GP says I am not in peri, can anyone relate to these symptoms?

[RhodaCamel]

I am 47 and for the last year or two I have been feeling pants! I asked my gp if I could be perimenopause but he said because I have regular periods and no regular hot flashes then I can’t be in perimenopause and just prescribed me antidepressants (which I haven’t taken yet).
Now, I appreciate that I may not be in peri but I wonder if any of you ladies can relate to the symptoms which are currently controlling my life and frankly making me down right miserable. These are the things are suffer from on an all too regular basis:-

Major, all consuming anxiety this is a huge problem which never used to bother me so much until the last 2 years.
Very heavy periods (I have uterine polyps) and aura migraine on 3rd day of period
Massive increase in my IBS symptoms (have had it for 20 years but nothing like this) lots of indigestion, acid, gurgling, growling, excessive wind, bloating and all worse in the last two weeks of cycle) all gastroenterologist tests have come back clear.
I don’t sleep well, wake up lots during the night, I just can’t sleep deeply enough
Knackered (see above!)
Skin tags keep popping up especially on neck area
Dry, itchy skin
Headachy at times but not a full headache is that makes any sense?
Absolutely no libido at all
Terrible PMS which I never used to suffer from.
And all in all, blooming depressed (Re all above!!)

I’ve recently changed from that gp to a new practise but the new gp basically says the same as the original one!

Can anyone relate to these. Wonder if this is all hormone related or am I just going insane??

I have decided I am going to try and see someone privately. I’m am in the north Essex/Suffolk area if anyone can recommend a good specialist.

Your GP has no clue and is talking absolute rubbish, every symptom you have is peri related and classic symptoms of fluctuations in hormones/decreasing oestrogen. So the good news is you're not going insane, the bad news is your GP is totally incompetent and needs urgent training. You're doing the right thing seeking help elsewhere and will probably have a recommendation to take HRT, hopefully you'll be sorted quickly.

Could also, at least in part, be related to B12, D3, anaemia, magnesium and / or thyroid issues.

You have just described symptoms which could indicate a number of conditions, but the one which needs to be ruled out as a matter of urgency is ovarian cancer.

Go back to GP. List symptoms again, ask for CA125 blood test and scan to see if cysts are present

All your symptoms are thyroid related. Get it checked !

AuntieStella I have regular US scans due to the uterine polyps and last November I had a pelvic ct scan so hopefully anything on my ovaries would have been picked up during those 🤞
Rewyand Khione I have had my thyroid checked but have often thought these are similar symptoms so will ask again.

I was coming in here to say that symptoms like those were the start of of a long troubled journey to get a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, which I did eventually (and got medication) from a private functional medicine doctor) NHS were completely utterly shit despite giving me a load of other diagnoses. Everything magically cleared up once I started taking thyroid medication.

Some GPs ought to be shot. Honestly, they hang onto this idea that women can't be in peri if they have periods but no hot flushes.

You can find menopause specialists on the website of the British Menopause Society- top of Home page- tab.

This dr is good from what I've seen on the media.

drhannahshort.co.uk/contact/ Ely any good?

I can totally relate. There is a school of thought among some GPs that if you haven’t had a hot flush you aren't peri-menopausal. I have experienced this when I presented with depression, rage, GAD, severe headaches, insomnia, formication (sensation of insects crawling on the skin), blotchy and sensitive skin, heavy periods. “But have you had a hot flush? No? Then you must be depressed. Have 20mg of Citalopram and move along with your hysteria”.

I’m a CBT therapist so I’m pretty aware of depression and anxiety and have seen a lot of women who are being told they have depression but in my view are being fobbed off. They might well be depressed about not coping in general but I often feel it’s because they have a hormonal problem that is not being addressed.

In the end I saw another GP who was up to speed with NICE guidelines and recognised what was going on. I’m now 53 and on HRT. It’s not a magic bullet but I’m much more stable, less rage filled, the awful headaches have diminished and my sleep is better. You might find the website Menopause Matters really helpful and you could ask on their forum for specialists near you.

Thank you all. I will definitely look at having my thyroid levels checked again. Have just popped over to Menopause Matters, thanks for that.
Jinglinghellsbells thanks for the link, Ely isn’t too far away.

Oh this is me, partly (I don't have IBS and sleeping is actually good). Similar age.

• huge anxiety when never suffered previously, even through some frankly dark times
• brain fog
• weight gain
• horrible heavy periods and cycles getting closer together
• muscular probs like tennis elbow arising from nowhere
• depression
• zero energy
• less than zero libido
• hot flushes, medicated
• did I mention weight gain? I am turning into a blimp

Dr put me on prozac some years ago which did improve the hot flushes.
I now cannot cope in heat above about 17 degrees though. Might be in combination with heavy weight.

I had some bloods done a couple of years ago but gp said there was absolutely nothing interesting about the results at all.

I mean, what do you do with that? I'm trying to lose weight, I'm trying to get calcium/vitD and do weight-bearing exercise, I'd do yoga but my elbow can't bear weight right now, I try to get 2l of water a day in the vain hope it does something miraculous. I am totally physically lost.

