I need a boost please

[SurelyNot22]

I'm 44 and looking for some positivity.... After several months of feeling like something was happening to me I recently had to wait for three weeks to see GP for initial appointment re peri symptoms. I specifically asked to see the GP who was in the best position to advise me.

It was a struggle to get through to the appointment day; battling with crippling low mood and anxiety alongside the hot flushes and night sweats, but I used the time wisely and made sure I had everything in order. I've been doing lots of reading around the subject. I'm tracking my cycles, recording my symptoms, have a great diet with the right supplements, run 3x per week, good sleep routine and mindfulness in place etc.

Basically what I needed was for her to listen, to understand that I've got myself in a good life position with this before attending the appointment, that I know how I'm feeling in myself, that this is not normal for me and that I now need some professional input to tackle the debilitating mental symptoms that I'm experiencing.

I was really disappointed with the appointment. I was completely and utterly fobbed off. GP refused to look at any of the symptom tracker stuff I'd brought to the appointment, and told me that I was too young to be experiencing these symptoms and that it's probably my iron levels. I explained that I'm already taking a daily iron supplement and have a great diet, and reiterated how low I am feeling, how I can barely get into work, how this is having a major impact on my quality of life. That I don't feel as if I can carry on like this. But she said all she could do was test for iron.

I then had to wait for 10 days to have my blood taken, and am now waiting again for the follow up appointment to see her about the results. This is still over a week away.

In the meantime I've been through the same thing every day; the term low mood doesn't really describe how I feel. It's as if there's a permanent sense of impending doom. Like nothing is going to change it. I can barely function.

I want to stress how much this is not my normal demeanour. Usually I'm a proactive, positive, happy person who will do anything I can to help others and to make the most of every single day. I'm very lucky to be in a loving, supportive relationship with two children who I adore. I've worked hard to build a successful career, and am well respected etc etc. I am so lucky.

I'm really worried that the way I'm feeling now is going to have a lasting impact on my MH and those around me too.

I'd be so grateful for any positive stories from others who had a rocky start to getting the help they needed but are now benefiting from HRT and no longer feel as though there's no joy!

I think I just need something to hang on to until I go back to battle with the GP again next week....

@SurelyNot22 you have my sympathy it took me nearly 3 years also due to covid restrictions to get anywhere with my GP and finally have blood tests; 2 lots 4-6 weeks apart.
The anxiety was crippling every day was a struggle to leave the house (at one point I thought I was going to end up with agoraphobia) I'm now 4 months in on HRT and can honestly say I feel so much better. Unfortunately due to your age they will make you have the blood tests anyone under 45 has to have 2 bloods taken 4-6 weeks apart. I really hope you get help sooner rather then later.

Also I took coq10 & vitamin D while waiting for HRT
Coq10 starts to deplete from our late 20's onwards but every cell in our body uses it for energy so I'd get yourself that if it's a boost your looking for & everyone in the uk should be taking vitamin D for Oct-March anyway as we don't get enough from the sun in these months.

Thank you. I asked the GP to check my hormone levels at the same time as the iron blood test but she refused.
The blood test she ordered was for iron and a full blood count. She said she would not test hormone levels as it's not the peri menopause I'm experiencing.
It's the waiting that I'm struggling with. I have to go back and see her first rather than another GP. Organising another appointment is going to be weeks away. It's crushing me.

Re vitamins and supplements, yes I have this all sorted. I've spent loads of time on researching it all and feel that I have all bases covered with the additional things that I can do to help myself... I just need the GP to take me seriously.

I know you shouldn't have to, but could you afford a private menopause specialist? They can do blood tests locally to you, consult over the telephone, prescribe for you and write to your GP to get them to continue the treatment on the NHS. It will cost about £1000 for the first consultation, blood tests (they'll do hormone and thyroid), follow up consultation and the drugs, but then hopefully you can continue on the NHS.

