HRT - sick of constant anxiety

[FamilynotMaiden]

I'm now 45 and have always suffered with anxiety due to past trauma. It tends to manifest as health anxiety which is still my biggest anxiety (changes of menopause all in my head are something serious which is incurable etc). Examples - change in bowel habit for a couple of days, needing to wee more; the list goes on. I also have significant White Coat Syndrome.
I've had enough and now wondering if HRT would help?
Hope I'm not being daft, but please could someone explain the process. Are blood tests / blood pressure readings taken etc? These just serve to increase my anxiety!
Thanks so much all x

Thanks all. I just feel like it's all "in my head" now and I'm making a fuss over nothing. Doesn't help I have a 5.5 yo who has never slept through! 😴
I will see how I go with the talking therapy, although it's a long wait, and take it from there.
Until then I guess I just keep soldiering on x

it’s definitely not all in your head although I’m very early days into HRT, I’m hoping this may help me. I too have a young child 3 1/2 who is full on an intensely hard work so I think I struggle with that side of things I’m irritable less patient and just feel ‘off’ like I’m not myself, also having broken sleep must not help,and I’m experiencing head fog and dry eye, which may or may not be linked, but either way that doesn’t help me with how I’m feeling at the moment in general. Like I’ve said to myself is willing to give it a go to see if HRT does help

Honestly OP - no need to soldier on. Make an appointment with a different GP and push for HRT. You can read out the NiCE guidelines.

It’s definitely not all in your head.

Please practice listening to, and believing, what your body is telling you - I too have had to get so much better at this, but I am really happy it’s paying off.

I listen to my body about diet, sleep, rest away from the kids (super important!!!!), in a way that I just didn’t have to when I was younger - I muddled along fine, had a few glasses of wine, things sorted themselves out! That definitely doesn’t happen for me anymore.

Nobody knows you, or cares about you, more than you do - be an ally for yourself.

Listen to yourself like you’d listen to a dear friend that was telling you how they feel…

You will be a million times better parent if you look after your own needs on a level priority with everyone else’s

Go and see a specialist and prioritise this now xx

Fabulous post @Soleena

@FamilynotMaiden please don't soldier on.

To echo the other comments PLEASE don't accept this. CBT may help (helped me a bit, but not enough) but, as you say, it's a long wait. It's still early days but HRT has been a game changer for me and I'm annoyed I left it so long. See someone else ASAP and insist!

Thanks so much all. I will try to book another appt but that's at least another month of waiting...and even then I might not be listened to again 😞

Poor thing, it’s so infuriating. All I can suggest is to Beg borrow & steal if you have to, for a private appointment; I recommend these guys, it’s a zoom consult, then if they prescribe you meds, they can ask your local GP to prescribe on the NHS

The consult is about £280 I think https://www.mylahealth.co.uk/online-appointments

@Soleena Thank you. Unfortunately we dont have that kind of money - husband and I both work but on not great wages and so don't have much spare once rent is paid.
Tbh I have been put off trying to get any help after the GP I spoke to was so dismissive - she made me feel as if I am making a mountain out of a molehill.
I really don't know what to do. I am managing currently and still coping with work so that's all positive.

I’m so sorry OP. For now I would speak to your GP practice and request an appointment with a different GP. You can print out the NICE guidelines that women 45 and over with symptoms of perimenopause and menopause should be offered HRT and do not need blood tests (unless contraindicated). Ask if they have a menopausal specialist. Take the guidelines with you to the appointment.

Even if it takes a month to get the appointment. At least the wheels are in motion.

It’s so frustrating that women are being denied HRT when they need it. I remember my Mum coming back from the GP in tears as the doctor told her it was all in her head 30 years ago. Nothing has changed for some doctors I see!

Keep fighting. You shouldn’t have to. But the more we do the more women will be helped as doctors will be forced to educate themselves.

I've just come back to this thread and seen your update OP.

I went to the doctors around 3 weeks ago and had pretty much the same outcome. I could tell as soon as I said I wasn't having hot flushes and hadnt had significant weight gain, she had decided she wasn't going to prescribe HRT. I had a blood test for thyroid function, which has come back borderline. Didn't test for anything else.

I've been advised to rebook the blood test for 3mths.

She said there's so much in the media at the moment about perimenopause and peer pressure to start HRT!!

She did however prescribe propanalol to help with anxiety.

I'm going to book another appointment and go in more prepared. I'm 45 and I know I'm peri.