53: Dr Marita Long: How to talk to your doctor about menopause and perimenopause

Dear Menopause

Get the most out of appointments with your doctor or GP by following these great tips from Dr Marita Long.
In our chat, Marita was open to answering all of my questions and was honest about gender bias and education gaps that exist in the field of primary care. And then gives brilliant tips for every woman to consider when talking to her GP or doctor about perimenopause and menopause.
Dr Marita Long is a GP based in Victoria, Australia, specialising in women's health and medical education. Marita sits on the Board of the Australasian Menopause Society (AMS) and has an interest in Dementia education and is co-host of a podcast called Dementia in Practice.
Marita's top tips:

• When booking an appointment let them know that you are coming in to discuss perimenopause or menopause
• Ask for a long (30-minute) appointment
• Ask to see the Doctor that has an interest in and experience with women's health
• If you see a GP that is not your regular family carer, ask for a summary letter from your appointment to take back to your family doctor to ensure continuity of care

We talked about:
AMS - Symptom Score Sheet
Australasian Menopause Society (AMS) website

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