Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CLKD]

Thanks for the update!

Are you feeling a little lighter in mood?  Problem shared and all that 

[puddlesmum]

Absolutely.  Now I know that the meds are going to work, and the fact that I'm having hypnotherapy too I feel loads better.  Also had some lovely conversations with Freckles who gave me the confidence to go through with my call to the Professor.  Definitely feel a lot more positive than I did when I originally wrote the post. I was beginning to feel like there was no future, but feeling quite proud and positive about taking the right action for me.  Always good when someone believes just how bad you feel and can sympathise with you. 

Yep, reported it to him, then straight away got a call from my doctors secretary to say that he would give it to me after all just wanted to see me. Funny what happens when you tell them that you're going to private instead - I don't think my doctor liked it much lol.  Fingers crossed he'll still prescribe it when I ask in 3 months time.

xxx

[CLKD]

You have a fall-back ;-).

Little steps! 

[Freckles]

Glad you are feeling more positive puddlesmum!
And I was happy to share my experiences of Prof Studd with you- you so did the right thing by having a telephone consultation with him- feel the fear and do it anyway! You've very right to be chuffed with yourself for doing the right thing despite feeling so low.
It's a pity your GP is less  than helpful regarding prescribing your HRT and fingers crossed he does so after the medical examination.
I'm no expert on the workings of the NHS, but surely if a renown professional Consultant (like Studd) is advising prescription of particular HRT meds, they (the GP) would have to provide relevant clinical reasons as to why they were refusing to do so on the NHS? Would they do that if Studd was an NHS Consultant?
Plus Estrogel is more in cost than some of the crappier HRT tablets, but it's not that much more.
If your GP refuses to prescribe the regime, I'd formally ask why in the form of a written complaint.
I was really worried my 12 year old GP would refuse to prescribe the HRT regime, given they prefer post menopausal women to be dosed up on liquid AD's, and wander around low in mood, balding and growing their own moustaches for the last third of their life, with eyes resembling dead oysters. However, I didn't even have to see my GP- all the prescriptions  were automatically added to my  prescription list, including Testim.
Anyway great to read you are feeling so much more positive puddlesmum- keep us updated? x

[CLKD]

I don't think that a GP has to prescribe if a patient has taken themselves elsewhere.  Particularly if that is for a non-referred Private Appt.

[Freckles]

Do you think so CKLD? So if I went for a medical assessment privately, say, on private health insurance (which I don't have) and a medical problem was identified and a specialist Consultant for the condition (unlike a GP) recommended medications which could be prescribed on the NHS they (GP) can refuse?
That doesn't seem either logical or ethically right to me! 

Whether the assessment was done privately or on the NHS, it's still the expertise of the qualified expert/consultant, as compared to that of a GP, that matters surely, regarding the prescription for a diagnosable and subsequently diagnosed  medical condition?  Surely ignoring the prescription advice of a medical consultant has to be questionable just because you saw them privately?

Like most people, I pay privately for the dentist, eyesight tests, chiropody, osteopath, etc., which aren't easily available on the NHS to say the least.  I would hope if they found a significant medical problem my current rubbish GP wouldn't refuse to prescribe or refer me as to whatever they recommended if I had a problem?  I had problems with my eyes which was picked up in my private eye exam and eventually was referred on in the NHS for treatment and medication.

I fortunately get all of my HRT regime as prescribed by Prof Studd on the NHS, which is as it should be. I shouldn't be penalised for seeing someone about my health, an expert in his field and then being told that his opinion doesn't count.

More informed treatment options should be routinely offered on the NHS  but they aren't. Instead we generally get prescribed dirt cheap, outdated and ineffective HRT at the wrong dosage.
Doesn't help that some folk assume that their GP is omnipotent when often that isn't the case.
 
It also shows what a lottery it is that some women get what they need on the NHS after a seeing someone privately whilst others have a huge battle.
 
How women with hormonal problems are currently treated on the NHS is so wrong for so many reasons.  I despair sometimes! I think anyone refused what has been prescribed privately for them should at the very least formally write to their GP and ask why it's been declined.

[babyjane]

It can be a battle certainly.  The NHS is so overstretched and GP practice budgets are being cut.  what is asked of the NHS today is not what it was originally made for.

It is not just privately that can cause issues though.  I see a consultant endocrinologist twice a year on the NHS because I have an excellent GP who supports me.  this was not always the case and I originally saw the consultant privately through my husband's work insurance.  I had a battle to get what was prescribed because the GP I was with at the time did not believe it was necessary so the consultant would prescribe it for me and I would get it from the hospital pharmacy.  Like I said, my current excellent GP works in partnership with my consultant and myself and I no longer have any trouble but there was a time that I did.

