Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: Gracie7 on June 29, 2020, 01:38:34 PM
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Hi, firstly what a great website and forum.
GP put me on sick last month due to anxiety and prescribed medication for it. Yes I was stressed at work and with Corona virus situation but my symptoms are also likely to be perimenopause. I started with mild symptoms 4 years ago and was offered HRT but declined as was managing. Now at 48 the night sweats, headaches, nausea, anxiety etc are getting worse. Telephone consultations with GP are unhelpful as just told I am anxious and to keep taking the medication! At my wits end to try to get help with this. I'm not functioning at all well during this time - the stress is adding to symptoms as I keep having bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea. Blood tests revealed no underlying infection and thyroid normal. Blood pressure a bit high at clinic but ok at home, why is GP so reluctant to discuss and prescribe HRT? Anyone else had similar experience?
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Hi Gracie7 & :welcomemm:
Remind your GP that you were offered HRT 4 years ago & decided to decline them at the time because you felt you were coping ok, however now you're not.
Emphasise the night sweats,anxiety & the overwhelming stress you're having at the moment. Also mention you at the the right age of being peri menopause & really feel it is that rather than anxiety alone.
Good luck Gracie7 & keep posting.
Cazikins x :cat48:
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:welcomemm: browse round. Make notes ;-)
Some ladies find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use. To chart progress and something to discuss with the Practice Nurse/GP. Hormone upheaval can cause nausea etc. as can anti-depressant medication.
Some GPs don't believe that a lady can possibly be in peri-menopause unless she is having hot flushes ::)
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Hi Gracie7,
Welcome to MM. Have to admit to not having been on here for a long time , but I do remember finding it extremely helpful when my Meno. hit me big time 5 years ago.When I was perimenopausal (2 years prior), my Dr @ the time put me on Fluoxetine to help with the imbalances, and when it hit me 5 years back full on, I was signed off for 2 weeks, offered time2talk therapy and dosage was increased. I found for my own sanity that a gentle jog/walk for 20 mins first thing every morning helped on the rd back to a meno.life.
Now , I'm off the meds. but have found that Sage leaf supplements (H&B)have helped decrease the intensity of the hot flushes and I've also gone over to using essential oils(DoTerra) to help me cope with everything Meno. related.
For me I find it a comfort to know that I can control the anxiety without having to go to the Dr's everytime, but I will say that sometimes Mother nature will throw a curved ball into the mix.
Just to add, Bergamot oil is Brill. for anxiety, I never go anywhere without it.
Take care of yourself, :)
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Ignorant GPs make me so cross. I had one as well, offered ads but not hrt. Find out as much as you can, take the NICE guidelines with you (which say HRT is the first course of action) and be prepared to argue. You have the right to ask for a referral to a menopause clinic is he still refuses to give you hrt. It seems to worse in lockdown, they seem to find it easier to fob you off by phone than face to face. Bad temper was one of my symptoms so when I'd finally twigged the problem was meno I'm afraid I told him what I thought.
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I get bad tempered when I hear of the NHS still being in lockdown. Even though the NHS has commandeered a lot of private hospitals across the UK! at what cost I wonder >:( and for any particular purposes, doesn't look like for NHS treatments - hip replacement patients are now having to wait at least a year B4 an appt./X-ray etc..
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Thanks for the messages ladies. I have a telephone consultation tomorrow and will list all my symptoms again and insist I want to discuss meno treatments. Its strange but the debilitating symptoms are much worse first thing in morning, is that usual?? Even if I have managed a decent sleep I wake up with tingling sensation, nausea, headache and palpitations. It takes me several hours to start feeling ok, I've tried lots of anxiety help such as breathing techniques and listening to soothing podcasts, but when I'm in the grip of it nothing seems to help. I just have to ride it out. See what doctor says tomorrow, this is impacting me massively as can't work or function normally
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Absolutely awful in the mornings. I used to just lie and chill in bed now pure panic. It's awful.x
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My anxiety was made much worse being so unwell in the mornings. Thought I was going loopy - it's a vicious circle of symptoms and panic. Lost my appetite because of nausea but I'm going to try to eat small regular snacks to prevent low blood sugar. So glad I found this forum
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Oh yes,always seems worse in the morning,then eases as the day goes on,think you'll find a lot of ladies like that on here,including myself.Please let us all know how you got on with the dr
So had consultation with GP today, he will not entertain HRT at moment as said I'm too young (48) and higher risk due to my mother having had ovarian cancer. He said plenty of time to go on HRT in future. Wants to try me on AD's first as it's the anxiety that's affecting me most, he said they also help with night sweats which in turn will help with sleep!!! Felt really disappointed at first but prepared to try anything to ease symptoms.
