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[Cassie]

How many micrograms are there in 2 pumps of gel which deliver 1.5mg of Oestrogen 

[CLKD]

Joziel - your anger and frustration come over really well.

I stated earlier than the producers of Panorama probably won't interview those women that have been 'well' on various off-licence regimes.  30 mins etc. ........

Was any1 from the BMS interviewed?  Again, 30 mins etc..

I will watch it with DH etc.. 

Which Dr Chatterjee? 

[Peach8]

How many micrograms are there in 2 pumps of gel which deliver 1.5mg of Oestrogen 

If the chart on the womens-health-concern.org website is accurate then it would be equivalent to 50

[Peach8]

Joziel - your anger and frustration come over really well.

I stated earlier than the producers of Panorama probably won't interview those women that have been 'well' on various off-licence regimes.  30 mins etc. ........

Was any1 from the BMS interviewed?  Again, 30 mins etc..

I will watch it with DH etc.. 

Which Dr Chatterjee?

Exactly. So many people are going to be worried yet only one side of the story is being told. How about why so many women are seeking private care in the first place?

[Mary G]

It's too early for me to be watching TV but I'm going to download it on catch up later.

I'm suspicious and it sounds like a hatchet job.  The late, great Professor Studd had a hard time from the BMS and possibly the BMA because of his low dose progesterone regime which was brilliant for most women.

So what are the BMS and GPs going to do for women who desperately need menopause treatment?  What are they going to do about the horrendous waiting lists for NHS menopause clinics and the lack of transvaginal scans that pick up numerous cancers that are currently being missed?  What are their plans?  The status quo is clearly unacceptable.

The UK government bang on about wanting to get people back to work and then claim it's acceptable to wait over a year for an appointment with a specialist.  God forbid suggesting anyone seeks help privately.

It's appalling.

[CLKD]

Mary G - probably no more than previous governments have bothered to do, across all specialities.  Moral is low.  Trainees don't want to be GPs.  Those GPs that trained in the 1980s/90s are retiring.  Too much paper work to meet unreachable targets  choose by people who have no idea how the NHS should work.


It will be interesting to see how GPs react .......... 

[Mariab]

I had to seek private care as when I asked for help from gp after having a reaction to the patches , instead of offering an alternative she said if you dont like it rip it off .
I did feel eastrogen was pushed and tried to go to 3 pumps a few times but my body did not like it at all...so still at 2 pumps...dont want to lower just in case....
I hope all this doesn't change all the positives that have happened and cause a shadow over what is already a mind field for women...we are all so different..
It's all worrying 

[Mary G]

this programme was all about the DOSAGE and not at all about the amount absorbed, which wasn't mentioned even once.


There is the issue of absorption and different people absorbing different products at different rates but yet another problem is the NHS refusing to carry out hormonal blood tests.  They trot out the line that they are unreliable and unnecessary but that's crap.  Obviously there are severe fluctuations in peri menopause but blood tests do at least give some indication of absorption rates.

Post menopause hormone blood tests are vital, particularly if you are taking HRT for bone protection.  How else do you know how well you are absorbing it?

Re high very doses of oestrogen, a lot of women need very high levels of oestrogen in peri menopause to level out the extreme fluctuations.  Once post menopause, most women can reduce to a maintenance dose but it often takes years to get to that point.

[joziel]

Exactly, the issue should really be - are they prescribing enough progesterone to counter the effects of the high estrogen? Not just 'are they prescribing too much estrogen'?

Dr Chatterjee is on Instagram. I had to unfollow her. I felt she had an agenda behind all her posts which were constantly digging at Louise Newson and HRT generally. This is all such crap.

As for blood tests, you are supposed to be able to increase up to the max licensed dose without needing any blood tests. After that, you need blood tests to see if you are absorbing okay.

[Elliebee]

I found it very interesting. They did discuss that some women require higher “off licence” dose due to absorption issues !! I think the concern is that some clinics are over prescribing off licence doses without doing all the necessary patient safety checks first and/or discussing the risks .

Some highly respected menopause specialists contributed to the program including  Menopause Matters Dr Heather Currie !

Joziel : There wasn’t a Dr Chatterje on the programm unless I missed her ??

[CLKD]

Any1 who feels that the Panorama programme is biased should write to the BBC ........ short, sharp comments.  Otherwise the BBC will believe that the view points are OK!

[Elliebee]

Have you watched it CLKD?

[CLKD]

Not yet.  Am waiting for DH to sit on my hands to stop me throwing bricks at the TV 

[Elliebee]

CLKD definitely worth watching.

[joziel]

There was a Dr Chatterjee on it, watch it again.

And no, they didn't really elaborate on the absorbency issues or explain what that meant or interview a single woman with them who needed higher doses, so it's not exactly fair and equal and impartial, is it?

And sorry but I don't give any weight automatically to 'highly respected menopause experts' (including any behind online forums who as associated with the BMS) - because I distrust the BMS and the lies they have fed us about the WHI and how slow they have been to change tack on that and how conservative they are and how it is basically like trying to turn the Titanic around. I respect people who demonstrate to me that they are worth respecting, that they know the research, that they can think for themselves...