Why menopause deserves specialist attention — not a GP prescription.
Most Tricity women in perimenopause are given a standard HRT prescription or an antidepressant and sent home. At Gini, Dr. Anil Bhansali (Endocrinologist) and Dr. Deepika Gupta (Gynaecologist) assess the full hormonal picture — thyroid function, adrenal contribution, bone density, cardiovascular risk, and oestrogen levels — before personalising your treatment. The difference between a correct diagnosis and a missed one can be years of unnecessary symptoms.
📍 Sector 69, Mohali · 15 min from Chandigarh · 20 min from Panchkula · Free Parking
Menopause is not just hot flushes. It is a metabolic event affecting bone, heart, brain, skin, and bladder — with implications that unfold over decades. In the first 5–10 years after menopause, women lose 20–30% of bone density. Cardiovascular disease risk rises sharply. Cognitive changes begin. The bladder and genitourinary system change structurally.
A GP can prescribe HRT based on symptom history — but cannot assess the thyroid overlap (which mimics menopause in 30–40% of women), the adrenal contribution, the osteoporosis risk requiring DEXA scanning, or the cardiovascular risk profile that determines which HRT route and formulation is safest. These require a specialist — specifically, an endocrinologist + gynaecologist working together.
Assesses the full hormonal picture: thyroid function (often disrupted at menopause), adrenal function, cortisol patterns, bone metabolism, cardiovascular risk, and insulin sensitivity. Determines whether what looks like menopause is partly or wholly thyroid disease — before any HRT is prescribed.
Manages the reproductive and gynaecological aspects: uterine assessment, vaginal health, urinary symptoms, hot flush management, libido, and HRT route selection. Works with Dr. Bhansali's endocrine assessment to prescribe the safest, most effective HRT for each patient.
One of the most common diagnostic errors in women's health — and one that delays correct treatment by years.
Dr. Bhansali runs the full thyroid panel — TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Anti-TPO — alongside the menopause panel (FSH, oestradiol, LH) in every perimenopausal assessment. In approximately 30–40% of women presenting with "menopausal" symptoms, thyroid dysfunction is contributing significantly. Treating hypothyroidism first often resolves 50–70% of symptoms without requiring HRT.
Starting HRT in a woman with undiagnosed hypothyroidism is not just suboptimal — it can worsen certain symptoms and delay correct treatment by years.
Modern HRT is safe and highly effective when prescribed correctly — based on a complete assessment rather than a single symptom history.
FSH, oestradiol, LH, thyroid panel, DEXA scan (bone density), liver function (oral HRT affects the liver), cardiovascular risk assessment, and uterine evaluation. This full picture determines dose, route (oral vs transdermal vs gel), progestogen type, and duration — for each individual patient.
Transdermal HRT (patches, gels) does not pass through the liver and carries a lower clotting risk than oral HRT — important for women with cardiovascular risk. The correct route is not a matter of preference but of clinical assessment. Dr. Bhansali and Dr. Gupta prescribe based on individual risk profile.
HRT is the most effective agent for preventing postmenopausal osteoporosis. DEXA scanning before and during treatment allows us to monitor bone density and adjust treatment. For women with established osteoporosis, HRT may be combined with bisphosphonates or other bone-specific agents.
Oestrogen has protective effects on the cardiovascular system and cognition when started early in the menopause transition (within 10 years of final period or before age 60). Dr. Bhansali assesses whether early HRT initiation is appropriate for protecting long-term heart and brain health in younger menopausal women.
Gini Hospital is in Sector 69 Mohali — patients from Chandigarh (15 min), Panchkula (20 min), Zirakpur (8 min), Kharar (15 min), Amritsar, Jalandhar, Shimla, Ambala, and across Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh regularly come to Gini for menopause and HRT consultations.
Online video consultations available for patients who cannot travel initially.
Endocrinologist + Gynaecologist. One appointment. Full assessment before any prescription. Serving Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali, and beyond. Mon–Sat, 10 AM–6 PM.