Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: helen9813 on October 27, 2014, 02:42:03 PM
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Hi there im new here, and I think im in the early stages of the menopause. Why is it so hard to find any proper advice anywhere, and nobody seems to talk about it. Got a drs appointment Wednesday bit scared x
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Hi there im new here, and I think im in the early stages of the menopause. Why is it so hard to find any proper advice anywhere, and nobody seems to talk about it. Got a drs appointment W
ednesday bit scared x
Hi Helen
We're talking about it on here. :)
This site is run by an NHS consultant Dr Heather Currie, and many ladies on here are referred to this site by their own GP.
If you look down the left of the page, you will see a whole host of menopause issues discussed on this site, and it gives you information about the various sorts of HRT.
There are peri menopausal women, post menopausal women, women with surgical menopauses and allsorts on here.
Have a read through some of the posts, or, do a search using your own terms to see what posts come up.
It's probably all been discussed on here.
I was ignorant about menopause. I'd been in perimenopause 5 years before I even realised, and when an online friend from another site talked to me about menopause, I was wondering if we turn into blokes once we reach menopause - how's that for spectacular ignorance? :D
You might be interested in HRT, some women have to try a few before they get the one that suits, a bit like me, I am currently in the process of finding the right hrt.
Sadly, although my GP is a sweetie normally, she turns into a monster when the subject of hrt is brought up. She is perimenopausal herself.
Anyway, keep talking about menopause, because, there are people listening.
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:welcomemm: have a browse of menus, left of screen.
Make a list of your symptoms to take to your appt. and go through them with your GP. This time of Life is called 'the change' for many reasons but you may not have the problems that others do …….
Let us know how you get on!
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Make sure you read up all the info under the headings to the left of this screen - it's good to be clued up. Print stuff off if need be to show the GP to help the discussion.
BTW Hi and welcome to MM
DG x
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Hi again helen - I welcomed you on the other thread!
Don't be scared - it is a big thing to happen to us as we enter the next stage of our lives but the more we know the easier it is to deal with and take action to minimise the discomfort we experience.
As the others have said this site has so much information so find out all you can.
I presume you are going to the doc because you may be having irregular periods, and/or problems with bleeding and maybe some symptoms such as flushes, sweats, mood swings (and tears) happening?
Your doc will of course ask you all about this as CLKD says, and they often suggest a blood test to determine whether you are peri-menopausal but this is not necessarily definitive because your hormone levels will vary according to where you are in your cycle so one test may not tell you anything. There is info on this site about blood tests here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/diagnose.php
Good luck with the GP! :)
Hurdity x
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aww thank you so much everyone, its like stepping into a massive black hole that I know aboslutly nothing about, I don't even know weather this is the start of it, period only finished a week ago and starting another one again, made an appointment with my GP and got to take it from there x
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Hi Helen
Just wanted to say 'hi' and wish you luck at the doctors. It is really scary when things start to change but I found from this site that it's all 'normal' so that helps a lot. I have had lots of trouble with irregular/heavy bleeding, so much so that I don't know when my period starts and ends. This has been a shock for me as prior to this my periods were always regular and haven't ever been heavy. My GP ran blood tests which showed that I was perimenopausal but has referred me for further investigations to be on the safe side. There's a lot of help on here so never be afraid to ask questions however daft they may seem to you. x
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aww thank you so much everyone, its like stepping into a massive black hole that I know aboslutly nothing about, I don't even know weather this is the start of it, period only finished a week ago and starting another one again, made an appointment with my GP and got to take it from there x
Hi Helen
Perimenopause is just another stage of life
In tribal cultures menopausal women are celebrated
We can stay beautiful
Do read the info on this site, <<<<<<<< over there to the left are loads of info, just click on the headings.
Don't expect too much from your GP then you wont be dissapointed.
My GP is entering peri herself and I dont think she has accepted it, because she changes when I talk about it.
