Doctor Dawn Harper answers all your questions
WILL ANXIETY MEDS WORK? Q Recently, I’ve been really struggling with anxiety. My GP gave me something called sertraline a few weeks ago. I only started taking it this week and, if anything, my anxiety is worse. I called the surgery today and my GP is away for two weeks. I have only taken it a few days. Is it safe to just stop them?
AIt’s very common to experience some agitation when first starting sertraline. It only lasts a few days and, anecdotally, I tend to find that the people who experience this, get the most benefit if they persevere. Give your surgery a call and speak to one of the other doctors who may be happy to prescribe something to tide you over this phase.
Scared to take HRT
Q I have been struggling with the menopause for the last couple of years. My main symptoms are hot flushes and night sweats. Several of my friends are on HRT and tell me I’m mad not to take it. My concern is that if I take HRT, aren’t I simply delaying the inevitable and will have to go through all this again when I come off it?
A You are right that coming off HRT can mean a return of menopausal symptoms, but we usually wean down off HRT slowly over several weeks and most women find any recurring menopausal symptoms are less severe and shorter lived, so it is certainly worth having a conversation with your GP to discuss your options.
SUSPICIOUS MOLES Q
My husband is Australian, and we have been living in Sydney until recently. My daughter has a lot of moles. In Australia, she was seen every year by a dermatologist for what they called a ‘mole ma
