Peri menopause - At a complete loss

[WutheringShites]

Hi there,
I've been experiencing signs of the peri menopause for the past 18months, which include monthly hormone related migraines, hot flushes, tiredness and mood swings.
Far the past few months these symptoms have been getting worse, particularly the mood swings. For around 10 days leading up to my period I am ragey, irrational and basically a nightmare to live with. As you can imagine it's beginning to take its toll on my DH.

After a horrible weekend, this morning I made an appointment to see a GP and am now at a complete loss. After a few basic questions I was offered antidepressants or group talking sessions for anger management.

I really don't know what to do next as neither of these approaches seem to address my problems. What I really want to know if there are any supplements or lifestyle changes that I can implement and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions?

It's very clear what I was saying polly.

I'm simply saying that all women should have the same degree of input and choice about their medical care as you have had, even if they make different choices to you.

I honestly can't see how that is confusing.

I also agree with you that women should do their own research and have their own opinions. Many of us take guidelines to be just guidelines rather than an authoritarian dictate, especially as they will inevitably change in years to come.

Can you not see that the established risk of HRT (esp long term) accelerating breast cancer for example, is extremely off putting for some women?

I'm simply saying that all women should have the same degree of input and choice about their medical care as you have had, even if they make different choices to you.

I'm really sorry Christina that we appear to be arguing over this but you are making assumptions which is why I've had to come back.

How do you know what choices I have had? :)
I've not discussed those here. I've only discussed the NICE guidelines.
The web is full of information - research papers etc- on HRT which can help women with their choices, as well as sites like Menopause Matters, other consultant's websites, books and so on. Women can also access private care, money permitting, if they decide they'd like a more specialist approach.

Of course I can understand the concern over breast cancer. Not a day goes by without me thinking about the risk. But anything in life is a risk. We all do things every day that have risk- like driving- 10 fatalities a day. Do we stop driving? Are ten women a day dying from cancer caused by HRT? No.

But you acknowledge it accelerates the growth- that now a cause, so it was going to happen anyway if it's an accelerator.

Right- over and out. If you want to carry on the debate do so, but I'm not playing any more!

Polly you have shared information about your long term use of HRT and annual or biannual pelvic scans. I assume that you've had some choice in your treatment - is that what you mean by making assumptions?

Re the accelerated risk. It isn't inevitable that cancer in situ cells will turn into cancer in someone's life time. A woman may live with pre breast cancerous cells all her life and die of something completely different.

For some women, the possibility of accelerating the growth of cancer is more risk than the benefits that HRT can supply them. They may choose to take ADs to see if they benefit them (and they do many women), which don't carry a risk of accelerating breast cancer, as far as it known at the moment.

Of course life is full of risks and all medications have side effects. ADs aren't without their side effects and don't suit everyone, for example. Each woman should be able to make decisions about the level of risk she is comfortable to take versus the benefits she may derive from a particular treatment, not be forced to slavishly follow the current guidelines.

I'm not 'playing' Polly, but I do this these issues are worthy of discussion.

I said I wasn't coming back to discuss with your Christina, but I suppose it's worth re-iterating some of the points in this debate for other people reading it.

Yes, I've said I have scans. Many women have scans- this choice is available & applicable to others on HRT.

I didn't say that it was carcinoma in situ that was triggered by HRT.

DCIS and existing breast cancer cells are two different things. DCIS is a particular form of cancer that may never become invasive. You seem to be saying they are the same and both triggered by HRT.

(Some research shows that a single breast cell can exist for 10 years before it grows enough to show on a mammogram. This is not the same as DCIS.)

You don't seem to 'get' that the choice of ADs is not a choice that's on the menu! This is where we appear to be going round in circles. You may know of individuals who use ADs for meno symptoms, but that doesn't mean their GPs were right in offering it, or that this is the way forward. NICE has said it's not, if HRT is an option.

If women don't want HRT then there are other treatments out there- herbal, lifestyle, dietary, acupuncture - but ADs are not on offer any more as an alternative to HRT UNLESS the woman has depression itself.

I think if you feel so strongly over this you should think about writing to the BMS or someone connected with NICE because I'm only passing on the info- I'm not the author of the report.

Okay- that's it from me on this and I hope you too will let it rest! I really am not adding more to this and won't be reading either.

I disagree that ADs aren't a valid treatment option for some women experiencing menopausal symptoms, if they help those symptoms. The only way to know if they do is to try them.

We're not going round in circles, we disagree on this point and the related one that some women may prefer to try ADs before HRT to see if they help them. Empirically, they do help some women.

I'm very glad that my friend's GP didn't slavishly follow the guidelines tbh. She couldn't take HRT, and ADs at this time literally saved her life. I'm glad that the GP didn't take the line of we don't prescribe ADs for menopausal symptoms, so there's nothing I can offer you, but had the sense to use their clinical judgement and consult the patient.

Just throwing this in the mix...

Been perimenopausal since I was 40. All the typical symptoms but dealt really well with them. Found my fiancé at 42 and stated using BC. First depo, which was AWFUL for me so switched to combined pill. Well those beautiful synthetic hormones turned me into a psychotic bitch and that's no exaggeration. Totally out of character as well as at least 20 uti's, insomnia, crap skin, crap hair, crap person. Oh and mirtazapine, Prozac and beta blockers to keep me "level"
Did some research and dumped it all. 2 months later I'm back to my laid back, easy going, peaceful self. Shitty migraines are back but I don't care now lol.
Just saying, HRT and stuff, not for me. All drugs are gone apart from my one a day multi vitamin.