# Menopause symptom checklist for your GP · Unpaused > Source: https://unpaused.cc/articles/menopause-symptom-checklist-to-print-and-take-to-your-gp Symptoms ## Menopause symptom checklist for your GP Tick what you notice, how often it happens and how much it gets in the way, then print a single sheet for the appointment. By Ines Kovac. Published 17 October 2026\. 8 minute read. Naming every change, and how often it shows up, is the hard part before an appointment. The [NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause-and-perimenopause/symptoms/) says menopause and perimenopause symptoms can have a big impact on relationships, social life, family life and work. From age 45, otherwise healthy people with menopause-associated symptoms are diagnosed with perimenopause or menopause based on those symptoms alone, without a confirmatory laboratory test. That is [NICE quality statement 143](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs143/chapter/quality-statement-1-diagnosing-perimenopause-and-menopause). The sheet you print is general information for a GP visit, not a diagnosis and not a score that tells you to start HRT. [Fill in the list](#checklist) ### Where these symptom rows come from The rows follow the groups on the [NHS menopause and perimenopause symptoms page](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause-and-perimenopause/symptoms/): period pattern, flushes and night sweats, sleep, mood and memory, vaginal and sexual symptoms, bladder symptoms, muscle and joint pain, skin and hair, weight, heartbeat, headaches, and mouth problems. More on how these changes feel day to day is in the [menopause symptoms guide](/topics/symptoms). Waking at night, and trouble drifting off, are in the [sleep guide](/topics/sleep). [NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries](https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/menopause/diagnosis/clinical-features/) list the genital and urinary features clinicians keep together: irritation, discomfort, burning, itching, dryness, pain during sex, lower interest in sex, pain when peeing, peeing more often, urgency, and repeated urinary infections. Those are the vaginal symptoms and the bladder symptoms on the form. [The same summaries](https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/menopause/background-information/prevalence/) say vasomotor symptoms are the most commonly reported menopausal symptoms, affecting about 80% of menopausal women. The NHS describes a hot flush as a sudden feeling of being very hot or cold in the face, neck and chest. You can get sweaty, and you can also get palpitations, anxiety or dizziness. When that heat and sweating happen at night, the NHS calls them night sweats. An episode lasts several minutes. Both are written up in the [guide to hot flushes and night sweats](/topics/hot-flashes). Changes in your periods are usually the first sign of perimenopause. Timing and flow can shift before periods stop. How cycles change before periods stop is in the [perimenopause guide](/topics/perimenopause). The NHS symptoms page also names bone weakening. Bone health is included on the form so you can raise it at the visit. It is a long-term risk. The menus below are for symptoms you notice week to week. ### Perimenopause symptoms checklist For each box you tick, the upper menu is frequency: never, monthly or less, weekly, or daily or almost daily. The lower menu is how much it bothers you, from 1 (mild) to 10 (severe). An optional note under the menus is limited to 120 characters. That number is your own estimate of impact. The rows are mapped to the NHS symptoms page, with the genital and urinary items aligned to NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. #### Periods Are you still having periods? Yes No If they are still happening, what has changed? More often Less often Heavier Lighter Skipped months Date of last period, if you know it If periods have stopped, how long since the last one? Under 12 months 12 months or more Not sure Hormonal contraception, or HRT you already take No hormonal contraception Combined pill, patch or ring Progestogen-only method Hormonal coil Already taking HRT Not sure #### Flushes and night sweats Hot flushes NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Night sweats NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 #### Sleep, mood and memory Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Mood swings, low mood or depression NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Memory or concentration problems, sometimes called brain fog NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 #### Vaginal and sexual symptoms Vaginal dryness, itching, burning or irritation NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Pain during sex NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Lower interest in sex NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 #### Bladder Needing to pee more often, urgency, or leaking NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Urinary infections, or burning when peeing NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 #### Muscles, skin, hair and weight Muscle aches and joint pains NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Dry or itchy skin NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Thinning hair or hair loss NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Weight gain, often around the stomach and upper body NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 #### Heartbeat, headaches and mouth A faster, slower or more noticeable heartbeat NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Headaches or migraines that are worse than usual NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 Sensitive teeth, painful gums or other mouth problems NeverMonthly or lessWeeklyDaily or almost daily 12345678910 #### Sleep, work and mood Optional. Same 1 to 10 range, for how much each area of the day is affected. Sleep 12345678910 Work or daily tasks 12345678910 Mood 12345678910 #### Questions for the GP What you want to ask Tick any you want on the sheet Please explain what HRT would change for me. Please explain options that are not hormones. Do I still need contraception? What should I know about bone health? Are thyroid or other tests worth doing in my case? Generate summary When you press Generate summary, your ticked answers are sent to Unpaused anonymously, with no name or contact details, so we can see which symptoms readers take to their GP. Your notes and the questions you type stay on your device. The summary appears here after you answer the period questions or tick at least one symptom and complete both menus. ### What a GP is likely to ask For someone aged 45 or over, [NICE guideline NG23](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/recommendations) identifies perimenopause without a laboratory test when vasomotor symptoms have recently started and the menstrual cycle has changed in any way. It identifies menopause when there has been no period for at least 12 months and the person is not using hormonal contraception. The contraception menu is included because NICE's description of menopause depends on whether hormonal contraception is being used. The quality statement quoted above gives the reason an FSH blood test does not help at this age. Levels fluctuate in perimenopause, and knowing the number will not change management. A GP may still arrange other tests when a cause other than menopause is possible. NICE says to consider a serum FSH test to confirm menopause only in people aged 40 to 45 with menopause-associated symptoms, including cycle changes, or in people under 40 when menopause is suspected. FSH is not used to identify menopause for someone on combined hormonal contraception or a high-dose progestogen. If you are under 40 and menopause is suspected, the next step is usually specialist care. Treatment after a diagnosis is covered in the [hormone therapy guide](/topics/hrt). A fictional 48-year-old still has periods, lighter than before and less frequent. She is not using hormonal contraception. Flushes come weekly, and she marks them 8 out of 10\. Trouble sleeping comes weekly, and she marks that 7 out of 10\. No other row is ticked. She has made no decision about HRT. The sheet would read: periods still coming, lighter and less frequent, no hormonal contraception. Flushes, weekly, 8 out of 10\. Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, weekly, 7 out of 10\. The medicines line is blank, ready for handwriting. The sheet leaves the treatment decision for the appointment. How often a symptom happens, how bad it feels, and what it does to sleep, work and mood are enough to take into one appointment. A day-by-day diary is a different kind of record from the one this form builds. ### What are the signs that you need hormone replacement therapy? The [NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/when-to-take-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/) says that if menopause symptoms are bothering you, consider talking to a GP about starting HRT. The choice of whether to take it, and when to start, is yours. You do not need to wait until symptoms are severe or until periods have stopped completely. A GP should explain the benefits and risks. A score of 8 out of 10 on that menu tells the GP how much the symptom gets in the way. The form can also include questions about HRT, non-hormonal options, contraception, bone health, and whether to ask about further tests. Extra cases per 1,000 women are set out in our [guide to HRT risks in plain numbers](/articles/hrt-risks-in-plain-numbers-breast-cancer-clots-and-stroke-per-1-000-women). If you tick the weight row, read the [separate guide on whether HRT causes weight gain](/articles/will-hormone-replacement-therapy-cause-weight-gain). If the visit turns to bioidentical hormones, our [guide to body-identical HRT and compounded products](/articles/bioidentical-hormone-replacement-therapy) explains how a regulated prescription differs