Premature ovarian failure

[Od130990]

I'm 100% convinced this is what I'm suffering with. I've been really struggling for the last 2 years. In April 2020 my periods came to an abrupt stop out of nowhere, than I started having really bad hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety & panic attacks. We were of course in lockdown. Did a lot of reading on POF & peri menopause
Couldn't get near a doctor!
Periods made a return in November 5 months of no periods, I did however start taking endless amounts of different vitamins & minerals.
So since then 4 bleeds in 2020
Then 2021 no bleed in January,
Bled in February but nothing in March or April. Bled for 8 days in May I've never ever had an 8 day bleed and never had heavy periods. Seem to return to normal after the May bleed. Until October again bled for 9 days & in November came on 4 days early and had another heavy long bled.
December of 2021 normal and January this year normal but since January's period/bleed nothing again so going into nearly another 3 months of no bleed. Hot flashes back with a vengeance, anxiety through the roof, feel overwhelmed and can't sleep.
I can't get through to my doctor; constant user busy or just ringing or you are in a queue but that can go on for hours. What the hell i'am meant to do?

I should also add; that since Thursday last week I've been trying to contact my doctors surgery not only about the above but also to book my long overdue cervical screening.
They send me constant reminds via, letter/text & email yet I can't book one 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hi, I also have POF/POI, I am 39. Fortunately for me, I was able to see a very good, female, GP who took me seriously and spotted the possibility of POI/premature menopause. I started HRT tablets (Elleste Duet) in July 2021 and the symptoms have mostly disappeared. I now sleep well and have zero hot flushes. I still have the anxiety and panic attacks but they are now mild and infrequent. GP told me I needed to take the tablet form for at least 12 months (iirc to protect my uterus?)

I am now on a waiting list at the same GP to have a hormonal coil inserted and probably patches too. Incidentally, I will have a long overdue smear test at the same time.

So, I would say, it's the difficulty accessing a GP that you have to deal with firstly. My GP practice have been reasonably easy to access the whole way through the pandemic, albeit in a different way to what I was used to before. At one point, when it was difficult to get through on the phone, I wrote a letter and posted it through their door in person. They did respond.

I know it's horrible to be feeling the way you are and to find the motivation to do things but my advice is to use every single contact option available to you and get yourself seen by the GP any way you can. Do you have the option of registering with a different practice?

You have all my sympathies and I hope you get the help you need asap. I try to be the extremely polite but persistently squeaky wheel and I mostly get what I need eventually.

Good luck

@ZimZamZoom Thank you so much for your reply.
I'm just so exhausted with it all & not at all myself; it's consuming every waking hour and interferes with my daily life.
I'm not sure I can cope much longer, I really need some help

So Gp finally diagnosed me with Premature ovarian insufficiency this morning but still won't prescribe HRT until she speaks with a specialist; who's on holiday at the moment. Apparently she's not 100% sure on what to prescribe so what I want to know is if I go to A & E or a walk in ( believe me this is a last resort ) will they give me treatment? I can't & wont suffer any longer. I'm really desperate and can't function anymore.

I'm so sorry to hear that you are still suffering. You have my every sympathy, I know how shitty it is.
I suppose, at the very least, you now have a diagnosis and your GP is willing to speak to a Specialist. (silver lining, even if very slight)

It's your decision on the whole A&E/Walk-In, but I honestly don't think they'll be in a position to help you tbh.

It must seem like an endless road but can you wait until your GP speaks to the Specialist? Because I'm confident that will be the best route for you to get the treatment options you need.

I have no idea of your life or circumstances but is there any way you can kind of, 'get out of your head' about it all as much as possible until you can see the Specialist? Anything you usually enjoy that can take your mind off things?
I tell myself in times like these that I've put up with it for x amount of months, I'm sure I can go on a little longer - that type of thing.
Sorry if all of this is just making you feel worse.

I'm keeping everything crossed for you that you can be seen and sorted asap

Thank you @ZimZamZoom I guess that's the only option. I really thought I was going to get sorted today and after that call from the GP I feel completely deflated. I'm going to have to just suck it up & wait it out again.