Refused treatment

[Od130990]

So Gp finally diagnosed me with Premature ovarian insufficiency this morning but still won't prescribe HRT until she speaks with a specialist; who's on holiday at the moment. Apparently she's not 100% sure on what to prescribe so what I want to know is if I go to A & E or a walk in ( believe me this is a last resort ) will they give me treatment? I can't & wont suffer any longer. I'm really desperate and can't function anymore.

@Od130990 I can really recommend The Daisy Network as a source of information about your rights and for support. POI/POF is horrendous, I was diagnosed at 37 so I totally understand what you’re experiencing. I was lucky enough to have a brilliant GP who put me on HRT. I hope things improve for you soon as menopause at least 10-15 years before the average age of onset can be very debilitating 💐

@Rebeccasmoonnecklace that's how old I am 37 and this has been ongoing for 3 years. I'm so tired of everything. It's a never ending journey; there's no light at the end of the tunnel. How can the GP's be so dismissive of the (suffering) there's no other words to describe it!

You can just go on the Pill, you know. Birth control pill, ie.

@milkyaqua are you taking the piss? Genuine question; do you know what POI/POF is?

No, I am not taking the piss - just remarking that the Pill can be used instead of HRT. Usually a low dose pill. There is nothing magically different in HRT apart from dosage (much lower than the Pill) and composition of variant hormones used. It is still estrogen and progesterone or progestogins.

*Progestins

Risk differs for women with early natural menopause or primary ovarian insufficiency. If you stopped having periods before age 40 (early natural menopause) or lost normal function of your ovaries before age 40 (primary ovarian insufficiency), you have a different set of heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) health risks compared with women who reach menopause closer to the average age of 51. This includes a higher risk of coronary heart disease. Hormone therapy in this case protects against heart disease, and your doctor may recommend that you take hormone therapy until you reach the average age that most women enter menopause, around age 51.

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/in-depth/hormone-replacement-therapy/art-20047550

@Od130990 After reading the above I understand your concerns.

I think it might have helped pp if you explained what POI is (primary ovarian insufficiency).

@Od130990 There will be light at the end of the tunnel when you get the proper treatment in place and your hormone level is adjusted, it’s just frustrating that you have to wait so long for something you shouldn’t have to fight for.

@milkyaqua The pill is another choice which some women opt for. There are women with POF/POI who are trying to conceive and go through IVF treatment and others who can’t afford IVF or are not lucky enough to get treatment funded and they will opt for HRT as there is a small chance of pregnancy if there are any viable eggs left in the ovaries.

I have POI and was diagnosed age 37 (now 40) and can understand how you feel. I'd declare it a medical emergency if I couldn't get my HRT! If you can afford it I'd see a private Gp just to get started on your first prescription. 100mg estrogen patch should be a starting point at your age and you'll need a progesterone too - a Mirena is a good option or else Utrogestan tablets. Check out dr Louise Newson's prescribing guide (google it). Good luck xx

In addition to the above, the Qlaira pill is a back up short term option - it's a contraception that contains a natural estrogen. Although HRT better long term

Exact same thing happened to me I'm now on a 10 month plus waiting list for the menopause clinic. I think it's to do with the shortage of HRT they don't want to prescribe it. She also said my oestrogen and fsh that was taken on day 14 came back normal. This is despite elevated day 3 fsh for 8 years very low AMH plus ovaries that have practically shrivelled up and died. I know all this from private IVF. I kept getting told my atrophic vagina was perfectly healthy I do now have ovestin cream which helps a bit. She suggested I paid privately but given I've just soent £10k on private surgery that the nhs doesn't fund so now I'm now skint.

I've not had anxiety, but the sage tablets definitely take the edge off my other symptoms.

POI and menopause are really the same thing, it's just when it happens that alters the name i.e POI is the same as premature menopause.

Early menopause can happen naturally if a woman's ovaries stop making normal levels of certain hormones, particularly the hormone oestrogen. This is sometimes called premature ovarian failure, or primary ovarian insufficiency

Although the medication may differ due to the age at onset, it's the same symptoms and cause.

I hope you get an answer from the consultant soon, and that things improve for you. x

If your GP is only prescribing HRT for a few years it's time to change GP. HRT should and can be taken for life, your body will not suddenly restart producing hormones a few years into menopause.

@Od130990 I'm a bit late to your thread but I suggest you look at the charity The Daisy Network. It is a national charity for women with POI/ POF and is run by consultants who work at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital. There is a lot of info on the site (your GP may find it helpful too) and I know they run online courses for GPs.

For you, there is a forum and an annual conference in London where top gynaes speak and you can meet other members.

Hope this helps.

@JinglingHellsBells Thank you. I wasn't made aware of the conference or the Daisy network.
Also thank you to everyone else who's given answers/advice it's really appreciated.
And sorry to anyone I was short with yesterday I was having a really down day ( no that does not excuse my tone ) but I felt really deflated after the call from the GP & thought I was actually going to finally be prescribed HRT & get my life back.

Can I ask has anyone suffered dry itchy eyes and constant stuffy nose as a symptom? Or could this be something else I should discuss with my GP. TIA

@Doggydarling

Have you been reading the Daily Mail ?

Continuing to take medication, any medication, longer than necessary is undoubtedly not going to recommended by many GP's. (And not always for the right reasons.)

Menopause is a naturally occurring stage of life, and although using medication to help with the horrible symptoms is obviously going to be of great help, particularly if someone reaches this 'stage' earlier than is considered 'normal', it's not something that many GP's would be happy to continue to prescribe for the rest of your life because the risks eventually begin to outweigh the benefits.

But I'm happy to concede that this may vary between GP's, but I'd think that most would advise against lifelong use because of the cost, and the increased risk to benefit ratio with age, and the regular monitoring extended use would require (especially as no-one can even get a face to face appointment for illness at the moment, never mind regular BP's and bloods for regular monitoring). Also, as you get older, you often need other medication for other conditions, which may be either contraindicated or prescribe with caution (because of the increased risks), even for common conditions such as migraine or diabetes etc, which would make many GP's think twice about continuing to prescribe HRT.

So I'm afraid it's not as simple as ''you can take it for life'.

You can buy HRT from Boots, just do an Econsult.

So I'm afraid it's not as simple as ''you can take it for life'

@oobeedoobee Can I ask what has made you post this comment?

Did you mean a GP wouldn't prescribe long term or any dr?

Women can take it for life, on a individual basis. The BMS says categorically that there are no time limits on use of HRT. Women are given the risks v benefits knowledge and make up their own minds ( as long as they have no serious medical contraindications.) That is the basis of the NICE guidance for it to be a partnership between dr and patient.

My own consultant has women in their 90s on HRT.

If you want to hear the experts' opinions, listen to the excellent Prof Nick Panay (HRT expert) on Liz Earle Wellbeing site. There is an hour-long interview as a podcast. He's there saying that his patients in their 80s would kill him if he tried to stop their HRT. It's really informative! I advise anyone to listen to it.

He also has done some excellent Youtube interviews with Diane Danzebrink. Those will answer all your points on risks, duration, etc etc.