Dr unsure

[foxlover47]

How can you be sure if you’re in Peri if you’re dr isn’t sure ?
I went today and he said yes it’s possible because you’re 50 but we will sort one thing at a time ( high bp and depression )
personally I feel I’ve been peri for ages , the not able to sleep , night sweats , anxiety , lost all and I mean all of my energy and motivation , low moods , irregular bleeding but of course as I have anti depressants it’s just always been a case of lets up your doseage.
would it be worth buying one of the books like Davinas do you think to try and figure it out ?
thank you 🫶🏻

It sounds to me like your depression is directly caused by menopausal symptoms, so go back to the GP and ask for blood tests to find out.

Many doctors are absolutely crap at knowing about the menopause and will often tell you that it is depression instead, so don't be fobbed off.

Thank you I have been wondering this , they up my anti depressants which make my blood pressure higher so it seems to be doing me know good anyway
thank you

They should be treating you by symptoms not tests especially at 50. You have all the symptoms and antidepressants simply won’t help peri. A lot of gps are a bit crap. Just ask to start on HRT and go from there.

There is a blood test for hormone levels, but even the NHS says it shouldn't really be necessary in women over 45, and that the symptoms say it all. So your GP is talking nonsense by assuming it is depression instead of the menopause.

I had a phone appt with my GP this morning, I was all prepared with my list of symptoms and thinking I'd have to win her over but it was very straightforward. I'm a bit younger than you (47), still having periods but they're getting lighter but with a range of symptoms.consistent with perimenopause. She gave me a prescription straight away for patches and has arranged a blood test, but she was clear that we didn't need to wait for results before trying HRT as hormone levels fluctuate so much. She mainly wanted to rule out anaemia or thyroid issues.

I think you're being fobbed off by your GP!

You possibly never needs anti depressants but should have had HRT instead.

There's been masses in the media about this, going back a few years, where GPs have medicalised women's peri symptoms as depression and given out ADs like Smarties - which don't help.

You don't need 'Davina' you just need to ask for HRT, not query it, you're 50 FGS- of course it's peri!
Most women's periods are over by 51.

Thanks for posting - I’m opposite end of the scale and have peri forced upon me, I have started to wonder how they decide to give out anti depressants rather then HRT?

Why do some lasses only get to take the HRT for only half a month yet I’m stuck with a GP telling me off when I say I don’t like the gel, having full periods. Took umbridge to that as a month earlier no one questioned me even during a medication review that I am not ordering enough bottles of the gel to their liking.

I do like to see or know things are in black and white, physical evidence not all this take a doctor at their say so or oh it must be.

Got some antibiotics for an infection yesterday after using the home urine strips and it coming up positive. I am only glad the pharmacist didn’t write off to peri as the GP tried and actually turned around and said pity no one told you what may happen after stopping metformin.

you are over 40. They are supposed to assume over 45 that you are peri.

it turns out I’ve most likely been peri for at least 12 years.

not depressed.

hrt has been a game changer. I started 6 months ago. I wish I had found this 10 years ago.

amazing.

Highly recommend

At your age you don’t even need the blood tests. Just a GP willing to start you on HRT.

Best of luck.

what changes have you noticed? I'm considering asking my GP but trying to figure out what the benefits would actually be.

@Fibrous If you don't have symptoms, it's not likely you need HRT.
Most women choose HRT because they can't go on.
I couldn't go on taking 2 hours to get to sleep and feeling soaking wet over night.
or hourly hot flushes.

What symptoms do you have?

Well I've had thyroid disease since my twenties so I've had lots of symptoms that cross over with menopausal ones since then, so it can be hard to pull apart the two. The major one that is different is uncontrollable rage, which I seem to have a lot these days.

For example:

I'm very hairy so I have no thinning hair and I've thankfully never had an enlarged thyroid, but I can tick all the others off, but I've been managing them okay since my twenties. The uncontrollable rage is having an impact on my relationship, though, and I'm worried I'll end up burying him under the patio.

I’m also in the thyroid camp. With some neurodivergence thrown in. Think I tick everything that might be peri and have done for decades.

Just got a little worse. Rage. Poor sleep. Achey. Worse brain fog. Unable to keep all the balls In the air.
however. HRT has helped. Loads. Way more than the drugs the initial psychiatrist originally gave me. Highly recommend the Hormone Clinic and Dr Jones. A psychiatrist who prescribes HRT. Marvelous.

really helped me.
just takes so long to try a hormone. Then increase it. Then add another to the mix. And so on!!!
but. It is helping. I’m very thankful.

@AnonSW20 thats great to hear! Yes definitely everything has just seemed to get worse, before I was coping but now I think I might have tipped over. Thanks for the insight.