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[CP]

Hi, me again!!!
Haven't been on here for ages and now i have written on here twice in a week!!
I have a family history of early menopause, my nan had menopause by the time she hit 40 and my mum was on HRT by the same age although she can't remember the age her menopause actually happened.
I have been twice last year about symptoms and pre-menopause and basically been told it could be but only because of the family history.
Symptoms have become more frequent, i have new symptoms and cutting a lot of stuff out on Monday i had the urge to wee so badly i was going nearly every 20 minutes but still feeling like i was bursting to go after. It wore off but then came back again this morning. Obviously i have been on this forum and have seen that infections can increase as our hormones prepare for menopause and last year i got Thrush too which i have only had maybe twice in my whole life (i turn 40 in Aug). Anyway, i booked an appointment at the docs as i thought it was time to speak to someone about all this again.
I made a list as appointments are short and i wanted to show my GP the symptoms i get without rushing and getting tongue tied.
What a waste of time!! I explained about my little wee wee problem and constant cramps, discharge etc after my periods finish and showed her my list as i understood we didn't have loads of time and her response was "yes i haven't got time to read essays", she took one look at it and then said "yes i won't be reading that or skimming it our appointment is very short"
I got the usual remarks about pre menopause going on for 10 years or so and Menopause being when our periods stop completely and happening around the age of 51 or whatever. She didn't even ask about the family history. I won't get HRT while i still have periods.....all the same stuff as though i have no idea about it all and i felt stupid...again!!!
I shouldn't complain, she wasn't unfriendly and i have an appointment for blood tests next week and i had to do a urine sample which i managed to clumsily pour most back down the loo because i thought i had missed the stupid tube altogether so i may have to do it again.
Sorry to rant but i came home and cried. I feel like they just don't know anything about this apart from textbook facts and won't open their minds to the fact millions of women suffer, maybe some money should be put into more research on this subject. I feel so low and stupid and it's going to have to take something pretty serious for me to go back again about anything to do with this.

[peegeetip]

Hi

I'm trying not to be really annoyed at your doc.

"I won't get HRT while i still have periods" what a load of tosh!!!
Is your doc quite young?

We've discussed this on another post recently.
Use of HRT or the Pill in peri years will help protect you.
Latest studies are pointing towards better protection of your bones, circulation and heart if you keep things stable during peri.
Waiting till the meno stop point could be too late.

Your answer is a monophasic contraceptive pill for now.

If your doc won't allow you hrt then this is a "free" solution available from family planning clinics if your in the uk.

http://www.fpa.org.uk/find-a-clinic

Your doc has no say on how long you use that.
Take your doc out of the equation for now.

The monophasic pill will give you the same amount of hormones over the month then a few days each month to allow you to have a period.

Hope that helps

 

[CP]

Hi,

This is the third time i have been to my GP's about this, i went twice last year. The problem is i never see the same GP. The first one was a locum (and the nicest and most helpful about all this, she introduced me to this site), the second was a man and how strange, he was the one who immediately said i was too young until i told him about the family history!!
The one today was a woman who i would say is 40's??
I am thinking of changing my doctors altogether as i went on an entirely different matter last year too. I had a mole that was bleeding and as we are always being informed by TV and other places you should get it checked at your doctors if you are worried. Yeah, right!! My GP wouldn't even look at it, he said it was now considered plastic surgery along with veins and other things like that. He got me a leaflet about it and while he went in the other office to get it some woman who was in there said "can't she google it". So now in the UK apparently you need money for private treatment or hope for the best!!!
I will wait for the results of my tests and then decide what to do from there.
Thank you for your replies, i have said before it is nice to be able to come here and get things of your chest. x

[Hurdity]

Oh dear - sounds like such an unpleasant and difficult experience for you CP. How dreadful to be treated like that in such an unsympathetic way!

The first thing is your immediate problem - to see if you have a urine infection. Were any tests done at the docs?

In terms of peri-menopause - well it's good that blood tests have been ordered as these should give a baseline and if the right tests have been requested, will look at thyroid function, iron, vitamins levels, as well as estradiol and FSH etc. However one tests on it own may not show a lot (re menopause).

What are you periods doing and what symptoms are you getting? If your periods have started becoming irregular and more infrequent and you are suffering typical menopausal symptoms then docs can prescribe HRT on this basis alone (as well as doing blood tests).

If you have a family history of early menopause then they should be listening and if you are already experiencing infrequent periods then you should be replacing oestrogen to help protect your heart and bones and for your general health.

How irresponsible of the doctor not to look at your mole - you were quite right to ask for it to be checked and it should have been. It would only be considered plastic surgery if you requested removal of a harmless mole that you didn't like the look of. Absolutely no need to go privately. If it was inspected and checked and you were told it was fine then that would be an end to it and you would be happy. I would most definitely have complained about that. In our practice they often remove ones as a matter of course if patients go to get them checked, if there is any possibility of a problem - I think they have a special mole clinic.

Sounds like you do need to chnage your doctors but I would do some research first and find one where there is a GP who understand and is sympathetic towards menopausal women.

Good luck

Hurdity x

[peegeetip]

Dont leave it though.

