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[latefortysomething]

Hello,
I used to visit a menopause clinic, and was told that blood tests confirmed I was peri, high FSH, low oestrogen.  I moved away from area and had to see a new GP, no periods so assumed maybe at nearly 51 things had come to an abrupt halt.  However blood tests showed a low FSH and  high oestrogen level(s), no periods still.
HOwever they now seem to appear every 3 months, and are hell. 
I was told I was a young women!  (Don't laugh), and that peri and menoe was a long way off.  Depression is responsible for all of my symptoms!

I have since read that blood testing during meno/peri phase is extremely unreliable, but just takes the biscuit.  I suppose my real gripe is the long bleeds and awful anxiety, etc followed by periods of calm when not bleeding.

Should I go and seek the advice of a specialist, say Dr Studd? Anyone...

Also, another GP agreed that I was not in peri, but then prescribed some HRT reluctantly after refusing me a low dose BCP which I  thought may help.  I was told that I was too old to be given a bCP, but yet being told too young for menopause.

Scream!
I am not that young at nearly 51, how can any doctor tell me that all of my symptoms are not peri related, how old do I have to be?

Extremely fed up, everthing hinges on blood tests!

LFS

[Joyce]

I would be referring your new GP to your clinic appointments and ask for referral to one which is near you now. GP's on the whole can be pretty clueless about the menopause.

[Tingly]

Personally, regardless of blood results, ithink the symptoms are telling th story for you!
I agree, refer em to menopause clinic.

Luv tingly

[Dancinggirl]

You poor thing - soooo frustrating.
Clearly these GPs know nothing about the menopause.  I think you are right about blood tests - they often don't tell the full story, after all they can only be a snapshot of a particular day.
If there isn't a menopause clinic anywhere near to you then you may have to see a specialist. 
 I am seeing a practise nurse at my surgery who seems pretty clued up (more than the doctors) - perhaps ask if there is one at your GP practise? 
Which HRT are you trying? Is it helping?
Soak up all the info on this site and go for your next appointment fully armed.
Good luck DG xxx
 

[Limpy]

Hi LFS - Agree with you about screaming

I know blood tests are unreliable, but it's tedious being told you are too old for bcp, oh, and too young for meno.

Ask what you are supposed to do for contraception, given you are too young to be menopausal. If you are still having periods chances are you could still get pregnant, unlikely but it could happen.

See if you can get to a menopause clinic

[Taz2]

How frustrating. As peri lasts between eight and ten years before meno proper then most women in their mid forties to mid fifties are in peri. Because your periods are going haywire shows you to be in peri I would think. What help did you want from the doc? Sorry, that sounds strange. I mean did you want HRT which would probably sort out your symptoms better than the BCP. You would be in the position of course  of most women in their early fifties which is to have to use a form of contraception. Have you thought about the mirena coil?

I'm not sure that a menopause clinic would offer you anything different than HRT to be honest.

Taz

[CLKD]

   how frustrating!  Did your notes not go from one Practice to the other?  Did the new GP not read them ........

Try to see the Practice Nurse you may get more advice/support from her.  Or change your Surgery?

[Rose]

It is so annoying when you know your own body yet everything hinges on blood tests! I had to argue for almost a year (I was 46) that I was definitely peri but because blood tests weren't picking it up, I had to suffer on. I tortured the GP so much that he eventually agreed with me and put me on Kilovance. Hope you get some relief soon. Oh by the way, you are a young woman! I'm now 57 and not looking forward to the big 60!

[Ju Ju]

Yes, the blood tests are very unreliable. At the age of 49, my sister was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer. She was told she had a life expectancy of between 1 and 20 years. The blood test indicated she was menopausal and they treated her accordingly. 5 months later she had another period. It was too late for the correct treatment. She died 10 months after diagnosis.

[Taz2]

That's such a shame Ju Ju - you must have been heartbroken. They should have scanned her ovaries of course to really make sure. Makes you wonder sometimes although I'm not sure how the treatment for bone cancer changes pre or post menopausally.

Taz x 

[Ju Ju]

They removed her ovaries after she had another period. I don't know what treatment she had, as she was too distressed to talk about her situation. Yes, you never stop grieving for the loss of a loved one, but you can built your life accommodating that grief.

[CLKD]

   Ju Ju ..........

[Ju Ju]

Thank you.

[latefortysomething]

Hello Lovely ladies !

Ju Ju I am so so sorry to hear about your sister, incredibly sad! - I know how difficult this must be for you. She was so young too, poor soul.
Really quite awful.

Put's my problems on the back burner just a bit really!  But my main gripe was the lack of understanding and the over reliance on blood testing, quite ridiculous and sadly unsafe diagnosis.
Also The fact that some doctors suggest that the menopause just occurs without a peri stage is my main gripe.  I have been feeling so unwell, as most have us have at some stage.   I suppose if I am honest it's the loss of hair and hormones...my confidence is rock bottom, but I know I am not alone, and my heart goes out to anyone who is suffering.

For GP's to not be clued up and repeatefly attempt to blame the patients state of mind for all their ills is quite wrong.  To be told depression is the cause for peri symptoms is rotten -  I appreciate that feeling low does not help one, but...it's the chicken and egg thing here. 
There needs to be more understanding with adrenals and thyroid too. IMHO!

I moan on theese forums every so often I know, but it just make me so angry.....grrrr!!!

I may try and go and see a specialist just to see what he/she would recommend.

Thank you all so much as usual for replying to my ramblings it's nice to have just  a little bit of understanding here with people in the know!

Oh, and picked up a precription for Femonstan today (precribed this rather than a low dose BCP) So mmm...thinking abouts this.

Look after yourselves!
LFS
(keep on meaning to change this to early 50's something loon... I think)....I could be done for fraud here claiming to be late forties...!)

XX

[Hurdity]

So very sorry to hear about your sister Ju Ju....

lfs - how many blood tests did you have? From the sound of it I presume you are having anovulatory cycles - where you don't ovulate so the lining continues to build up and oestrogen levels would be high. Have you read the article about peri-menopause that I am always linking to? Blood tests would be very inaccurate just taken on one occasion as has been said.
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-perils-of-the-perimenopause.php

Here is the info on this site about diagnosos of menopause - you may well have already seen it.
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/diagnose.php

As well as oestrogen fluctuating you are also lacking progesterone at this time - which helps to keep the lining thin and will prevent such heavy periods. HRT should help with this and especially one such as Femoston or bio-identical progesterone.

I agree with Taz's suggestion that the Mirena coil could really help as it will keep the lining thin - but you will need extra oestrogen at some point even if it is high now - or that could just have been a blip. Hopefully the Femoston will work!

Hurdity x