Menopause & Women's Health
Understanding Perimenopause
The signs of perimenopause in plain English, a cycle and symptom diary and a prep sheet for a useful GP conversation.
£12.99Buy
Understanding HRT and Other Treatment Options
A clear, NHS-based guide to menopause treatment options, so you can have a confident conversation with your GP or pharmacist
- 2 hoursself-paced
- 7modules
- 3interactive tools
- Certificatewhen you pass
Written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition
What you will be able to do
- explain the difference between combined and oestrogen-only HRT, and why progestogen is added for people with a womb.
- describe the main forms of HRT and why the NHS describes different risks for tablets compared with patches, gels and sprays.
- summarise the benefits and risks of HRT in the way the NHS and NICE describe them.
- tell the difference between absolute and relative risk, and ask for your own risks as numbers.
- describe local options for vaginal and urinary symptoms, including what a pharmacy can supply.
- outline non-hormonal options, including CBT, and what NICE says about herbal and compounded products.
- prepare for and take part in a shared decision with your GP or pharmacist, and know what happens at reviews.
About this course
HRT headlines swing from frightening to glowing, and friends, forums and adverts all seem to say something different. This course sets out the menopause treatment options exactly as the NHS and NICE describe them: what HRT is, the different types and forms, the benefits and risks, local treatments for vaginal symptoms, CBT, non-hormonal medicines and the products sold online.
It is education only. It does not tell you what to choose, and it never suggests starting, stopping or changing a medicine. Instead, it helps you understand the language, make sense of risk numbers and prepare the questions that matter to you, because prescribing decisions belong to your GP or another prescriber who knows your full history.
It is for anyone in or approaching the menopause, and for partners and family who want to understand the options. You will finish with a completed appointment sheet, an options comparison sheet with your own notes, and a set of myths vs evidence cards.
Course modules
7 modules-
1Why treatment options exist, and how NHS menopause care works
A short reminder of what changes around the menopause, then how the NHS and NICE approach treatment decisions, so you know who does what before you look at the options.
- Menopause in brief: what treatment is trying to help
- How decisions are made: NICE, your GP and shared decision-making
Questions for my GP or pharmacist
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2HRT explained: the hormones, the forms and the patterns
What is in HRT, why some people need two hormones, the different ways it can be taken, and the terms you will hear in your appointment.
- Oestrogen and progestogen: why there are two types of HRT
- Ways to take HRT: tablets, patches, gels, sprays and more
- Cyclical or continuous: the patterns of combined HRT
Menopause options comparison sheet (education only)
-
3Benefits and risks, as the NHS and NICE describe them
What HRT can help with, how to make sense of risk numbers, and the specific risks and side effects the NHS lists.
- What HRT can help with
- Making sense of risk: absolute and relative numbers
- The risks one by one, side effects and who may not be suited
Questions for my GP or pharmacist
-
4Vaginal and urinary symptoms: local options
Why vaginal and bladder symptoms happen, the local treatments the NHS describes, and what you can get from a pharmacy.
- Genitourinary symptoms: common, treatable and often not mentioned
- Vaginal oestrogen, moisturisers and lubricants
Menopause options comparison sheet (education only)
-
5Options besides HRT
Talking therapy, non-hormonal medicines, herbal and 'natural' products, and everyday habits, described the way NICE and the NHS describe them.
- CBT: a talking therapy NICE includes for menopause symptoms
- Non-hormonal prescription medicines
- Herbal products, 'bioidentical' hormones and everyday habits
Menopause options comparison sheet (education only)Myths vs evidence cards
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6Your GP or pharmacist conversation
How to prepare, what to ask in the room, and what happens afterwards, including reviews, costs and how decisions about stopping are made.
- Before the appointment: getting ready
- In the room: questions that help you decide together
- After the appointment: reviews, prescriptions and stopping
Questions for my GP or pharmacist
-
7Myths, evidence and trustworthy information
Common myths about menopause treatment, how to judge what you read and see online, and your next steps.
- Common myths, and what the evidence says
- Judging what you read, and your next steps
Myths vs evidence cardsMenopause options comparison sheet (education only)
Tools included
Saved to your account, downloadable as PDF- ListMenopause options comparison sheet (education only)Side-by-side summaries of the main treatment options NICE and the NHS describe, with space to add your own notes and questions before you see your GP or pharmacist.
- TemplateQuestions for my GP or pharmacistA one-page prep sheet so you can explain how symptoms affect you, share the history a prescriber needs, and ask the questions that matter to you.
- CardsMyths vs evidence cardsPocket cards that set common menopause treatment myths against what the NHS and NICE actually say, to help you sort fact from fear before a conversation with your GP.
Who this course is for
- Anyone in the perimenopause or menopause who wants to understand their options before seeing a GP
- People who feel worried or confused by what they have heard about HRT
- People who cannot take, or prefer not to take, hormones and want to know what else NICE describes
- Partners, family members and friends who want to support someone through these decisions
Check with a health professional first if
- This course is education only. Talk to your GP before starting, stopping or changing any medicine, including HRT, herbal products or supplements.
- If your periods stopped or symptoms started before age 45, see your GP: early menopause and premature ovarian insufficiency need specific medical advice.
- If you have had breast, ovarian or womb cancer, blood clots, a stroke, heart disease, liver disease or migraine with aura, your options need a personal discussion with your GP or specialist team.
- If you are already using HRT and have concerns, book a review rather than stopping on your own.
- If you are pregnant or could be pregnant, speak to your GP or midwife first.
Your certificate
Answer at least 7 of the 10 final questions correctly and your certificate is ready to download straight away, with your name, the course and a verification ID anyone can check.
A certificate of completion shows you finished a general education course. It is not a professional qualification.
Certificate of completion
Your name
Understanding HRT and Other Treatment Options, 7 modules, completed 6 October 2026
Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition
Course authorID MNC-4K7Q-2Z9P
Verify at mynutricare.co.uk
Course authorID MNC-4K7Q-2Z9P
Verify at mynutricare.co.uk
Questions about this course
Will this course tell me whether I should take HRT?
No. It explains the options the NHS and NICE describe, including HRT and non-hormonal choices, so you can have an informed conversation. The decision about any medicine is made with your GP or another prescriber who knows your health history.
Is the course written by a doctor?
The course is written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition, and is based on NICE guideline NG23 and NHS information. It is education, not medical advice, and it does not replace your GP, pharmacist or menopause specialist.
I can't take hormones. Is this course still useful?
Yes. Module 4 covers hormone-free options for vaginal symptoms, and Module 5 covers CBT, non-hormonal medicines and what NICE says about herbal products, with questions to take to your GP.
Does it cover early menopause or menopause after cancer?
It explains that these situations need specific medical advice and gives questions to ask, but it does not replace care from your GP, oncology team or a menopause specialist.
What do I get with this course?
7 modules with 18 short lessons (about 2 hours in total) and 3 interactive tools, including the Menopause options comparison sheet (education only), Questions for my GP or pharmacist and Myths vs evidence cards. Your tool results save to My Progress. A 10-question final check ends the course; score 7 or more for your certificate. Written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition.