Menopause, HRT and testosterone support, done properly
Menopause is a major hormonal and metabolic transition, not just the end of periods. Dr Karen Benson offers personalised menopause care, HRT review, testosterone assessment where appropriate, medical acupuncture, and a wider lifestyle medicine approach.
- Personalised, GP-led menopause assessment
- HRT advice tailored to your symptoms and risk profile
- Testosterone assessment where clinically appropriate
- Medical acupuncture for menopausal symptoms where appropriate
- Joined-up care with weight and metabolic health
You don't need to wait until periods stop completely before asking for help — symptoms often begin years earlier.
About the clinic
The "eat less, move more" answer
isn't good enough
Many women reach midlife and feel as if the rules have suddenly changed — the same diet stops working, weight settles around the middle, sleep becomes lighter, cravings feel harder to control, and brain fog creeps into work and daily life.
Many women reach midlife and feel as if the rules have suddenly changed. The same diet stops working, weight settles around the middle, sleep becomes lighter, cravings are harder to control, and brain fog starts affecting work and daily life.
Falling oestrogen, changing progesterone patterns, and age-related testosterone decline can affect multiple body systems. Symptoms may be physical, psychological, sexual, metabolic, and cognitive — which is why a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works.
That’s why our clinic takes a thoughtful, GP-led approach.
Dr Karen Benson takes time to understand your individual symptoms, menstrual history, medical background, current medications, risk factors, lifestyle, and personal priorities before recommending any treatment.
The aim isn’t simply to prescribe HRT.
The aim is to help you make informed, evidence-based decisions about your health, with your whole picture considered — not just a single hormone test.
Common symptoms we can help assess
Every woman experiences menopause differently
Some of these symptoms can also be caused by other conditions — thyroid problems, anaemia, vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, depression, sleep apnoea or medication side effects. A proper GP assessment helps avoid missing other causes.
Services & treatment options
A consultation built around your full picture
Your consultation may include a combination of medical assessment, lifestyle medicine and treatment planning.
Menopause assessment
Dr Benson reviews your symptoms, cycle pattern, medical history, family history, current medication, risk factors and previous treatment — helping identify whether symptoms relate to perimenopause or menopause, and whether further investigation is needed.
HRT advice and prescribing
HRT can be very effective for hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disruption and some mood-related symptoms, and may also help protect bone health. Options include patches, gels, sprays, tablets, progesterone capsules, intrauterine systems and vaginal hormone treatments — the right one depends on your symptoms, whether you still have a uterus, medical risk factors, preference and tolerability.
Transdermal HRT options
Oestrogen through the skin — patches, gel or spray — may be preferred for many women, particularly where there are metabolic or vascular risk factors. Transdermal oestrogen avoids first-pass metabolism through the liver and may suit some women better than oral oestrogen.
Progesterone and endometrial protection
If you have a uterus and use oestrogen, you'll usually need appropriate progesterone or progestogen to protect the lining of the womb — an important safety issue that shouldn't be overlooked.
Testosterone assessment
Women produce testosterone too, and levels decline with age. It's not a weight-loss treatment and shouldn't be prescribed casually — but in carefully selected women, it may be considered for low sexual desire, reduced arousal and related quality-of-life concerns, once other factors have been assessed.
Vaginal and urinary symptoms
Genitourinary symptoms of menopause are common and often undertreated. Vaginal dryness, discomfort, pain during sex, recurrent urinary symptoms and vulval soreness may respond well to local vaginal treatments.
Lifestyle medicine
Menopause affects much more than hot flushes. Sleep, stress, alcohol, nutrition, protein intake, resistance training, metabolic health and blood glucose control can all influence symptoms and long-term health.
Weight gain and metabolic health
Menopausal weight gain isn't simply a willpower problem — falling oestrogen can influence fat distribution, insulin sensitivity, appetite, sleep, muscle mass and visceral fat. Where appropriate, Dr Benson can discuss weight-management options as part of a joined-up plan. Read more about our weight loss and management service.
Medical acupuncture
Medical acupuncture can be a valuable option for women experiencing menopausal symptoms, particularly those who cannot take HRT or prefer a non-hormonal approach. Evidence suggests it may help reduce the frequency and severity of hot flushes while also supporting symptoms such as mood changes, anxiety, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, headaches and general wellbeing.
Dr Karen Benson offers medical acupuncture as part of a holistic menopause management plan, alongside lifestyle medicine and, where appropriate, HRT and other treatments.
HRT, GLP-1s and weight-loss injections
Some women using weight-loss injections such as Mounjaro or Wegovy also need menopause care — these conversations shouldn't happen in isolation. GLP-1-based medicines can reduce appetite and food noise for some patients, but they don't treat menopause itself and don't replace oestrogen, progesterone or testosterone where these are clinically indicated.
