The most important thing about your consultation is that you feel comfortable and relaxed, and we will take time to listen to how you have been feeling and to talk through all of your symptoms.
We can talk together for 45 minutes so we will have plenty of time.
Dr Sonnenberg, has been a GP for over 20 years, she is a Mum of two teenagers, and has gone through the menopause herself. She started Rowena Health to give women the support she would have loved to have. So please take time for you, to sit with and cup of tea at her Guildford clinic, or in the comfort of your own home, and be honest together, with her, and talk through all the options to find a way to manage your symptoms that is best for you and your life.
Prior to your consultation you will have completed the patient questionnaire that was emailed to you, which ensures we have already got key information that we will need, which allows us to really focus on the areas that matter most to you. Please also ensure you have a full list of all your past medical history, family history and medications.
It is helpful to have copies of results or letters with you that may also be relevant. During your consultation we will discuss your symptoms, concerns and questions taking the time to listen. We will then guide you through the best options and address any questions that you may still have. With that in mind, it is often useful for you to write down any questions that you may have beforehand, that you may not have included in your questionnaire, to ensure she covers them.
We may discuss ways to adapt your lifestyle and she will decide together with you making, your personalised care plan, which she will ask that you share with your GP. If appropriate she will prescribe your medication, such as HRT, ensuring we properly cover any risks and benefits to treatment, based on the British Menopause Society recommendations. This is issued at the consultation but it may take a day or so to have the prescription delivered to you, so don’t worry.
Prior to being able to provide you with a prescription, we will need to know your blood pressure, which we advise you have measured before our consultation. This can easily be done at most pharmacies or at your GP practice. We may also recommend tests or further investigations that we feel are appropriate and we may need to ask for advice of specialist colleagues before starting treatment like HRT.
We will make a plan for your future care with us, or we can write in your care plan advice for your GP advising them of any further investigations or treatment we advise, and you can continue your care with them. We will write to you within 7 days of your appointment to summarise your personal plan. If you do not receive this please let us know and check your junk mail, very occasionally things do end up there. It will come from [email protected]
If there is anything you need clarification on or you have concerns about please do not hesitate to ask, we would love to talk with you early and believe that good communication is the key to a supportive relationship for us both.
Rowena Health is a small clinic and Dr Sonnenberg is delighted to be part of a much bigger peer group supporting continued education in menopause, at the highest level, with other accredited British Menopause Society Menopause Specialists from all over the UK who run similar clinics, and are equally passionate and dedicated to women’s health and menopause care. This group discuss cases regularly looking at latest evidence and best practice in order to provide the best care. Dr Sonnenberg also runs an NHS women’s health clinic at her GP surgery so she is extremely experienced at dealing with all of your symptoms and at guiding you, if something doesn’t seem like a menopause symptom.