Perimenopause is a b’stard

[PeriMisabastard]

NC but regular poster

Im 46 and my hormones are all over the place. I experience lots of perimenopause symptoms but I still have reasonably regular periods (ranging from 14 days to 4 months apart) so my GP surgery (I’ve spoke to them all) won’t entertain help for me as apparently I’m too young for HRT and menopause.

I watched the Davina programme and so much of it resonated with me and they said to fight for support but how do I do that when nobody believes it’s approaching menopause? All I’ve been offered are antidepressants but I’m not depressed or anxious, I’m perimenopausal. The antidepressants won’t help the night sweats, hot flashes, the aching joints, the forgetting simple words, the insomnia, the dry fanny or non existent libido and don’t even get me started on the constant peeing.

Aibu to think if this was a male problem that doctors wouldn’t think twice about treating it?

If you’re free on Wednesday there’s a zoom chat with the makers of the documentary. Have a search on here for the link and maybe they will be able to give you some info too.

here you go - Linky

Sorry for not returning sooner. Life etc.

Thanks @MarkRuffaloCrumble for the link. Sadly I saw it too late :(

I’m sorry to hear all the other women on here who are having similar issues and it’s reassuring to hear of those of you who have had a good experience.

Follow this lady on Instagram

instagram.com/menopause_doctor?utm_medium=copy_link

Look at this post from her in particular:-

www.instagram.com/p/CO9lFITrs8Y/?utm_medium=copy_link

Then I sent this to my doctor’s surgery.

“Yesterday the @themenocharity announced it was giving a free MENOPAUSE education course called Confidence in the Menopause to all NHS GP practices in the UK.

Here is the link:-
linktr.ee/DrLouiseNewson

I just wanted to pass it on in case you weren’t aware.
Many thanks
Vickles20
A peri-menopausal woman

I had a reply within a day or two saying:/

“I have just been informed, that our doctors are aware of this course and are in the process of organising which Doctor from the Practice will attend.”

Thank you for the information.

@PeriMisabastard
The zoom was recorded to be available to MN premium users, but you’d have got a lot of the same info by watching the doc and by having a browse on Dr Louise Newson’s website. I also downloaded the Balance app but not sure it will be a huge help - it seems more about recording your symptoms and then being told to get to bed and do some exercise . DON’T TELL A PERIMENOPAUSAL WOMAN WHAT TO DO!!

I’ve also made an appointment with my GP. Not holding out hope that it will be an easy experience from what I’ve heard, but at least now I feel forearmed, and the stats on breast cancer from the documentary have reassured me that I don’t need to worry about that, which is the main thing that’s held me back from seeking help before now.

If suggest going back to your GP surgery and asking if there’s a particular GP who specialises in menopause or women’s health. If not then ask your GP to refer you to a meno clinic.

Apparently half of all GP surgeries have signed up for some menopause training in the past few weeks (presume since the pressure from this documentary?) so hopefully the tide will start to turn.

Ugh.
I'm 41 and I'm pretty sure I'm perimenopausal. My mum started aged 38 and my grandma was young too. Periods getting closer together and becoming frankly disgusting at times. Hot flushes, dry skin, zero libido and just ugh. Always ugh.
I'm now wondering if my massive increase in fibromyalgia symptoms are actually perimenopause. However doctors appointments are rarer than unicorn poo and I'm already on antidepressants so the thought of fighting for an appointment only to be fobbed off.... ugh. Ugh ugh ugh.

I’m 41 and tests indicate I’m not menopausal at all, very regular periods, and I had a baby two years ago. BUT I know I am. I have every single symptom, all of them, and my two older sisters had menopause in their thirties.
My obstetrician listened to me and I wear two mirenas at once. It has changed my life.
Could you try it?

I’m waiting to get the mirena put in. I need to go to a specialist clinic for it and their waiting list is huge.

Thanks all. I’ll keep a note of the link @Vickles20 to share if my GP is a bit crap.

Arrrghh, this is so frustrating to hear yet another example of women’s specific health needs being ignored or trivialised. I haven’t read the full thread and someone may have mentioned the Menopause Matters site which I found helpful www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=33795.0

Lots of women on MM forum reporting that, as they had not had a hot flush, their GP dismissed their migraine/anxiety/joint pain/depression/dryness/insomnia etc etc as all in the mind. I am 54, I started to get symptoms around 46, almost all of them were psychological changes (apart from skin formication, insomnia and migraines). It took a GP change to get help. I went to the local pharmacy as suggested on the forum and asked which GPs supported HRT locally and was able to change. HRT isn’t a magic bullet but it has made a huge difference.

I'm 47 and perimenopauseal and have given up with my gp .I had to fight to see the female health specialist gp(as they called her ).I explained everything and got told I'm too young come back when over 50 .I tried several other gps and was told it was stress /anxiety and they blamed covid and lockdown .
I'm now paying to see a private dr who specializes in menopause. Theres a massive waiting list but managed to get my 1st appointment for early July.
I'm crossing everything she can help as struggling .

My doctor refused to test my hormones last year at 45.
He told me my anxiety, exhaustion, brain fog, zero libido was just because I worked full time with a husband and young family

He put me on 5mg if citalopram, I was so desperate I took it.

I am much better on it but the hot flush are a killer

It’s wanted to update to say for anyone reading, don’t give up hope!

I had a phone appointment with my GP today (well actually not mine, but one from the practice - don’t know if that was because she was more in the know about peri or just because he was off sick or something)

It went much better than expected - may have helped that the call was being recorded . She asked lots of questions about my symptoms, about what I thought would be helped by HRT, had I read about potential side effects etc and I went into a lot of detail about how it was affecting my life (work, energy, sex life/relationship etc) and then I told her that I wanted to try HRT, that I had a preference for patches, having spoken to a meno doctor on the MN webchat the other week, she said that was the safer type re blood clots and breast cancer risk etc and I have a prescription waiting to be picked up later today!!

I honestly thought I’d have a fight on my hands, but hopefully the tide is turning and they’re becoming better informed about the benefits as well a the risks of taking it in your 40s (I’m 47).

Will be a pain to have periods back as I’m quite enjoying only one every few months but if it sorts some of the other stuff out it will be worth it. May try mirena coil if I get on ok with it all.

So don’t give up hope, try a different GP if yours isn’t being helpful. Apparently some of them DO just want to help!

Going through this too right now and spoke to my GP @PeriMisabastard. They will only give HRT for 5 years so said they’d rather not give it yet (I’m 47) but the anti-depressants help with hot flushes. I decided to give them a go and they’ve been great, no hot flushes since! Give them a try 😉