Menopause, explained clearly.
Evidence-based, clinician-reviewed writing on perimenopause, symptoms, HRT and everything around it. We're writing the library now, five topics deep, nothing published yet.
Our first guides are on the way
We're writing the fira library now: clinician-reviewed pieces on diagnosis, symptoms, HRT and getting treatment. Nothing is published yet, so there's nothing to feature here until there is.
Am I in it?
The first question everyone asks. Work out whether what you're feeling is perimenopause, and where you are in it.
Perimenopause: what is actually happening to you
What perimenopause is, when it starts, and the symptoms it causes. A plain-English guide, plus a free assessment that tells you where you are.
Am I in it?Perimenopause symptoms: the full, honest list
The symptoms perimenopause actually causes, including the ones nobody warns you about. See which of yours fit the pattern with a free assessment.
Am I in it?The 34 symptoms of perimenopause, explained properly
All 34 perimenopause symptoms, what each one feels like, and why one hormone causes so many. Check yours against a free clinical assessment.
Am I in it?What age does perimenopause start
The age perimenopause usually begins, how early it can start, and what shifts it. Plus how to tell whether what you are feeling is really it.
Am I in it?Is there a test for perimenopause? What works and what does not
Whether a perimenopause test exists, what blood tests can and cannot show, and how UK guidance says perimenopause is actually diagnosed at any age.
Am I in it?Menopause: a plain guide to what happens
What menopause is, when it happens, and what can be done about the symptoms. Written plainly, backed by UK guidance, with a free assessment.
Am I in it?Menopause symptoms: the complete list, in plain English
Every common menopause symptom, from hot flushes to joint aches, and why they arrive together. Find out which of yours are hormonal, for free.
Am I in it?Perimenopause vs menopause: the difference that changes treatment
Perimenopause and menopause are not the same thing, and the difference changes what treatment suits you. The distinction, explained plainly.
Symptoms
A dedicated, clinician-reviewed page for each symptom: what it is, why it happens, and what actually helps.
Vaginal dryness: the symptom nobody mentions, and it is treatable
Why menopause causes vaginal dryness, why it does not resolve on its own, and the treatments that work. Included at no extra cost in a fira plan.
SymptomsBleeding after menopause: see a doctor this week
Any bleeding after menopause needs checking, usually within weeks. What it can mean, what a doctor will check, and why waiting is the real risk.
SymptomsItchy skin in menopause: the oestrogen connection
Why menopause makes skin itch, crawl or feel like something is on it, what formication is, and what actually settles it. The oestrogen link.
SymptomsFrozen shoulder and menopause: the link your GP may not mention
Why frozen shoulder is far more common around menopause, what the oestrogen connection is, and what helps. The link your GP may not mention.
HRT, explained
Everything about hormone replacement: the formats, the science, the side effects and the choices, in plain English.
HRT: what it is, what it does, who it is for
What HRT is, how it works, who it suits and who it does not. Formats, benefits and risks explained plainly, against current UK clinical guidance.
HRT, explainedHRT patches: the complete UK guide
How HRT patches work, where to put one, what to expect in the first weeks, and how they compare to gel and tablets. A full guide for the UK.
HRT, explainedHRT gel: how it works and how to use it well
What HRT gel is, how it is applied, how it compares to patches, and who it suits. A plain guide to the through-the-skin oestrogen route today.
HRT, explainedHRT side effects: the first weeks, honestly
The side effects HRT can cause, which settle on their own, which need a dose change, and which mean speaking to a clinician. Honestly set out.
HRT, explainedPatches or gel: which HRT suits you
Patches or gel: how the two through-the-skin routes differ on dosing, skin, convenience and cost, and how a clinician decides between them for you.
HRT, explainedHow long does HRT take to work
When HRT starts working, which symptoms usually shift first, and what the twelve week mark should look like. What to expect, week by week. A guide.
HRT, explainedSigns your HRT is not working, and what changes next
How to tell when HRT is not doing its job, how long to give it before judging, and what a clinician changes next. Dose changes are free at fira.
HRT, explainedIs HRT safe? The 2002 study and what changed since
The 2002 study behind the fear, what two decades of reanalysis changed, and what current UK guidance says about who HRT is and is not safe for.
HRT, explainedBody-identical HRT: what the term really means
What body-identical HRT actually is, how it differs from compounded bioidentical hormones, and why UK guidance recommends the regulated kind.
Getting treatment in the UK
The practical route to care: NHS and private, prepayment certificates, clinics and getting HRT online.
How to get HRT online in the UK, legitimately
How online HRT prescribing works in the UK, what a legitimate service checks before prescribing, and how to tell a safe provider from a risky one.
Getting treatment in the UKThe HRT prepayment certificate, explained
What the HRT prepayment certificate covers, what it costs, who saves money with one, and how NHS and private routes compare on total yearly cost.
Living through it
The wider picture: how menopause reaches into weight, mood, relationships and sleep, and what genuinely helps.
Menopause supplements: what the evidence supports
Which menopause supplements have evidence behind them and which do not. We do not sell supplements, so this is a straight read of the research.
Living through itThe menopause diet: what to eat, on evidence
What to eat through menopause, what actually helps with weight, bones and hot flushes, and which popular menopause diet claims do not hold up.
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