News & Updates
Appointments for face to face consultations and by telehealth
Dr Bellamy is now taking appointments for face to face consultations and by Telehealth for 2023. In person consultations will be in her rooms in Camperdown. The address is Suite G03 30 Pyrmont Bridge Road Camperdown 2050. Having a face to face consultation will...
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Doctor Maree Bellamy
Doctor Maree Bellamy provides an integrated approach combined with over 25 years of experience.
Perimenopause![]()
This is a time when the ovaries begin to produce less oestrogen due to the reduction in eggs. Periods are more 'spaced out' and eventually stop altogether. The perimenopause usually starts in your forties. Symptoms vary between individuals, lasting for a few months or sometimes years (average of 5 ). ![]()
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Regular ovulation produces a hormone called Progesterone in the second half of the cycle. It stabilises the lining of the uterus and stops it from thickening. When ovulation happens less often, the lining can build up, leading to unpredictable and sometimes heavy bleeding. ![]()
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There are things that can be done if perimenopause is interfering with your quality of life. See your doctor.![]()
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Perimenopause symptoms include abnormal bleeding, hot flushes a disturbed sleep and moods, vaginal dryness, reduced libido and difficulty having intercourse. It is worth while having a discussion with your doctor, to decide what assessments and treatments are indicated.
Hormone therapy could prevent Alzheimer's among certain women.![]()
A new study has found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with better memory, cognition and larger brain volumes in later life among women carrying the APOE4 gene, which is the strongest risk factor gene for Alzheimer's disease. ![]()
Alzheimer’s disease can be a devastating diagnosis for the patient as well as their loved ones. It is the most common form of dementia and leads to progressive deterioration of the brain. Over time it impacts memory, cognitive skills and other mental abilities![]()
The team at the University of East Anglia (UEA) found that HRT was most effective in terms of memory and cognition when introduced early in the menopause journey.![]()
Study lead and director of the Norwich Institute for Healthy Aging at UEA, Professor Anne-Marie Minihane, said: “We know that 25 percent of women in the UK are carriers of the APOE4 gene and that almost two thirds of Alzheimer’s patients are women.![]()
“In addition to living longer, the reason behind the higher female prevalence is thought to be related to the effects of menopause and the impact of the APOE4 genetic risk factor being greater in women.![]()
“We wanted to find out whether HRT could prevent cognitive decline in at-risk APOE4 carriers.” As part of the research the team analysed data from 1,178 dementia-free women over the age of 50 who were taking part in the European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Dementia initiative.![]()
This initiative included participants from 10 countries and tracked women's brains from “healthy” to a diagnosis of dementia in some.![]()
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Doctor Rasha Saleh, also from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “We found that HRT use is associated with better memory and larger brain volumes among at-risk APOE4 gene carriers. “The associations were particularly evident when HRT was introduced early – during the transition to menopause, known as perimenopause.
Many of us have been wondering how well the COVID-19 vaccines are doing in the real world and are they wearing off?![]()
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A recent study gives us a good snapshot of what is happening in the United States. It is not the biggest study, but the details give us great insight into the 3 FDA-approved vaccines in the USA, which are Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen (also known as the Johnson and Johnson)![]()
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention evaluated the effectiveness of the three COVID-19 vaccines in 3689 immunocompetent adults from 18 US states. ![]()
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The analysis demonstrated that vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19 hospitalization was higher for the Moderna vaccine than for the Pfizer-BioNTech (93% vs 88%; P = .011) and both of those were higher than the Janssen vaccine (71%; P < .001). ![]()
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Importantly, all of the vaccines were highly effective in preventing the need for hospitalization. ![]()
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This additional information is worth considering when we are thinking about having our boosters.
Low estrogen may increase coronavirus risk![]()
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Postmenopausal women with lower levels of estrogen appear to be at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19, research suggests.![]()
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The study, led by a team at King's College London, UK, found high levels of estrogen may have a protective effect against the virus.![]()
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Using data from the COVID Symptom Study App, researchers examined the rate of predicted infection among postmenopausal women, premenopausal women using the combined oral contraceptive pill and postmenopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT).![]()
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More than 500,000 women were included in the study that took place between 7 May and 15 June "We hypothesised that premenopausal women with higher estrogen levels would have less severe COVID-19 when compared to women of the same age and BMI who had been through the menopause, and our findings supported this," said joint lead author Dr Karla Lee from the university's school of life course sciences.![]()
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"Additionally, when we compared a younger group of women on the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) with a similar group not taking the COCP we saw less severe COVID-19 among those taking the COCP, suggesting hormones in the COCP may offer some protection against COVID-19.![]()
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"More research is certainly needed to further our knowledge.".
A joint statement from the Royal Colleges of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of GPs and British Medical Society: Access to Hormone Replacement Therapy during COVID-19 outbreak![]()
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We recognise that many women are likely to experience difficulties in obtaining HRT supplies due to the current coronavirus situation. We also appreciate that continuing HRT intake is likely to help many women control their often difficult menopausal symptoms, which is particularly relevant given the additional stress some women may be under in view of the strains of the current situation on society.![]()
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Recognising the current constraints, we recommend that healthcare providers consider advising women about menopause issues through telephone and virtual consultations where at all possible to reduce face to face engagement, and with easy access to repeat prescriptions of HRT supplies (especially to women who have been on HRT and have not been experiencing any problems with their intake).