M-brace The Change

30/07/2025

We know that not everyone can use, or wants to use HRT (AKA, MHT - Menopausal Hormone Therapy). We also know that for some, the stuff that gets said by some biiiig social media accounts, by some doctors, and yes, some menopause support group owners, can be very worrying. You know the ones... 'If you don't use HRT you're doomed!" That sort of stuff...

See, HRT *is* the first-line recommended treatment for peri/menopause. But it isn’t the ONLY thing that can help. For those who don't use HRT, we have evidence-based resources readily available:

⭐️ In Files, in our private support group
⭐️ Additional evidence-based M-brace factsheets and handbooks in our special Superstars and Champions group
⭐️ Chapters in our Big Bumper Book Of M-brace dedicated to good all-round tools for your menopause toolkit

What we DON'T do is recommend off-the-shelf supplements or herbal remedies nor gadgets, with no evidence to support their claims. So do yourself a favour, and take advantage of the resources available to you from us.

Clear, no-nonsense, properly useful stuff to help you have a better menopause and beyond...

🙂🧡

22/07/2025

Hello everyone 👋🙂

Are you feeling stuck and in need of some extra support?

Are you already in tons of other menopause support groups, but you're just getting more confused by what's being said and posted in there?

Are those menopause support groups absolutely massive and out of control?

Are you struggling to make sense of your menopause and need to make some decisions about the path you'll take and the tools in your toolkit?

Then we can help you with all of that 🙂

Our members (like Lorna here)👇 know that all the stuff they see in our group is as accurate as possible, is evidence-based, isn't misleading misinformation, and is *properly* moderated for their safety and wellbeing. Yes, even discussion threads and member comments! We put extra work into keeping our members sane and safe, and we've helped thousands of people over the years.

If you need our help, you'll find us Monday-Friday here on Facebook, in our M-brace The Change Menopause Support group.

Come join us in "by far the best menopause group" 🙂🧡

(Thanks to M-bracer Lorna for permission to use her comment from the private group)

22/07/2025

Hello you 👋🙂

If you have been on the moon, or perhaps ThE AlGoRiThMs have been hiding all our posts again, then you might not know that The Big Bumper Book Of M-brace is now available!

Your PDF download is hovering in the ether, ready for you to beckon close with a small amount of your Earth money 🙂 Details of how to get yours can be found in our private support group...

Packed with useful information, it's over 100 pages of excellent evidence-based stuff to help you (or someone you know) wend your way along the path to a healthy and hopefully happy postmenopause.

🙂🧡

19/07/2025

In recent days, the American FDA held a meeting to review the black box warning on localised va**nal oestrogen. Here's our two-penneth, for what it's worth...

The panel mostly comprised clinicians and menopause specialists invited to participate, and there are a number of video extracts circulating. Note that this panel refers only to the USA, and there's yet to be an equivalent discussion at this level here in the UK (or elsewhere) as far as we know. The discussion also addressed broader issues relating to HRT and menopause.

Localised va**nal oestrogen is one of the safest and most effective ways to manage Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM), which can cause va**nal dryness, painful s*x, urinary incontinence, and recurrent UTIs.

The vast majority of menopause experts and studies agree that low-dose va**nal estrogen works locally, stays where it's needed, and does not increase health risks in patients. There's a relatively tiny minority of people who would not be advised to use it.

And yet, the leaflets and information on and in the product boxes talk of risks to health that have been repeatedly shown to be untrue, and serve to further discourage people to use them; scaring people with real concerns and misgivings and preventing them from getting effective treatment for, in some cases, life-threatening conditions. (Not to mention the huge costs involved for health services to treat people with conditions that could easily have been prevented. See the recent release from UKHSA if you'd like a current demonstration on that! Although irritatingly, they don't even mention va**nal oestrogen as treatment - go figure 🙄)

It’s past time for labels to reflect the science, globally, and to stop scaring people unnecessarily about a product that saves lives.

🧡

**nalatrophy

07/07/2025

Hello you 🙂 If you're not feeling like yourself, and your patience is wearing thin, you'll probably want to join our private support group. You'll find us Monday-Friday, and we're there for anyone who will be/is experiencing menopause first-hand.

There are loads of evidence-based resources and help on hand, including our Big Bumper Book Of M-brace. No bobbins, no woo, in a *properly moderated* setting to keep you safe from misinformation, disinformation, and unhelpful nonsense 🙂

🧡

01/07/2025

Hello you 🙂

Our M-brace book is now available, and it's packed with useful stuff to help you or someone you know. It includes chapters on holistic health, s*xual health and pleasure, and nutrition, as well as information about symptoms, treatments and tons more!

