Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: jorainbow on October 29, 2015, 08:45:52 AM
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Well I said I wouldn't but I flipping well am after this morning's call. Asked to have appointment moved forward as been suffering from lower back pain for three days and this morning woke at 4am with what I would describe as very sharp ovulation pain. This all a week after my period ended. After going back and forth with thrush symptoms but no thrush and uti but only one infection in a year, increase in mood issues, dry eyes and yet they haven't joined the flipping dots. I sat last night and really examined things and those odd joint pains and lack of libido kind of make sense. But no. The back pain will probably be muscular and the pelvic pain the end of my period. The best comment ' what do you think it is'. I don't know I don't get paid multiple thousands to diagnose do I! !!! How about doing the bloods I ask for everytime I go in. Or actually listening. 😡😡😡😡😡😡 Rant over. I'm off to walk the dog and kick a few leaves which will reduce my stress levels if I play let's pretend they are..........
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Mention the magic words 'hot flush'...very few GPs will consider meno without hearing those two words!
Hope you manage to find a helpful GP soon. Enjoy the leaves!
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Thanks for the advice as so far I'm not getting those!!! Leaves were fun - just what I needed 😊😊😊
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Might be worth inventing a few! ;D You can have every other typical meno symptom, but if you still get periods and don't get hot flushes they are not interested ::)
Glad you enjoyed the leaves. Safer pretending too...you won't end up charged with ABH for kicking leaves ;)
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Hello jorainbow.
I agree with Dorothy about mentioning hot flushes whether you have actually had them or not. You can also select 'night sweats' from the meno menu and see if that helps! Also you may never actually have the obvious symptoms of the menopause but that doesn't mean you should be dismissed.
Take care and hopefully you'll get the help you need.
K.
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Maybe see your Practice Nurse? Certainly try not to see the same GP! Also, asking to be referred to a Gynaecologist or Menopause CLinic might work, you can find out from the Hospital web-site/s if there are Consultants interested in womens health issues. Some GPs have done the extra qualification but I forget which one is appropriate.
I think it's this one: DRCOG
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Do you find you get warmer faster/need fewer layers now? Might be worth describing that as a 'hot flush'. I've always been the kind of person who could wear a thick woolly in a warm room and not feel hot, and then I got to the stage where I would feel 'too warm' doing that. Even now, I rarely get the full-on drenching sweats, mostly it's more like I've suddenly walked under one of those radiant heaters - great wave of warmth.
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My last GP told me I was 'fine' as the blood tests said so. The fact I had all the other symptoms including flushes, night sweats etc was irrelevant.
Same GP was very rude to my elderly mother last week, telling her she did not need any more blood tests despite the fact Mum has congestive heart failure and a history of stroke, anaemia and low salt levels.
I have left too, but Mum does not think she can at her age.
Good idea with the leaves, will try that later.. though I will no doubt get poop stuck to my boot ;D
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Thanks all for the advice! I do get warm and even at night I wake up warm and on occasion a little sweaty on my chest but not the rushes of heat just generally warmer. I like the fan on at work and wish the lady who is always cold but sits near the window which she won't open would flipping move!!! I'm going to see this particular GP who I don't normally see but she's been good with my mum recently so I'll keep all posted. I'm now 8 days post period and feeling less weepy anxious and no uti type symptoms now so will see what she thinks. SadLynda that made me giggle! !!!!😆😆😆
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Point the GP in this direction should she waver when you tell her your symptoms ;) and hopefully once NICE release their current findings, GPs will catch up :-X
SadLynda - has your Mum seen a Consultant with her various conditions, maybe a phone call for advice to the Secretary?
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Consultant signed her off earlier this year :( to the "care" of the GP.
jorainbow - ... and I did stand in poop in the leaves earlier >:(
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:-X PHHEEEWWWW :D
I would ring the Consultant ;) - there may have been complaints/mutterings about this particular GP :-\
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I'm having similar issues. I have heavy periods, palpitations, insanely dry mouth and throat, mood swings, etc. Am just starting to have mild hot flushes in the day and sweats at night. I visited the GP again about the mouth and throat issues that are waking me 6-8 times a night (at which point I find I'm really hot, too). The doctor is organising blood tests to rule out Sjogrens which I appreciate is a sensible precaution) but when I asked if it could be hormonal, she said she'd never heard of perimenopause causing dry mouth and throat! If tests are negative for Sjogrens, she said see how I am in another month or so and she'll try me on a ppi "in case it's reflux"! She completely ignored the other symptoms and the fact I'm almost 51. This is the third doctor I've seen (all women) and I'm despairing.
Are we all just supposed to keep plodding on just because we're still having periods?!
(((hugs))) all round x
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Ridiculous! I can introduce her to at least 10 women who found their mouths and throats becoming dry in peri!
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As oestrogen levels drop so the body drys up …….. inside and out ::)
Have you ever had reflux/hearburn? If not you don't need PPis ……..
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Changing gp was the best thing I ever did. Could kick myself for not doing it sooner. The process is very straight forward. I eventually found a great doctor with an interest in gyne issues (DRCOG) and have never looked back. She knew of this site, knew of the '34 symptoms of peri menopause' and was also aware only 65 per cent of ladies, on average, have hot flushes. (My estrogen was down to post menopausal levels when measured, but only ever had the chills, never flushes).