from a pharmacy mix. ### Print the sheet and take it in [The Menopause Charity](https://themenopausecharity.org/information-and-support/how-to-ask-your-gp-for-help/) suggests recording symptoms, noting any change in periods, bringing every medicine you take, including herbal supplements, and booking a longer appointment when the practice can offer one. Complete the form, then press Generate summary. Press Print this summary and, in the dialog, choose a printer or save a PDF. The summary includes the date and says it was prepared for your appointment. Write your medicines on the blank line. Pressing Generate summary also sends your ticked answers to us without your name or any contact details. Your notes and typed questions are not sent. On its symptoms page, the NHS includes non-urgent advice headed Contact your GP if. The list covers a fast heartbeat, periods that are heavier than they used to be, and any vaginal bleeding after a year or more with no period. It also says to get in touch if you think you have menopause or perimenopause symptoms and you want to know your options. ### Sources * [NICE quality statement 143, diagnosing perimenopause and menopause](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs143/chapter/quality-statement-1-diagnosing-perimenopause-and-menopause) * [NICE guideline NG23, recommendations](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/recommendations) * [NHS: symptoms of menopause and perimenopause](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause-and-perimenopause/symptoms/) * [NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries: how common symptoms are](https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/menopause/background-information/prevalence/) * [NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries: clinical features](https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/menopause/diagnosis/clinical-features/) * [NHS: when to take HRT](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/when-to-take-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/) * [The Menopause Charity: how to ask your GP for help](https://themenopausecharity.org/information-and-support/how-to-ask-your-gp-for-help/) * [How we research and source health guides](/editorial-policy) ### My take I would start with the period questions, and I would skip any symptom that has not shown up in the last month. I would judge the sheet by whether a GP can see how often each symptom happens, and how much it bothers you, without reading a long diary. If the score is high, I would ask about HRT at the visit. The NHS leaves the choice to you. ### Quick answers Is this a menopause test? It arranges what you already notice so a clinician can read it quickly. Whether this is perimenopause or menopause is decided at the visit, using the age rules above. Do I need a blood test first? From 45, FSH is left out of this diagnosis. Between 40 and 45, and under 40, the guideline allows an FSH test only in the situations already described. Can I use this during perimenopause while periods are still coming? Yes. The period questions cover cycles that are closer together, further apart, heavier, lighter, or missing some months. What if my GP sets the sheet aside? Nothing you print can decide the tone of the visit. What the sheet holds is how often something happens, how much it bothers you, and the effect on sleep, work and mood. Written by Ines Kovac Menopause guides: symptoms, HRT, sleep and everyday changes Ines Kovac writes the practical guides on Unpaused: perimenopause, symptoms, hormone therapy, sleep, hot flushes and weight. She builds each piece from NHS and NICE pages, The Menopause Society's position statements and the studies behind them, and links every claim a reader might want to check. She says plainly what the evidence supports and where it runs out, and she never tells a reader to start or stop a medicine. Any correction is noted on the page where the error occurred. [ikovac@unpaused.cc](mailto:ikovac@unpaused.cc) Last checked 2026-10-17 --- Plain, practical menopause advice Plain, practical guides to perimenopause and menopause: symptoms, hormone therapy, sleep, hot flashes, weight and food, each checked against health services and medical societies. [desk@unpaused.cc](mailto:desk@unpaused.cc) ### Topics * [Perimenopause](/topics/perimenopause) * [Symptoms](/topics/symptoms) * [Hormone therapy (HRT)](/topics/hrt) * [Hot flashes](/topics/hot-flashes) * [Sleep](/topics/sleep) * [Weight and diet](/topics/weight-and-diet) * [All guides](/articles) ### About us * [About](/about) * [Authors](/authors) * [Editorial policy](/editorial-policy) * [How we make money](/how-we-make-money) ### Legal * [Terms](/terms) * [Privacy](/privacy) * [Contact](/contact) Unpaused © 2026 Unpaused. General health information, written from sources we link. It does not replace advice from your own doctor, nurse or pharmacist. [How we make money](/how-we-make-money) [Editorial policy](/editorial-policy) [Who writes here](/authors)