Menopause Symptom Tracking & GP Appointment Prep

What you will be able to do

• describe the stages of menopause and how GPs usually recognise them, in line with guidance used in New Zealand.
• track your symptoms, sleep, mood and bleeding every day for eight weeks in about two minutes.
• turn your tracking into a short summary with numbers your GP can use.
• recognise the main options described in menopause guidance, as education for your conversation.
• prepare your health history, medicines and family history so options can be discussed safely.
• open your appointment with a clear script and ask your most important questions.
• plan your follow-up, reviews and next steps if an appointment does not go as hoped.

1. 1Why tracking and preparing makes a difference

   Understand the stages of menopause, how GPs recognise them, and why a written record of your symptoms helps you get the right help.

   • Perimenopause and menopause in plain English
   • Why a written record changes the conversation

   8-week menopause symptom tracker

2. 2Tracking your symptoms for eight weeks

   Learn what to track, how to use the tracker in two minutes a day, and how to turn eight weeks of entries into a short summary.

   • What to track: the obvious and the overlooked
   • Using the tracker: two minutes a day
   • Turning eight weeks into a five-line summary

   8-week menopause symptom tracker

3. 3Knowing your options before you go

   Get familiar with the options menopause guidance describes, and the questions about your history that help your GP talk about them safely. Education only.

   • The options menopause guidance describes, in plain English
   • Your history: what your GP needs to know
   • Habits that support you, alongside any treatment

   Menopause options summary (education only)

4. 4Getting ready for the appointment

   Book the right appointment, write your script and choose your questions, so the first two minutes do the heavy lifting.

   • Booking the right appointment
   • Writing your GP script
   • Choosing your questions

   GP appointment scriptQuestions to ask your GPAppointment readiness check

5. 5In the room, and what happens next

   Take part in the decision, know what to do if the appointment does not go as hoped, and plan your follow-up and reviews.

   • During the appointment: shared decision-making
   • If the appointment does not go as you hoped
   • After the appointment: reviews and keeping track

   8-week menopause symptom trackerQuestions to ask your GP

• Tracker8-week menopause symptom trackerLog your symptoms, sleep, mood, bleeding and the impact on your day for 8 weeks, so you can show your GP a clear, honest picture instead of relying on memory.
• TemplateGP appointment scriptTurn your 8 weeks of tracking into a short, clear script you can read out or hand over in the first two minutes of your appointment.
• ListQuestions to ask your GPA ready-made list of questions grouped by topic; tick the ones that matter to you, add your own, and take your top three into the appointment.
• CardsMenopause options summary (education only)Plain-English cards summarising the menopause options described in guidance used by New Zealand doctors, so you recognise the words your GP uses and can ask good questions.
• CheckerAppointment readiness checkTick what you have ready the day before your appointment and see what is still worth doing.