Perimenopause, GP & supplements

[Teafirst]

Hi all,

I'm fairly sure I'm sliding into perimenopause. Massive anxiety, weird, irregular super heavy periods, insane dreams (like during pregnancy) and seemingly unshiftable weight gain around my middle.

I spoke to my GP yesterday as I wanted some advice, help and blood tests, but he doesn't think it can be as I'm only(!) 44, had a baby a couple of years ago and so refused tests, but has prescribed sertraline. Which is frustrating as he was so dismissive.

I wondered about supplements, I've had a Google and there seems to be Menopace and Health and her frequently recommended. My worry is that my paternal grandmother had osteoporosis and I'm keen to minimise that so wondered about calcium but wasn't sure if I could take that alone?

Basically, is it likely my GP is right and I'm worrying over nothing (I mean I guess a lot of my symptoms could be down to the stress of the last year) or should I push for tests/ help? And what supplements have people found useful?

Also if you've got any tips re the seemingly impossible weight loss I'm all ears!

Your GP is trottong out the usual nonsense from GPs with no menopause training.

NICE guidelines- pinned top of this forum- state do not use ADs for peri meno, use HRT (this is guidance for GPs and is now almost 6 years old.)

I could write an essay on what's wrong with what your GP has said but basically, it's everything!

Blood tests should be done on women under 45.
But as you are so near the cut off point, NICE says prescribe HRT for symptoms.

HRT is especially important if you have a family history of osteoporosis. Calcium supplements won't make any difference ( as long as you get calcium in your diet.)

Please see another GP and spend some time looking at this website- it's full of info- and don't be palmed off with your dr telling you to go away and worse, giving you the wrong drugs. www.menopausedoctor.co.uk/menopause

Your GP is an idiot regarding Peri-menopause, which sadly is not unusual. You are not "too young" by any stretch of the imagination, I started at 40.

Get a new gp, (better yet go private if you can), and refuse to be dismissed. Educate yourself as much as possible so you are well armed for your appointment.

As for taking ad's for your anxiety, that is not recommended for peri-menopause or menopause, and can actually make things much worse

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/menopause-antidepressants-symptoms-worse-hrt-shortage-a9148951.html

I think I’m peri menopausal too :( I’m 37.

I’ve been plucking up the courage to call the doctor but I’m unsure now.

Could you try again with a different doctor? A female maybe, although appreciate a male should be just as knowledgeable.

I think I will book an appointment and I’ll update

So just a heads up re the supplements iv tryed loads over the last six months and only thing that sort of worked was evening primrose oil stopped the breast sorness.... but that was it.
No supplements will stop low estrogen levels.
Im waiting in hosptial appoint. Then going to get the marina fitting so i can go on hrt.

I'm 44 and I think I've been perimenopausal for a good couple of years. My mum was in her late 30s.

I got told I was too young to be concerned when I first went to the GP. it has resulted in years of poor mental and physical health.

I'm only now being taken seriously as I seem to have hit some magic age where what I'm saying is more believable.

Sadly you will need to keep pushing. Have a look to see if there are any local menstrual dysfunction or menopause clinics and ask for a referral.

Don't downplay your symptoms, they are negatively affecting your life so they need to be addressed.

I'm not against anti depressants in general but they didn't work for me on this issue and the side effects were awful.

Just to add, I saw a private GP who specialises in menopause etc and she was really helpful in clarifying things. I was then being treated by a hospital clinic but all that was cut off due to Covid. I had to go back to the private doctor to move things along. I hate thinking of all the women who can't afford to do that.

Thank you so much everyone. I called the surgery this morning and explained that I was concerned that the GP I spoke to wasn't following the NICE guidelines and I've been booked an appointment with the Gynae specialist at our surgery (I didn't even know we had one!)

It's another phone call, so I'm going to make notes beforehand about my symptoms and suggested outcomes and hope we get somewhere this time.

Thank you everyone, especially @JinglingHellsBells and @Aquamarine1029 for your advice and signposting - and the reassurance that my GP was being an idiot. Sadly I can't afford to go private @Y0YO but I will look into specialist clinics - I've been on ADs in the past, but this doesn't feel the same so hopefully some further digging might help. Thank you for your advice.