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Hi Gracie7,
I understand your disappointment but if it helps, then it will be worth it. Hoping they help. Grim doesn't even come close.
Take care
Joh
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Up to you of course but I think you should complain about your treatment, what he is offering is not appropriate and is against the NICE guidelines. If you were short of vit d you wouldn't take paracetamol. There is nothing that can sort out oestrogen deficiency except oestrogen. I bet he has had no training at all in meno hence his ignorance. You can change doctors, ask for a second opinion and ask for a referral to a menopause clinic. You don't have to suffer and you shouldn't take inappropriate treatment.
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Rang GP for urgent appointment this morning, the one who agreed menopause symptoms 2 weeks ago but wanted my thyroid and BP checked. Today she said give the ADs a couple of weeks to work and then review again. Oh and the ADs can upset your stomach- really helps when I'm telling her I have a severe nausea and some vomiting EVERY morning for over 4 weeks!!
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Don't change up the prescription?
Ring this afternoon and ask for a referral to a Menopause Clinic. One does not need any blood tests regarding peri-menopause.
Some ADs can ease hot flushes but won't help any other symptom.
Yet another GP who has no idea about HRT prescribing: despite that we are told on this Forum!
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They are only offering telephone appointments at menopause clinics and mine has already been cancelled twice. Supposed to have one on 14 July now but can't see the point of just talking on the phone. Bloody just sick of living like this.
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Leave it til Monday then tell her you've been sick all weekend on the ads. Sometimes it needs some lateral thinking :-X
I bet she only told you to take them so she didn't ruffle her colleague's feathers. Spineless IMO.
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A letter to Matt Hancock Baby? The NHS is 'open for business' which means other Clinics should also be. Ring that Clinic and ask for the name of another that will help, also ask if the building has been requisitioned by the NHS for C-19 purposes. Many have been apparently.
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Hi I'm new and it has taken me two days to suss out how to msg hope this works I have been in peri 4 yrs with every symptom then went 14 months no period then in may my body decided to have another light period then nothing again but slight cramps now it is driving me mad this menopause my anxiety is through the roof especially with coronavirus would just like other stories similar from you lovely ladies xx
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Leave it til Monday then tell her you've been sick all weekend on the ads. Sometimes it needs some lateral thinking :-X
I bet she only told you to take them so she didn't ruffle her colleague's feathers. Spineless IMO.
Yes I agree she was protecting her colleague as when I challenged her she said you will always get different opinions from different doctors. Anyway things took bad turn at weekend, ended up in A&E twice. First time for severe panic attack, second time as I was so nauseous then collapsed. Hubby rang ambulance. I was in such a state they got psychiatrist nurses to speak to me. They are writing to GP with recommendations.
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Update - had another bad week of anxiety, sleepless nights, sweats and nausea. GP appointment scheduled for next week but I rang this morning as feel I'm at crisis point!! Spoke to lady doctor who is one of the established partners there - not locums - she has agreed to try me on HRT, yay. So I'm getting a combined patch today. She also prescribed an anti sickness drug to help with morning nausea. Still need to continue with ADs for my heightened anxiety and I'm persevering with breathing techniques and mind space app
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Just a suggestion... it's usually the progesterone that causes problems and as you're feeling so bad anyway it might be better to have a sequi regime so you can start just with oestrogen. Hopefully you'll be feeling a bit better by the time you get to the progesterone phase (and you'll know if you're OK with it).
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Hi Gracie7, just catching up with posts. So glad you got a doctor to listen to you. Locums are good for coughs/colds & the more run of the mill problems, but there's nothing like speaking to one of the established/regular doctors at the practice when it comes to ongoing problems.
How are you getting now?