Here we go again!!!!
Let's get this straight – no-one is “pushing†for a certain sort of treatment.
Wendy – apologies for the digression – sometimes it is unfortunately necessary.....
CLKD – we have been through this many times before and by pm as you know. Re the HRT question and the new members you are referring to: once more – the NICE Guidelines recommend that HRT is the first line of treatment for menopausal symptoms over ADs. This is endorsed by all the top gynaecologists, some of whom are engaged in a huge programme of education through GP training, media articles, social media, tweets, conferences and open days – necessary to counter the misinformation and ignorance that has been prevalent for many years since the rapid decline in HRT use following the WHI study. Not any member's opinion – but the current view. Of course it goes without saying this is for women who are medically able to take HRT. There are different treatment options ( including some ADs – which I have pointed out by the way) for those who cannot take HRT: here is a recent consensus statement for non-hormonal treatments for menopausal symptoms:
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2053369117711646?hootPostID=6690d93930a10b86869c48433ab506e7I might post it as a separate thread
If women ask to take ADs in preference – hopefully there will eventually be a move so that this is not the normal expectation by women and from GPs. Sadly women have often come to expect these (in the first instance) due to years of ignorance and mistreatment by medics. Most women will find once they have tried different HRTs that eventually they feel much better and this will help them through menopause and more importantly beyond – in the many years of oestrogen deficiency they have ahead of them. In some exceptional cases ADs may be needed later as well – and indeed in some cases of extreme depression they may be needed initially – when a woman is in danger – and this is recognised by gynaecologists.
Re whether depression is hormonally led – it is generally accepted (by gynaes) that when a woman begins to experience anxiety or depression for the first time in her life, just before and during peri-menopause or following menopause when there are no life events that could have triggered it, then this is most likely hormonally driven and therefore a hormonal solution should be tried (properly) in the first instance. A blood test is not necessary and this is endorsed in the NICE Guidelines and recommendations
CLKD – you don't use HRT and I do not pass judgment on you for not doing so nor for not knowing the different types – but please do not criticise (my) responses to Wendy who actually mentions HRT in her first post. FYI Elleste = a type of oestrogen only HRT. I only looked back (at previous posts) to save asking her the question whether she was taking progestogen and her earlier posts told me she was using the coil - it didn't make much material difference to how I posted as she had already mentioned her HRT. Had you known this (about Elleste) perhaps your responses to my suggestions might have been different? She also said she had tried ADs but they made her feel worse so naturally I focused on her HRT.
Babyjane – I accept your apology for your initial misunderstanding, but is it really necessary then to pass judgement on other member's posts – ie mine - and pontificate about how I should conduct myself? Surely better to focus on the OP than start an argument and cause unpleasantness/bad feeling? As Annie says – it is the OP whom I also have in mind and this sort of thing can waste time and detract from the poster and her problems. There are a lot of things I could say about how some members post – and have done in the past – but I feel usually it's better to keep
, let it go, and think about the OP. Sometimes a response is needed though ....
As you will see I also offered non-medical suggestions for sites and strategies for dealing with anxiety – one of which you dismissed CLKD because it didn't work for you, but might actually help the OP as we are not talking here about lifelong depression as in your case. In Wendy's situation it is worth her trying a range of strategies to see if they might help.
Wendy I am so sorry that a bit of an argument has happened on your thread and do hope you are not put off! We do what we can and offer what we can, as I said before, on the basis of our expertise, knowledge and/or experience and hope you can accept it all in the spirit in which it is meant and ignore some of the comments! I hope you find these suggestions and advice helpful
Hurdity x
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Topic: Depression and anxiety and trying to hold down a job (Read 13552 times)