Q: I’M post-menopausal but I think I may have undiagnosed ADHD, what should I do?
A: Interestingly enough, while the two conditions aren’t medically linked at all, menopause and its hormonal changes can actually affect the symptoms of ADHD in women.
Oestrogen, which significantly drops during the time around menopause, is the primary female sex hormone.
It’s responsible for regulating levels of brain chemicals like dopamine, which don’t work as effectively in ADHD.
Studies have found ADHD symptoms can worsen when oestrogen levels are lower.
Symptoms like memory fog and difficulty focusing can be exceptionally difficult for women with ADHD.
In terms of helping yourself, if you can keep a diary of symptoms and track them on a daily basis, this will help your GP.
Ask about an ADHD referral too; waiting lists are long (years) in some parts of the country.
If you live in England you can also access an ADHD assessment through the “Right to Choose” which can speed things up but you’re still looking at more than six months.
A nutritious diet and exercise contribute in a good way to both menopause and ADHD so make sure you’re exercising regularly and not eating much ultra-processed food.
In terms of treatment for women affected by both ADHD and menopause, it really requires an individualised approach.
Treatment may include stimulant medication and/or hormone replacement, and psychological therapies.
While the ADHD side of things can be lengthy; it’s worth asking your GP about HRT in the meantime as this could potentially help out with the ADHD symptoms too.
The bottom line is there are options out there that will help both, so please don’t suffer in silence.
Tip of the week
GO for a walk after eating a meal.
A study found just two minutes of strolling after food can reduce blood sugar levels and prevent diabetes.
Can you make it ten?
I find a walk outside always boosts my mood and reduces screen time, too.
Or do the dishes, vacuuming or a lap of the office after eating.
Q: HOW do you know whether or not you have a prolapsed womb?
A: Pelvic organ prolapse is where one or more of the organs of the pelvis bulge down into the vagina.
The uterus (womb), bladder and rectum are normally held in place by ligaments and muscles, which form a sling-like structure that is termed the pelvic floor.
If there is weakness in the ligaments and muscles then these pelvic organs can sink down and bulge into the vagina.
In some cases the prolapse is large enough to protrude out of the vagina.
And it’s not as uncommon as you would think.
It affects one in ten women over the age of 50.
It can be mild and not result in any symptoms early in the day.
But symptoms tend to get worse throughout the day as your muscles start to get tired.
In some people the symptoms can be moderate or severe and they may be present all of the time.
Typical signs of a prolapsed womb include a sense of heaviness or a dragging feeling.
It can also lead to bladder and bowel issues, including incontinence, and sex can feel quite different and sometimes not be possible.
It’s important to be aware that prolapse is not normal and there are treatments.
Milder prolapse symptoms can often be reduced with pelvic-floor training and some lifestyle changes including stopping smoking, losing weight, treating any constipation and avoiding heavy lifting.
Other treatment options include HRT and pessaries, which add support for the pelvic organ.
And in some cases surgery is an option too.
Diagnosis can be made by internal examination, carried out by a nurse or doctor.
A prolapsed womb will be defined as stage one to four, depending on severity.
If you’re feeling at all concerned, please see your GP.
This is not a condition that women have to live with and help is out there.
So don’t think you’re alone or that your doctor won’t know what to do to help.