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[CLKD]

Your Mum is like mine.  [see other thread  ]

As for your GP saying that blood tests are 'normal', well my Gynae refuses to do them - because our hormone levels alter continually.  It really does depned on where in the 'cycle' bloods are taken    my Gynae goes on the lady's symptoms and treats accordingly.  So asking for an appt. to a Menoclinic or Gynaecologist is the way to go!  They are 'only' (not a word I use often) GPs!

[honorsmum]

Thanks Silverlady, CLKD and Toffeecushion.

Yes, I believe some doctors are threatened by patients taking the initiative. Mine even told me off for taking St John's Wort and vitamin B! She said that she was entirely conventional, and if I wanted something more, I should find another doctor.

It's funny how pregnant women and adolescent girls are allowed "hormones" as a reason, but women of a certain age aren't!
Some people are happy to go through life without ever questioning things, and that's fine - but I'm another believer of knowledge is power. The worst thing about having Crohn's was not knowing what on earth was happening to me. Once I'd had a solid diagnosis, I stopped worrying an was able to get on with it.
The problem I now have is that, having always trusted my gut instincts previously, having my GP tell me I couldn't have Crohn's because blood tests don't lie and I would be "very ill" if I had it (I was!) made me doubt myself - hence how I'm feeling now.

I'm happy that Annie Evans goes on symptoms, not blood tests, but worried at the same time that I'll present myself as perimenopausal as a given, and she'll run with that rather an anxiety - does make sense?

[honorsmum]

Your Mum is like mine.  [see other thread  ]

As for your GP saying that blood tests are 'normal', well my Gynae refuses to do them - because our hormone levels alter continually.  It really does depned on where in the 'cycle' bloods are taken    my Gynae goes on the lady's symptoms and treats accordingly.  So asking for an appt. to a Menoclinic or Gynaecologist is the way to go!  They are 'only' (not a word I use often) GPs!

My mum is 80 and quite difficult! She has an opinion on everything and everyone and thinks the world is against her. She also believes everything she reads in the Daily Mail...

[CLKD]

  are we sisters …… mine [88] thinks that the Bible comes 1st and the Daily Express a close 2nd  …….

 

[honorsmum]

are we sisters …… mine [88] thinks that the Bible comes 1st and the Daily Express a close 2nd  …….

I forgot about the bible! My mum can be far from Christian, doesn't go to church but is a firm believer - my heart sinks when she says, "I'll pray for you"!!

[CLKD]

  ……. however, since Dad died in 2006 Mum returned to Church and Chapel - hedging her bets then  . She does get plenty of support there, I think if she didn't go DH and I would be going to see her more often 

[toffeecushion]

That is the reason I have never asked my GP for HRT, not that I think she will give it to me anyway, but although I think it is peri I am not 100% sure. 

[Dancinggirl]

Honorsmum - when you see Dr. Evans - having gone through your symptoms just ask her whether she thinks it's peri or not? You're asking for her professional and highly experienced opinion.  You sound a very sorted and quite rational person to me - not overly anxious at all. 
We mustn't forget this is a very challenging time in our lives when we have to cope with adult children having money, career and personal issues that need our support, elderly relations that can be difficult and stubborn, many of us still have to hold down jobs and then we get all these meno symptoms on top - it's a wonder we don't all end up the 'The Funny Farm'.
BTW - mothers are great at doing the 'put down' and the 'guilt trip' - especially when we are feeling vulnerable. . DG x

[honorsmum]

That is the reason I have never asked my GP for HRT, not that I think she will give it to me anyway, but although I think it is peri I am not 100% sure.

Can I ask how old you are?
Have you considered seeing a specialist?
I'm seeing Annie Evans because I can't get anywhere with my GP - she's only interested in certain symptoms to back up her diagnosis of anxiety, and ignores things like my varying cycle lengths, hair, nail and skin changes etc.
I don't have any faith she'd know enough about HRT to be able to tailor it, even if she were to offer it to me.