If you're using weight-loss injections and HRT, your prescriber needs the full picture — particularly if you use oral HRT, oral progesterone or oral contraception, since some weight-loss medicines can delay gastric emptying and affect how oral medicines are absorbed.
The safest approach is joined-up care — hormones, metabolism, muscle, nutrition and long-term health considered together.
What happens during your consultation
Six steps, at your pace
Book your appointment
A private menopause consultation with Dr Karen Benson at Letchworth Pharmacy.
Symptom & health review
Symptoms, periods, medical history, medication, family history, lifestyle, sleep, stress, weight changes and goals.
Risk assessment
Blood pressure, cardiovascular risk, breast cancer risk, clotting risk, migraine history, bleeding pattern and other factors.
Treatment discussion
HRT, non-hormonal options, vaginal treatments, testosterone where appropriate, lifestyle medicine and further investigations.
Personalised plan
Based on your symptoms, preferences, clinical history and risk profile — with clear guidance on use and follow-up.
Follow-up
Reviewing symptom response, side effects, bleeding patterns, dose adjustments and longer-term health planning.
Why choose Letchworth Pharmacy
Care that joins the dots
GP-led menopause care
Provided by Dr Karen Benson, an experienced private GP with a strong interest in menopause, HRT, testosterone and lifestyle medicine.
Local, convenient appointments
Available at Letchworth Pharmacy, One Garden City, Broadway, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3BF.
Joined-up thinking
Menopause symptoms, weight gain, metabolic health, sleep, mood, libido and long-term risk considered together.
Personalised HRT advice
HRT isn't one-size-fits-all — type, dose and route are tailored to your symptoms, preferences and medical background.
Testosterone considered appropriately
Where symptoms suggest it may be relevant, testosterone can be discussed carefully and clinically.
Lifestyle medicine & medical acupuncture
Alongside medication where appropriate, Dr Karen Benson also offers lifestyle medicine and medical acupuncture to support symptoms such as hot flushes, sleep disturbance, mood changes, joint and muscle pain, and overall wellbeing.
Pricing
Straightforward consultation fees
Frequently asked questions
Good to know before you book
No. Many women seek help during perimenopause, when periods are still happening but symptoms have already started. You don’t need to wait until your periods have stopped completely.
Symptoms, age, cycle changes and medical history are usually more useful than a single hormone test. Dr Benson will assess your symptoms and consider whether other causes need to be ruled out.
Not always. In many women over 45, menopause can often be assessed based on symptoms and menstrual history. Blood tests may help in some situations, particularly if symptoms are unusual, you’re younger, periods stopped early, or another condition needs excluding.
For many women, the benefits of HRT outweigh the risks, but this depends on age, symptoms, medical history, the type of HRT, route of administration and personal risk factors. Dr Benson will discuss your individual risk-benefit profile.
There’s no single best HRT for everyone. Options include patches, gels, sprays, tablets, progesterone capsules, intrauterine systems and local vaginal treatments — the right choice depends on your symptoms, whether you have a uterus, risk factors and preferences.
Transdermal oestrogen — patches, gel or spray — may be preferred for some women, particularly where there are risk factors such as migraine, raised triglycerides, obesity, hypertension or higher clotting risk. Dr Benson can advise what’s suitable for you.
If you have a uterus and take oestrogen, you’ll usually need progesterone or a progestogen to protect the lining of the womb — an important safety requirement.
Testosterone is a crucial natural female hormone too, and can help many women with low sexual desire after other factors have been assessed, alongside playing a role in metabolic health. It isn’t currently licensed in the UK specifically for menopause symptoms, but may be prescribed by an appropriate clinician where clinically indicated.
If HRT isn’t suitable because of your medical history, personal preference or specific risk factors, there are still effective ways to manage menopausal symptoms.
Depending on your symptoms, treatment may include lifestyle medicine, non-hormonal medications, vaginal treatments where appropriate, and medical acupuncture, which may help reduce symptoms such as hot flushes, mood changes, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, and improve overall wellbeing.
Dr Karen Benson will discuss the benefits and limitations of each option and create a personalised treatment plan based on your symptoms, medical history and preferences. Where appropriate, you can also be referred for further investigations or specialist care.
Menopause can contribute to changes in body composition, appetite, sleep, insulin sensitivity and fat distribution. Weight gain around the middle is common and may reflect broader metabolic changes, not simply lack of willpower.
Some women use HRT and GLP-1-based weight-loss medicines together, but this should be reviewed carefully. It’s particularly important to tell your clinician if you use oral HRT, oral progesterone or oral contraception.
Some women can’t take HRT or prefer not to. Non-hormonal treatment options and lifestyle strategies can still be discussed, and vaginal symptoms may have local treatment options.
Yes. Vaginal dryness, discomfort, pain during sex and recurrent urinary symptoms are common during and after menopause. Local vaginal treatments may be very effective and can be discussed during your consultation.
You can book a private menopause consultation through Letchworth Pharmacy, or contact the team for more information.
