debating asking GP for HRT...confused which is best for me

[Gatekeeper]

Had my last period 4/5 years ago and was content to just get on with it. However I've noticed of late how stiff and achey all my joints ache with def nodes forming on my fingers. My skin looks awful and my once very thick hair is def thinning and crap. I'm not depressed or anxious but everything that once brought me joy such as reading, crafts and gardening I feel very 'meh' and can't be arsed. No sex drive AT ALL. Don't feel enthusiastic about anything really. Had b12/vitd and full range thyroid bloods done and all ok.

Met my sister the other day and was shocked how stooped she looks and remembered my own mother having a dowagers hump as she had osteoparosis/arthritis

I'm 58...do you think the GP would still be willing to prescribe as it's been several years since I had a period and if so what do people reckon is the best for my situation?

thanks

If you can afford it I would go to a private menopause clinic for your initial visit . They will advise you best and then they can write to your GP to tell them what HRT you are on for your future supply.

Sorry to hear about your symptoms. Just to let you know what I did, although I note we all have different menopausal symptoms and it is not generally one size fits all if you see what I mean……symptoms started right when my daughter was doing GCSEs, had unwell elderly relative and there was no way I could have physically kept going as the moment I sat down in the evening the hot flushes started…… just NO! First visit to male GP who said I needed anti depressants as my hormone levels were not low. Second visit when I refused aforementioned anti-depressants saw female GP happy to prescribe HRT. However, made my skin flare up terribly with acne. Decided to bite the bullet and spend a little bit of money to see private hormone specialist. Best money I have spent, took a couple of months to get it right but now take bio identical hormones and testosterone gel. The patches were just not strong enough to correct my hormone levels although they can work well for other people. So, to sum up whilst GPS are good they aren’t generally specialists in this area so if you can afford it suggest going privately first then getting referred back to GP to prescribe the HRT. Oh, and get a prescription certificate to help the cost, think I pay approx £10 a month but that covers 3/4 drugs rather than paying £10 for each one prescribed. Hope this helps!! Good luck 😀

GPs do vary a lot. If your GP won't have a sensible adult conversation with you about HRT then go private by all means, but I found my GPs to be great. Recently they needed tweaking and we had a proper discussion, she sent me lots of info, and she agreed to prescribe testosterone as well as juggle various other bits. So don't write your GP off, it's definitely worth a try. I phoned the practice and asked who was good on HRT, and got an appointment with her.

There is a shortage of HRT at present.

Not ALL HRT. Only gel (s) and this ought to be resolved by June so it's been said.

Who did you go with?

theres loads of different options so you might have to switch around a few times before you find the right combination for you. I started on patches but didn’t really get on with the progesterone, so switched to gel and tablets which is much better.

GPs are a mixed bag. You could get lucky with someone who know loads about it, or you might get one who is massively out of date and tries to give you anti depressants.

have a look at the menopause doctor website. There’s loads of info including a tick list of symptoms to take to the GP.

I used these doctors when I went private : www.menopauseconsultancy.co.uk

Hrt should be available to all, women shouldn't need to line the pockets of private clinics to get it. We shouldn't have a 2 tier health care system

If within 10yrs of last period it is fine. I would stick to textbook reasons, be firm and say you want to try body identical continous hrt (oestrogel and utrogestan) to help manage your severe joint pain. They seem to need tick boxes of anxiety, insomnia and sweats to agree so I've been told, so chuck those in too even if an exaggeration.

Good luck.

There shouldn't be a need to see a private specialist unless there are complex factors or you are particularly unlucky with your GP.When you book at your GP tell the receptionist that you want to discuss your hormones and they might route you towards an in house specialist ; at our surgery several of the GPs have a lot of competence in this and the others use them as sounding boards.Even if you are a complicated case the local NHS specialist is usually accessible by the GPs for advice .
Most women going to reputable private specialists get the same medication as those going to GPs so save your money in the first instance.

thank you everyone. I'm going to ring my surgery and take it from there. If they absolutely refuse I'll save up and go private

My visit with a private doctor was nothing like the doctors I have in my current GP practice - she understood, she listened, she did tests , she did follow ups whereas my current lot of women GPs are only interested in when I will come off it. It is doubly disappointing to hear this from a woman doctor and especially young ones who have no idea.

It's weird isn't it and obviously grossly unfair for the many who cannot afford private clinics.

I really wish when Phil and Holly feature private Drs on This Morning like Dr Newson they'd also feature nhs GPs and get to the bottom of the inequality.

We keep hearing about how we need to talk more about the menopause when imo we do. The elephant in the room is why it is widely and easily available privately yet some GPs make women beg for it. Why?

I would love to see an audit of GPs who prescribe hrt and those who tend not and get them on This Morning to explain why.

morning all

just an update; I rang the surgery first thing and a nurse practitioner rang me back two hours later for a chat. She specialised in women's health and after I relayed my symptoms she was very happy to prescribe hrt. Said there was absolutely no need to suffer in this day and age when there were solutions to help. I was gobsmacked as I imagined me having some kind of battle pleading my case! Only snag was that she prescribed oestrogel and utrogestan but there is none to be had- neither is there any other oestrogen gel substitutes. The pharmacist was also brilliant going out of his way to find something else and suggested FemSeven conti patches and ordered them in but even they didn't show up as out of stock with not expected in nr furture!

Eventually got Everol Conti instead which I was a bit dubious about but slapped it on. A week later and it is already taking effect. Slept MUCH better last two nights and noted that the old nether regions are no longer arid . Slight hormonal type headache first two days but that abated.

Chuffed to bits so far and 10/10 for the service I received. Will continue to monitor it over next few weeks but am a bit more hopeful

Glad to hear you have sorted something out and that it is helping, makes such a difference. Can I also suggest for the, ahem, previously mentioned nether regions that you ask for some Vagifem? Definitely rejuvenates that area. 😀

I was also coming on to suggest Vagifem or Ovestin cream. It really can help for vaginal dryness and atrophy. I use the pessaries and cream. Cream on outside and pessaries for inside. My vagina has never felt better in years.