I was the same as you at 42-with a few extra unexplained symptoms (joint pain etc). I was tested for thyroid and everything else, found to be slightly Vit D deficient and after taking Vit D I got a lot of my energy back, but after the third doc ‘allowed’ me to try HRT I’ve never looked back; I know it was my hormones because I felt instantly better and have had to change to tablets recently due to HRT shortage and a lot of the symptoms came back during the switch over. I’m convinced I’ve been Peri since early 40’s, and still regular as clock work and no hot flushes (do have night sweats now though)

Do your research, take the NICE guidelines into the next gp and explain that you’ve made an informed decision; the guidelines say they can’t refuse

Can you ask GP for a full blood work up?

I've had similar symptoms, but with irregular periods, and my consultant checked my blood count and it fell from 13 to 9 in 6 months.
He immediately removed me from a medication he'd prescribed which could contribute to lowering iron said I must ask my GP for a gynae assessment, as my declining iron levels were proof there was an on going issue.
I hope this helps and you can get a referral or see a specialist privately, I know you must feel terrible with those symptoms because I do!

Jingling knows what she is talking about. I sadly, also know what you are talking about, but she has a lot of medical knowledge on this and has helped me, more than she knows!!! . I am so angry at the antidepressant thing.

I can only think this is going to be a BIG issue in the future. People will laugh at the dismissal of perimenopausal symptoms. It is really shocking. To a letter, I identify with your symptoms. I have never had a hot flush.

The Pill? Oh fine. No problem when you are having sex, when you are younger. A MUCH higher dose of hormones.

Perimenopause? Post Menopause? No, you'll get cancer you hysterical old loon. Awful, just awful. Take Prozac. All such wrong advice. Dangerous advice.

Like you my worst thing is anxiety and GERD. Horrible digestive problems. Never had before.

I was told I drink too much wine, am depressed, here is Citroplam what ever it's called. I do not take it.

OP insist on the HRT. I apply gel, it's not even a tablet. It is not even ingested. Progesterone tablet at night (inserted vaginally, like a tampon really, nothing more, just a small tablet)

As others have said, not a cure all, but my young DD came up to me the other day, said 'I am so pleased for your hormone Gel Mama, you are so much happier.' Poor DD. I should have done it much, much sooner. Am 49.

Thanks all. I’m going to book to see a private specialised as I don’t think I’ll get too far with gp. Hopefully I can go from there 🤞

Good idea! Fabulous. Please let us know how you get on

They say 3 months for a difference. I say 3 weeks. Tops!

Will your gp do a trial of hrt and see if it helps?
I started on it at 45. Regular periods, no flushes. My symptoms were more anxiety/sleep issues. All went within weeks
You can also buy online (once they are back in stock!)

Yes, I get it OTC in Spain. Thank God. I just have to pay full whack. Old, male doctor really and truly knows less than me.

Anti D's, all the way for them. I really have given up arguing. Get on with it myself. My bones are too important ,let alone my mental health!

Funny thing happened last week, I went in to get my Gel, the woman knows me, she said 'I'm so sorry, what is it you want, this is what we have in stock' Pushed the computer screen toward me so I could make my selection of preferred HRT! like a menu!

I'm 49 and was told the same...I also had my blood work done but was told that results can differ at different times of the month! Also, as everyone has said, the symptoms can point to so many things.
One thing that helps me...probably as a precursor to HRT, are DIM tablets which level out estrogen levels.
Since taking them, most symptoms have gone away, however, I'll be asking for HRT or going private for Bioidentical Hormones if things get worse.

Thanks all. I don’t think I’ll get very far with my gp. Old gp offered me Sertraline, new gp offered me Sertraline too!
Tulipan can you get them online without a prescription?
bigbadoldbag I have read quite good reviews about DIM. Did you get any side effects from taking it?

None at all...the most significant benefits for me are lighter periods and better moods! I don't get that intense angry feeling any more.
I've tried a few brands but this one has been great for me and I'm sticking with it

www.nutriadvanced.co.uk/products/search-by-ingredient/diindolylmethane-dim.html

I had a gp say that GPS do not get taught about the peri and menopause at medical school so your gp might really not know what he’s talking about.

Billie it's very wrong that your response Perimenopause? Post Menopause? No, you'll get cancer you hysterical old loon. has made me laugh like the hysterical old loon I clearly am.

I relate to this thread a lot - my periods have been out of control for the last 18 months or so and I'm currently 17 days late, which is godawful. Sleep all over the place, energy very low, mood even lower.

I'm off to read the British Menopause Society website and think about a private referral.

tribot

Private online prescriptions ... just tick a few quick boxes

The issue right now is availability. I take evorel sequi but it is out of stock for another month

I can't get hrt out of my gp either, I did get hot flushes though they have stopped (since I got a dp bizarrely) the sleep issues are the worst bit, they offered me antidepressants, I'm the least depressed person you could meet!