GP dismissed Perimenopause symptoms

[frazmum]

Saw one GP at practice earlier about various symptoms & decided to try supplements first which worked ok until recently. Had a phone appointment & she agreed more needed to be done so booked me into see another GP.

Saw other GP today and she tried to blame some symptoms on other things and wouldn't listen when I told her that wasn't cause. Like I was tired because DH works away during week - he's been doing that on & off for 20 years! Other symptoms she just ignored, won't prescribe HRT as apparently combined pill I'm on is better. Has ordered blood tests but had some earlier this year and all fine.

Said if nothing shows up then she can't help further and come back in a year as I'm not in perimenopause. I'm going mad with it all. So angry.

I am sorry you did not feel listened to.

If you are currently on a combined pill then that acts as HRT also - oestrogen in the pill would help with any perimenopausal sweats/flushes etc.

What age are you?
Are you getting regular bleeds on your pill?
Or are you taking a progesterone only pill?

Get the blood tests done and then take it from there

Mine was the same. Definitely have the symptoms but blood tests don't show anything, which isn't surprising apparently because of fluctuating hormones. I was told if I was older they would accept it was menopausal but because I am 44 they won't, so just having to put up with it at the moment. Am planning on going back at some point fairly soon as I can't cope long term with the symptoms.

Sorry, it's the pits when GPs just won't listen to you. What are the symptoms you are having? I was having crazy haywire periods for about 18 months before they stopped completely, but as that was basically my only symptom and I'm young-ish, several GPS just dismissed it. It took several tries to get them to take notice so you may need to be persistent.

I'm on combined pill and still getting regular bleeds.

I ran through a dozen symptoms and she just dismissed me. Have had issues with her a couple of months ago before over a spine referral despite have a consultant's letter saying refer me back if it got worse again.

GP is older than me & guess she never had an issue. Other GP was much more willing to sort things out.

Think I'll move practices.

If you are on a combined pill it will be impossible to check your hormones - you'd need to be off 'external' hormones for 3 months or so to make the blood test meaningful.
Your bleeds in your pill-free week are withdrawal bleeds, not periods, really.

Could you see the GP you spoke to on the phone?

Was referred to head of practice who's also my named GP so don't want to get caught up in their politics. Stupid me thought seeing a female GP would be a good thing.

I'm not going to admit defeat though at the first hurdle.

Forgot to add blood tests to check thyroid, diabetes etc.

Well, see somebody else (or move practice, as you said).

I'm still not clear what your symptoms are?

MenopauseMatters might be of interest to you?

Tired, headaches, heavier periods, anxiety, dramatic mood swings, sweating, lack of libido, vaginal dryness and bad PMT.

Depending on your age, the Pill can replace HRT in younger women especially the type Qlaira (sp)? This is sometimes recommended to the age of 50 for women in peri.

If you are under 45, you need some blood tests but you'd have to be off the Pill for a few months.

You'd need to stop the pill anyway to use HRT so if that's the way forward, you should think about what you want to do next.

Thanks for the help. I've done some research but think I need to do a lot more myself.

I was on the pill during perimenopause. The last 4 years I had the following symptoms:

More headaches during the week off - especially if I got thirsty (since found out that is an effect of oestrogen withdrawal)

Periods/withdrawal bleed reduced from 5 days to 3 days (light)

Vaginal symptoms - dry and itchy privates.

More night sweats (not just during the week off - this seems to be a mixture of low oestrogen during the week off and lower overall oestrogen, and the high progestogen content - it raises body temp)

Drier skin, reduction of breast volume and nipples, some joint aches.

I thought I had sailed through meno after 4 years of this, but when I came off I had a 5 month break, then loads of periods and other problems.

As Polly says, there is a better pill - Qlaira - which does not have such a long break but is sequential. There is also Zoelly. COC is useful if you are ok with it, because it shuts off your own cycle and all the stuff that goes on with it. These new ones are a lot more expensive than the cheap Rigevidon etc though.

Not sure about the heavier periods - I don't think that should be happening, expecially if you have not changed pill or anything. Ask about this. You should have the usual blood tests to make sure there is nothing they are missing.

An alternative is Mirena (provides contraception, helps control periods and protects uterus for hrt) and gel or patches to control meno symptoms. It seems a popular course. Maybe try another doctor to discuss this and periods?