Our M-brace Specialists have each contributed a chapter, so you can get the benefit of their knowledge and expertise as well 🙂

Pop into the M-brace The Change Menopause Support group and check out the Featured tab to find out more 🎉🧡

30/06/2025

IT'S HERE! 🥳🎉

Our Big Bumper Book Of M-brace is now available in our private support group! There's over 100 pages of excellent evidence-based information from our group experts and the M-brace team.

Pop over to the group to find out how to get your mitts on your copy... And if you know anyone who might need one, give this post a share 🙂🧡

25/06/2025

If you find yourself struggling to get anywhere with your GP to get the menopause treatment you want, then maybe we can help?

We have loads of different ways to support you, depending on your needs. And we've helped thousands of people over the past four years to get better results from their appointments and to feel better!

Soon we'll have a new way to help you! Our Big Bumper Book Of M-brace will be available to our group members from Monday 30th June 🥳🎉

If you'd like to get your mitts on your copy, pop over to our group now and find out how...

😊🧡

24/06/2025

Hello you 🙂 Here's a post giving you some invaluable information on...

❤️HRT BASICS❤️

You can get tons more evidence-based information about all aspects of menopause in our private support group! If you see this public post, please give it a like and a share - that way more people get to see this factual information rather than the bobbins stuff that seems to grow wings and fly around...

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is the most effective way to treat the symptoms
of perimenopause and menopause and is the first-line recommended treatment. Your
body is no longer producing the hormones it was, hormone levels become unstable and that’s why you experience symptoms. HRT just tops up those lost hormones, and most women can then find a new hormonal 'balance'. It can also help to prevent future health concerns such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and osteoporosis. These effects are further enhanced when HRT is used as just one of the tools in your menopause toolkit.

❤️What Is HRT?

HRT is a hormone treatment that includes the hormones oestrogen, often progestogen, and in some cases testosterone.

Oestrogen replacements are available through:
• Transdermal types: through the skin in patches, gels, and spray
• Oral types: tablets
• Vulvova**nal types: pessaries, gels, and creams etc.
If you still have your uterus (womb) then you will need to take a form of progesterone
(progestogen) to prevent thickening of the womb lining which could otherwise cause
problems. This isn't needed when using vulvova**nal types.

Progesterone replacements are available in several formulations, such as capsules or
an Intrauterine System (IUS) called Mirena coil. The Mirena coil is also a form of contraception, and once it settles, most women rarely if ever experience a bleed. It needs replacing every 4-5years for HRT purposes. Micronised progesterone (branded Utrogestan or Gepretix in the UK, with generic progesterone also being available) is the safest form and comes in a capsule to be taken either orally, or sometimes va**nally under medical supervision.

Testosterone might also be needed, particularly for women who still have symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and principally a lack of libido, even after taking HRT for some time. It is available in a gel or a cream (but it is not currently licensed as a treatment for women
in the UK, so it may not be straightforward to get this prescribed in some areas) and it is widely and safely used by many women.

❤️HRT Benefits

HRT usually takes around three months to settle down, it can take a little longer. Most
women start to feel much better and more like themselves after three to six months of taking HRT. There should be a noticeable improvement in your symptoms, and some
of those improvements can be felt pretty quickly, within a week or two of starting in
some cases!

HRT can give added protection and reduces the risk of some future health concerns.
You are less likely to develop osteoporosis as the replenished oestrogen helps prevent your bones from weakening as they otherwise might. HRT also helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues, heart problems, or stroke, particularly when started in perimenopause, under age 60 or within ten years of your last period. There is a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women who take HRT, along with osteoarthritis, some forms of cancer, and depression. The research into prevention of Alzheimer’s and dementia is looking really promising too.

❤️HRT Risks

For most women starting to take HRT under age 60 or within ten years of their last
period, the benefits far outweigh any risks of HRT. There are some risks associated,
and these have been the subject of controversy and exaggeration over previous years, particularly those risks associated with breast cancer.

Whilst taking combined (oestrogen and progesterone) HRT is associated with an
increase in breast cancer risk, this risk is small compared to other lifestyle risk factors. Drinking a moderate amount and/or being obese have much higher associated risks with breast cancer.

There is also a small risk around blood clots, where a history of migraine, liver disease
or previous blood clots may need to be taken into consideration when HRT is prescribed. This risk is only present if the oestrogen element of HRT is taken in a tablet. Transdermal HRT (patches, gels, and sprays) does not have this associated blood clot risk and is safe for these women to take.

❤️Side Effects

HRT side effects usually happen in the first few months of beginning to take it. They
usually settle down once your body has found its new hormonal balance, and can
include breast tenderness, and bleeding. Beyond that, ongoing side effects are pretty
uncommon. Our Starting HRT information gives more detail on this.

❤️When should HRT be taken?

HRT is most effective when taken at the start of your menopause journey. If you are
displaying symptoms, then you are already showing signs of depleted/fluctuating hormone levels.

