Ladybt you sound just like me! I had fibro (or as they said back then, ME) in my late teens, early 20s, it's a bit vague. And I too had depression since then, panic and anxiety disorders since 14 yo. Peri was really bad too, I had to stay in bed for the first day sometimes 2 of my period, I was a wreck emotionally. Then it kind of calmed down after my last period. Then all I got was a constant feeling of dread and background anxiety that would just flare up at the smallest little thing. Or for no reason at all. The hot flashes started, that was unpleasant, but hey, if that's all I had to deal with, I'd be ok with that. But in the past couple of years, I have been feeling crazy. Really obsessing over things that might have upset someone, things those people most likely weren't even aware of. And I was tired, mor than usual, all the time. So I spoke to my GP and that's when she put me on kliovance which helped but my hair started shedding, a LOT. That killed all the benefits I had started to gain from hrt. She switched me to femoston and that did nothing for me. hair was still shedding. I know you mentioned hair loss too in another of my threads, but this wasn't TE I am pretty sure it wasn't that. It was too coincidental. That it happened again, after a few weeks of taking progynova, before I switched to oestrogel. But that has maybe settled a little.
I think that like us, too many doctors have no real idea, even if they have a special interest. I think maybe it is so complex with everyone being so different, they would need special training and they are spread thin these days with shortages. I can't really put them blame on them too much, it's just a shame that people have to suffer because of shortages and cuts. The two female GPs I've dealt with are young, but sympathetic. We'll see what she comes up with re utro.
About pain meds, I have given those up a fews years back, I only use OTC painkillers now and manage my pain the best I can. Only one painkiller was working for me, it was a private prescription and I couldn't afford to keep going for private reviews every 3 months and then the cost of the meds themselves. Then it turned out that the product was recalled or withdrawn or something as it wasn't suitable for long term use. As for ADs, as I said in my reply to Birdy, I don't tolerate any of them anymore. I have given them up about 15 years ago, my GP at the time laughed when I told him I was coming off seroxat. He said Ha! Good luck with that! You'll be back begging for a repeat before you know it! Arsehole.