Simple symptoms, simple checks.
***Hot flashes
*Breast tenderness
*Worse premenstrual syndrome
*Lower sex drive
*Fatigue
**Irregular periods
***Vaginal dryness; discomfort during sex
**Urine leakage when coughing or sneezing
**Urinary urgency (an urgent need to urinate more frequently)
*Mood swings
*Memory issues
**Trouble sleeping
**Bowel issues
These are simple symptoms that can be found on any site that mentions the (hidden) peri.
The ones I've added *'s to were ones I had at the early part of peri arrival
The ones I've added **'s were added to the list after a few years
The ones I've added ***'s were those that came later but still at the point the doc was still not saying those magic words!!!
Some of the earlier symptoms like fatigue, memory, sex and breasts tenderness got worse as the peri continued. Its not like I stopped mentioning earlier symptoms either...
"You need some HRT for that!"
So even when I was having urine leaks/urgency and bowel issues, I was sent off for more expensive tests (not to mention pretty unsavoury ones). No peri or HRT solution was mentioned.
When I went with early VA/Dryness symptoms the doc refused me HRT at the first time we spoke and I brought it up.
I think the modern way of saying what doc meant was to "suck it up".
I was then given all the excuses/scare stories to not allow me HRT.
So the my journey began!
So if you'll excuse my list as its not extensive, but these simple checks on symptoms would have saved me years of visits and tests I didn't actually require (not to mention the expense again, did I mention the expense again tsk tsk
).
Simple and easy if they actually reviewed one's notes on their expensive computers and looked for a very simple pattern. Better still if they knew the actual symptoms or where to get a widely available list of PERI symptoms to check!
This is before we ever get to something as complex as taking blood!
Lets consider where we are and understand what could have been easily achieved to help other ladies get out of this long drawn out conclusion I had to endure (and with countless others no doubt).
Thankfully since I've started my new journey things have been much better.
Hope that's nice and clear for everyone.