Hampshire Health and Hormones

Hampshire Health and Hormones Online consults (& face to face option) Managing menopause, PMS, hormone health, and lifestyle disease.

With GP & lifestyle medicine doctor, Dr. Katie Hodgkinson; incorporating
holistic and conventional medicine to ‘Get back to feeling like you again!’

Menopause symptoms don’t tend to arrive one at a time.They overlap, shift, and show up differently for everyone, which c...
05/02/2026

Menopause symptoms don’t tend to arrive one at a time.

They overlap, shift, and show up differently for everyone, which can make it hard to know what’s “normal” and what deserves support.

This is just a check-in 🤍
No judgement. No comparison.

What’s been the most frustrating menopause symptom for you lately? 🤔

Comment the one that fits best, or add yours if it’s not listed ⤵️

Heart health doesn’t suddenly change overnight, but the hormonal environment around the heart does.Oestrogen plays an im...
04/02/2026

Heart health doesn’t suddenly change overnight, but the hormonal environment around the heart does.

Oestrogen plays an important protective role in the cardiovascular system. As levels fluctuate and decline during perimenopause and menopause, the heart and blood vessels can respond differently.

This is why heart health deserves more attention during this stage of life.

❤️ Oestrogen supports blood vessel flexibility
Oestrogen helps keep blood vessels supple and responsive. When levels drop, vessels can become stiffer, which affects blood pressure and circulation.

🩺 It helps regulate cholesterol balance
Changes in oestrogen can influence LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, contributing to a gradual rise in cardiovascular risk.

🔥 Oestrogen influences inflammation and clotting
Lower oestrogen levels are associated with increased inflammation and changes in clotting factors, both of which affect heart health.

🧠 Stress and cortisol play a bigger role
As hormonal buffering reduces, chronic stress and elevated cortisol can have a stronger impact on blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart strain.

⏳ Risk shifts during perimenopause and menopause
This is why women’s cardiovascular risk increases after midlife, and why hormone-aware, preventative care matters.

Understanding this link helps move the conversation away from fear and towards informed, proactive support.

If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause, it’s worth reviewing heart health alongside hormone health rather than treating them separately. Reach out to discuss your risk factors and options.

Many women expect perimenopause to announce itself loudly 📢Hot flushes. Night sweats. Obvious changes.But for a lot of w...
04/02/2026

Many women expect perimenopause to announce itself loudly 📢

Hot flushes. Night sweats. Obvious changes.

But for a lot of women, it starts much more quietly 🔇

Mood changes that feel out of character.
Sleep that becomes lighter or more broken.
Cycles that subtly shorten, lengthen, or feel different.
Energy that dips, even when life hasn’t changed.

These shifts can be easy to dismiss, especially when blood tests look “normal” or symptoms don’t match the stereotype.

Perimenopause isn’t a single moment.
It’s a transition, and it can begin years before periods stop.

Noticing early changes isn’t overreacting.
It’s listening.

📩 If this feels familiar, reach out or send a message to talk through whether perimenopause could be part of what’s going on.

Women’s heart symptoms don’t always look the way we expect 💖Many women experience heart-related warning signs that are s...
03/02/2026

Women’s heart symptoms don’t always look the way we expect 💖

Many women experience heart-related warning signs that are subtle, non-specific, or easily explained away as stress, hormones, or being “run down”.

During perimenopause and menopause, this becomes even more complicated, because hormone changes can affect the heart, blood vessels, cholesterol, inflammation, and stress response.

❤️ Persistent fatigue
Ongoing exhaustion that doesn’t lift with rest can be linked to cardiovascular strain, not just a busy life or poor sleep.

💨 Shortness of breath
Feeling breathless during normal daily activities is not something to ignore, even if fitness hasn’t changed.

🌙 Sleep disruption
Frequent night waking or unrefreshing sleep can be influenced by cortisol, oestrogen changes, and cardiovascular stress.

💓 Palpitations or anxiety
Hormonal shifts can affect heart rhythm and nervous system balance, but persistent symptoms still deserve checking.

⚠️ Jaw, neck, back, or upper stomach discomfort
Heart symptoms in women are often felt outside the chest, which is why they’re so commonly missed.

During Women’s Heart Week, it’s worth remembering that heart health and hormone health are closely connected.

📲 If any of these sound familiar, don’t brush them off. Reach out to review your symptoms and risk factors properly.

******er

01/02/2026

🎥 In today’s video, Dr. Katie breaks down why dizziness can be a surprising but common symptom during perimenopause. She explains what causes it, how to manage it, and when it’s important to seek further advice.

💬 Have you experienced dizziness during perimenopause? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to watch the full video for Dr. Katie’s tips! 👇

P.S. Got more questions about perimenopause? Drop them in the comments 🙌

HRT isn’t a one-and-done decision.Your hormones continue to change during perimenopause and menopause, which means the d...
01/02/2026

HRT isn’t a one-and-done decision.

Your hormones continue to change during perimenopause and menopause, which means the dose or type of HRT that worked well before may not always feel right long-term.

These are some common signs your body may be asking for a review 👇

🌱 Symptoms have crept back after initial relief
If hot flushes, night sweats, low mood, or brain fog return after a period of improvement, it can be a sign your needs have shifted.

😴 Sleep or anxiety has changed again
New sleep disruption, increased anxiety, or feeling wired and tired can reflect changes in oestrogen or progesterone balance.

🩸 Bleeding patterns feel different or unexpected
Changes in bleeding should always be reviewed, especially if they feel new, heavier, or irregular.

⚠️ Side effects don’t feel right for you
Bloating, breast tenderness, headaches, or feeling emotionally flat can sometimes improve with a dose or formulation adjustment.

