Falling apart…..worried I will be dismissed by GP

[itwasthegintalking]

Anyone else hit 40 and feel they have started falling apart?

I haven’t felt myself in so long but nothing specific that has me feeling I can book a GP review for fear of wasting their time and also being dismissed as anxious. Had anxiety post children and worry that symptoms will be put down to ‘being anxious’.

Latest worry is having intermittent experience of excess salvia. Started about two months ago, comes and goes so not constant. This is starting to worry me. I’m coughing and clearing my throat quite a bit but I genuinely have excess saliva.

I am 44, neatly 45. I have been keeping an eye on other symptoms over the past 6 to 12 months and starting to wonder if I may be perimenopause.

I’ve got new facial spots, mainly on my chin and under my nose, a few on my cheeks and forehead. Not typical spots, more like small little blisters that take ages to clear, they go scaly and stay for ages. very painful and unsightly. I never had teenage spots so I’m gutted.

I Developed a new allergy out of nowhere to hair dye and certain fragrances about 2 years ago. Tingling lips, feeling of light headiness and gastro intestinal symptoms to so nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Ended up in hospital once and had loads of allergy testing. No epipen.

I'm always exhausted, my memory is appalling (forget words in conversation and people’s names). I have intense feelings of rage a lot, I can feel it build and go off on a rant, knowing I’m in the wrong and being unreasonable but can’t stop myself.

I’ve gained weight even though nothing else has changed in terms of food intake etc.

symptoms are varied and I’m just tired of feeling crap. Can anyone relate?

I can completely relate to this
just random symptoms and crushing exhaustion

I’ve been similar to you, constant nausea that never goes away, forgetting words, feel ‘unwell’, more anxious than usual (I am not anxious person), hot, itchy, I could go on.

My doctor did listen and I’ve just started HRT. Be clear that you want to go on it, be clear that your symptoms are having a daily adverse affect on you. I’m 45, nearly 46, and got told I was too young to be on it but I said I was unwilling to carry on feeling how I was and got the HRT. It’s too early to see if it has had an impact.

Hopefully you will see an improvement soon @redb99

I keep thinking ‘give it another few weeks’ before making an appointment. A close friend has the same GP practice and she was made to feel like an anxious middle aged women and offered antidepressants when she summed up the courage to seek help. Put her off going back for a few years until recently when she felt so desperate she went back again.

Not sure where to start with symptoms as they’re so varied and seemly unconnected in isolation

@itwasthegintalking You won't be dismissed if you go in with a list of your main symptoms and what outcome you're hoping for.

What do you want? Anti depressants are not prescribed now for peri menopause (all in the NICE guidelines.)

If you want HRT, you need to say' I have xyz symptoms of peri menopause and it's affecting my quality of life. I'd like to try HRT for 3 months and see how I feel.'

Take some time between now and your appt reading online about HRT types and what you might prefer. The website Balance by Dr Louise Newson has masses of info. https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/

If you want HRT, start with the HRT link on the page.

Thank you @JinglingSpringbells. Much appreciated. Will read through and prepare.