Is HRT the answer to all over 50s ailments?

[pinkgraduate]

I visited my doctor earlier this year as I was having difficulty breathing, indigestion, felt tired all the time and was getting swollen feet and hands, even upon waking.
My GP literally wrote a prescription for HRT before I had a chance to explain my symptoms fully. I told the GP that I wanted to treat my transition into menopause naturally. the GP didn’t even ask any questions about my monthly cycle! I was prescribed antacid tablets and told to come back in one month.
I returned one month later as I was still experiencing the same symptoms. Again, I was offered HRT. I refused and the GP eventually conceded to send me for a chest X-Ray But asked me to look at a symptom checklist to consider going on HRT. My other symptoms were effectively dismissed and I left feeling a bit frustrated and not listened to.
I wonder if anyone else who is trying to go through menopause naturally, is feeling overwhelmed - dare I say pressured - into taking the variety of drugs and patches by GPs, media and women’s health articles?

Before you are offered any medication basic tests should be carried out. Did they take bloods to check for low thyroid or ferritin? Either may cause a myriad of problems. Both very common and easily treated.

I'm all for hrt if women want it obviously but Drs really do need to do their bit first and if you've presented with breathlessness you should of course have had that fully investigated. Did he even get his stethoscope out?

Regarding self care with meno issues there is a load of info online to do with diet, lifestyle, helping with sleep etc. I'm not sure a gp has the time to explain it all, we really do need to find this stuff out and go to a Dr if you decide you want a prescription.

Honestly the solution for me would be to have the option to go part time at work and to have help caring for family members. But until that happens I'm just expected to function at pre-menopausal levels so HRT it is.

Why expect them to ask about your monthly cycle? It’s a given that at 50 you will have started peri. It doesn’t necessarily explain all your symptoms mind.

What do you want from the GP? I’m not being flippant but if you have another idea what is going on, or want some kind of tests, from an over stretched GP who is probably unsure what you are expecting, then it’s probably best to do a fair bit of searching and then go in with a request for XYZ blood tests, or a suggestion of what you are thinking it might be.

Frankly I think it’s amazing you were offered HRT rather than Antidepressants tbh, that seems to be default these days!

Are you aware that HRT protects against osteoporosis, hair thinning & possibly dementia amongst other things?

As for breathing, feeling tired and indigestion, maybe ask for blood tests. Low iron can cause tiredness and feeling short of breath, thyroid can cause tiredness (& indigestion symptoms although conversely people who suffer hypothyroidism have low stomach acid, it just gives indigestion type symptoms) Vitamin D or low B12 can cause tiredness too. U&E re swelling, HBA1C as diabetes can cause tiredness too. Reflux can also cause burning and make you feel a bit short of breath. Being overweight can cause shortness of breath too because the lungs are squashed.

I hope you can get to the bottom of it and feel better soon.

GP was negligent if he didn't offer you full blood test including thyroid with those symptoms. I would insist on that OP.

That's quite unusual I'd say, many women find it difficult to get their GP to even listen to their (long list of) symptoms, let alone get anywhere near prescribing HRT.

Did the GP ask whether there is a history of breast cancer anywhere in your family?

Request to see a different Gp if that’s a possibility.