🧠 Your life or stress levels have changed
Stress, illness, weight changes, or poor sleep can alter how your body responds to hormones.

✨ HRT isn’t static. Your body isn’t either.
Reviews aren’t a sign something has gone wrong. They’re part of responsive, personalised care.

If this resonates, it may be worth checking in rather than pushing through. Message me to talk through whether an HRT review could help.

******er

Feeling listened to and properly supported can change everything ⭐Here’s what one patient shared after working with Dr K...
30/01/2026

Feeling listened to and properly supported can change everything ⭐

Here’s what one patient shared after working with Dr Katie:

“𝑫𝒓 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 (𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕!).

𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒍, 𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒍. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑. 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒅 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑫𝒓 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒚.

𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅. 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆.

𝑫𝒓 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕. 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒏𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒔.”

There isn’t one answer for everyone. Sometimes lifestyle support is enough. Sometimes medical treatment or HRT is part of the picture. What matters is having the time, understanding, and choice to find what’s right for you.

If you’re struggling with symptoms and want a calm, personalised approach, support is available 💗

Vaginal and cervical discomfort is one of the most overlooked menopause symptoms.Dryness, sensitivity, pain during intim...
29/01/2026

Vaginal and cervical discomfort is one of the most overlooked menopause symptoms.

Dryness, sensitivity, pain during intimacy, or discomfort at cervical screening are often brushed off as “normal”, but they’re frequently linked to hormonal change.

This is one of the lesser-talked-about ways HRT can make a difference.

🌸 Oestrogen supports tissue strength and comfort
Oestrogen helps maintain the structure and resilience of vaginal and cervical tissue, reducing fragility and discomfort.

💧 It supports moisture and elasticity
Adequate oestrogen encourages natural lubrication and flexibility, which can ease dryness and irritation.

🩸 Blood flow and healing rely on hormones
Healthy circulation supports tissue repair. When oestrogen declines, healing can slow and sensitivity can increase.

🔄 Perimenopause can affect tissue health early
Changes may begin years before periods stop, meaning symptoms often appear earlier than expected.

🚫 Discomfort isn’t something you have to tolerate
Persistent dryness or discomfort isn’t something women should be expected to put up with. Support options exist.

Understanding this side of HRT helps reframe it as care for comfort, tissue health, and quality of life, not just symptom control.

TRUE or FALSE? 👀Cervical screening is still important after having children.Many women assume screening matters less onc...
28/01/2026

TRUE or FALSE? 👀
Cervical screening is still important after having children.






Many women assume screening matters less once they’ve had children, especially if they feel well or their focus has shifted to caring for others.

✨ The answer is TRUE.

Cervical screening remains important regardless of whether you’ve had children. Hormonal changes, HPV exposure, and cervical cell changes can still occur, and screening is designed to pick up early changes before symptoms appear.

Did you guess right? Drop a ✔️ or ❌ in the comments.

Many women are told HRT is something to consider only when symptoms become unbearable.That framing does women a disservi...
27/01/2026

Many women are told HRT is something to consider only when symptoms become unbearable.

That framing does women a disservice.

Hormonal changes don’t start suddenly at menopause. They often begin years earlier, during perimenopause, when oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate and gradually decline.

🧠 Waiting until symptoms are severe isn’t required
You don’t have to reach breaking point before seeking support. Earlier conversations often allow for more personalised and effective care.

🔄 Hormone changes begin before periods stop
Sleep disruption, mood changes, anxiety, fatigue, and cycle changes can all show up well before menopause itself.

🛡️ Early support can protect long-term health
Oestrogen plays an important role in bone density, cardiovascular health, brain function, and tissue integrity.

❤️ Bone, brain, and heart health are hormone-linked
Supporting hormones earlier can help maintain resilience over time, not just ease current symptoms.

✨ Prevention often works better than repair
HRT isn’t about “waiting until things are bad enough”. For many women, it’s about supporting the body through a predictable biological transition.

26/01/2026

Perimenopause really said, “You’re not doing this alone” 😂

Some days it’s mood swings 🎭
Some days it’s brain fog 😶‍🌫️
Some days it’s just holding each other upright and hoping for the best.

Honestly, thank goodness for that one friend who gets it and doesn’t need an explanation 🤍

Tag your perimenopausal buddy who helps you survive it.

🎥:

******er

Cervical health is closely linked to hormones, even though this is rarely explained.The cervix isn’t static tissue. It r...
25/01/2026

Cervical health is closely linked to hormones, even though this is rarely explained.

The cervix isn’t static tissue. It responds to hormonal signals throughout life, particularly oestrogen.

Here’s how those changes show up 👇

🌸 Oestrogen keeps cervical tissue healthy
Oestrogen helps maintain the structure and resilience of cervical tissue. When levels are supported, tissue tends to be stronger and more comfortable.

💧 It supports moisture, elasticity, and blood flow
Adequate oestrogen supports natural lubrication, flexibility, and circulation. This plays an important role in comfort, protection, and healing.

🔄 Oestrogen levels change in perimenopause
During perimenopause, oestrogen can fluctuate unpredictably and gradually decline. These shifts often begin years before periods stop.

⚠️ Tissue can become drier or more sensitive
As oestrogen changes, cervical and vaginal tissue may feel drier, more fragile, or more sensitive. This can affect comfort during intimacy or cervical screening.

🚫 Discomfort isn’t “just ageing”
These changes aren’t something women simply have to tolerate. They’re often a sign of hormonal shifts that deserve understanding and support.

Understanding how hormones influence cervical tissue helps women recognise when symptoms are hormonal, not personal or inevitable.

Share this with someone who’s been told discomfort is “just part of ageing”.

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