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[Kate50]

Ah finally worked out how to post the brain isn't always so sharp in the middle of the night!  Anyway new to site although have been following for a year especially in the wee hours, no pun intended!  At the end of my tether with the whole NHS handling of the menopause I'm gonna cough up and go see the man who sounds like he can Prof Stubbs.  Just wanted to know about check ups and prescriptions afterwards will your own doctors be ok ? Anyone had any experience? Thanks

[Wantmylifeback]

Hi Katie50

Welcome to MM, I have no personal experience of prof Studd but would love to hear how you get on, as I am like you and want to get specialised treatment. I have read a lot into his work and everything he says makes complete sense. I did read about a woman who went to him and couldn't get the treatment that he prescribed on NHS (testosterone) she ended up paying £30 a month for private prescription but from what I could gather she could get her HRT via NHS.

Look forward to hearing more from you

Wantmylifeback 😘

[Dorothy]

Hello & welcome Kate50.  No experience of going private myself, but I know other ladies on the forum have seen Prof Studd so I'm sure you'll get some feedback before long.  Can understand your frustration with NHS - I was tearing my hair out where I lived before, but since moving have had great help from my new GP.  Hope you are able to get the help you need soon.

I'll be remembering your post next time I wake up in the wee hours.    Very appropriate name for them!

[Kate50]

Hi thanks for your replies as you can see I even got his name wrong ! Yeah I know if you have something out the normal realms of HRT they won't pay but quite a lot of his stuff is Just as cheap and I presume if you have a script from him you can go to online chemist.  Gonna ring and find out today.  You wouldn't believe sime of the shit advice I've had! ? You know your own body but sine if them think the text book knows better. Luckily for me I don't get down had a lot of therapy over the years else I think I would be suicidal by now! I'm currently only on oestrogen cos can't take progesterone and a referral was put in ages ago and found out yesterday my doctor hasn't even done it even though he knows im only taking oestrogen . Anyway the patches dont work they wear off and pill gives me headaches but now can't go without it as my blood pressure was dropping way too low and having the oestrogen had sorted that out plus all the other numerous stuff so it works but the side effects aren't great. Within 24 hrs of having progesterone a lot of my symptoms come back. 😂

[Mary G]

Hello Kate 50 and welcome to MM!

I know precisely how you feel, the way the NHS handles the menopause is appalling and I gave up on my GP a long time ago.  She knew less about HRT than I do.

Professor Studd is brilliant and he will definitely be able to sort you out.  He costs about £300 for an initial consultation and he will write a letter of recommendation to your doctor which should enable you to get an NHS prescription.  That said, do check this out with his secretary first.

I have been around the block on this one and tried many different types of HRT before arriving at my final destination which is 2 pumps of Oestrogel every day, 100mg of Utrogestan taken vaginally for 7 days each month together with a tiny bead of testosterone every day.  This is Professor Studd's standard precription for women who are either sensitive or intolerant to synthetic progestins.  Believe me, this is a winning formula and the best HRT regime by far.

I found all types of oral HRT and the patches to be completely ineffectual to the extent to was hardly worth bothering to take them. 

Unfortunately the NHS is in the dark ages when it comes to HRT and many doctors are still prescribing the heavy duty, old school types of oral HRT that don't work.  The regime that Professor Studd prescribes is bio identical and transdermal which is better at symptom control and carries fewer side effects. 

You may be aware that NICE have issued new guidelines for HRT and doctors should be prescribing the right medication but it will take a long time for the up to date information to filter through the system.  Unfortunately, the wretched health studies about the so called dangers of HRT are still knocking about despite being completely discredited and it will take a long time for them to finally be consigned to the history books.

[Kate50]

Thanks for that Mary G I needed that.  Rang my doctors and prof studd office today.  Made a formal complaint at mine and even though it was handled well no one returned my call! ? On  speaking to prof secretary was put off a bit by extra costs.  Eg bone density scan is this required?  Don't fit criteria.  And check ups that require bloods as well?
Thanks

[Mary G]

Kate50, I refused the blood tests and bone scan.  You can say that you have limited funds and can only afford the consultation.  I had already had numerous blood tests and a bone scan but they wanted to do their own which I thought was unnecessary.  As I understand it, you don't have to have them.  Hope it goes well and please keep us posted.