How I found this practice: word of mouth, NHS site reviews, visiting surgeries in person to ask if they were taking on new patients (gives you a chance to see what reception you get, look at types of posters/info on display, whether they have any in house support groups). Sounds a bit OTT, but it really is worth it in the long term. ;) X
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http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com/night-sweats/articles/night-sweats-dry-mouth.htm
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I'm going in armed with info and not going to listen to 'well it's probably your age! '. I'm no GP but when the symptoms are there and also follow the same pattern i.e. get worse every month at the same time there are natural dips in oestrogen, then surely there's a link! I remember when my periods completely stopped a few years ago I still got pms and other monthly symptoms but they were having none of it becayse i was not having periods i couldnt have PMS 😯😯Pricey- exactly my thoughts too as I have regular periods. I get horribly dry eyes on waking up with blurry which again comes and goes each month.... .....
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"I've got all these symptoms as well as hot sweats and flushes" might swing it ;)
Wave a copy of MM magazine at your GP too ….. and let us know!
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Update late due to having to cancel the initial appointment. Still have a little blood in urine so repeating that in 5 days as the first sample was after my period. This GP thinks the vagifem was too high in oestrogen so I have ovestin cream 2 weeks daily then twice weekly. No discussion re other symptoms but she wasn't the GP I want to see so that will wait 😊😊😊
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Was she more sympathetic, in which case, stick with her. You may find that you need 2-3 weeks initial loading with the Ovestin but it really does work for me. I lay on the bed, relaxed and insert - job done ;)
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Jorainbow - I am confused by what your GP has said. Why would Vagifem cause you to have blood in the urine? To me the only way this would occur is if your tissues were so thin at the start of treatment that just the act of repeatedly inserting that blue plastic tube could cause trauma to the vaginal walls, lead to bruising and perhaps almost undetectable bleeding which might show as blood in urine. Anyone else got any other take on that? How can Vagifem give you too much oestrogen? The dose is minute!!
However estriol cream (as in Ovestin) will do the same job so hopefully this will help with vaginal symptoms :)
Hurdity x
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Hi Hurdity. Just checked back through my posts and the urine sample was mentioned on another and not related to the vagifem hence the confusion. It was a repeat dipstick due to blood in my last one. I haven't used vagifem since July after having bad cramps spotting anxiety and extreme tiredness that stopped as soon as I stopped using it. I assume any extra oestrogen on top of what I already produce could cause symptoms?? I have read other users having the same issues so guessing as ovestin is weaker it may not cause as many issues? I'm not sure and to be honest get really confused about the whole thing.
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The body doesn't take up enough oestrogen with Vagifem or Ovestin to make any difference to the body ;). A dipstick test is about as good as useless >:( :-X
See how you get on with the Ovestin, you need something otherwise your vagina will shrivel up and be very painful/uncofmoratlbe/useless …… for me it was like razor blades up there :o
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Wow.. That's really something to look forward to thanks! I'm more confused now as on this forum others have mentioned side effects and some uptake in the initial phase???
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Maybe I wasn't clear enough. Some ladies have cramps when first staring Vagifem …….. Ovestin1mg has suited my needs thus far. Because it is 'local' there is little uptake other than in the vaginal walls in that the cream doesn't seep, only where it's required. It plumps up where required ;) it doesn't spread elsewhere in the body.
One requires treatment for vaginal atrophy because the body begins to dry out as oestrogen levels drop: that's vagina, eyes, nostrils, anus, throat, ears ……… so although one might be producing oestrogen as it drops off the body often requires replacement and if possible, as local to the problem eases symptoms.
Clear as mud ;D
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That's what I thought thanks for clarifying. I'll give it a whirl and see if it works
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I feel a bit 'funny' half an hour or so after using Ovestin but it passes off quickly and the benefits are worth putting up with the side effects.
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Hi Dorothy. Funny as in tummy cramps and stinging feeling cos that's what I have today after using last night. ....?
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Hi jorainbow
As CLKD says there is so little take up of Vagifem the amount is minimal but in the first two weeks if you have VA then some of it gets into the system but once your tissues are plumped up then this lessens so that it is completely insignificant. If you have plenty of your own oestrogen you should notice any difference from the very slight rise (in your body) from the Vagifem. Perhaps the act of poking that long turquoise tube inside can itself cause cramps? I sometimes go in a bit too far with mine and it hits the cervix or something else. Yes good idea to do it at night!
If you have a stinging feeling then that does sound like perhaps the filler or the trauma of insertion maybe? Hopefully it will pass as it begins to do its stuff :)
Hurdity x
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Does it hurt or sting as you are applying it? If so, try applying it only as far as is comfortable - as the tissue absorbs it, it will become more comfortable and after a couple of days you can then go further. I used to find it painful when I first started but now it's just mild discomfort and doesn't last.
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Yes it does Dorothy. I didn't use the full dose or applicator as I wasn't sure what would happen so just a small blob on my finger just inside my bits. Annoyingly yesterday I wasn't sore or dry and now I am!!!!
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Not good :( It might be a coincidence though that the dryness started again the day after you used the cream - I used to find mine could fluctuate depending on what my hormones were doing so I could be reasonably ok one day and very dry/sore the next. Worth persevering for a few days to see if it improves. Good idea not to use the applicator too - I found that extremely painful.
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I agree and thanks. I'm mid cycle (still regular) and this is when it usually flares up so will see how things go. The applicator looks like it would really hurt if used. Probably developed by a bloke 😉😉😉
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Things calmed down by yesterday evening and nothing since. I have to admit I chickened out of using it again last night though didn't fancy burning bits on a Monday!!! Maybe some painkillers before I use it will help.
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Maybe try Friday/Saturday & see how you feel then?
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Good idea thanks. I've had no soreness at all this week so that will help in seeing if it's the cream or me also. Appointment with the GP I wanted to see next Friday too to talk through it all. 😊