Snap! I am 46, sweats, mood swings, no periods for several years (I've lost count how many!)

Had second round of blood tests following a load of appointments, which again have come back "normal", phone appointment with female Dr, she asked if I can phone back and make a face-to-face appointment with her. She works part time, haven't been able to get an appointment with her any time soon. She isn't even my "registered" Dr, my registered Dr is leaving, no idea who my new registered Dr is. I have an appointment with a Dr on Tuesday that I've never seen before, don't even know whether male or female Dr. I have lost so much hope at anything being done I took the appointment.

Feeling dizzy today, put it down to congestion as I have a cold but interested to read on another thread all could be connected

oddsocks The NICE menopause guidelines are very clear and specific on this.

-No blood tests on women over 45 due to inaccuracy of results( treat symptoms as if peri menopause)
-Blood tests to be done on women under 45 with peri symptoms.
-HRT for women whose periods stop before age 45 unless medical reasons not to, to prevent both osteoporosis and hear disease.

If your GPs are not following this you need to talk to them about it.

I know Polly, nobody is listening to me though .... Have another appointment on Tuesday, thank goodness for MN.

I honestly can not remember when I had my last period it was so long ago at least 5 years ago

what has been said?
If it were me I'd go about it like this:

Dr
How can I help you today?

Me
I have not had a period since I was 41. I understand this can be an early menopause which is a high risk factor for heart disease and osteoporosis later in life. I have many other symptoms at the moment [list] which are affecting my quality of life. I understand that blood tests are unreliable for menopause as advised by NICE.

Dr
Errr...okay. what do you want me to do?

Me
I'd like to try HRT because I understand that this is the recommended treatment for early menopause, as advised by NICE.

Dr
I am not sure about that. There are risks.

Me
Here, I have printed off the latest guidelines from NICE. Here is the right section [highlighted]. Risks do not apply before the age of 51.
Unless there are medical reasons why I cannot use HRT then I think I should try it and I also wonder if I should have a bone density scan as I have been without normal levels of oestrogen for at least 5 years.

Thanks Polly said pretty much that at last appointment, didn't take a copy of the guidelines along though. Dr still insisted on another set of bloods though. "just to check" Had a phone appointment following results and have a face-to-face appointment on Tuesday. I'll take a copy of the guidelines with me and fingers crossed I haven't got a dinosaur of a Dr

Why do Drs fob us all off? Grrrr

Interesting. go back and be firm. I hate feeling fobbed off.
maybe I should go back and see my GP again, because I felt a bit fobbed off about my possibly peri menopausal.

I'm 49 and my periods have got closer together and so heavy that the whole second day (and sometimes part of the first and/or third days) are spent just trying to keep my clothes clean. Beginning to get some spotting in between too but it could just be that periods are getting longer so what I think it spotting could just be the very early start of my very early period.

The penny dropped that maybe my headaches, dizziness, nausea/funny appetite, fatigue, trouble sleeping etc might be part of the same thing so I spoke to the gp about it.

She said it was unlikely to be perimenopause causing these symptoms as I am still having periods - ? - but my headaches might be from iron deficiency due to heavy periods. She'll do a blood test (hormones I think, and iron) and an examination and we'll see where we are. So PollyPerky it's interesting that the blood test is meant to be redundant at my age.

I felt like she listened but I didn't quite understand how these can't be perimenopause symptoms if more or less everything that's been wrong with me since I was 35 seems to have been attributed to perimenopause!

I had a similar issue with my GP who listened and sent me for the tests, but then when they came back all he was worried about was high cholesterol, because the tests were inconclusive for hormonal changes. He thinks that my vertigo has worsened and that is likely to be causing my balance and coordination problems, but won't put me on any medication for either high cholesterol or vertigo because they aren't in his opinion much of a problem. I'm 38. My mum and grandmother had premature menopause so I am fairly certain it's happening to me too. It's so frustrating to be dismissed because of an inconclusive tests, when I had a list of about 15 symptoms that I thought were related to peri.

If you're on the combined pill your periods will not become irregular - they're not real periods. The pill is stronger than HRT - giving you both would probably cause you blood clots in the lungs and is highly dangerous.

It's the menopause, you're on hrt - I'm not sure what else you're expecting?

Just see a different one.

Success! Saw Dr earlier, he was really nice and listened to me

I start HRT tomorrow