Dr Newsons Twitter account says she is receiving criticism from medical colleagues for talking negatively about menopause care in the recent documentary.
I find it astounding that these medics refuse to accept what so many women are experiencing. The menopause documentary showed clearly the lived experience of many thousands of women whose GPs either don’t recognise or refuse to treat difficult menopause symptoms with HRT and accurate up to date advice.
I was naively looking forward to menopause and my heavy, long periods ending. I had no idea what the reality might be until my physical and mental health fell off a cliff. No amount of self help, alternative therapies, psychiatric medication positive thinking CBT would have got me through. I needed HRT
My many menopause symptoms went unrecognised and untreated by approximately 6 GPs for years. Instead I was prescribed many different types of antidepressants, psychiatric medications and medications to mitigate the side effects of them. I saw quite a few specialists and had a lot of input from mental health services at great cost to the NHS and almost lost my life when all I needed was relatively inexpensive HRT.
Having never been involved with mental health services before should in itself have been a big red flag that they were on wrong track.
At a time in our lives when we find ourselves so low we shouldn’t have to fight for what we need. Some women have doctors who are trained in menopause and willing to prescribe and that is wonderful but many thousands more are not that lucky and at a time in our lives when we find ourselves so low it shouldn’t be so hard to access what we need.
Dr Newson is trying to change the system for the better. Not just for women but medics too by offering free training to every GP practice. The reduction in referrals, antidepressant prescriptions and improved female health will surely save precious NHS funds and prevent so much suffering.
I cannot understand why doctors see a push for improvement as a direct criticism of all doctors, it’s not, although those people actively trying to prevent women accessing menopause treatment do deserve criticism in my opinion.
I don’t have a Twitter account so can’t add to the comments below Dr a Newsons post so decided to say what I think here though unfortunately that means medics won’t see it.
Dr Newson is working extremely hard bringing menopause out into the open, dispelling myths and trying to improve the treatment of women. Those medics criticising and pushing against this should have a long hard look at themselves. Too many people in positions of power, who haven’t suffered themselves, disbelieve or dismiss women and things need to change. I don’t understand why there’s so much animosity towards HRT in comparison to antidepressants etc.
I almost lost my life. I’m unlikely to ever work again. My VA untreated for so many years cannot be reversed. I DESERVED appropriate treatment. We all do.
Dr Newson vows to keep going and I’m very grateful to her for that. I don’t want my daughter, granddaughter or any other woman to suffer like I did. It’s inhumane.
Author
Topic: Dr Newson receiving criticism from colleagues for documentary (Read 5405 times)