Aged 45, plenty of symptoms no HRT

[Pinkjacket22]

I since turning 45 have had worsening of the following symptoms

• brain fog
• hair loss

-clotting so bad on first day of period I cannot leave the house

• feeling low
• night sweats
• PMT worsened
• disturbed sleep so tiredness as well

I went to the doctors today and all she would offer me is transameic acid and anti depressants. I cried as I fear I would as by far the worst thing is the brain fog and I don't see how antidepressants will help that. She said there are no tests she can do for hormones but I could get blood test for iron which sounds likely I am lacking. Would going privately likely give me a better outcome? Would HRT help? I have recently started a new job full time and the brain fog is making me feel incapable of performing as I did before this and fearful of not managing to keep job. I do get private healthcare through my job however. I do plenty of exercise, I don't drink and have recently overhauled my diet. She also suggested looking at alternatives such as black cohosh (?) in all honesty I don't know if I have the energy to seek the stuff as had kind of hoped there would be a hormonal solution. She did speak about the risks associated with HRT such as increased risk of certain cancers. Thanks in advance for any responses.

Go back, keep going back! Research, contact charities, read books, know your body and go back! Antidepressants won’t help if you need HRT!

sending ❤️

Omg how can a female GP be so crap?

My female GP looked at my symptoms, sent me for blood tests and established I needed iron, gave me an internal and prescribed vaginal estrogen and now full HRT.

No mention of anti ds.

Go back.

That’s awful @Pinkjacket22 Your GP sounds completely incompetent. I would insist on seeing another. They should be doing blood tests to rule out anything else that might be wrong, and can check your FSH levels a couple of times at the right times. (Yes we all know blood tests for meno hormones are not proof but they are still bloody helpful as a general assessment of where you are at and you are just 45).

Your GP obviously just doesn’t believe in HRT and clearly isn’t up to date on recent NICE standards. I hope you get on better with someone else and if you have free access to a private consultation with your new job I’d take it!

Your GP sounds very poor and I would return and ask for HRT more assertively. However do check your private cover. My work scheme has only just changed to cover menopause but if you have that cover you’ll get better attention. Good luck. I’m on patches and the sweats have gone and while my mind is sieve like, I’m not worried I have early onset Alzheimer’s.

There is a small increased risk of breast cancer - which is a highly treatable form of cancer.
There is a huge decrease in the risk of heart disease - the most common killer of women, along with other bonuses of protecting your bones, lower risk of dementia, diabetes and bowel cancer.

Your GP doesn't sound like she is up to date on HRT. With your new job, I'd see a private menopause consultant.

Don’t put up with this shit! I was similar and hrt was a game changer.

wow that’s awful. I’m 44 and my symptoms were almost identical to yours. Only difference was my periods had become very irregular. I had changed to a new practice closer to home, went for a new patient review, thinking I’d try and sort out why I was constantly feeling faint (usually a symptom of low iron for me) and Dr instantly said I needed HRT. She was brilliant gave me loads of links to podcasts and websites and prescribed HRT.

within 6/8 weeks I was sleeping through the night again, hot flushes almost unnoticeable, skin improved, brain fog felt less. I still have thinning hair and more anxiety than I used to, but the HRT was definitely what I needed.

if I were you I would go back and ask for the HRT.

Just to correct PP and GP there is no significant risk of breast cancer with the newer transdermal (through the skin) body identical HRT. The studies done 10 years ago that scared everyone off it were misreported. And any HRT up to the age of 50 isn't considered any risk at all. Go on this website and search for the symptom checker, read the articles on perimenopause and body identical HRT and then go back to the GP and present your information and ask for it.
www.balance-menopause.com/

That's awful. Go back to the GP, be assertive, tell them you've done your research and you want to try HRT. It'll make all tbe difference.

You want a private endocrinologist.

Of course they can do blood trsts to see what your hormones are doing - some are very expensive tho so ask for a NHS referral from the private doctor first.

They will probably say you’re a bit young for HRT and recommend the Mirena coil instead.