You do not have to wait until your periods have stopped to start taking HRT! If you
have symptoms, that’s the time to speak to your doctor/prescriber about your options.
Don’t wait until you’re ‘suffering enough’ to take HRT – the sooner you start, the sooner you feel the benefits and add protection against future health concerns that can be caused by depleted hormones.

Starting HRT within ten years of menopause (when you haven’t had a period for a full year) gives the greatest benefits, but women of any age can start to take HRT. It may mean that extra professional care is needed and lower dosages used, but it is possible! Referral to a menopause specialist/NHS menopause clinic may be needed if primary care health professionals aren’t prepared to prescribe under these circumstances.

Taking HRT does not mean that your menopause is delayed. If you stop HRT, and find that you are experiencing symptoms, you would still have been having those symptoms without HRT at that point.

There is no maximum length of time that you can stay on HRT, and there is no need
for most women to stop taking it. Doses and types may need reviewing and revising to
manage personal risk and to continue to get best benefit from treatment as time goes
on. For support to stay in the best possible health, topping up hormone levels with
HRT can be a vital part of the toolkit for many people.

If you have questions, pop over to our support group for answers!

❤️

(Any information or guidance we provide is not a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of your doctor or healthcare provider.

You must not rely on any information or guidance we provide you with as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and we expressly disclaim all responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered by you or any third party as a result of your reliance on any information or guidance we provide you with.)

24/06/2025

This is excellent news 👏 🧡

Today Department of Health and Social Care - DHSC have announced that from early next year HPV self-sampling tests will be made available for those who are overdue cervical screening.

There are many reasons why some people might not attend their screening, such as feeling like they don’t want or need it, fear, embarrassment, a lack of understanding of the importance of screening, or because of a range of other barriers. Women and people with a cervix who have a physical or learning disability, who are carers and struggle to find the time, people without flexible and understanding workplaces, survivors of s*xual trauma or FGM, trans and non-binary people, and many more may find screening difficult to attend, painful or even traumatic.

To increase attendance and reduce cervical cancer enough for it to be eliminated would be an incredible feat, saving over 3000 people from a tough diagnosis each year in the UK and over 850 lives. To achieve this we need to focus our efforts on enabling the people who have never been screened, or haven’t been screened for a long time to attend.

This is something Eve and researchers across the world have been hoping to do, and we have been part of the working group making recommendations for HPV self-sampling to be made part of the NHS cervical screening programme.

Today’s news takes us a step closer by having more options out there to help those people who haven’t gone for screening to take the first step on the screening pathway and find out whether they have high-risk HPV.

The self-sampling HPV kit is a swab, like a long cotton bud, which is used to take a sample from the va**na.

The tests will be posted out to people’s houses in discreet packaging, and with instructions on how to do the test and a prepaid envelope for posting it back to the laboratory for testing.

If the HPV self-sampling test finds high-risk HPV, people would need to go into the GP surgery to have a standard cervical screening test done so that their cervical cells can be checked for any signs of cell changes.

13 in every 100 people who go for their screening get a positive result for high-risk HPV, so for the majority the self-sampling kit will be all they need to do.

You can find out more about the announcement, HPV self-sampling tests and the evidence behind them, and answers to your most frequently asked questions on our blog:
https://eveappeal.org.uk/news/hpv-self-sampling-tests-will-now-be-available-for-those-who-havent-attended-cervical-screening/

17/06/2025

IT'S ON THE WAY 🥳🎉

To celebrate our forthcoming fourth birthday, we're excited to tell you that our M-brace book will be available from Monday 30th June!

It has just over 100 pages of excellent stuff from the M-brace team to help anyone along their menopause path - whether that's with or without hormone therapy.

There are chapters on symptoms, treatments, sxual health and pleasure, nutrition, complementary therapies, meno-myths and bobbins to avoid, and loads more!

🧡 It will be available as a download PDF, so you'll have it with you whenever you need it for just £7.50 🧡

If you'd like to be among the first to receive it, and you will be/are experiencing menopause first-hand, pop over to our private support group to see how you can get your mitts on one.

We really hope you like it, and that we can help a load more folk kick menopause right in the foof 🙂🧡

16/06/2025

Hello you 🙂 Yes, here in the UK it is going to be a bit warm this week, and a good few of us with menopause symptoms might be feeling a bit 'melty'. To combat this meltiness, and because you probably/possibly aren't already doing it please DRINK SOME WATER!

Through peri/menopause, one of the easiest, cheapest, and quickest ways to help alleviate symptoms is to make sure that you stay hydrated, whichever path you've chosen to take through your menopause. Ideally, aim to be taking on board about 2 litres (6-8 cups) of water each day (other drinks like tea count, but some of the benefits may be negated because caffeine etc).

🙂❤️