What did you pay initially at the Newson clinic?

[RedLightGreenL1ght]

I've got an appointment coming up in the next month or two and I'm curious to know what it might cost me! I can see the fee for consultation of course but just wondered what I'll pay on top?

I'm almost 50, periods heavy and a bit all over the place and some perimenopausal symptoms and I think I'd like to try HRT. Booking with the clinic as I want the most up to date info available

I take it they prescribe do they?

Thanks in advance

I would go to your GP and get them to give it to you. That's what I did on the advice of a friend who is a menopause expert. And pay a private GP for an appointment if not as it'll still be way cheaper. Those clinics are a fortune!

Having said which, if you feel your case is complicated and you have the money, why not.

You can find all the up to date info on their website. Read it and then ask your GP for the type you want.

I've nothing against the Newson Clinic but all I will say is it is run by GPs, not consultant gynaecologists. What this means is that if you had a problem at all, which needed investigating with minor procedures) they would have to pass you on to a consultant or you'd be back to your GP and into the NHS system to see one.

If you were to choose a consultant gynae who is also a surgeon, they would oversee almost anything you needed.

I can't help with the fees - sorry, I know that was your question OP. I'm another advocate for the GP if you can get an appointment (telephone works well, if not face to face. They'll need to check your weight/height and blood pressure before prescribing).

I started HRT this month and pretty much got exactly what I asked for when I asked for it without any tricky conversations. I prepared myself for a battle, and went armed with information and research, but it wasn't at all like that.

This is all aside from being fobbed off at prior appointments in 2016, 2019, and 2020 due to my age - I'm now 43.

Good luck, and I hope you get what you need.

See this is it ... I don't know what I want? Definitely not patches as highly allergic to anything stuck on my skin and I think I've got it into my head that I'll get the 'gold standard' advice etc by going to her clinic

I don't have money to burn but yes I can afford a consultation etc. I also have no idea if I'm peri menopausal ? I'm 50 in a few weeks so I must be

Heavy periods (after decades of beet light)

Tired, some sleep issues,urge incontinence and I can just 'feel' it if that makes sense. No hot flushes or anything like that

I thought this was the best route

I've read dr newson's most recent book so I think I'll read some more and try and get my head round it a little more re what I want

You all make good points and I'd not considered options like a private GP or just, you know, calling my own GP and saying 'please could you prescribe me X,Y,Z'

They are amazing- don’t cancel as I don’t think they’re taking new patients although I could be wrong. I think I paid £500 inc prescription but the appointment alone is less, I think £250. Everyone there is lovely. Go for it. It’s a proper 45 minute consultation and they all specialise in the menopause. Best £500 I ever spent. You can get repeat prescriptions on the NHS afterwards.

Here are their prices

www.newsonhealth.co.uk/new-patients/#pricing

I paid £250 for the consultation and then £200 ish for the products on private prescription for 3 months as I wasn’t sure if my Gp would prescribe them on the NHS and I wanted to start right away. The gp did agree to prescribe them so I didn’t need to keep getting them privately. I then had two follow up consultations with Newson for about ten mins each for £200 (!!). Being honest although they were nice I ended up having difficulties because my Nhs endocrinologist wouldn’t accept their advice and wouldn’t correspond with them about issues I had so I had two lots of conflicting advice and in the end decided to stop taking it all as if I needed help I couldn’t afford to keep paying and the endocrinologist and rheumatologist I see on the nhs wasn’t supportive of their advice (I have a pituitary issue so it’s complex).

RedLightGreenL1ght
I have been pausing to arrange an appointment for this very reason Despite getting an email to say I can book now!

I spoke with my GP and she offered me HRT but first I had some routine bloods and then my blood pressure taken

By the time, a month later, I got the results I was having a good day and she managed to talked me out of it

I would be concerned too about the ongoing cost, it does feel that people are now making a lot of money out of the distress of women

@bungabungaboo sigh, I know. I like to arm myself with facts but I just don't feel confident with sorting it pit myself because I don't feel as informed yet as I want to be

I'm approximately 3 weeks away from being able to book hence why I'm thinking about it now

I've also got it into my head that your GP will just prescribe you the cheapest stuff that they can and I want the best not the cheapest

[quote RedLightGreenL1ght]@bungabungaboo sigh, I know. I like to arm myself with facts but I just don't feel confident with sorting it pit myself because I don't feel as informed yet as I want to be

I'm approximately 3 weeks away from being able to book hence why I'm thinking about it now

I've also got it into my head that your GP will just prescribe you the cheapest stuff that they can and I want the best not the cheapest [/quote]
Newson health will most probably prescribe oestrogel and utrogestan. It’s their go to standard HRT treatment. I’m on an HRT forum with many, many people having been to / seen someone from Newson and I’ve yet to hear of anyone who has been prescribed anything different (apart from one woman who had lenzetto I think it was called, a different type of gel). So you could ask your GP for that.

I asked my GP for oestrogel and Utrogestan, having done some reading. She had to look up the Utrogestan but she agreed. I really wouldn’t pay for private unless you have specific issues or your GP is particularly unhelpful.

@RedLightGreenL1ght it is most likely you will be prescribed Oestrogel and Utrogestan which is the 'gold standard' at the moment.

You could ask your GP for this .

The Newson Clinic is quite expensive bearing in mind the staff are GPs.

You will find there are Harley St consultant gynaecologists who are much more qualified and experienced and their fees are £300ish.

The only benefit of seeing someone privately is that they take personal responsibility for any off-licence regimes, such as tweaking the dose away from the licensed dose because they aren't constrained by the same red tape.

@Bagelsandbrie thank you for that - sorry it's been a rather more bumpy journey for you

And thank you all for your advice. I'll have a good google of those and do some reading

I always said I'd never take HRT. My mum died of ovarian cancer aged 69 - among other things - and although I know she didn't carry the BRCA gene as this was tested - she did take HRT for a very short period of time I believe. I didn't discuss this with her and wish I had now! So, in my mind, I worry about HRT increasing my risk of cancer

@SparklingLime to my knowledge I have no other issues. I'm seeing if I can get past the receptionist now

I always feel so nervous calling the surgery these days - like I'm wasting their time or something!

You can take a private prescription to your gp to get an nhs (much cheaper) one

@Cait73

You can take a private prescription to your gp to get an nhs (much cheaper) one

Really?

Not so sure about that.

If the private dr is prescribing something off -label ( like a slightly different dose) that would mean the GP was taking the responsibility for it. It doesn't work like that.

GPs have no obligation to do what you suggest.

They may accept a letter from a private consultant, asking them to prescribe what they recommend.