I need to bite the bullet and go private - gutted but where do I start?

[Summerhillsquare]

Diagnosed as peri 18 months ago, took 6 months to get any treatment. Been on HRT a year and have cycled through pills, patches/utrogestan, Oestrogel/Utrogestan and back to the patches recently.

Basically I still have most of the orginal symptoms along with the side effects. In particular I have been driven spare by poor sleep and lack of confidence, jittery anxiety and crashing depression.

I got a big promotion a few months ago in spite of this and am desperate to be succesful, but also to do something else with my life other than grinding through work.

I can't recall a single question the succession of GP's, nurses and HCAs have been able to answer. I have been told many things that are contrary to the little published evidence that there is, too many to go into here. Only once 'seen' the same person twice. Have asked to be referred to the specialists but tumbleweed. They are clueless, and worse, couldn't care less. Destroyed my faith in, and to some extent support of, the NHS. Its institutionally sexist.

To me, knowledge is power. I am desperate to understand, even if I can't be treated. I just need to KNOW whether I am one of the women who get no benefit from HRT. To make an informed decision about whether to give up.

AIBU to go private? Where do I go? I joined the waiting list for Louise Newsome's clinic, popular on here, but everyone seems to get the same presciption. I've had all the presciptions now AFAIK. I need expert input. There seem to be clinics in London. Can anyone recomend? I have a lifelong suspicion of private medicine and worry that I will also be fobbed off, but this time after handing over vast amounts of cash!

Did you have mental health problems before this ?

Sorry to hear how much you have been suffering. Have you had basic medical screening, blood counts, Vitamin/mineral deficiency screening?

Lifelong PMS.

Will PM you OP.

Sarah gray in cornwall but will do remote. She's fantastic

Thank you. Yes, the GP who diagnosed did all that. Very slight potassium deficiency, other than that I'm in good health.

I had a Mirena coil fitted and found that, as a happy side effect, it massively reduced my PMT rages caused by peri.

Actually can’t PM you for some reason ? If you want to message me I might then be able to reply.

Have you tried separating out your symptoms and treating them individually. So for bad sleep I started a bedtime regime. Epsom salt bath twice a week - a bath is relaxing and the magnesium aids sleep, I always go to bed at 10pm and from 9pm onwards its relaxing and watching TV time. I’ve stopped alcohol as that was making it worse. And I’ve added in taking magnesium and it really has helped.

Solgar magnesium citrate is good for sleep and calm.

I went private. I'm also in the fb page "totes merry peri" which has so much information including how to speak to your go and demand ask for what you need. Definitely worth a look. There's also a lot of info on the balance app. My private gp was amazing and has referred me back to Nhs now.

I paid £95 per appointment and obviously private cost of prescription.

Have you read the Menopause Manifesto by Dr Jen Gunter? If hrt doesn't work for you, she goes through all the different (medically proven) treatments available to treat symptoms of menopause. She's for a very fresh and sensible take on what's going on.

Oh, I don't know why that is, I'm sorry!

Thanks, considering it. At this point I just don't trust them to put it in properly. I have the scars on my arm from a clumsy removal of the implant years ago!

I've done all the 'lifestyle' changes, mostly in response to PMS for which the advice is much the same.

It's probably making things worse, I feel pretty miserable without sugar, caffeine, alcohol etc, I really miss them!

The British Menopause Society has a list of specialists on their website on the MENU top of Home page.

Other options are look at your local private hospitals under gynaes and see if anyone specialises in menopause.
TBH your symptoms don't sound like menopause especially if you are using hrt. Have you increased the dose of your estrogen? Often it's something as easy as dose-tweak.

Thank you @passportpassport123 much appreciated

There is an amazing private clinic in Stratford upon Avon. It appeared in the Davina documentary.

Newson Health Menopause & Wellbeing Centre

Winton House, Church St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6HB
01789 595004

g.co/kgs/F9XkNd

Yes, maxed out the oestrogen dose @jinglinghellsbells

Do you think you've been on a high enough estrogen dose? This is often the issue with symptoms not improving, Newson clinic often prescribe much higher doses than the more conservative GPs. Absorption issues through the skin can be another issue meaning you need higher dose than standard

Was going to suggest the same

Where are you based?

you absolutely shouldn't need to go to private. have sent you a pm.

There's a menopause clinic at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. I was referred by the NHS (and very grateful for that) a few years ago, but I'm sure you can see them privately.

Those symptoms can't always be solved by HRT unfortunately. It's not the silver bullet that it's sometimes made out to be.

Each regime should be given 3 months minimum. Then, If symptoms remain, increase to the next dose, until you reach the maximum licensed dose. Then, it would not be unreasonable to request a blood test, to check for absorption levels. If you are not absorbing, switch to a new product.

Be mindful of progesterone. For some women, it's like poison and can cause depression and anxiety,

Dr Paula Briggs, current chair of the BMS. She's honest and empathetic. She is not a fan of high oestrogen doses at all though ( which is problematic if you need it!)

Best of luck.