@LivingMyBestLife2020 do make that appointment.

Thank you @Teafirst, I will make the appointment today x

@Teafirst
If you're going to a gynae specialist that's really good, I only went private initially because I didn't know where to go etc and then the second appointment was because my NHS clinic told me they weren't accepting new appointments because of Covid and I was desparate.

When it was running the NHS clinic was fine, a bit slow to get reviews of treatment etc but still going along the right lines.

It's great you've been referred to a specialist.

You ladies seem so knowledgeable.

Are there any tips you can give me for my first appointment so I don’t get fobbed off?

I’m only 37 and always been so regular with the exact same symptoms at the exact same time. The last year or so my cycles have shortened by two days and my periods have been very light and only lasted 3/4 days.
The last 6 months my PMT (which I’ve never really suffered from before) has been vile. I get epic rage for no reason, I’m scatty, haven’t slept properly in weeks, my skin is terrible, my hair is lank and my periods are all over the place. Last month I was 2 days early (24 day cycle) and very light, this month I’ve had a 30 days cycle with flooding. This is completely new to me.

I’m convinced I’m not ovulating each month either. I don’t take contraception and usually love the week if ovulation where you feel great and confident, I get obvious ovulation signs but nothing the last two months. I feel ok for a bout a week from when my period starts but then have awful PMT from about cycle day 7 to my next period.

Does this sound like peri menopause? Am I going to be fobbed off because of my age?

Sorry for the long post

@LivingMyBestLife2020
I'm not an expert but yes it does sound like peri M
Yes you may get fobbed off due to age. I was 40 when I asked for help and was dismissed.

Best advice I have is to take the list of symptoms you've written down with you, don't underplay them and keep insisting you need to see a specialist.

@LivingMyBestLife2020

You ladies seem so knowledgeable.

Are there any tips you can give me for my first appointment so I don’t get fobbed off?

I’m only 37 and always been so regular with the exact same symptoms at the exact same time. The last year or so my cycles have shortened by two days and my periods have been very light and only lasted 3/4 days.
The last 6 months my PMT (which I’ve never really suffered from before) has been vile. I get epic rage for no reason, I’m scatty, haven’t slept properly in weeks, my skin is terrible, my hair is lank and my periods are all over the place. Last month I was 2 days early (24 day cycle) and very light, this month I’ve had a 30 days cycle with flooding. This is completely new to me.

I’m convinced I’m not ovulating each month either. I don’t take contraception and usually love the week if ovulation where you feel great and confident, I get obvious ovulation signs but nothing the last two months. I feel ok for a bout a week from when my period starts but then have awful PMT from about cycle day 7 to my next period.

Does this sound like peri menopause? Am I going to be fobbed off because of my age?

Sorry for the long post

Yes it does but your age means they prob won’t prescribe hrt. Are you taking enough iron? B12? Eating enough protein? Low iron etc can cause issues in itself.

But pls do discuss with a gp too!

Thank you. I’ve been meticulously tracking on my app so I have a lot to go on. What tests fo they do?

Also read the Maisie hill book peri meno power as this is so packed with good advice

Yes. I have Crohn’s disease so have monthly blood tests for my medication monitoring, iron etc and they are all fine this month.

I still haven’t made an appointment. I’m pretty worried about it.

I wonder if the chrons impacts on your oestrogen? That might mean you feel the impact of low oestrogen earlier than most. Hope you do get to talk to a knowledgable person!

I have no idea. I’ve had Crohn’s since age 14 and it’s never caused an issue before. I’ll call the doctor and get an appointment tomorrow. No point keep putting it off.

I just googled it - apols if overstepping

On a site called andropause it says that meno can start earlier if you have crohns / from 41. So well worth reading up on it and making that gp appt

Thank you @Newgirls. I haven’t made the appointment yet but I will

Hi @LivingMyBestLife2020 . Apologies I realise this is an old thread, I’m just wondering how you got on with your appointment? I’m also 37 and experiencing a lot of perimenopausal symptoms. I’ve tried to get an appointment but no GPs available this week!! I’m concerned I’ll be fobbed off as well because of my age and it’s hard to find any personal experiences from women in their late 30’s online.