Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Afternoontea]

Hello, I am new to this forum and looking for some help.
I am 47 and for the last year or two I have been feeling pants! I asked my gp if I could be perimenopause but he said because I have regular periods and no regular hot flashes then I can't be in perimenopause and just prescribed me antidepressants (which I haven't taken yet).
I appreciate that I may not be in peri but I wonder if any of you ladies can relate to the symptoms which are currently controlling my life and frankly making me down right miserable. These are the things are suffer from on an all too regular basis:-

Major, all consuming anxiety this is a huge problem which never used to bother me so much until the last 2 years.
Very heavy periods (I have uterine polyps) and aura migraine on 3rd day of period
Massive increase in my IBS symptoms (have had it for 20 years but nothing like this) lots of indigestion, acid, gurgling, growling, excessive wind, bloating and all worse in the last two weeks of cycle) all gastroenterologist tests have come back clear.
I don't sleep well, wake up lots during the night, I just can't sleep deeply enough
Knackered (see above!)
Skin tags keep popping up especially on neck area
Dry, itchy skin
Absolutely no libido at all
Terrible PMS which I never used to suffer from.
And all in all, blooming depressed (Re all above!!)

Can anyone relate to these. Wonder if this is all hormone related or am I just going insane??

I have decided I am going to try and see someone privately. I'm am in the north Essex/Suffolk area if anyone can recommend a good specialiset.

[Beaker]

I'm afraid in my own experience, a lot of GP's don't seem to have a clue about menopause.  For example, the GP I went to see when I was at your stage, with similar symptoms.  He said "if it is menopause - it's not a disease you know.  Just eat more healthily and get more exercise".
So I went to a specialist as you are planning to do and she confirmed (symptoms-based diagnosis) that yes, I was in perimenopause.
I'm in London so I'm not sure about our area of the world but I found my specialist on this website. Click on the "Specialists" button at the top of the first page in the website and put in your location.
Good luck - you definitely need a bit of constructive support and not just to be dismissed out of hand!

[Lyncola]

My doctor told me I was premenopausal by my symptoms, virginal atrophy, brain fog, sore muscles, sore eyes.

Since then I've got IBS never had stomach issues in my life, burping, sore ribs, random stabbing pain, worse sinus,

I had a hysterectomy over a year and half ago, and three months after my symptoms started, I'm 45 years old. I have anywhere from 3 to 8 symptoms for over a year now, I'm uncomfortable and in pain very day. You sound like you are to me.

I'm afraid I can recommend anyone, I'm from Australia. But you have definitely come to the right forum for advice with the other wonderful ladies on here. I hope you get the answer you need.

[Perinowpost]

All classic peri meno symptoms Afternoontea + you?re the right age x

[sheila99]

Another ignorant gp. I suffered for 2 years for the same reason, main symptoms anxiety  and insomnia. No flushes or irregular periods so even though I was 56 & 57 at the time it couldn't be menopause. I would take in a list of meno symptoms from a respected source and the Nice guidelines and tell him what you think (bad temper was also a symptom!). If that doesn't work complain to the practice manager. You can ask for a referral to an NHS meno clinic. You may need testosterone for libido but you need to be on HRT first.

[Afternoontea]

Thank you everyone. I'm not going crazy then?!!

[Barnacle]

Would Ely be any good?. A friend of mine has found Hannah Short a godsend after being fobbed off by her own GP

[Ladybt28]

Nope....not crazy Afternoontea, perimenopausal with an idiot GP!    It's very common you know! especially here on the forum!  :
I'm with Sheila99 take the guidelines and list of symptoms ( Sheila, "bad temper is a symptom").  To be honest I think us ladies should be charging for all this education we are providing to the NHS! xx

Stick to your guns Afternoontea, there is absolutely no reason why you should suffer because they haven't a notion what they are talking about. In peri, periods have really nothing to do with it and just tell him that you are now having hot flushes...they have come on suddenly!  So far I have been lucky with my GP, they have absolutely no knowledge but give me pretty much anything I ask for but I'm in the minority.

[Mogster71]

Hello!!

Sorry but your GP is a 
They are all recognisable signs of perimenopause and no you are not going crazy!! (As you can see I am not affected by rage at all haha). I could have written your post myself symptoms-wise, as could many of us ladies.

Please see if you have anyone else in your surgery with more current knowledge. I am blessed to have a male doctor in his early 30s who promised to support me through this, he trudged through the whole "available" list of HRT's to find something a)which would suit and b) be available! They definitely are out there but it's luck of the draw it seems.

All the best, hope you can get to talk to someone xx

[Foxylady]

Afternoontea, unfortunately your story/experience is only too common. I am 42yr have had 4 years of symptoms, 3yrs of which I was told categorically by GP's, Endocrinologists & Immunology it was not meno symptoms (I was sure it was). I wish I knew then what I know now & had discovered this website & forum sooner as it has been an amazing source of information. I started HRT last Easter never looked back, quality of life so much better, still trying to find the swet spot sleep wise but hopeful my change and increased dose of patches started last week are doing the trick! Don't let the GP fob you off, see another GP especially if there is one with an interest. Have a look and see if there are any local meno groups you could attend. I'm in Scotland so can't help you re any specialists your neck of the woods. Let us know how you get on. x

[TaylorJ]

Hi AfternoonTea

I am 47 too, I have suffered for just over 2 years with most of the symptoms you have plus many more. My GP just kep t saying I was suffering with health anxiety, had an endoscopy/Sigmoidoscopy , all tests clear. I then started with night sweats , arranged to see another GP and bingo !!!! You are peri menopause she said . I thought I was going mad .This was last May, I started on Evorel Sequi patches and my quality of life has certainly improved . My worst symptoms were the digestive ones, I started with IBS which I had never suffered with , bloating, acid, intolerance to some foods. The HRT certainly helped these symptoms.

Keep at them and Good luck xx

[Afternoontea]

Thank you, everyone for your kind replies. I will go back to gp with a full list and if no luck I?ll go see someone privately.

[MicheleMaBelle]

Good evening Afternoontea!
Apologies for being blunt but as a Glaswegian all I can say is that your Dr is talking s***e and doesn't know his a**e from his elbow. Go back, tell them in no uncertain terms that you've had a good browse of this site, you've done your research and you are not going to be fobbed off with AD's. Grrrr, makes me so mad...
( and yes, I too suffered by dealing with incompetent GP's for years )