How many of your menopause symptoms do you go to the GP about?

[fuuuuckthis]

After many years of changing methods, dosage etc, I'm not on a high dose of oral hrt, use vaginal hrt too, and have a mirena. Compared to a few years ago, things are relatively under control! But holy shit all the other crap...I'm itchy, exhausted, have developed food intolerances and my digestive system is in bits. Occasional tinnitus, frozen shoulder.
It's a long and miserable list.
I'm sure i have "moaner" or "health anxiety" on my records as I feel like I'm always in there for something.
I do all the other "correct" things re lifestyle etc which basically seems to just involve removing all pleasure.
Right now my stomach is giving me terrible trouble, but I'm avoiding going because it's "just hormonal".
Is it worth trying to seek help for each and every symptom?

Yep, fluctuating hormones can mess up the thyroid and it’s definitely important to bear it in mind during late 30s early 40s as low progesterone affects thyroid function.

I had a thyroid issue about 20 years ago so that's often in the back of my mind when I feel 'off' and I've been to the GP several times in recent years almost hoping that my symptoms could be a thyroid issue - because then at least they could be identified and treated with a bit more certainty! However tests all come back normal.

@toooldforbrat I had a frozen shoulder about three years ago, before I was on HRT, which I would attribute to perimenopause, although it's not considered an official symptom. Probably worth asking your GP but if it is a frozen shoulder there's not a lot you can do for them unfortunately, apart from wait for it to resolve, with a bit of physio to restore mobility. If it gets really bad there's steroid injections - I didn't go down that road.

Frozen shoulder has been improved slightly by HRT but i find it best when I'm exercising with weights and keeping the muscle built up around it. When I have to stop the weights due to illness my shoulder gets worse.

I've printed off a 30 plants tracker and going to use it to see how close I'm actually getting! I might be deluding myself 😂

I think my diet is generally good though, it's one thing I do make an effort with.

Lack of sleep and stress levels pretty unavoidable just now due to life circumstances!

I spoke to my gastroenterologist regarding this and he basically says it's a trending fad and utter rubbish. He sees a lot of new patients who are desperate and have been trying to treat themselves by addressing 'gut microbiome' and have wasted valuable time receiving a proper diagnosis for their symptoms. And by 'getting your bacteria analysed' I assume you mean a stool sample? This is not a standard or recognised medical way of diagnosing anything except h pylori or occult blood in stool.

A good balanced diet is always recommended of course and can certainly help but bear in mind any food allergies/intolerances (formally diagnosed) means that this can look different for everyone.

Just to say total solidarity for you and OP.

My list is as long as my arm too: tinnitus, gingivitis, dry eyes, palpitations, thinning hair, joints are becoming more achy, intermittent pain and episodes of feeling extremely exhausted and drained in any energy, and my most recent symptoms which have started over the past few days include a horrible tickly feeling in my throat and nose.

I'm hating my body that has made my life hell for the last decade after I had a head injury and was injured permanently by an off label antipsychotic after 😢

I'm dreading the next 30 years. If i went through the symptoms with my GP, I'd be there for hours 😳😅😆

I originally went with infertility issues, was referred to gynae at the hospital and they diagnosed premature peri. So that was pretty awful news.

After that I saw the GP several times, getting HRT dose right / arguing the toss about whether I could still take it / organising DEXA scans to check for any signs of osteoporosis, that sort of thing.

I'm no longer on HRT and am still getting menopausal symptoms over 20 years since it all started. Total waste of sodding time bothering a GP with it though.

@helplessbanana Was it your choice to stop HRT? You could still use it unless you have other medical issues. There is no time or age limit on HRT.

Consultants always disagree over all kinds of things.

There have been proper scientific trials (across the world) on patients with cancer and the microbiome. Those on a diet that improved their microbiome had up to 50% more positive outcomes with some treatments.

I think a lot of medics are not aware or informed of this.

All I got from my GP practice was a combined steroid and antibiotic cream for intense vaginal itchiness and dryness…
To be fair I haven’t actually raised any other symptoms with them.
Im 50 and I think just starting perimenopause.
I have zero libido - probably because I’m always so sore.
Terrible flooding periods and feel like I’m going to faint for a week before my period and actually almost faint when I am on my period (world goes dark a bit).
The dry eyes!!!! That’s horrendous tbh.
I am not great at doing medical appointments for myself (have a profoundly disabled DC and her appointments are so so nonstop I just can’t deal with my own).

I feel very fortunate with my experience. I went as I was having two periods a month and so two lots of pmt and my head felt like it was exploding and a couple of times I did bang it against the wall to try and stop the full feeling. Told the gp about the periods and the self harm thoughts (I didn't actually say I'd banged my head) and she said blood test as you've not had one for years in order to rule out anything sinister and either HRT or the coil, she showed me the coil and said have a think and then ring the surgery and tell us which you want. I didn't want the coil I wanted HRT but I left it a day and then rang and said HRT please and that was that. I was then called to see the nurse a little while later as me saying self harm had triggered some alarm on their system and she asked me a load of questions, general check up - by then the HRT had kicked in so no more head banging - or wanting to get divorced.

I went with frozen shoulder, tinnitus, brainfog, bad sleep. The shoulder and tinnitus were pooh-poohed, I never mentioned my mood as that’s okay but she managed to put low mood in my notes.

I started on two pumps of gel but I’ve gone to a 75 patch. It’s not been the great relief that I thought it would be. I’m going to keep going back until I feel some real benefit.

@ViolaPlains I went through gel, and patches, before finally settling on oral hrt, it seems I don't absorb the topical stuff for some reason. Took a lot of "tweaks".
I still feel like a zombie but less of a suicidal zombie so that's an improvement.
I used to have the expectation that I would eventually feel "well" again....I'm increasingly giving up on that

I started on it at 39. I'm now in my early 60's. Yes it was my choice to stop it in the end, because I didn't feel like me. I noticed that I felt human again on days I'd forgotten to take it the night before, too often for it to be a coincidence, so I stopped taking it of my own accord.

I put up with the hot flushes, and DH puts up with the occasional rage!