Thanks so much for replying. That's really interesting that prescriptions can sometimes be continued on the NHS. I may well have to consider this route if the appointment next week is as much of a let down as the last one.
I've already had a brief look at the BUPA scheme, which I was thinking about trying in a few weeks if the GP doesn't listen to me. I'll have to ask if their scheme also has the same benefit in terms of transferring over to the NHS post-diagnosis.
Thanks again for posting.

Do you have the NHS app? You can view your own blood test results on there, along with what’s normal.

Im sure you know it could absolutely be peri menopause.
id be inclined to make a complaint, quoting NICE guidelines www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations#diagnosis-of-perimenopause-and-menopause
Best of luck

Thank you, yes I do. I've recently requested full access to my records as currently only have the summary report option on my app. Waiting for this to be actioned at present.
re NICE guidance, I'm currently 44 which I think is partly the issue... everything I've read on here suggests that 45 is the magic age! No way I can live like this for another year though.

This was me! I was 36 when I first went and went back at 38 & 40 with more severe symptoms.

Was fobbed off thoroughly. She actually told me that there was clearly something hormonal going on but not menopause related...
I actually ended up going to bupa - paid the £250, had an appointment got a blood test, my FSH levels were high enough on that one test that when combined with my history and symptoms they just prescribed me the HRT and then wrote a letter to my GP.

The costs to be aware of on Bupa - the plan is £250, for that you get one longer appointment and then a 15 min follow up with a gp and a year's access to a nurse-led helpline.
Then the blood test was £50 and the prescription for three months HRT was £67.

You don't have to get the prescription off them, they can write a letter to your GP and you can see them to request the prescription but my GP was so dismissive that I didn't think that would work so I got the private script and will go to my GP with the evidence that my mystery hormone issue has improved!

Thanks so much, this gives me hope. Really useful information, I'm really grateful for ppl taking the time to respond.

Not sure if this will help..
I had similar to you, could barely function, had to leave my job. GP took bloods and told me it wasn't menopause - only later did I read that if they didn't have earlier bloods to compare, pointless. In the end I put myself on the waiting list for the Newson Clinic. I saw a nurse practitioner via video call, so slightly cheaper. She was brilliant. I took the letter she wrote to my GP and they agreed to prescribe what was recommended for me. Feel so much better, like myself again. Transformed. I know I was privileged to be able to pay for the appointment, but honestly, if you can, do it.

Good luck.

Blimey, just read the thread properly - the costs quoted by some other people are loads more than what I paid for my Newson clinic appointment. From memory, it was about £250. I then had to have a blood test which was about £50. It would have been more if I had had to go to clinic to have the bloods taken, but they sent me the kit and a friend of mine who is a midwife did it for me, packed the sample up and posted it back.

Thank you that's really helpful. I'll look into the clinic you mentioned. Do you mind me asking if you recall how much the appointment with the nurse was? If you'd rather not say, no problem.

Cross posted! Thank you. So helpful

Cross posted! When I took the letter to my GP, they were keen to follow the advice from the Newson Clinic. Louise Newson is seen as a National expert. So I didn't have to work hard to persuade them. Irritating after their earlier unhelpfulness, but I got what I needed in the end.

Mine was the Newson Clinic @lbnblbnb, the £1000 I quoted was in total - 2 x consultations £550, blood test at a clinic £120, prescription charge £37, 6 months of HRT £180 plus Testosterone £170

Ah, ok - my blood test didn't cost that much and my GP prescribed. So the appointment costs you quote are the first, then the six month follow up?

There was a follow up at 3 months @lbnblbnb, which I didn't include, that was my first consult and an after blood tests consult. It was during Covid, I was desperate and I thought it worked out the same cost as a holiday which none of us were taking, so I was happy to pay to try to get myself better. I think now things are getting back to normal, it's easier to get your doctor to take over your care once the Newson clinic have diagnosed you, so the costs can be brought down.