PMS and Hormone Care
PMS and Hormone Care
If PMS is quietly ruining your month, we are here to help.
Specialist-led care for women experiencing premenstrual hormonal symptoms, at any stage of their reproductive years.
If you only feel like yourself two weeks a month, there may be a treatable hormonal pattern behind your symptoms. At Menopause Care, our BMS-accredited specialist doctors review your cycle timing, mood, sleep, and treatment options carefully, so you can feel more stable, supported and in control.
BMS accredited doctors, available online
Personalised medication delivered
A support team to help coordinate your care
Spread the cost of your care with Klarna
BMS accredited doctors, available online
Personalised medication delivered
A support team to help coordinate your care
Spread the cost of your care with Klarna
PMS is not "just part of being a woman"
PMS reflects how your body and brain respond to the natural hormonal shifts that occur across the menstrual cycle. For some women, this sensitivity can lead to distressing emotional, cognitive and physical symptoms in the days or weeks before a period.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) describes symptoms such as low mood, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, poor concentration and physical discomfort that appear before a period and usually improve once bleeding starts.
Perimenopause is a time of significant hormonal fluctuation. Rather than a gentle decline, oestrogen and progesterone levels can swing dramatically. These "hormonal storms" directly affect your brain chemistry—particularly serotonin, the hormone responsible for regulating your mood, sleep, and appetite.
Common experiences during this shift include:
- Emotional sensitivity: Feeling more reactive, irritable, or "on edge"
- Mood changes: Sudden shifts from anxiety to low mood that feel out of character
- Physical discomfort: Heightened breast tenderness, bloating, or "hormonal headaches"
- Mental fatigue: Brain fog and poor sleep that make daily life feel more taxing
Many women notice some premenstrual changes. PMS is diagnosed when these symptoms are significant enough to interfere with everyday life, relationships, work or wellbeing. PMS can affect women from puberty through to menopause. For some, symptoms become more intense or harder to manage in their late 30s and 40s, particularly during perimenopause, when hormonal fluctuations can increase sensitivity.
Common PMS Symptoms
PMS symptoms vary widely. Some women have just one or two; others have several.
Emotional & Psychological
Emotional & Psychological
Irritability or tension
Low mood or mood swings
Anxiety
Tiredness
Reduced confidence
Sleep or appetite changes
Physical
Physical
Breast tenderness
Bloating
Headaches
Weight changes
Swelling of hands or feet
Behavioural
Behavioural
Reduced concentration or cognitive clarity
Reduced motivation
Feeling less able to cope
Other
Other
Migraines*
Asthma*
Epilepsy*
*may temporarily worsen before a period
Treatment Options for PMS
There is no "one size fits all" when it comes to your well-being. Your treatment depends on your symptoms, medical history and preferences. Options may include:
For many women, the most effective way to support perimenopausal PMS is to address the underlying hormonal fluctuations. We look at several pathways to find the one that fits your lifestyle and health profile:
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Specifically tailored for the perimenopause, HRT provides a steady foundation to help smooth out the "peaks and troughs" that cause symptoms to worsen.
- Combined hormonal options: In some cases, specific contraceptive options can be a highly effective way to provide cycle stability and symptom relief.
- Optimising your current care: If you are already on a treatment plan but still struggling, we work with you to adjust and fine-tune your therapy to ensure it is working effectively for your changing needs.
Sometimes, hormonal support alone isn't quite enough to manage the emotional or physical intensity of a cycle. We provide additional clinical tools to help you feel more in control:
- Mood-regulating support: Low-dose medical options (such as SSRIs) can be incredibly helpful for regulating serotonin levels. This helps to lift low mood and quieten the heightened anxiety that often accompanies hormonal shifts.
- Integrated pain management: Where physical discomfort, such as severe cramping or migraines, is impacting your quality of life, we can recommend targeted relief to ensure you can remain comfortable throughout your cycle.
Medical support works best when paired with mindful self-care. We advocate for a "pro-metabolic" lifestyle, focusing on stress management, gentle movement, and nutrition that supports your blood sugar and hormonal health.
To support your treatment pathway, we focus on:
- Movement that restores: Incorporating regular, gentle exercise that supports bone health and mood without overtaxing your system.
