Reluctant to prescribe HRT

[shadyzadie]

I'm 45 and for the last 6 months my periods have gone from a 28 day cycle to 45-48 day cycles and for the last 2 months I've been getting hot flushes throughout the night which are really impacting my sleep. I'm presuming I'm in peri-menopause and I want to start HRT as I'm really struggling with the lack of sleep, don't want to have to endure this like my mum did etc.

I've just got off the phone from my GP (they're taking non-emergency calls) and he's saying firstly I need blood tests to establish it is peri-menopause, as I've only recently turned 45 and he wants to rule out any other causes like thyroid. He's also saying that even if the bloods indicate peri there's 'other things' they can give me to help with the hot flushes other than HRT, and that he'd be reluctant to prescribe me HRT as I'm relatively young and can't be on it forever because of 'the risks'.

Is this right? From what I read on the NHS site if I'm symptomatic and 45+ then HRT is the go to.

I thought they were meant to receive continuous training through their careers?

My surgery is closed every Wednesday afternoon 'for staff training'. I wonder what they are doing.

Appalling state of affairs. Just seems to be a pot-luck lottery, and the only beneficiaries are private doctors who are getting wealthy from desperate women knocked back by a Health Service that is not serving them.

I don't think Staff Training is medical training at all- it's more about managing the practice ( all are run as 'companies' with the dr/ partners in charge of the budget etc) and going through the nitty gritty of day to day management.
It's up to GPs to manage their own CPD and pay for it or take it out of the practice budget. They can choose what CPD they do.

I will raise it with the practice manager.

What was interesting was the conversation I had earlier in the week with one of the receptionists. The reception staff at my surgery are excellent, very sympathetic and easy to speak with. They also happen to all be female and (I would say) aged 50+. I explained my frustration and she completely 'got it' and immediately suggested an appointment with what turned out to be the much more sympathetic and well-informed GP.

Your doctor doesn't have a clue about menopause, see another doctor.

I'm fighting predjudice against the opioids I'm on for chronic pain. They were prescribed by the pain clinic but my GP would rather I came off them all and became completely immobile again, give up my job and go onto benefits.

I put in a formal complaint and lo and behold opioids are fine for me again.

Unfortunately there is much the same attitude with HRT, they mostly do not understand how debilitating it is. I've been on HRT for 15 years and intend to stay on it until at least retirement.

I've been seeing a gynae consultant for over 10 years, privately, (didn't go at first for meno reasons) and the difference between consultants who are menopause experts and the 'average' GP is shocking. It's as if many GPs are 20 years behind the times and the latest research on HRT which came out a few months ago (and resulted in even more scary headlines) is not even regarded as valid research (in some respects), so you have this HUGE difference in treatment between top of the tree consultants and GPs.

There IS no excuse because many of these consultants provide training and GPs can attend the annual British Menopause Society meeting over 2 days in London, where all these consultants speak , teach and share latest research and information.

I have just started Evorel 50 patches with progesterone tablets.

I'm in my early 50s and have fatigue as well as being forgetful. Yesterday I was cooking veg, chips and quorn burgers for dinner. I forgot to cook the burgers so just had chips and broccoli

I'm hoping the patches and tablets help with my symptoms - no side effects yet

I forgot to cook the burgers so just had chips and broccoli
That's made me laugh.
Rang a bell with me; I've just had a HRT review, and am about to start a new regime.
I love Quorn burgers: I'd be devastated.

God change your GP, this is such an archaic and outdated attitude.
I started the menopause in my early 40's and I'll be honest I went stark raving mad. The hot flushes and night sweats meant I was always soaked, always tired, always frantic and had to somehow work full time.
If I hadn't been put onto HRT I would have jumped over a cliff edge.
I never had any blood tests I tried several ones until I found the right one and I'm still on HRT (oestrogen only) today at 58.
It absolutely saved my life.
I founds herbs and supplements about as much good as a chocolate teapot.

OP - I am 50 and had to have tests before my GP would prescribe HRT. I went for a well woman check up because of family health risks.

Don't be afraid to change GPs if you are not satisfied with your current one. I've recently changed mine. Also, it's not a receptionist's job to tell you that you can't change GPs particularly if you can provide reasons why.

Good luck