[Louloufell]

Hello
I too see Prof Studd it is just over 5 weeks I've been on the gels. I'm out and about even though I've still got
Extremely high cortisol and adrenaline in the morning which isn't nice. I am calling him this week once I've done 6
Weeks to see if I need to increase anything. He is very knowledgable. It is awful this isn't available on the NHS but he is trying to educate people along with Nick Paney and Micheal Craig who can be seen on the NHS x

er - Nick Panay has done a huge amount of research with John Studd for many years and they have written papers together. He is also eminent in his field and I think has been a recent chair of the British Menopause Society. Undoubtedly Prof Studd was a pioneer in his field - due to his research back in the 70's to 90's which informed his practice - but he really is not the only gynaecologist that  prescribes bio-identical HRT.

Babyjane - there is a huge amount of improvement needed in NHS in many areas of which menopause is one but I would hate for women to think that they cannot hope for an alleviation of their symptoms or improvement in their general health if they cannot afford his fee.

There are very many gynaecologists out there private and NHS and many GPs are also willing to prescribe in this way. Please all you women out there - do not feel that you are not getting a good deal if you can't (afford to) see the original leading guy. It is important that GPs and local gynaes get the message  across and the British Menopause Society is working to implement the NICE recommendations. Studd won't be practising for ever as he is 75 now - so we also need to help make sure we help spread the message about the sort of HRT we want and should be able to access on NHS!!!

Sorry puddlesmum - this was a general comment but was prompted by the posts on here. I really hope that your new regime of HRT works for you, you manage to lose the weight you want to (which is important for your health as you are aware), and that you are able to feel happy enough to live your life again

How kind of you to offer to pay for your friend's consultation. However in her situation she does need urgent referral through NHS to a gynaecologist, due to her early menopause as replacement oestrogen is absolutely essential to protect her future health having had menopause so young - so she really does not need to pay.

Hurdity x

That's what I meant Studd AS WELL as Nick Paney have done great research

[CLKD]

If I didn't think so I wouldn't say so!  Until recently one was unable to get a private appt. without a referral letter from your GP, ethics and safety.  After all, the GP usually knows the complete medical history whereas a person might not think or may withhold information which might be essential.  As a medical secretary I've seen many tricks 'pulled' in order to get what the patient thinks they need rather than what is necessary!

If 1 by-passes the GP it's within his/her 'right' to not prescribe.  Why should the NHS pick up the pieces?  I also know Consultants who will see patients privately and then do any surgical intervention on the NHS.  It used to be that a Consultant who works for the NHS can only have a part-time Contract if they want to do private work.  The Consultant would have to pay any NHS Staff seconded, would have to pay for the NHS room/equipment used etc. ……

What you have quoted Freckles have never been available on the NHS!  Dental surgery may well be after accident or for facio-maxillary reasons.  Your experiences aren't necessary those of others across the UK, I am fortunate in having a very good GP and I love my Dentist ;-). 

Sadly menopause and mental health services get the short straw in terms of support, advice and expertise.  >sigh<

[Mary G]

If Freckles and puddlesmum had been treated properly by the NHS we would not be having this discussion would we?  The NHS still seems to be in the 1950s when it comes to the menopause and HRT and women are not being treated properly, it's as simple as that.  My doctor refused to prescribe HRT and during my consultation, she took several phone calls and then stood up and terminated the appointment.  I said "it doesn't matter, I'll get hold of HRT myself".  This is what I did and I have never looked back.

So much for the new NICE guidelines.  From what I have seen on here, women are still being given ADs as the first treatment option and at best many doctors seem luke warm about prescribing HRT.  The women who do manage to get often seem to end up with the wrong type at the wrong dose.  Frightening, most menopausal women in the UK are not taking HRT but I doubt it is because they don't need it, it is more than likely because they are either scared of it because of the dangerously useless and deeply flawed studies, they have been fobbed off with ADs or they just suck it up and suffer for years on end. 

I did not have the luxury of choice, I had to seek help privately because the NHS didn't come up with the goods.  I have never bothered trying to get the NHS to prescribe my HRT, I buy it myself without prescription in Spain and to that end, I thought it might be a good idea run this option past other women who are forced to pay for private prescriptions and I started a thread on the subject but let's not go there. 

The message is still not getting through, the new NICE guidelines are not being followed, women are still being fobbed off with ADs when they need HRT (or sometimes both), given the wrong HRT (because it is cheap) at the wrong dose (because the NHS don't offer uterine scans they over prescribe progesterone) and women are forced to seek the services of Professor Studd. 

Based on the above, I can't think of any reason why women should not get Professor Studd's prescription from the NHS, it will save them money in the long run because they are unlikely to present in the future with the endless list of health nasties caused by years of oestrogen deprivation.

[walking the dog]

This was my concern in regards e mailing Dr Currie then expecting local meno consultant to prescribe Me what Dr Currie may have suggested and that's two NHS consultants so I can imagine asking the NHS for something a private consultant may suggest would be difficult ? Bit like going to see a private therapist for consultation been accepted then going to go saying private Dr says I need therapy so get me it on.nhs !