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[Cinnamon07]

I'm sorry you're going through this and are unsupported by your doc. Are there any local groups or forums where you could get advice to find a more hrt friendly gp? Here the NHS goes on symptoms because blood results are so unreliable in peri. I really think hrt would help you, for me it was life changing.

Not in the USA, you're not. getting a prescription for anything if test results don't show a need for a particular medication. However, US doctors love, I mean they absolutely love, giving prescriptions for SSRI's. Hence, the reason why I walked away from my appointment today with a prescription for Lexapro, rather then a prescription for HRT. it sucks, I wish our doctors were better at following the symptoms rather then the lab results.

[Taz2]

We have problems with that too Cinnamon and lots of women visit here with the same story of their doctor going by blood test results instead of symptoms. We have guidance that they are supposed to follow. This is called the NICE guidelines and stands for National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Do you have similar in the US?

I hope that you find the Lexapro helpful.

Taz x

[Cassie]

Why dont you ask the Dr to test your hormone levels, via a blood test. I had to insist on blood tests at 38 as my Dr would not believe I was getting hot flushes and sure enough my levels were indicative of early meno.  He then had no option but to put me onto HRT.

[Taz2]

Hi Cassie. Cinnamon's blood test results came back normal I believe from her earlier posts so doc has refused HRT. This is a big problem for some women as HRT prescribing should be symptom-led rather than based on unreliable blood test results.

Taz x

[CLKD]

In the UK many Companies are implementing a menopause strategy in order to support their staff.  Could you suggest this to your Team Leader?  Does the Insurance Company insist on specific Care Givers or can you freelance?  Would the Insurance Company have a list of Medics involved with Womens Health?

[Cassie]

If your oestrogen levels are within the normal range, how could that be menopause, so confusing 

[Taz2]

It's because during peri the levels fluctuate wildly over a short space of time.

Taz x

[Penguin]

If your oestrogen levels are within the normal range, how could that be menopause, so confusing 

That's the issue with perimemopause, which is what stage Cinammin is likely in. The blood tests are considered unreliable as one day your levels can he on the floor amd the next they can spike higher than a teenage girl's! Perimenopause is full of fluctuations and lots of women take it during this time to help level the peaks and troughs out. It is also the reason why UK doctors go on symptoms rather than blood test results.

[Penguin]

What I don't understand is why they don't use similar guidelines in the US.

[Ayesha]

Back in the old days they didn't do blood tests to determine whether you were menopausal or not. You went to the doctors with raging hot flushes and given HRT if you wanted it. I  knew I was taking in too much oestrogen because I had some of my own swirling around. How I knew was when my breasts started to get very sore and developed a cyst but that disappeared by itself. I started to take my HRT every other day and it worked perfectly for me for the five years I was on it.
Reading posts on here I find that it has all become far too complicated and the menopause issue is so much more convoluted.

[Cinnamon07]

If your oestrogen levels are within the normal range, how could that be menopause, so confusing 

That's the issue with perimemopause, which is what stage Cinammin is likely in. The blood tests are considered unreliable as one day your levels can he on the floor amd the next they can spike higher than a teenage girl's! Perimenopause is full of fluctuations and lots of women take it during this time to help level the peaks and troughs out. It is also the reason why UK doctors go on symptoms rather than blood test results.

As another poster already stated, this is just too difficult, however, It should not be. I really need to be on HRT, however, do you think the mini pill will work? Because it seems as though it will be easier to get prescription for birth control than HRT at this point.

[Cinnamon07]

We have problems with that too Cinnamon and lots of women visit here with the same story of their doctor going by blood test results instead of symptoms. We have guidance that they are supposed to follow. This is called the NICE guidelines and stands for National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Do you have similar in the US?

I hope that you find the Lexapro helpful.

Taz x

Hey, I don't know if we have anything like The national institute for health and care excellence out here. However, I would not be surprised if we do. I'm not going to take the Lexapro, I have a problem with my female hormones being out of whack, not with my serotonin levels being insufficient. I've now developed a significant distrust and hatred of doctors, It's just mind-boggling, that someone can sit in front of you looking, sounding, and telling you how horrible the feel, and as a medical professional you disregard it, it's just madness.

[Cinnamon07]

Why dont you ask the Dr to test your hormone levels, via a blood test. I had to insist on blood tests at 38 as my Dr would not believe I was getting hot flushes and sure enough my levels were indicative of early meno.  He then had no option but to put me onto HRT.

I wish it were that easy, also, I did request blood work and it came back normal. However, those results aren't reliable, when it first started 4 years ago, I was having night sweats and hot flushes like crazy for like a week. Then they went away, however, this year they came back to a minor degree. I'm mainly really weak, off balance, can't walk for long, sever brain fog, anxious, consistently What are you doing waking up while sleep with horrible sensations in my body and anxiety, sever constipation, and vision issues. I experience all these symptoms daily and non-stop, it really sucks, even more so because I have access to great healthcare, however, I can't get any help.

[Penguin]

If your oestrogen levels are within the normal range, how could that be menopause, so confusing 

That's the issue with perimemopause, which is what stage Cinammin is likely in. The blood tests are considered unreliable as one day your levels can he on the floor amd the next they can spike higher than a teenage girl's! Perimenopause is full of fluctuations and lots of women take it during this time to help level the peaks and troughs out. It is also the reason why UK doctors go on symptoms rather than blood test results.

As another poster already stated, this is just too difficult, however, It should not be. I really need to be on HRT, however, do you think the mini pill will work? Because it seems as though it will be easier to get prescription for birth control than HRT at this point.

I've never taken the mini pill so no idea about that. However, some ladies who go through menopause without hrt makes changes to their diet and use supplements instead. Perhaps you could work with a naturopath or functional medicine doctor who can guide you on that path. I wouldn't do any supplements without supervision but you could definitely make changes to your diet and add more phytoestrogens in. Does your insurance cover alternative practitioners like that?

[Cinnamon07]

If your oestrogen levels are within the normal range, how could that be menopause, so confusing 

That's the issue with perimemopause, which is what stage Cinammin is likely in. The blood tests are considered unreliable as one day your levels can he on the floor amd the next they can spike higher than a teenage girl's! Perimenopause is full of fluctuations and lots of women take it during this time to help level the peaks and troughs out. It is also the reason why UK doctors go on symptoms rather than blood test results.

As another poster already stated, this is just too difficult, however, It should not be. I really need to be on HRT, however, do you think the mini pill will work? Because it seems as though it will be easier to get prescription for birth control than HRT at this point.

I've never taken the mini pill so no idea about that. However, some ladies who go through menopause without hrt makes changes to their diet and use supplements instead. Perhaps you could work with a naturopath or functional medicine doctor who can guide you on that path. I wouldn't do any supplements without supervision but you could definitely make changes to your diet and add more phytoestrogens in. Does your insurance cover alternative practitioners like that?

Thanks for the reply, yes, my health insurance cover alternative practitioners