[Kate50]

Thanks for your reply I'm not quite sure how having blood tests would help having been on hrt for  5 months.  Were they ok with you about that? Have you had any check ups?

[dazned]

Hi Kate50

Have you looked into any other private specialists,for instance mine only charges £175 for the first consultation which lasts about an hour but theres never any rush if it takes longer,the subsequent appointments as and when costs £120.

[Mary G]

Kate50, yes they were fine about it because I took my blood tests results with me and they were very recent.  If you are on HRT, the blood tests will not give a true reading of your hormone levels anyway.  If you explain that you have limited funds, I am sure they will understand.

[Kate50]

I have had recent blood tests for everything except hormones cos they didn't seem to want to take those ones?  And they only do the FSH one.  But I could ask and don't have an issue with paying if I have to the once but think I'm pretty low risk for the bone density.  But will ring back Monday i really have had enough after 6 years!   I can't manage at all now without some kind of oestrogen I did manage up until 5 months ago but then was showing signs of adrenal fatigue and my blood pressure plummeted and the oestrogen has sorted that out.  I am slim and have been told many a time without the fat there is no extra oestrogen and so it hits the adrenals hard and mine were never in the best condition!  The amount of problems I've had in 6  years that the docs put down to other stuff and within a week of taking oestrogen they all just faded away!  Grrr

[Kate50]

Thanks for your reply dazned who do you go to? Do they prescribe same as Prof  Studd?

[dazned]

Yes I was perscribed utrogeston and estrogen first on a private prescription then he wrote to gp and told them of his findings then the gp carried out the next script.

[Hurdity]

Hi Kate50

 

Sorry to hear about your problems with your GP. You should not have to have a private consultation to get the basic HRT of your choice. Personally I would go back and ask for either patch/gel or Utrogestan. As Mary G says the NICE Guidelines have changed recently. Also you are entitled to have the medication you want especially if you give reasons and insist.

Appalling that they did not refer you if you are taking oestrogen only and I would ask for a fast referral (if there is a menopause clinic in your area) due to their error as the doc could have put you ar risk from endometrial hyperplasia - and/or insist in the circumstances that you are immediately given the HRT of your choice ie as above which until your referral comes through should be taken at the licensed dose if possible (the progesterone) - at least to give you an initial bleed to protect your womb asap.

How old are you and whereabouts in menopause are you - ie what were your periods doing before you started HRT?

I appreciate your frustration but I think more of us need to push for the right treatment on the NHS especially those of us who are assertive 

Hurdity x

[Kate50]

Hi Hurdity
Thanks for your reply only just seen it. Awake as usual!  Yeah I an starting to wonder about the damage it may start doing I wasn't!  A year ago I had tried to have HRT but after a while the side effects especially headaches were too much so stopped. Then last summer after no period for 5 months and only reason had one bf was cos of stopping  HRT. I started with severe menopause symptoms ie everything I already had got 10 x worse especially VA tinnitus.  I also started with intense palpitations and within one week my blood pressure was dropping to a dangerous level. So went to docs choice was it's your hormones or your heart went on hrt had heart checked which was fine and within a week of taking hrt everything settled down.  But every time I got to talking progesterone it seemed to knock out effet of oestrogen . Have tried 5 lots patches/ pills. And now had one bleed due to stopping one lot.  But now patches not even working and pills only just. The more I have the more I need!  Cant stop oestrogen as symptoms are back severely within 24 hrs. Was offered beta blockers for palpitations which I refused and said I'll stay on oestrogen cos was only suppose to be waiting 4 weeks and that was nearly 2 months ago now. Just found out this week no referral been done.  Complaint went to docs on Friday they not been in touch rang yesterday as well no reply!  We have no decent care locally as went to them twice bf when all this started and they Were useless. So here I am thinking I will just go to dr studd can't really afford it but at least I will get proper care . Laid here with an ice pop between my legs!  Lol I have a selection in the back of the freezer and have to keep them hidden incase teenagers accidentally get them!  I also think I should go to dr studd cos I got some odd side effects and I never been able to take pills well.  I have no faith in docs as I told them that a lot of stuf i was suffering with was due to menopause and I was poo pood and then since going on it in September a lot of those things cleared up almost immediately.  I have always used Alternative therapies and both my acupuncturist and homeopath said I was showing signs of adrenal fatigue which I agreed with I an very slim and have no spare stores of oestrogen. Essay over!