She is a pretty attractive woman and maybe she is afraid herself, of losing her beauty, but arm yourself with knowledge, Dr Currie is NHS herself so all the information is upto date.
GPs are often not up to date, sadly, but, we do get some women who's GP's are open minded to it.
Preparation is the key, I wasnt prepared, but I had an early peri
We can still enjoy life if we look after ourselves amd remember that we are turning into beatiful mature women.
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Thank you again, just gp back from the drs, hes sending me for a blood test, got an appointment 7th November, then wait for the results, then get an appointment with a female dr, for an exam and go from there, he said it could be a possibility, even tho a bit early, and he isn't worried, I take it this is going to be a very long process x
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Hi Helen
It is scary when things start to change. My periods are the 1st thing that have changed for me, they never seem to end, lol. I have been to the Dr's and been referered to the hospital so at least something is being done. I have also noticed quite dramatic mood swings and had a few hot flushes. Oh the joy of being a woman :)
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Hi Helen
I know what you mean, no one wants to talk about this outwith this amazing forum.
My best friend is suffering at the moment and just doesn't want to talk about it. :o
Just wondering how you heard about MM?
Your certainly in the right place - a lot of knowledge, experience and empathy from those replying to your post already.
You said "this is going to be a long process".
In a word "No". Its your journey and not the doctors.
In my own case my doc didn't do blood tests at the point I asked for HRT.
Your levels are going to be all over the place so any baseline would be different this time next week.
Good to see where you are but that should not stop them starting you on an HRT.
For me, after two long guilt ridden discussions (lectures) from the doc reluctantly prescribed my HRT.
Either way you can choose to get relief sooner by just asking to go on a low dose HRT like Elleste Duet 1mg or Femoston 1/10.
It's your choice.
My only regret is that I didn't goto the doc earlier in my peri stage and just get on HRT sooner.
:-*
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Thank you, I found this site after trying to look somewhere online where I could talk to people that are going through the same thing, and came across this place :)
I know absolutely nothing at all about this, or the treatments, I obviously have heart of HRT, my mother had dvt when she was pregnant with me and had always told me that I would never be able togo on hrt because of that it runs in families, we don't get on so cant ask her now, but its something if I need it iwill definatly ask proper advice on this. The dr mentioned today I can go on the pill, but is going to wait for results and check up before we decide what can be done to help x
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Getting a GP who understands, will listen and advise is Luck! some don't for various reasons understand HRT, nor the effects of menopause on ladies and their families.
My Journey has been OK - some ladies suffer. It depends on many issues ::)
Have a read of the menus, left of screen. Make a list of your symptoms, menstrual cycle, perhaps a food/mood diary to take to the appt with the lady GP. Blood tests are reliably unreliable ::) ……..
Ask anything you think of!
We have a funny room too ;)
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Thank you again, just gp back from the drs, hes sending me for a blood test, got an appointment 7th November, then wait for the results, then get an appointment with a female dr, for an exam and go from there, he said it could be a possibility, even tho a bit early, and he isn't worried, I take it this is going to be a very long process x
Hi Helen
That sounds promising.
Early or premature perimenopauses are not uncommon.
I was 42 when my peri started, but it's not unusual for some women to start theirs much earlier.
My GP said that blood tests are not accurate, but they are the first thing a doctor does when she/he suspects their female patients are entering perimenopause.
My test came back borderline but my GP felt my wet sweaty neck and was happy to prescribe hrt.
Best of luck on your perimeno journey, and come back to us if you feel the need to post anything about your menopause experience.
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because I don't know much about menopause, I don't really know symptoms sorry sounds nieve (sp) I don't even know if I get night sweats, I get warm at night weather its that or not im not entirely sure, x
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Is there an alteration in your periods? less, more often, heavier, lighter, gaps between ….
Mood alterations?