[honorsmum]

Honorsmum - when you see Dr. Evans - having gone through your symptoms just ask her whether she thinks it's peri or not? You're asking for her professional and highly experienced opinion.  You sound a very sorted and quite rational person to me - not overly anxious at all. 
We mustn't forget this is a very challenging time in our lives when we have to cope with adult children having money, career and personal issues that need our support, elderly relations that can be difficult and stubborn, many of us still have to hold down jobs and then we get all these meno symptoms on top - it's a wonder we don't all end up the 'The Funny Farm'.
BTW - mothers are great at doing the 'put down' and the 'guilt trip' - especially when we are feeling vulnerable. . DG x

Thank th, DG.
My children are still young - 11 and nearly 9, but come with their own particular stresses. I lost my dad 6 years ago and my mum is 80 and has moved 200 miles away since he died, which creates its own problems. She can't see anyone else's point of view, and since she apparently sailed through menopause, I am clearly failing.
 I am a stay at home mum, after a lovely career as a classical orchestral musician, which means I have too much time alone to think about everything. I'd like to find a new career, but my husband's also a musician and works all over the country, so it's proving hard to find what will fit around my children. I'm in that funny place at the moment where a job would probably help me mentally, but I don't feel well enough to imagine being able to cope with one.

Your advice about laying it all out on the table in front of Annie Evans and seeing what she says is great - I'd got it into my head that I was perhaps paying her to tell me I was peri, rather than simply asking her experienced one opinion.x

[toffeecushion]

I'm 48.

I am thinking of seeing a specialist because I really don't think my GP understands.  She, like yours, immediately says it is anxiety.  She doesn't link palpitations with meno at all.  I missed a period last year and it was followed by a period that lasted 7 weeks and she didn't even link that to hormones.  Maybe she is right and I am wrong, but I feel I know my body.  To be honest I don't want to go back to her because she will think I am a hypochondriac.  But I know my symptoms are real.

I have just done 12 day saliva test and am waiting for the results.  I know they are not that reliable but I just needed to do something.

Have you seen Annie Evans talks on youtube?  They are very good.

[honorsmum]

At 48, surely any GP should take hormones into account - especially given your missing period and subsequent long bleed?
I would definitely seek help elsewhere. Did you have the saliva test done privately? My GP said she wouldn't act on private tests.
I haven't seen Annie's YouTube stuff - I'll have a look, thanks.

[toffeecushion]

I have paid to have them done privately, more for my own piece of mind really.  I have been keeping a diary of my symptoms and am hoping when the test results are back I will be able to see a reason for them.

https://www.youtube.com/user/DrAnnieEvans

[Kathleen]

Hello again honorsmum.

I agree with your comment about why is it that pregnant women and adolescent girls are allowed to have 'hormones' and we are not but your remark also reminded me of something.

As I said before I have a diagnosis of UC and I've been reading about the effects the bacteria in the gut have on various diseases. I also learned that when scientists looked at the bacteria that inhabit other areas of the body they found that in pregnant women the vaginal bacteria alters shortly before birth and they suspect these changes are the result of pregnancy hormones. I wonder if gut bacteria also respond to the presence or absence of hormones resulting in digestive problems and diseases.  We know that hormones influence gut motility but maybe there is more to it than that and we should look beyond a blood test for signs of the menopause?

There is a lot of research into the microbiome as it is called so interesting times ahead for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases plus other ailments, there may even be a time when a stool sample gives a more accurate picture of our hormonal status and any Doctor that relies on a blood test is laughed at !

In the meantime I guess we'll just have to struggle on and do the best we can with the information we have.


Wishing you well.

K.

[honorsmum]

That's a really interesting thought, Kathleen. Funnily enough, a friend contacted me recently to say that she had been diagnosed with premature menopause, probably caused by Crohn's (she has had to have several restrictions), so your idea about stool samples diagnosing menopause may yet happen.