How do doctors decide whether you can have HRT or not?

[tartytowers]

I'm 46, and think I have perimeno symptoms, especially anxiety and brain fog, aching, tiredness, etc. I've been diagnosed as having long covid and my long term antidepressant dose was just increased and that was it.

I've read that the last thing you need if you have perimenopause symptoms is antidepressants, but I do find my GP surgery are overall quite dismissive of things. A friend who is my age went to try to get HRT and they said nope, if you still have periods you don't need it, and that was that.

I've managed to get a telephone appointment for next week to discuss it so we will see how it goes.

i was dismissed due to timing by a GP buit couple of years later made a nurse appointment.
easy peasy

@tartytowers
This is what you need to read and hold onto in an appt.

It's the NICE guidance. The whole point of the NICE meno guidance was that it is a shared decision, not a GP telling you what you can or can't have. If your GP won't adhere to this, you need to tell them that they are not working within the guidance.

Fortunately, I have had superb meno treatment privately, covered at first by insurance. It makes me very angry to hear the experiences of many women here who are dismissed and bullied by (often) ignorant GPs, whose behaviour is so far removed from best practice of menopause experts.

You have a right to the proper treatment and respectful shared care within the NHS.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations#diagnosis-of-perimenopause-and-menopause

In the BOX there is another link

www.nice.org.uk/about/what-we-do/our-programmes/nice-guidance/nice-guidelines/shared-decision-making

Shared decision making
Shared decision making is a joint process in which a healthcare professional works together with a person to reach a decision about care.
It involves choosing tests and treatments based both on evidence and on the person's individual preferences, beliefs and values
.
It makes sure the person understands the risks, benefits and possible consequences of different options through discussion and information sharing.

Benefits
-It allows people to discuss and share information. This makes sure people have a good understanding of the benefits, harms and possible outcomes of different options.

-It empowers people to make decisions about the treatment and care that is right for them at that time. This includes choosing to continue with their current treatment or choosing no treatment at all.

-It allows people the opportunity to choose to what degree they want to engage in decision making. Some people prefer not to take an active role in making decisions with their healthcare professionals.