PERIMENOPAUSE & MENOPAUSE CARE · Singapore
You're not imagining it. And you don't have to push through it.
The ten years before menopause are the ones nobody prepares you for. I take the time to understand what is happening, then build a plan with you, including hormone therapy if it is right for you.
Book your consultation- 60-minute video consultWith Dr. Charis Au, from wherever you are in Singapore
- No blood test needed to startTests are optional and only when they help
- MOH-licensed clinicPrescriptions, including MHT, where clinically appropriate
It rarely starts with a hot flush.
For many women, perimenopause shows up quietly. You still hold everything together at work and at home. But something has changed, and you can feel it.
- Waking at 3am and not getting back to sleep
- Tired in a way that rest does not fix
- Brain fog, lost words, a shorter fuse
- Anxiety or low mood that feels new
- Periods that are heavier, closer together or harder to predict
- Worse PMS, sore breasts, headaches around your cycle
- Night sweats or waves of heat
- Weight gathering around your middle
- Joint aches and pains, dry skin
- Vaginal dryness, lower desire
If several of these sound like you, it is worth a proper conversation. These changes are common. That does not mean you have to live with them.
Normal results are not the same as feeling well.
In perimenopause, your hormones can swing from day to day. A single blood test is a snapshot of one moment. It can come back in range while you feel far from yourself.
That is why international guidelines, such as those from NICE in the UK, advise that perimenopause is usually diagnosed from your symptoms, your cycle and your age, not from a hormone test alone.
Blood tests still matter. We use them to check for things that can look like perimenopause, such as thyroid problems or low iron, and to guide treatment safely. We just don't need a test to take you seriously.
Your results are one part of the picture. Your story is the rest of it.
Hormones matter. So does everything they sit on.
The Glow Approach has four steps. Medical treatment and the foundations work side by side, not one after the other.
- 1
Assess
Your symptoms, stage, cycle, medical history, lifestyle and risks.
- 2
Treat where MHT fits
Medical treatment where it is indicated, including MHT or non-hormonal options.
- 3
Strengthen
Sleep, food, movement, muscle, bone and metabolic health, built in the right order. See below.
- 4
Maintain
Regular reviews, adapting your plan as your needs change.
Inside step 3: the Glow Method
Strengthen is built in five levels, from the bottom up. Each level makes the next one work better.
Lasting energy and resilience, with habits you can keep on a busy week
Energy, skin, weight, focus, bone health, and heart health
Hormones, inflammation, and gut imbalance
Step 2 runs alongside
If MHT is right for you, it can start early, while these levels are built underneath it.
Blood sugar, barrier and drainage functions
Sleep, stress, mind and emotions, movement, digestion and nourishment
The right thing at the wrong time is still the wrong thing. So we assess first, then act in the right order for you.
Sixty minutes. All of you.
Before we meet, you complete a detailed health questionnaire. Then you have a 60-minute video consult with Dr Charis.
- Symptoms and cycleWhat has changed, when, and how much it affects your days
- Health historyPast conditions, medicines, surgery, pregnancies, and contraception
- Family historyBreast cancer, blood clots, heart disease, osteoporosis, and dementia
- Daily lifeSleep, food, movement, work, stress, and the load you carry
- Mood and mindFocus, memory, anxiety, emotions
- Safety checksBlood pressure, breast and cervical screening, anything that needs an in-person exam
- Your goalsWhat feeling well would look like for you
What you leave with
A clear explanation of what is likely happening, and why. If tests would help, we tell you which ones and arrange them. Tests are optional.
Your plan, built around your life.
There is no single perimenopause plan. Yours is designed specifically for you, and can include any of these.
Hormone therapy (MHT or HRT), where it is right for you
MHT or HRT replaces the hormones your body is making less of. For many women it is an effective treatment for hot flushes, joint pains, night sweats, and some sleep and mood symptoms. We talk through the benefits and risks for you, based on your own health and family history. If you choose it, we prescribe it and review you regularly. Options may include oestrogen as a gel or tablet, body-identical progesterone, and vaginal oestrogen.
Non-hormonal options
MHT or HRT may not be suitable for everyone, and not every woman wants it. Other medical treatments can help with hot flushes, sleep and mood. We go through them with you.
