Felt a bit shitty as had to quote the Nice guidelines to get HRT

[LaurieFairyCake]

Doctor was lovely but I had to be very firm about it. The - I'm not leaving without an HRT prescription as I have a lot of the symptoms on this sheet and I feel dreadful - type of firmness. I had printed out the questionnaire from menopausedoctor.co.uk to take with me.

She wanted me to have blood tests (apparently they're useless according to websites as I'm still menstruating normally) and I said fine but I wanted a prescription for after the blood tests.

So I had my blood tests (thyroid and diabetes too) and cashed my prescription for Femoston straight after at 6pm. Thank god the local hospital does blood tests to 5.30 and my pharmacy is open til 7!

I'm going to hope they work, if not I'm going back for a referral to a menopause clinic.

Just thought I'd post this to let everyone know that you still have to be pushy as some doctors don't want to give you HRT

She was literally totally wrong about everything. Saying I needed a blood test/was too young for HRT as I was still menstruating PLUS that I could only take it for 5 years as I 'would likely get cancer'. And she also tried to say I needed a smear BEFORE HRT.

She tried EVERYTHING to put me off.

Why do you need HRT if you're having periods?

Peri menopause symptoms

Because hrt can help with other menopausal symptoms, it's not all about cessation of periods.

My symptoms have become really problematic over the last few months (hot flashes that wake me up, very poor sleep, aching joints so I can barely go up stairs, bone crushing exhaustion).

The final straw a month ago was I totally lost my libido. I then thought "I really have to go to the doctor"

But I still left it. And then the brain fog started - I can't have brain fog, I can't work with it. Brain fog is the worst thing ever.

So yes, I needed to go to the docs.

The other solution is just to go on the pill. The doctors don't mind prescribing the pill if you are still menstruating.

I've not been on the pill for decades but when I was last on it I lost my libido

If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you? I’m 48 and beginning to experience some of those symptoms.

47

Not your fault they don’t know their NICE guidelines. You need to do what is best for you! I’ve had this before. They then try to make they’re doing you a favour!

Glad you felt confident enough to stand your ground Laurie, I find myself reading far too often about women being let down badly when it comes to accessing hrt.
Fingers crossed you're a new woman soon.

secure.toolkitfiles.co.uk/clients/39855/sitedata/files/MSQoL-20180115203830.pdf

This is the questionnaire I got from menopausecliniclondon - I said the wrong website earlier (see, Brain fog !)

I literally had no choice but to stand my ground. I'm self employed - if I can't work because I can't remember or can't articulate I literally can't work.

It was incredibly noticeable for me. And I was starting to feel anxious I'd forget clients names. And of course anxiety makes it even more likely I'd forget it.

Well done. I take Femoston and it has made the world of difference to me. The symptoms just disappeared after two weeks. Hope it's the same for you.

And thank you for the kind words all of you

Can't believe how alone I feel with this. I just want to go to bed.

Well done Laurie 🙂. Don't feel bad - you stood up for yourself, you've hopefully made the GP think twice in future, and this thread will help other women.

🤞🏻 that you feel more yourself again soon.

Well done with the GP. It's crap when you basically have to tell them how to do their job.

The HRT is v likely to sort out all your symptoms- some of mine were sorted by the end of the first week. Good luck.

Well done. When my mum went to the GP for HRT she came away with a bunch of printed information about herbal remedies. When she looked online, the guidance was not to use these and use actual HRT instead - she had to threaten to report the GP for failing to comply with guidelines before they’d prescribe . She’s been on it for years now and it made such an improvement to her quality of life.

I’m shocked so many doctors don’t know NICE guidelines. Yeah they aren’t always followed but should be

I'm 44 and the brain fog was the final straw for me too. Luckily my doctor has an interest in female health and was totally clued up - poo-pood any need for blood tests and recommended patches rather than pills as lower risk. It's shameful the varying experiences from other GPs though.

Another thing she said to try to avoid giving me HRT

"You need to eat more soya products, then you might find your symptoms just go away"

I said I didn't like soya and wanted HRT

Really not convinced this would all be fixed by a yoghurt

Well done!

I've said before here that I am a health writer and follow/talk to/connect with a lot of menopause experts (incl Twitter ) and the amount of anger out there about women who are getting crap treatment from GPs is dreadful.

They are pushing for mandatory training of GPs on menopause- the training now is something like a half day lecture at med school- which for some could be 20- 30 years ago.

There is also a petition on the petition site Change (think it's called Make Menopause Matter) and they need more signatures to get it through Parliament.

If this was men being mistreated for prostate issues or ED, I bet they'd not be offered such crap treatment.

I think I need to make a GP appointment. Thank you all for the tips

Glad you got something! I have been on hrt for just over a week now - the hot flushes are already far fewer and I feel a lot more 'awake'...and I'm managing to string sentences together again!

But to get it I had to see a different GP at my surgery (my usual just quoted the "average age for menopause is 51" persistently) and said "I would like to go on some form of hrt - here's a list of my symptoms" and I printed off one of the lists (there are a few around) and ticked the multitude of ones I suffered from (and the ones DH had noticed). She prescribed without question - well obvs she asked some health questions as needed but she never said I didn't need it. I still have periods, but every couple of months.

I know hrt isn't for everyone, but if you can take it and you need it then keep on asking until you get it!

I’m 44 and decided to go on HRT through a private doctor precisely because I couldn’t be bothered to try and fight for it through the NHS. Well done OP, I really hope it works for you xx

I started having menopausal symptoms at 38 - hardly any periods, flushes etc, and the bloods were conclusive in fairness and ruled anything else out. Unfortunately I couldn't get on with femoston and haven't done anything about changing it - which is my fault entirely.....