Did that GP offer to have your thyroid checked at all? I would go back and specifically ask for full bloods including thyroid to check if you are low in anything else and HRT if you want it. Don't 'be fobbed off, good luck!

Literally my bible. Would suggest reading this 😊

I thought the guidance was that after 45 no testing was needed to provide HRT? Am I wrong?

What is the criteria ? Can we just be refused it?

She did speak about the risks associated with HRT such as increased risk of certain cancers. Thanks in advance for any responses.

This from a GP? How worrying.

She has prescribed Prozac. I didn't realise it was that as it's not the clinical name. I'm in Scotland if that makes a difference. She only said I could have a blood test for low iron, no other checks or questions. She seemed to balk when I said I thought I would get HRT. She said there were no reliable blood tests for hormone levels. She didn't even offer me a tissue when I was crying and seemed to slam the door when I left. I'm not a very assertive person but told her I cannot function like this as the brain fog and low mood is by far the worst thing. Although the heaviness of the periods cause me to not be able to leave the house for the first day or 2. I am in recovery (alcoholic 7 years sober) and so am wary about taking any kind of mind altering medications and I did disclose this. Thanks for the help, I can see I need to inform myself more and investigate the private options available to me.

I’m 44, no periods since august, got all the symptoms, been to docs and had blood tests and hormone level indicates I’m peri/ menopausal so I’m booked in next week to discuss HRT

Thank you. Will get this.

do you have a nurse in the practice
they might be more accommodating?

Yes go back or go elsewhere - these are classic peri menopause symptoms. I count myself lucky as I had a discussion with my gp and got hrt prescribed same day. I don't know if it makes any difference but look up the different types of hrt and then make a point of being direct with the next gp and say 'I would like to try hrt'. Sorry - Your gp sounds absolutely useless. Good luck

Definitely go back!! I had blood tests and everything was checked, they can test for hormones, because my oestrogen levels came back as being really low.
The year before I had gone to see her with low mood etc and was put straight on to anti depressants. Looking back now, I didn't need to be on them, I should have been put on HRT then.
HRT has really helped so don't be fobbed off!

NICE guidelines say that a woman asking for HRT is enough reason to prescribe. Persist or see a menopause nurse privately and get a prescription that way. She’s talking utter bollocks.

Go back and bring your bolshiest, no-nonsense friend with you to help you stand your ground.

That is utter shit! I was also having symptoms last year at 44 and my GP instantly sent me for a FSH blood test and FBC. Found out my FSH was fine but I was iron deficient and put on Ferrous Sulphate and i fell so so much better. It appalls me that women are still being treated like this, please push back and see somebody different, ask if there is any GP with an interest in womens health. Good luck x

I had to go back 3 times to my GP. He also went on about black cohosh. He called it a homeopathic remedy. I pointed out it was herbal and asked if I would be referred to a qualified herbalist as some Canadian studies have referenced toxicity. He grumpily referred me to a female GP to discuss HRT. Hope you can see someone else and get a prescription

It doesn't make a difference you being in Scotland in this case, I am too and had a similarly shit experience with GPs at the same age, two prescriptions for antidepressants, and when I finally saw a GP and asked for HRT I was sent away with a prescription for folic acid.

It's rubbish, but you really have to do your research yourself and tell them what you want. The guidelines are that if you are 45+ and having symptoms, then you don't need tests. Ask them to start you on a low dose HRT either patches or gel, which does not raise the risk of cancer. There is also the option to go private but this comes at a significant cost, both for the initial appointment but also if your GP refuses to prescribe what the specialist recommends, for medication too.

Please please go back to the GP and see someone else. The very worst service I had from my GP when like you I was in tears in the surgery (with no prior history of depression) was from 2 middle aged, female GPs. It's a total scandal the lack of training many of them have.

Short term, I do find that getting out for a walk in teh fresh air really helps, and for me, mindfulness apps like Calm or Headspace work too.

Good luck and keep pushing.