Print

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

[Ladybt28]

Hi Knockmany - I am in Northern Ireland too and the meno clinic here is open minded and helpful which I found out much to my amazment!  It is at the Mater Hospital and we have only one dedicated consultant Joane McManus and a registrar. There is a meno nurse called Philomena and they do phone consultations so once you have been once you dont always have to physically go every time you need something.  Waiting time is'nt long, mine only took a month and I didn't get it by referral from a GP I got it myself.

I was prepared to go to Professor Studd in London last August because I was having problems - your back story is a bit similar to mine as hormonal depression has featured in my life for 40 years although I didnt know it then until 3 and half years ago!  I made an appointment with Joane McManus privately but as she is the only consultant in the NHS meno clinic and having made some posts here I decided to phone up and ask if I could see her on the NHS as I was prepared to pay and see her and so would be seeing the same person and I got an appointment no problem! They have looked after me since then.
If you want to Personal Message me to discuss - feel free!

The best thing to do is collect as much info off here and print off the Studd stuff and take it with you when you go back to the GP for review.  The more I learned from here the clearer I could be with the clinic and on the phone so I could get what I wanted. To be honest it has worked out far better than I could have hoped because I too was having problems with my GP

[Perinowpost]

I think you're the exception to the rule then CLKD x

[CLKD]

In what exactly - 

[Perinowpost]

Not having your libido affected by meds 😊

[CLKD]

Remind me, what's libido 


In some cases it is the depression that causes loss of libido because once patients have been prescribed ADs, they then look for 'cure' or improvement, then note that they have a lack of sexual interest.  Then the medication gets the blame  .  Lack of sex drive was the least of my problems when so depressed that I couldn't get out of bed or leave the house  .  I would crawl downstairs to let the dog out, lay on the floor until she hopped back inside, then crawl back to bed .......... better now 

My libido is slow .......... however    but GPs seem not to listen to what patients tell them regarding symptoms and feelings which is a lack of training!  Whether or not they believe in what the patient is explaining, at least they should attempt to help?

[Emerald2017]

Absolutely wrong! There is scientific evidence that the lack of estrogen causes a lot of changes in brain function and it is related with psychological disorders. I was almost suicidal a year ago during my peri and with no history of depression or anxiety. A year on hrt and feel normal again. Find another GP.

[jaypo]

I cannot believe gps can be so absolutely ignorant,you should report this to the appropriate authority

[GypsyRoseLee]

According to my research more women commit suicide in their late 40s and early 50s than at any other age. I firmly believe this is due to hormonal depression and anxiety. I know at my worst I thought about suicide far too much and it genuinely seemed like a cure.

[CLKD]

Obviously the Powers that B aren't getting through to the GPs ..... by now, all Surgeries should be aware of this site, of the work that Dr Currie is doing etc..  This should come from Dr Currie and her Team.  It doesn't take long 2 find out all the Surgeries across the UK and send information.

[Knockmany]

Hi again everyone, sorry I haven't got back to reply to you all. Thank you so much for all your advice. Hurdity, in answer to your question, my periods are sort of regular but starting to be three or four days either earlier or later than normal. They are also getting reallllllyyyyyy long, like 9 days. Not overly heavy but they just go on for ages! LadyBt28, good to know about the clinic in the Mater and that you don't need a referral! I will look into that. I was talking to a friend today who actually knows that GP, she is a friend of her husband. She says that the worst thing I could do for her would be to bring her in print outs as she has actually said at some dinner that she hates it when patients bring in lists and print outs! I really don't think I am going to get very far with her on Monday but I am determined to stand my ground with her and ask for a referral. If she won't do it, I call the clinic. Am also thinking its time to change my GP practice but I don't hold out much hope for any others given the experience I have had so far.
Thanks again and I'll let you know how I get on on Monday

[CLKD]

Take the print out: "I know that GPs aren't keen on patients doing their research prior to appts. but menopause is a huge learning curve on both sides of the desk so I have saved you the time of printing this information out.  MM is a good place to begin for many professionals as well as patients and I wonder if you can prescribe X, Y, Z because .......... "    Tell her too that it is well known that hormonal upheaval causes post natal depression as well as problems during the menopause.

Then duck  Good Luck!

[racjen]

In my experience libido is definitely affected by many ADs, and you'll find it stated quite frankly there in the list of common side effects. Not so much in terms of desire or even arousal, but frustratingly in terms of ability to reach an orgasm (which has never been a problem for me at any other time in my life, even when depressed but not on ADs). So I think you are indeed in a minority CLKD, unless of course you had a very low libido to start with.....

[CLKD]

Nope.  Normal as far as I am aware  as an aside I never read the inserts in the boxes of medicine ........ don't want to put ideas into my head