Hi everyone
I joined last year but didn't post, I wish I had. I naively thought my life would have improved by now as the NHS are there to help you, right? I am astounded by the lack of knowledge my GPs have surrounding 'the change'. This is rather long, make yourself a cuppa and put your feet up!
Bit of background, I'm 53 and a half now. I had anxiety and depression issues in my mid 40s after losing my mum suddenly. Medication and counselling were a huge help. But GP did not mention once I could be having peri-menopausals symptoms, which looking back, I'm sure I was. I saw my GP a lot in my 40s but the peri-menopause was never mentioned, I feel I could have at least tried to prepare myself, if I'd known.
Background on my periods, was off the pill for about 6 years from 41-48 as we had been trying for baby which was unfortunately unsuccessful. Another factor for my anxiety and depression. I then had to go back on it at 48 as my periods were so bad, it was making me nauseous and dizzy. So another reason I didn't see the peri coming, hadn't had a period for ages.
At 50 and a half, I had a 2 week migraine. Nothing like I had experienced before, I'd only get them every now and then and they would only last a day. This went on for days, my GP just signed me off for stress. A week later, I woke up in the middle of the night on absolutely fire. I knew immediately what was happening, I was so shocked, I really did not see it coming.
I wanted to go natural, read everything I could, took all the supplements etc....came of the pill but the flushes and migraines got worse so 3 months in, the GP put me on Evoril Conti 50mcg. 2 months later I got a terrible migraine and my BP was up so GP took me off it and said I couldn't take it. So I had a whole year of awful flushes, terrible migraines, fatigue, joint ache, dizziness. So the GPs treated the migraines separately, with different medication but nothing worked. They didn't seem to think the migraines and peri menopause were linked. Which I could never understand. They only started to get really bad once my hot flushes kicked in.
After a year, I saw the GP, and pleaded, they said as long as I monitored my blood pressure I could I go back on HRT, they started me on 25mcg then we upped to 50mcg, then 75mcg but went back to 50mcg. Flushes eased off and migraines weren't as frequent so GP kept me on that, went on last March. But this year, migraines are more frequent, they last 36 hours, I get at least 2 a month, I throw up constantly, I can't take any time off work, otherwise I'd hardly be in work, so I am used to having my head down the toilet at work, its become part of my life. I have to cancel so many appointments and miss so many nice things with these 2 day migraines. GP now wants me to take Topiramate, a daily preventative, it may make them less frequent but does not treat them when I get them. But I still think its menopause related and really don't want to have to take something everything single day that still is not going to stop the horrendous pain.
Symptoms I've had since my peri menopausal hot flushes started
2 day Migraines
Occasional Vertigo with nausea (constantly throwing up - I live in the toilet at work some weeks)
Fatigue
Joint Pains
Itchy Skin (driving me nuts at night at the moment)
Insomnia
Low Moods
Occasional intermittent sharp pains in my right upper quadrant (ultrasound and blood tests came back normal)
Every time I see the GP about any of these, I just get medication relating to that symptom. They never discuss that they may be symptoms of the peri menopause and look at the HRT I am having. So I'm constantly at the GPs, taking different medication, having blood tests, scans etc....knowing they will come back as ok. But I get 10 mins if I'm lucky. I see a different one every time and I'm never offered anything different to Evoril Conti. I know that one size does not fit all so how come they don't?? Especially after reading this forum, and I have a couple of friends who had to try several things before finding the right thing.
My patches are about to run out and I see that there is a national shortage so I feel now would be a good time for me to bite the bullet and ask for a referral? I just get the feeling I won't get one. I see there is a BMS GP a few miles away but I have no idea how to get a referral if my GP won't help. I would love to go private, but we've cleared out our savings recently re a shoulder injury I have, which has also effected my lack of sleep over the past 18 months. Perhaps I will have to get a loan out.
I want to look forward to my future - not just resign myself that this is my life and health now. I probably feel well about 25% of the time. I feel envious of my 2 sisters, apart from hot flushes, they seem fine. They are not on HRT. And out of everyone I know, I'm the one that is ill the most. I just hate being that person. People just assume that I may not be able to come to everything as they know I'm 'always ill'. I have a brilliant supportive partner but I've lost my libido and I'm obviously not the best company and he never complains about anything but I feel guilty all the time that our life isn't as enjoyable as it should be. All these articles I read in my monthly Natural Health mag about how it's the best time of your life when you're through it, when will that be? It shouldn't be looked at as a negative thing, etc etc.....and if you try all these things, you'll feel better..... I am proud of myself though that I haven't gone back on ADs or anti anxiety meds, have no idea how I've managed that but I do have a great Counsellor and I do Mindfulness meditations.
Could the Evoril Conte just not be right for me? Or are different Brands just the same, but a different name. I have just passed my one year anniversary of No Bleed. I had one bleed the year before that and one bleed the year before that.
What is the protocol for a referral? Can I insist or is it just luck of the drawer dependant on the GP/Surgery you see. I would just love to be able to sit down with someone who will take the time to explain things to me and let me try more than one HRT to see what works for me. This is never going to happen at my Surgery. I have seen all the GPs there.
Supplements I take
B Complex '100'
Omegas
Vit D with K2
Magnesium
Medication I am taking currently (I have a lot of medication for when symptoms pop up intermittently)
2 x 30/500 Co-Codamol for my shoulder at night
Thank you for letting me get this off my chest. You would have thought that seeing several different GPs for 3 years I would be sorted by now, wouldn't you. I'm seeing a Functional GP/Herbalist next month that has been recommended to me, see if she can help, she has several tests she runs re food allergies, Digestive, Endocrine and Autoimmune, hormonal tests, thought it couldn't hurt!
Thanks for taking the time to read this xx