Hi
please see my letter to the practice manager, it took me ages, i probably should have had it checked on here first but had a quiet couple of hours so wanted to crack on, it is undoubtedly long and I've left out lots of incidentals but wasnt sure how much to chop and how much to leave in:
To whom it may concern
In 2007 I started to experience menstrual irregularity. I was with a different practice (*) where one of the GPs I saw suggested Clomid to help me to ovulate and to become pregnant.
When I became pregnant in 2009 I was diagnosed with symphisis pubis disorder (now commonly known as pelvic girdle pain.)
The pain improved temporarily after I gave birth in 2010 but returned once my periods started again four months later.
My hip/back/pelvic pain increases around the time of ovulation up until after my period starts. I also experience increased anxiety and emotional disturbance around this time.
My GP has advised that my cyclical problems are the same for all women and refused to enter into discussion regarding my periods or my physical condition. He offered tests for thyroid, and possibly anemia and diabetes but wouldn?t discuss testing my reproductive hormones.
I asked for a copy of the initial test results to show a nutritional therapist but he refused stating that he doesn?t ?deal with third hand information?. These results would have saved me a considerable sum of money.
I also told him that when I have experienced anxiety in the past Beta-blockers have helped me to manage the debilitating symptoms. I also advised how I have horrible experiences of anti depressants and would prefer to try the beta-blockers first which he refused.
I saw another GP who at least agreed to refer me for a scan as ovulation is painful. The scan showed no abnormality for which I am grateful but this does not demonstrate why I have had exceptional problems with my hormones throughout my life, surely this raises the possibility of an underlying gynecological or hormonal condition.
Due to lack of progress with GPs I paid privately for hormone tests, which show that my oestrogen levels are low, the suggestion is to return to the GP with the test results and seek appropriate support..
It seems unfair that I have paid my taxes for so many years that I have to resort to private testing.
After a couple of very late periods I spoke to another GP in your practice who said that I was that I'm too young for menopause and I?m only presenting with PMT and that the tests I paid for are notoriously unreliable. He offered me ?the pill? without knowing which hormones are imbalanced or deficient. I have had very negative experiences with the pill as well which I tried to explain. I don?t want to take medication which exacerbates my symptoms
I have all the symptoms of perimenopause: hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, my periods are heavy and erratic, menstrual flooding and am much more anxious than usual. The pain in my hips, back and pelvis is excruciating on a daily basis despite following a regime of regular medication as advised by the physiotherapist.
I am concerned that there is an increased risk of osteoporosis with ?early? menopause although research suggests that I am at a normal age to experience this.
There doesn?t appear to be a women's health specialist at the surgery; the GPs have offered me anti depressants and the pill to counteract the mood swings and irregular cycle without actually investigating the cause of the problems. 

Every time I try to assert myself with the GPs I end up in tears of frustration, which only compounds the anti depressant prescription!
I have a patients right to request a women?s? health/gynaecologist referral from my GP surgery and am concerned that this might be disregarded due to funding but you should not deny me access to appropriate specialists in the area based on my history.
There are other issues too numerous to list in this letter. As a family with young children we chose to change surgery due to the convenient location when we moved house but I am very unhappy with the overall service from your practice.
Kind regards
celestialbows