Private Doctor- Menopause....advice please.

[MrsHench]

I've booked myself in to see a private menopause specialist next month, so needless to say its going to cost a lot, nearly £300 for a 1 hour appointment. I've already had the blood tests done which cost me £130.00 and apparently, i can request to see the results beforehand. Could I take those results to my own NHS GP surgery and cancel the private appointment as i still have time? My surgery have been okish (not terrible but not great) in managing my HRT but i never feel like I've had my hormones checked properly for Oestrogen, Progesterone so I don't know if my absorption is good, bad or indifferent; plus a few years ago i was told that I had a thickish lining of the womb but it was only minimal reading of 33 I think so I needn't worry ( it was a blood test that tests for cancer ca 125) but no mention of a follow up or anything since then. I wanted my Testosterone level checked as I suffer with depression & I know that i would never get this checked or precribed on the NHS. It seems so unfair to have to fork out so much money just because nhs won't test. Any advice welcome and sorry for the long post.

A single oestradiol level doesn't reflect your oestradiol across 24 hours and plays no part in a decision to prescribe testosterone.

Yes, I know tests for estrogen are not accurate which is why mine's never been done.

I don't use testosterone but I have read many posts here about how to get testosterone and that it has to be balanced with your estrogen levels. And that women on HRT use estrogen for 3 months at least before they can be prescribed testosterone.

Have you read otherwise?

Judged on symptoms not blood results. People talk about load of bull on here about balancing hormones.

They will generally only prescribe testosterone if you have tried to alleviate all symptoms of libido loss with oestrogen- so mostly that means having been on the max dose for 3 months. Testosterone converts to oestrogen if you haven't got enough oestrogen, so it doesn't work its magic.

It's nothing to do with 'balancing'.

This will be the best £300 you ever spend! Trust me, I’ve been there after being dismissed for 15 years by my GP (early menopause at 35)

I wonder if we're confusing two things here?

You're absolutely right on balancing hormones and I agree 100%. That is why I trust my consultant when he says they are a waste of time. It's symptoms that are the guide.

I've never advocated 'balancing hormones' although women here do mention being tested first prior to testosterone, or at least having 3 months at least on HRT to see if that helps.

This is the low down!

thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/08-BMS-TfC-Testosterone-replacement-in-menopause-DEC2022-A.pdf

Yes but no need to test oestradiol/oestrogen as people here have said.