Women who eat healthily do not suffer with the menopause!

[RedPandaWanda]

This is what I was told by a naturopath.
I went to her for help with my awful Perimenopause symptoms and ongoing digestive issues.
I have been going round and round in circles with the GPs at my practice, endless telephone appointments to only be told to take antidepressants. I am told I am not in peri as I have a regular cycle and no day time hot sweats although they totally disregard all of my other peri symptoms (I am almost 49 have ongoing anxiety, anger, depression, no libido and vaginal dryness, broken sleep, itchy skin, exhaustion, awful heavy periods, night sweats before period, awful pmt, breast tenderness...........)
So I found this naturopath online, she said she specialised in gut issues and hormonal problems.
She had said she will take onboard all of my health issues and devise a bespoke plan for me.
Said ‘plan’ is basically warm lemon water in the morning, eggs for breakfast and I am to eat at least 7 vegetables per day. Epsom salt baths too. She also wants me to purchase £100 worth of various supplements. If I do this within 4 weeks I will feel like a different woman apparently.
She then went on to say that women who eat like this do not suffer from the menopause at all.
I already eat fairly well, I don’t drink or smoke, I exercise every day, have a bmi of 20 etc and still have all of these peri symptoms even after being on the ‘plan’ for over a month.
Of course it goes without saying the healthier your lifestyle the healthier you will feel. Obviously living off takeaways and junk food won’t help peri symptoms but surely it’s just not as simplistic as eating like this, is it?
I feel like a complete mug with £200 down the drain which I couldn’t really afford in the first place, urgh!

AARGH so frustrating! I swear there is an incentive for antidepressants. My GP wants to prescribe them for everything.
I'd push for the HRT personally. I'm on antidepressants AND HRT - the HRT fixed the actual problem but I can't get off the ADs without withdrawal symptoms now

Sorry if i am missing something but why won't your GP give you HRT?

@AdamRyan

AARGH so frustrating! I swear there is an incentive for antidepressants. My GP wants to prescribe them for everything. I'd push for the HRT personally. I'm on antidepressants AND HRT - the HRT fixed the actual problem but I can't get off the ADs without withdrawal symptoms now

It is really frustrating. Honestly it doesn’t seem to matter what I speak to my gp about, I am always given a prescription for bloody antidepressants. I am not too keen to go on them as like you I know too many who are struggling with the withdrawal symptoms, my own dsis has tried for 10 years to come off amitriptyline! I would rather try HRT. If I get nowhere with my GP I’ll save to see someone at Dr Louise Newsons clinic!

@silverbubbles

Sorry if i am missing something but why won't your GP give you HRT?

I asked but she said it won’t cure all my issues (think she was referring to my anxiety and IBS!?) she said the AD’s would be more successful at dealing with those. I honestly don’t know what to think anymore!

@RedPandaWanda

Just a little update. I spoke to my gp today. Embarrassed to say that I actually ended up blubbing which I never do but I am just so fed up with my health issues. The GP was lovely but when I asked if my issues could be caused by perimenopause she said maybe then said she could offer me HRT but in her opinion it won’t address all my issues so she would prefer to prescribe me Duloxetine. I said I’d prefer to try the HRT but she told me to at least try the antidepressants for a few months 🤷‍♀️

Pre kids I had terrible periods and they always did this with me - suggested tranexamic-acid but whatever I said always put me on the pill.

When I went back with problem they'd suggest I need to persever and if I really persistseted they'd talk about changing the pill type - never got tranexamic-acid.

This was multiple GP - we moved around - male and female.

They always dismissed the anxity - even when that big study came out linking the pill with depression and anxitey.

If you find Duloxetine isn't working for you and you go back go back with NICE guidelines printed out - as I expect you may get fobbed off with dosage or changes in anti depressant type and not the HRT.

I have similar gut issues - read a few threads on here where other women have had increasing issues related to hormone cycles in their 40s.

I've tried probiotics and diet changes only thing that seems to help is exercise and increased fluids at certain points in my cycle - and it's not every month yet but no obvious reason why.

When I asked about HRT my GP also suggested anti depressants and said that they could effectively treat some of my symptoms but she was happy to let me start on HRT patches as well. My symptoms don't sound as severe as yours but I did have some anxiety, quite bad joint aches, panic feelings, rage , zero libido, lack of enthusiasm for life in general, struggle to focus and finish jobs etc. I had all these whilst my periods were still regularish - they were def changing but still happening.