I wish I'd started my HRT earlier or stuck with the Pill longer.

Things we're stable till I stopped the pill.
But at that time I had no idea about peri or that it could start in my 40's.

Now that I'm on HRT its definately improved things all round.

If your still active then there would be no harm in trying the pill until you get any HRT sorted out.

All the best for now

 

[CLKD]

  your GP is talking rubbish!  A GOOD GP would have taken your list regardless of how short an appt. time *she* had to deal with your queries and told you wish to work on 1st and a GOOD GP would have suggested that you make a double appt. to go through the list.  A GOOD GP would not make you feel like you are wasting their time.  I would go back and 'have it out' with the GP because I'm a brazen hussy.  I would make a double appt at the end of the day with the same GP and go in " You upset me last visit because I felt when I got home that I had wasted your time, but I do know that in reality, I didn't, I was here to explain my symptoms and get advice.  However, this is my list - again, we have time to go through it together as I have made a doulbe appt. and if you decide you can't help me, then I would like an appt to see a Gynaecologist or to a Meno-clinic". 

GP's should NEVER put their problems onto the patient.  We are all aware that time is short so by the time the GP had told you so, she could have gone through your list!!!! I feel like I need to shake this GP by the ears ….. whilst shouting very loudly that SHE IS BEING PAID TO DO A JOB …..

A letter to your local MP too as well as to the Minister of Health - it's an election year after all and when one lands on your doorstep, have that list ready to shove in their face ……… "I'm bothering you because my GP hasn't the time to listen, what you going to do about it " 

[Hurdity]

Well said CLKD - but I don't think I would have the nerve to do what you suggest!

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

It is about building a working relationship with practitioners whether it's the Vet., Solicitors, Estate Agents, GPs  .  If I don't get the answer I want then I make another appt. and go back with the words "I wasn't listening last time, can you explain ……." which opens up dialogue.  No need to be grumpy because we don't know what has gone on with the patient before.

However - its such a disappointment when GPs don't give any lee-way    ……. saying that they only have a short appt., "So what do you suggest we do so that we have time to discuss my problems or are you able to point me in the direction of someone who can?"

Which bit wouldn't you do Hurdity 

[honeybun]

I am a bit like a little dog with a bone.....I won't leave it alone.

You need to find a GP that has time for you and that you feel comfortable with.....after all we pay the very nice wages they get.
Did you ever get your mole checked......you really should have.

As has been suggested, make a double appointment and ask for a referral. You don't have to be confrontational just firm. If I feel that I can't stand up for myself I have been known to take hubby....you just don't mess with my hubby 

It should not have to be this way but sometimes you just have to persistent. Sometimes I think I get what I want/need just so they get rid of me because I don't give up easy.

You could also use the facility to email Dr Currie.....details on home page....it costs £25.
Then print of her advice and take that to your doctor......and shove it up her nose.

Don't give up and let us know how you get on.


Honeyb
X

[CLKD]

……. up her nose  wouldn't be my first suggestion ……… 

[Kathleen]

Hello CP.

I think you have been very poorly treated and I agree that you should persist so that you get the help you need.

Wishing you well and take care.

K.

[robotwars]

Hello CP, I know exactly how you are feeling, I went to the doctors on Monday, this is my fourth attempt, this time I wrote down all my symptoms on a piece of paper so I could give it to him, with a list of everything they had given me and the side effects I have had, and he wouldn't take it, didn't even look at it, he just sat there and wrote a prescription for Cycloprognova 2mg, no discussion, didn't check blood pressure, nothing, didn't come near me, then told me to go away and come back in 2 months to see how i'm getting on with it.......................
Not sure if this is the best one for me or if all my symptoms are  linked to perimenopause........just didn't think he was any help at all, and I waited 6 weeks for that appointment, what a joke, so I can sympathise with you - I have tried to change practices but I have been told as I live in a village and their is only 2 GP surgeries once you have one you are not allowed to move to the other!!!!
On the plus side at least he prescribed HRT this time last time he gave me the mini pill! LOL
Good Luck CP, hope you get it sorted and feel better soon.

[peegeetip]

Like the mini pill would help symptoms of lowered/fluctuating estrogen!!

They can't even stick to their own rules.

You should start low and work up so a 1mg HRT would be the step before going to a 2mg medium option.

Its no wonder some of the suppliers are taking options away like utrogestan 200mg option. Allegedly it was partly due to lower usage and prescribing than expected that there is only the 100mg version now.

The more I read the more annoyed I get...

 

[Dorothy]

CP, I am so sorry to hear about your horrible experience at the surgery...in fact the only good thing I can find to say about your GP is that she makes mine seem marginally better by contrast!  Can't believe how rude she was to you - we are always being told to write stuff down before going to an appointment and when you follow the advice, she insults you.  Do you have a friend or family member you can go with next time?  It is easy to think 'must stand up for myself' when you are at home, but very hard to do when you are feeling emotionally fragile and confronted by a rude GP. 

Hope you get some better results soon.  Hugs. x

[CLKD]

Robotwars - why did you have to wait 6 weeks    …….. and you have every right to change surgeries.  Nowt they can do about it!

The more I hear the more I