Worrying more …….. I was lucky. My periods got further and further apart then stopped. I was already on medication for depression and betablockas for anxiety so wasn't particularly bothered by either in peri-menopause. I had hot flushes for a while, across the back of my shoulders itched and I still get all over itching which is annoying as I can no-longer reach ::)
Frozen shoulder and hiatus hernia are 'common' for ladies of a 'certain' age ……..
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Hi Helen
Glad you found us :)
There is no reason a pregnancy induced dvt on your mum years ago would be any reason why you couldn't go on HRT or the Pill.
Your mum (and her doc) were just plain wrong on all fronts there.
If you've been on the pill since then, again she's very much wrong :)
DVT can happen to anyone at anytime. Someone on a plane, post op or baby or even sitting too long at a desk.
I'd leave that out of the discussions with doc unless you've had any dvt yourself.
Your doc may not have enough info on the blood test to even comment on clotting parts of your blood.
Even if you had a clotting issue - then as long as that's treated with a blood thinning drug then you can still use HRT.
They do like to have excuses not to prescribe :P
I'd say that's not an issue otherwise doc would not be looking at the pill as a first line of treatment.
But it really depends on what pill doc is talking about though.
The HRT is trying to give you back your balance of hormones.
The HRT will give you both estrogen and progestogens.
The main benefit on HRT is that you get estrogen regularly through the whole month.
Contraceptive Pill's are there only to block the pregnancy.
Some pill's will only contain progestogens.
Therefore the pill may not relieve your symptoms like hot flushes / sweats etc.
The dosage of the pill's differ to HRT so may not help prevent other problems.
If the pill is a combined monophasic type then you'll get same dose of the two hormones in each tablet.
If doc puts you on another type of combined pill option then you'd be getting variations of hormones through the 21 days!
Also, the main thing to note on the Combined Contraceptive Pill option "it only covers part of the month"
On that pill you'll have the last 7 days with no Estrogen or Prog part and this may see a return of symptoms in that time.
With HRT you just take the tablets for 28 days then start another pack, so much easier to work with :)
If your not worried about pregnancy then your not too young to start HRT either. If you want that.
Take a look at the following link for more info on peri options.
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php
Hope that helps
:-*
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because I don't know much about menopause, I don't really know symptoms sorry sounds nieve (sp) I don't even know if I get night sweats, I get warm at night weather its that or not im not entirely sure, x
Feeling very warm in bed is common in peri. Summer lasts all year for us women in perimenopause.
I never knew diddly squat about peri, and i was five years into it before i even realised what was happening.
I put the sweats down to medication i was on at the time, but even after getting off that medication i still had them.
Have you had a read of the information on the left of the screen, it's really helpful.
Anything you want to know, just come and ask :)
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Thanks you so much for your replies, im finding some of your information so helpful, ive seen that its so much about hormones, and hopefully will make me more educated on this.
Pregnancy is not an issue as I had my tubes tied when I was 30, and my periods seem to be becoming more frequent.
I am a very emotional person, well I have been the last 5 years, but I have put that down to a big change in my life, but reading things on here it might be all signs I feel better now the dr said to me that he wasn't concerned about what I was tellinghim x
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Let us know how you get on!
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If princess Diana was alive now, she would be possibly going through menopause, and I am sure she would have stayed beautiful and radiant throughout. :)
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Im sorry if this is tmi, but ive started to get sweaty in places where I have never sweated before, on the inside of the tops of my legs my lady bits is this normal x
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Probably
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really, thank you, its horrible,been worried about it, is there anything I can do to stop it
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helen, that was my very first night sweat but I didn't know it at the time. We were on holiday and I woke up and thought I'd wet the bed but knew I hadn't because the bed was dry, just my pyjama bottoms were soaked between my legs. I never did work out what had happened but it happened again and once hot flushes kicked in the penny dropped
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Thank you so much, I though It was something wrong, god I sound daft
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it's a daft time of life and a quick question on here soon puts your mind at rest :)