I agree. Both female GPs I saw insisted I was suffering with standard depression/anxiety. Even though I explained that I could go several days, or a couple of weeks feeing perfectly fine and normal again. Even though I explained that my low mood/anxiety seemed linked to my cycle. Even though I explained I had always suffered with PMS and it seemed to be getting much worse and lasting longer despite my periods getting lighter and my cycle shorter.
You would have THOUGHT that this might, just might, make them slightly suspicious that my symptoms could possibly be caused by my hormones, wouldn't you? But no. They dismissed this out of hand. Told me I 'was far too young' to even be thinking about the menopause (I am in my mid 40s for heaven's sake, not 25). They both just wanted to stick me on ADs for the next however long.
It was only when I stuck to my guns and saw a third GP that I got lucky. He was male and quite elderly but had an interest in gynaecology and had kept up to date with the latest journal articles and research into peri menpause. He agreed that what I was experiencing couldn't be standard depression/anxiety because I was often symptom free for weeks at a time.
He referred me to a menopause clinic, where I was immediately diagnosed with hormonal depression/anxiety. My consultant wasn't even interested in the results of my blood tests (normal). She actually LISTENED to me. Understood how much I was suffering and explained that she saw women like me every day. She was also very scathing about the ignorance of most GPs about hormones/menopause.
I live in the same village as both the useless female GPs and I find it quite hard to be civil to them. They would have cheerfully consigned me to spend the next 10-15 years on anti depressants because they didn't know enough about my problem and weren't interested in discovering anything more.
GPs are like hairdressers. They all get the same qualifications but some have a real flair and skill, and some are only comfortable doing a basic shampoo and set.