I looked at my patches for a month before I was brave enough to put them on and I am so pleased I did. I am sure my mood is brighter, my aching hands and feet have totally gone and it has also been noted that my breath has improved significantly ( I never thought this was a peri thing)!!

I think you should go back and insist on trying HRT.

Pretty sure anxiety is an incredibly common perimenopause symptom and can be treated with HRT. I think I would be changing GP surgeries in your situation.

A researcher who write a book called the xx brain says there is evidence a high protein plant based diet with a little meat and good stress management, checking that b12 is good and also omega 3 (a particular type of yoga has also been shown to help) can help with symptoms however she also v much recommends hrt too.

I do think stress is a factor; my symptoms definitely improved after the holidays in September and then nosedived after a v stressful stept/ Oct. I crawled to the Gp begging for hrt at 44. Still v regular though periods v short.

I took various supplements; HRT has started to give my life back, my Gp is great.

You are 49 and should have been given it no quibbling. I know a woman who was offered it after seeing the Gp about something else after she was 45!

The patches are made from yams so I don't know why these natural people don't recommend them!

I have to say hrt has made me calmer, much more focussed, sleep better and given much more energy. I use the progesterone vaginally as suggested by Gp.

I'd ask to trial the hrt. You could do both at once but it might be an idea to do one at a time.

Is the naturopath my MIL? After she told another relative their cancer was caused by unhealthy diet (it wasn't, according to the NHS surgeon who cured it) I would never go near one.

@CuriousDinosaur

A researcher who write a book called the xx brain says there is evidence a high protein plant based diet with a little meat and good stress management, checking that b12 is good and also omega 3 (a particular type of yoga has also been shown to help) can help with symptoms however she also v much recommends hrt too.

I do think stress is a factor; my symptoms definitely improved after the holidays in September and then nosedived after a v stressful stept/ Oct. I crawled to the Gp begging for hrt at 44. Still v regular though periods v short.

I took various supplements; HRT has started to give my life back, my Gp is great.

You are 49 and should have been given it no quibbling. I know a woman who was offered it after seeing the Gp about something else after she was 45!

The patches are made from yams so I don't know why these natural people don't recommend them!

I read a book by leslie kenton and she mentions yams as well. It's a surprisingly current book despite her low fat advice. That's the only thing that's out of date.

If you're not happy with ADs, go back with NICE guidelines and if not listening ask if you can be referred to a menopause clinic.

I am going to go back and ask for hrt but honestly it feels like such a battle to ask for something which should be widely available to someone my age and with my symptoms? It’s a constant bloody battle. If not I will have to borrow the money and go privately.
I would love so much to go mainly plant based but not sure my super sensitive gut would cope, so much upsets it these days.

I'm a vegetarian, obese and ate the crappiest diet ever. I don't smoke or drink, though. Had a couple of hot flushes and my menopause was done. My mum had the same experience but ate better, and smoked and drank. So I think it's more likely genetic.

My gut was crazy during peri; hrt has really helped.

I read recently that it's the oestrogen that causes constipation during pregnancy; I'd always leaned more towards constipation due to hypothyroidism. Then I became peri menopausal and all hell broke loose!

I remember that my stomach was ok again during my second child who I had at 41, and for a while afterwards. But then went to pot.

WarriorN that is interesting to hear. I do think my hormones are sending my digestive system into some kind of overdrive and it’s causing me all anxiety as I never know from one day to the next how it’s going to be.

@RedPandaWanda

This is what I was told by a naturopath. I went to her for help with my awful Perimenopause symptoms and ongoing digestive issues. I have been going round and round in circles with the GPs at my practice, endless telephone appointments to only be told to take antidepressants. I am told I am not in peri as I have a regular cycle and no day time hot sweats although they totally disregard all of my other peri symptoms (I am almost 49 have ongoing anxiety, anger, depression, no libido and vaginal dryness, broken sleep, itchy skin, exhaustion, awful heavy periods, night sweats before period, awful pmt, breast tenderness...........) So I found this naturopath online, she said she specialised in gut issues and hormonal problems. She had said she will take onboard all of my health issues and devise a bespoke plan for me. Said ‘plan’ is basically warm lemon water in the morning, eggs for breakfast and I am to eat at least 7 vegetables per day. Epsom salt baths too. She also wants me to purchase £100 worth of various supplements. If I do this within 4 weeks I will feel like a different woman apparently. She then went on to say that women who eat like this do not suffer from the menopause at all. I already eat fairly well, I don’t drink or smoke, I exercise every day, have a bmi of 20 etc and still have all of these peri symptoms even after being on the ‘plan’ for over a month. Of course it goes without saying the healthier your lifestyle the healthier you will feel. Obviously living off takeaways and junk food won’t help peri symptoms but surely it’s just not as simplistic as eating like this, is it? I feel like a complete mug with £200 down the drain which I couldn’t really afford in the first place, urgh!