- Intuitive nutrition: Guidance on nourishing your body to stabilise blood sugar and reduce inflammatory triggers.
- Cycle-syncing your habits: Mindfully managing caffeine and alcohol intake, particularly in the lead-up to your period, to help minimise symptom flares.
- Prioritising restorative sleep: Practical strategies for sleep optimisation to help your body and mind recover.
- Emotional well-being: Accessing psychological support, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), to build resilience and manage the mental impact of hormonal shifts.
Is PMS & Hormone Care right for me?
You are likely to be a good fit for this assessment if some of these feel true for you:
Our Approach
Every woman’s experience of PMS is unique. Our role is to help you understand what’s happening, offer safe and effective treatment options, and support you in finding what works best for you. Your care is led by BMS-registered menopause specialist doctors with extensive experience managing complex hormone symptoms every day.
Regular follow-up and ongoing support
What to Expect
- 1
Specialist consultation (45 min)
A thorough review of your symptoms, cycle and medical history, with a personalised treatment plan where appropriate
- 2
Follow up consultation (30 min)
Usually after 3 months to assess progress and refine care
- 3
Ongoing review and support
Medication management, blood tests if needed, and continuity of care for as long as you need
Book your PMS and hormone care appointment
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45-minute online consultation with a specialist menopause doctor
Specialist hormone assessment for women experiencing PMS symptoms that affect mood, sleep, energy or daily life.
30-minute online follow-up with a specialist menopause doctor
Ongoing review to ensure your treatment plan is working and symptoms are improving across your cycle.
Everything you want to know about PMS
It is very common for PMS symptoms to heighten in midlife. This is usually due to the significant hormonal fluctuations—the "peaks and troughs"—of perimenopause. These shifts can affect brain chemistry, particularly serotonin, making you feel more emotionally sensitive or physically uncomfortable than you were in your 20s or 30s.
There is no single "best" treatment, as every woman’s hormonal profile is unique. However, a combination of stabilising hormonal support (HRT) and lifestyle adjustments is often the most effective foundation. Our clinicians specialize in creating personalised treatment pathways to help restore your sense of balance.
For many women, yes. By smoothing out the erratic hormonal swings of perimenopause, HRT can help calm irritability and emotional reactivity. During your consultation, we will assess whether your symptoms are primarily hormone-driven to ensure HRT is the right approach for you.
Not necessarily. While mood-regulating medical support (such as low-dose SSRIs) can be a brilliant tool for managing anxiety and low mood, it is just one option. We discuss all available pathways, including hormonal, medical, and nutritional, to find the options you feel most comfortable with.
Absolutely. We offer a range of clinical and lifestyle strategies to manage physical discomfort like bloating, breast tenderness, and hormonal headaches. This may include targeted pain relief, nutritional guidance, or specific non-hormonal medical supports.
The lines often blur in midlife. If your usual monthly symptoms are lasting longer, feeling more severe, or if your cycle length is changing, it is likely a sign of perimenopausal shifts. A specialist consultation can help you gain clarity on what your body is experiencing.
A new patient menopause specialist consultation is £295 for 45 minutes. Follow-up options are £225 for 30 minutes.
Yes. Our doctors at Menopause Care are British Menopause Society-accredited and appear on the BMS specialist register.
No. You can self-refer for a private appointment. Clinic letters can be shared with your GP if you wish.
Yes. Online consultations provide access to experienced perimenopause clinicians across the UK, with the same clinical standards as in-person appointments.
Menopause Care has clinics across the UK, including locations in London (Mayfair, Barnes, and Wimbledon), as well as Manchester, Sheffield, and Glasgow.
Your clinician will take a full medical history, discuss your symptoms in detail, and assess your individual risk factors. You will receive a personalised treatment plan and clear next steps, including options for lifestyle support, non-hormonal treatment, and hormone therapy where appropriate.
Yes. Menopause Care provides medical treatment directly through our partner pharmacy service (GPhC Registration: 9012909), ensuring you receive your care safely, conveniently, and without delay. Our clinicians review your progress regularly and tailor your medication journey to your individual needs, so you can feel confident that your care is both personalised and seamless.
That is completely fine. Many people want clarity first. The first appointment is designed to give you a clear clinical assessment and a personalised plan, even if you decide not to start treatment straight away.