Having a wobble - please help:(

[Badtasteflump]

Hi, I'm definitely peri - late 49's, irregular periods for the last few years - last one was nine months ago. So far my only symptom has been a big increase in migraines. However over the last few weeks it's like everything's gone a bit scary. I ache all over, especially if I sit down for a while then try to get up. I'm knackered and grumpy but can't sleep. I've started having hot flushes, like I've stuck my face in the oven (only affects my face tho?). Over the same period I've also noticed my hands & fingers are twitchy - if I hold them out in front of me the are wiggling a bit - and I feel almost like I'm vibrating inside, all the way from inside my head & chest down to my fingers (sounds mad I know). I am waiting for a specialist Meno clinic appt which will prob take months. My GP says she cannot prescribe hrt because I am higher risk of breast cancer. She says it's not ruled out but it's needs to be assessed by a specialist rather than a GP. Stupidly today I have googled my symptoms (specifically the twitchy fingers) and now I am imagining all sorts of scary diseases. Can somebody bring me down from the ceiling pls?

Ps I also seem to be v anxious all of a sudden (as if that needed saying!)...

Obvs I'm not 'late 49's' 🤭

Honestly these are all classic menopause symptoms so put your mind at rest about that. I had the itchy twitchy fingers Abd lots of women talk about that tingly almost electric feeling

Is your GP referring you to a meno specialist or are you looking fir one privately?

Thanks for replying :). Did you find your fingers twitch around on their own as you look at them? It's really scared me thanks to Google.... GP referred me to an NHS menopause clinic but that was last October. It will be a really long time before I get to see someone. DH suggested I book a private appt but I was really nervous about getting into something we can't really afford - the initial appt was going to be £200 and there was no really clear idea of costs following on from that, so I said I was happy to wait. Now I'm not so sure :(

Definitely menopause symptoms. I found that exercise helped to make me sleep. I used to go to the gym around 8 pm and then I did sleep. It does get better honestly. I haven't had hrt and the flushes did stop during the day eventually. I still occasionally get them at night but they aren't awful.

Sounds absolutely classic perimenopause symptoms.

I do remember seriously worrying there was something wrong with me too!

I think given your history, if you could stump up for a private clinic, it might be money well spent.

I'm in Ireland (so we've to pay the GP too, in most cases & most charge a higher fee for menopause related consultations) the private clinics charge a high fee initially, then lower for follow up. Bloods may also be separate.

But once they prescribe HRT (if it's possible), you shouldn't have to see them that much.

Get you thyroid checked as it might be that too…

Completely sounds like menopausal symptoms to me. I had very similar with it all escalating pretty quickly. The twitching/vibrating is a definite, accompanied by awful anxiety. I have that come in waves, and usually describe it as ‘‘my nerves are shot to hell’’. I hope you get your appointment soon. I’m on HRT which is helping (getting dose increased). I’ve also given up alcohol, as that really didn’t help at all with the symptoms.

@Badtasteflump When you say you are at high risk of breast cancer, what is that based on?

It may be the case, but some GPs don't understand HRT very well and there are many instances on this forum where women have been denied HRT for incorrect decisions by a GP.

Just to put it in context, there are women on HRT who have had BC and who had had expert help and decided to take the small risks.

To reassure you on the cost of private treatment.

You are always in control. A Dr can't force you to have more appts than you want.

Usually, you have one appt then a follow up after 3 months.
You can have private prescriptions (which cost roughly the same as 1 month of HRT on the NHS prescription) or your consultant can pass you onto your GP for repeats.

Sounds similar to me too, op. Especially the migraines. They are killing me. Everything else has lessened over time. I was referred to the specialist meno clinic in Sept 2020 - still waiting for an appt as covid has screwed things up so much. I haven’t resorted to going private yet, but seriously thinking about it.

So thought I would post a bit of an update for anybody in a similar situation.... I finally decided to give the £250 BUPA Menopause Plan a try - 45 minute consult with a Meno specialist GP, another appt to review treatment after 3 months and 24 hour telephone advice via Meno trained nurse for 12 months. Got appt the following day (!) and so far have been impressed with service. Specialist was fab, v thorough, after the consult went off to discuss my (slightly complicated) medical history with a panel of Meno specialists. Turns out, as I suspected from Dr Google, the risks are nothing like as suggested by my own GP. Basically I have been prescribed bio-identical hrt patches & cyclical progesterone. Don't feel any different yet but am hoping it was money well spent - definitely felt it has been even just for the consult & personalised plan & prescription which I was probably never going to get on the NHS.