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[SUZIEWONG]

I hit the menopause head on last Feb and developed the most terrible joint and muscle pains .i have always been a very active person . On visiting my GP I was surprised that she was not at all familiar with any forms of HRT . To be fair blood tests etc were done which just confirmed I was truly menopausal . She put me on the wrong HRT (should have been for patients with no uterus ) . Since then I have been on two more types of HRT , and finally Dr.Currie has put me on the right path,hopefully .When I showed the GP her reply e mails it was met with 'a money making set up ' ,to which I hit the roof !! During a private referral  appt to a rheumatologist ,(gp would not send me via NHS)just to rule out any rheumatoid problems, I was met with yet another disinterested dr who glazed once I said menopausal ! He hoped the HRT kicked in soon but could offer little else . My questions are these : should I be having a bone density scan ? And at what point do you ask to be referred to a menopausal / HRT expert ?

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome
Oh dear, yet another horror story. You are not alone with your experience. Truly appalling. Your questions are appropriate - joktvaches ate a common meno symptom but doesn't mean you have low bone density.  If you have had a premature meno or have a family history of osteoporosis then a density scan would advisable. Your GP making such an inappropriate comment about advice from Dr. Currie, who is an eminent specialist, is outrageous.
Hopefully you do now have a good HRT to try - give it 3 months and you may be feeling much better. Keep us posted. DG x

[SUZIEWONG]

Thank you Dancing girl .kind of you to respond . Will keep you updated

[Daisydot]

Hi suziewong same reaction here my “new” gp was of the same attitude to my “email consultation” then same with my private consultant report refused point blank to acknowledge his recommendations.he has written to her again I'm waiting on copy letter but meantime I've mabaged to get her to refer me to a gynie which I'm hoping I can see at Oxford when the choose and book letter comes it's been ages,she's adamant that over 60s should not be on hrt.the consultant secretary is arranging a referral dexa scan for me which no doubt I'll have to pay for but it's a must for me due to injuries this last year.
I'm actually sick if it all and all this stress at a time when we don't need it.good luck xx

[CLKD]

Do tell Dr Currie the GPs response! otherwise ............

Have a chat with your local Pharmacist maybe to see which GPs support HRT?

[SUZIEWONG]

Oh golly ! Poor you daisy dot ! I really think Dr. Currie should be aware of these GP ‘s attitude ‘s and be corrected ! It's hopefully only a few GP ‘s but it could mean a lot of women are not getting the correct care . Keep fighting your corner and a message to anyone else to do the same !

[Daisydot]

Hi suziwong she is very aware but unfortunately unable to help other than advised change my gp which I did and the new one is every bit as bad as previous one.if the consultants can't do anything about it what chance do we have realistically.Im a plodder so I just keep plodding away finding ways round it when I can but I post my experiences on here to try and help other ladies in my position also it does me good to vent lol.My private consultant is doing his best to help but I don't think he'll have much luck either although I hope I'm wrong.I know I need the dexa scan which the consultant is arranging so if I have to pay for it I just have to accept we'll  be eating sausages for a month 🤢 good luck xx

[CLKD]

Hopefully you'll have enough in the pot to cook those sausages? 

Also if the NHS won't support women at this time, then paying for treatment is the quickest way ......... maybe 1 needs to give up that holiday abroad but health is important, after all, when feeling ill 1 wouldn't benefit from that holiday!

That's OK as long as 1 gets support when paying.

[racjen]

Yep, I'm having the same problem with GP who refuses to accept the advice of an eminent menopause expert and is refusing to carry on prescribing what's been recommended. I know I need to get in there and fight my corner but right now I'm so tired and depressed I don't think I can - it's hard to fight when you know you're going to burst into tears the minute you enter the surgery.  So i'll probably end up paying for a private prescription - not a case of giving up a foreign holiday for me (I wish), this is using up the only savings I have, which I'd hoped would enable me to buy a shared-ownership house and a bit of security for me and my kids. Instead I'm stuck off sick and payinga ridicuous amount of rent, having to use  my precious savings on something I'm entitled to on the NHS.

[Stephjkm]

Sorry to hear your story racjen. Hopefully with a few weeks of treatment under your belt you'll feel well enough to go and do battle and get some positive results from your GP.  I am amazed at the number of GPs not following the guidelines that have been put in place and wuo are unwilling to continue a consultant's prescribed regime.

I wish you luck and hope you are soon feeling better 

[vickypk]

Hi all.
I have written a good few posts recently as I have been having problems with my GP prescribing HRT. You couldn't make it up he wants me off HRT and on venafaxine and clonodine!! Think we should organise a Menopause March!! We shouldn't have to go through this. I feel a bit better now but I did feel so depressed because of all this. I hope these GPs are better educated regarding the menopause, eventually. Xx

[SUZIEWONG]

Bit of an update on my joint problems and HRT . It turns out ,from a private visit to a rheumatologist , and subsequent X Ray's taken , that I actually have a herniated intervertebral disc in my lower spine ! Suddenly everyone seems to be moving quite a lot faster  and an MRI is booked to see the damage . Apparently these sort of spinal problems may not have been a problem prior to the menopause but once the oestrogen levels drop , pain and inflammation start !
So here I have been walking like an 80 year old for the last 8 months , with my GP saying I did not need an X Ray , and he was reluctant to put me on HRT . Luckily as an ex nurse and a husband happy to pay for medical treatment , and of course , Dr .Currie , I might finally be getting somewhere ! My advice is , if you are suffering just don't give up trying to find the correct help! X