Foundations
Sleep, food, strength training, blood sugar, gut health, stress management, and recovery. The few changes that matter most for you now, sized for a real, busy week.
Supplements, only with a reason
If a test or your history shows a clear need, we say so. If not, we don't add them.
Looking after the years ahead
Perimenopause is also a turning point for your long-term health. As oestrogen falls, bone loss speeds up and the risk of heart disease, central weight gain, and type 2 diabetes starts to rise. Therefore, your comprehensive assessment also looks ahead, and your plan includes steps to protect:
- Blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol
- Weight around the middle
- Bone strength, through strength training, nutrition and, where it suits you, MHT
All treatment decisions are made with you, after a full medical review. Some symptoms, such as bleeding after sex or between periods, need an in-person exam, and we will arrange this if needed.
From first click to a plan in your hands.
- 1Day 0
Book
Choose a time online and complete your health questionnaire.
- 2Your chosen date
Consult
60-minute video consult on a day and time that suits you. Prescriptions start here if needed.
- 3Next 7 mornings
First habits
One short email a day with one habit to start, while your plan is written.
- 4Within 7 days
Your plan
A written 30-day plan, in plain language, with clear priorities.
- 5Day 30, then as needed
Review
Follow-up consults to check progress and adjust treatment.
Everything happens by video. No waiting room, and no time off to sit in a queue.
Clear fees, no surprises.
Initial comprehensive assessment
SGD 250A full comprehensive assessment covering several symptoms, medical history, wider midlife health, lifestyle, or if it is unclear whether perimenopause explains what you are experiencing. Includes a health questionnaire, 60-minute video consult, and your personalised 30-day written plan.
Initial focused assessment
SGD 98Suitable for women with one main perimenopause or menopause concern. A question about whether MHT/HRT is appropriate, a review of an existing regimen, or a defined treatment decision. Treatment or a prescription may be provided where clinically appropriate.
Follow-up consult
SGD 70Review of progress, treatment changes and next steps.
Fees exclude lab tests, medicines and supplements, which are charged separately. Prices include GST.
Meet your doctor.
"I started Glow Health for women who are holding everything together and quietly running on empty. So many have been told their results are fine, and left wondering if it's all in their head. It isn't. My job is to listen properly, explain what is going on, and help you feel like yourself again -- with medicine where it's needed and good lifestyle foundations underneath it."
Dr Charis Au
MBBS, University of Melbourne · Graduate Diplomas in Family Medicine & Mental Health, NUS · Family Physician registered with the Singapore Medical Council
International Menopause Society (IMS) IMPART Programme, Level 1 · Member of The Menopause Society (USA) and the International Menopause Society · Further training in nutritional & environmental medicine, ACNEM and Institute of Health
Questions women often ask
Am I too young for perimenopause?
Perimenopause often starts in your 40s, and sometimes in your late 30s. If your symptoms are new and your cycle is changing, it is worth checking.
Do I need a blood test first?
No. Perimenopause is usually diagnosed from your symptoms and history. We may suggest tests to rule out other causes or to guide treatment, but they are optional.
Do I have to take hormones?
No. We explain your options and you decide. Many women use MHT, some use non-hormonal treatment, and some focus on foundations first.
Is MHT safe?
For many healthy women in their 40s and early 50s, the benefits of MHT outweigh the risks. But it depends on your own health and family history. We go through this with you in detail before any prescription.
Do I still need contraception?
Yes. You can still get pregnant in perimenopause, and MHT is not a contraceptive. We will talk through options that work alongside your treatment.
Can this really be done by video?
Yes, for most women. If you need a physical exam or a scan, we will tell you and help to arrange it.
Can I use my insurance or MediSave?
Consultations are not claimable under Medisave, and we do not bill insurers directly. If you would like to claim through your own insurer, we can provide a medical memo setting out your consultation and treatment. Ask during your appointment, or email us afterwards. Whether a claim is accepted is between you and your insurer, but we will give you what you need to make one.
What if I already see a gynaecologist or GP?
That's fine. With your consent, we can share your plan with them so your care stays joined up.
Put yourself back on the list.
You look after everyone else. This hour is for you. Leave with a clear picture of what is happening and what to do next.
Book your consultation