Phone appointment with GP - advice on what to ask?

[MrBeagles]

I'm 38 and have a family history of early menopause. I've been logging my cycles for a few years now and in the last 18 months, they've gone from 28 days to 23/24.

Increasingly I've been irritable, tearful, itchy, and my headaches can knock me out for a week.

I've had enough and have requested an appointment with a GP. I insisted on one who had sympathy with meno symptoms so I'm hoping I won't be dismissed as I see so many on here have been.

So I wondered, what should I expect from a phone consultation? Very little? Can a GP prescribe anything? Will they insist on endless arsing around with blood tests? Or fob me off with the pill?

Anyone else had a first appointment during these covid times and been satisfied?

I think they'll ask for bloods to check your hormone levels. They might offer medication such as HRT to help with some of the symptoms you have mentioned.

I've had loads of appointments throughout this pandemic. Some have been terrible, some have been good. It totally depends on which Dr you have at the end of the line.

I've recently had a call with my gp and requested Hrt. We had a chat a year ago, well more than a year before covid, and he was slightly dismissive but did bloods and BP etc. Last month after things getting worse and worse I just told him I have all these symptoms, I'd like to try hrt and he was fine with it. Started 2 weeks ago and already starting to feel human again!

Look at the NICE menopause guideline before the call as they will be useful in advising you as to what is recommended. You may actually be better informed than the GP.