The GP needs more training! Basically you are peri from about 45 on whether you have symptoms or not. It’s just the phase before meno and your periods stop. You don’t need to be tested for it. It’s like the term ‘adolescene’ we all go through it

@Helenahandkart

If you get chance have a read of the NICE guidelines prior to your GP appointment. I’m pretty sure they say that GPS should not prescribe antidepressants for menopause symptoms. Hopefully if you have the guidelines with you, you can gently persuade them to take you seriously. It’s so frustrating to waste the little money you have on quack doctors. I’ve done it myself, so I know how hopeless you feel. Good luck with the GP.

Yes. The NICE guidelines specifically say that after 45 women should be offered HrT before antidepressants. Your GP is dangerously out of date. Google it and email the clinic.

@RedPandaWanda

This is what I was told by a naturopath. I went to her for help with my awful Perimenopause symptoms and ongoing digestive issues. I have been going round and round in circles with the GPs at my practice, endless telephone appointments to only be told to take antidepressants. I am told I am not in peri as I have a regular cycle and no day time hot sweats although they totally disregard all of my other peri symptoms (I am almost 49 have ongoing anxiety, anger, depression, no libido and vaginal dryness, broken sleep, itchy skin, exhaustion, awful heavy periods, night sweats before period, awful pmt, breast tenderness...........) So I found this naturopath online, she said she specialised in gut issues and hormonal problems. She had said she will take onboard all of my health issues and devise a bespoke plan for me. Said ‘plan’ is basically warm lemon water in the morning, eggs for breakfast and I am to eat at least 7 vegetables per day. Epsom salt baths too. She also wants me to purchase £100 worth of various supplements. If I do this within 4 weeks I will feel like a different woman apparently. She then went on to say that women who eat like this do not suffer from the menopause at all. I already eat fairly well, I don’t drink or smoke, I exercise every day, have a bmi of 20 etc and still have all of these peri symptoms even after being on the ‘plan’ for over a month. Of course it goes without saying the healthier your lifestyle the healthier you will feel. Obviously living off takeaways and junk food won’t help peri symptoms but surely it’s just not as simplistic as eating like this, is it? I feel like a complete mug with £200 down the drain which I couldn’t really afford in the first place, urgh!

She is right to an extent. A diet high in (water based) veg, minimal processed carbs, and quality protein will help peri symptoms but only if you’re already a normal-low bmi and physically active / strong. Most women haven’t got their bmi or activity right and then go straight to diet as they think its easier or are in denial about the rest and that won’t help.

I do see why GPs offer ADs.

I go in, dissolve into tears, can't articulate myself, say I've got insomnia and can't motivate myself.

GP has 8 minutes to try and make sense of what I'm snottering my way through.

GPs just need to know more about middle aged women. Just as the default setting on younger women is "could you pregnant?" it should be "could you be menopausal" for any woman over 40.

It's not acceptable that they don't know this stuff. 51% of their patient list will be menopausal, unless they die tragically young.

It should be bread and butter for all HCP training. Pure misogyny that it is not.

Gps are also given incentives to hand out ADs too Viv. But yes I had exactly the same treatment when first ill with hypothyroidism and then subsequent times when I wasn't in a high enough dose.

Some have been shown to work a little but they're not going to help bone loss etc. And youre likely to not need them at all with hrt!

Over 45 and there should be no quibble!

What do you mean, @WarriorN? As in they get payments to do BP checks and stop smoking programmes and health checks on over 80s?

I did once find the guidance on ads and incentives but I can't now. Yes basically.

This was the image being shared in a large meno group supposedly written by a woman who did / worked on the Davina programme.

Ah I've found the article

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9614203/Half-doctors-arent-taught-MENOPAUSE.html