PLEASE read the NICE guidance pinned here

[JinglingHellsBells]

I started a campaign here with MNHQ to get these pinned and a lot of other posters supported that move.

It's clear from so many posts here that GPs are not up to date and women are being given the wrong treatment, or no treatment, or given incorrect facts by GPs.

The NICE guidance tells you what your GP ought to do and not do, and it also gives the details of research into side effects of HRT (although some of that is slightly out of date now anyway.)

However, it really does list all of the most important things like

Anti depressants are not to be used as 1st line treatment (only for women who cannot use hrt at all.)

There is not a 'too young' age for HRT

There is no time limit to using HRT

You do not need blood tests prior to HRT (unless you are under 45.)

HRT as gel or patch does not increase your risk of clotting

HRT is NOT like the Pill (so not being able to use the Pill is not a reason to never use HRT)

and more....

It's worth getting your head round all of this and the rest of the guidance before seeing a GP.

Can you post a link to the guidelines

I've quoted the NICE guidelines at 3 x GP's in the last 2 weeks. All 3 told me that I needed to have not had a period for 2 years. I told them it was a year. I only knew this because of reading MN Menopause threads recently. Made me so angry.

Aren't they from 2007? So many years ago. Shocking how ignorant GP's are. It's their JOB to know!

They are 2015

@marcopront :) They are PINNED at the top of this forum- the very first thread. I did say that :)

Thanks for this @JinglingHellsBells. I’d just been reading up on your posts on a long post about Vagifem, which I’ve just been prescribed.

The level of care women receive in this country for their sexual and reproductive health is bloody shocking.

I’ve decided to be proactive myself and get myself under the care of a truly top notch female gynae (who looks holistically at all aspects of sexual health and function) early on in my peri menopause. I don’t want to be firefighting when I feel like shit in my 50s.

But I’m only able to do this because I have private health care and live in a big city. This should be available to every woman and we can be damn sure that if men went through what we do, there would be much much greater level of care and education of GPs.

I had a vaginal repair around 40. Probably should have had Vagifem prescribed then. Male gynaecologist didn’t even mention it. Makes me so cross.

Thanks for all your help on this @JinglingHellsBells

@JinglingHellsBells

They are 2015

@marcopront :) They are PINNED at the top of this forum- the very first thread. I did say that :)

1. When you said here I thought you meant this thread

2. I am on the App and they are not on the first thread.

@marcopront
2) I am on the App and they are not on the first thread.

They are pinned as a post (by MNHQ) at the top of this forum.
There is a little 'pinned' symbol by the post. It's been there for months.

If you can't see it on an app, maybe contact MNHQ as it's a technical issue?

Thank you. This will be helpful when I have to approach my GP. He is like the antiquated, sexist doctor off The League of Gentlemen, so dreading it. I'm 47 yet still expect him to treat me like a naughty school girl. When I went in with anxiety once feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by work, children and caring for a parent, I was told to take up cycling as he likes cycling and it's good for the soul.

They have a visiting female locum once a week and appointments are like golden tickets.

You can't always rely on gender though! Terrible tales here of female GPs who say 'Just get on with it, dear.'

My consultant is male and is an absolute darling and the best dr I've ever known.

I need this. Am 41 and feeling ruled by hormones every day. Anxious, hot flushes, weird periods.....but because they're still regular I'm being refused blood tests to check my hormones. I've been told the blood tests are difficult to time right and won't be accurate because I'm only 41.

I've been told the blood tests are difficult to time right and won't be accurate because I'm only 41.

Bollocks.

Who ARE these drs? They are paid on average £100K a year and they all seem useless.

Read NICE:

Blood tests can be done on women under 45.
The test is done between days 2-5 of a cycle and repeated on 2 consecutive cycles.

ALL that info is out there and any dr ought to know it.

Periods do not have to be irregular to start HRT or to be in early menopause.

Women need to start being more assertive and not accepting crap treatment or NO treatment.

Thank you. I am plucking up the courage to demand these tests are done. Will be reading the guidelines this morning

Thank you so much for pinning these guidelines. The ignorance that G.P's display about the Menopause is utterly depressing. I am in my sixties, have been on hrt for 10 years and hope to stay on it forever. However whenever l go to renew my prescription l still have to face being quizzed by the doctor about the alleged dangers of hrt because l've been on it 'too long'. I refer them to the Nice guidelines every time but l am always left feeling as though l have been reprimanded. It's frustrating!