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[Feefs]

Hello everyone

First time posting, although I've been lurking here and avidly reading  for a couple of months and educating myself as much as possible.

I'm looking for any personal recommendations for private clinics/specialists in London, especially for those of you who have self-referred from your GP to private. I've obviously already gone through the "Find a BMS SPecialist" section to narrow down my selection but your own experiences would be  most helpful. I'm hoping to be able to get testosterone gel prescribed.

Some back story:
I was put onto Femoston in February 2018 (originally Femoston 1, then 3 months later upped to Femoston 2) due to brain fog, insomnia, anxiety, weight gain, hair loss... literally the full list! Cheers, body!  It had taken me about 5 years of suffering this before realising/admitting that it was perimenopause, and my blood tests then subsequently came back as FSH 2.3 and TSH 0.3
HRT has helped tremendously but it has absolutely done nothing for my libido.

I recently had a coil fitted - NOT the Mirena as they couldn't get it in (due to my wonky cervix, apparently and the flexible delivery system the Mirena uses) but the Kyleena (so a MUCH lower dosage of progesterone than the mirena). On seeing my new GP, she also prescribed Vagifem tablets, as well as continuing with my Femoston 2,   and I asked about testosterone and she categorically said that she is not allowed to prescribe it in this particular practice but she would strongly recommend I go to a meno clinic and see if I can get it prescribed.

[Tc]

Hiya feefs. Welcome to the forum. I'm sure you will get some replies about private clinics. Other ladies have used them

Just to say, I was referred to sa meno clinic nder the NHS   by my gynae.  I believe GPS  can refer too.  There isnt one in my area so I was referred Chelsea and Westminster menopause clinic.  They offer testosterone.

I believe there are ladies on here on testosterone through their GP but the trouble is its   "off license"  and therefore GPs cant be "forced to prescribe ," as mine put it.  it's up to the individual doc and some will and some wont.  Unfortunately.

Did you ask your doc if they can refer you to a meno clinic?  I did wait 5 months for my appointment though, which might be a drawback.
X

[Feefs]

Did you ask your doc if they can refer you to a meno clinic?  I did wait 5 months for my appointment though, which might be a drawback.
X

Well, it was sort of odd because she was very definitely suggesting I go to one and that she though Testosterone was a great idea,  but when I openly said "Right, so get referred to a menopause clinic then", she nodded and said "I think that's your best bet" but then didn't actually offer suggestions as to where. And I was a bit flummoxed at that and then she was trying to take my blood pressure which was behaving oddly, so it was only afterwards I thought "Oh... er...".
I wondered if she didn't want to put down on my notes that I'd asked for T *shrug*

So I figured I'd bite the bullet and self-refer, and pay to get an inital prescription.

And I'm interested to hear people's experiences with the various specialists so I can make a more informed choice when getting an appointment.

[Tc]

Feefs. I see. I hope you get some answers. X

[Feefs]

Feefs. I see. I hope you get some answers. X

Thanks for the response, Tc x

[bloomsbury]

Hello Feefs,
I was referred to Chelsea and Westminster by my GP, ask yours to refer you. All notes are sent to your GP with prescribing recommendations without the need for pricey private consultations or prescriptions. They prescribed T for me, I have no problem with my GP giving me repeat prescriptions.
Hope you can get seen soon, I had an initial wait of around 6 months but it was definitely worth it, unless you're lucky and your GP has any idea of the benefits of T for women. In which case they should have given you a prescription to try it, it takes a little while to work but worth persevering.
All the best,
Bx

[KatyB]

Hi Feefs, in desperation I found Harrow Health Centre, private menopause GP there Dr Jane Woyka. She will undertake a questionnaire and will want to ensure you have plenty of estrogen before considering testosterone, but she is open to prescribing it in appropriate circumstances. My GP didn't even consider it, regardless of NICE guidelines....its off guidance prescribing so they are very tentative but make a bit difference to me. Good luck on the search, it made such a difference having someone who listened to your symptoms and gave you confidence they knew more about the medical options than you did! Best decision I made and not ruinously expensive, although private prescriptions are not cheap!

[Salad]

Another vote for NHS referral to Chelsea and Westminster clinic. Thorough care when you get there 

[Feefs]

Thank you for the replies and advice, ladies.

[Hurdity]

Hi Feefs

 

My first thought on reading your first post below is that you're taking a lot of progestogen - with the coil as well as Femoston - and I wondered why that is? Apart from lack of libido do you have any other symptoms? Tablet oestrogen can lead to decreased free testosterone because it increases a compound in the body called SHBG which binds up testosterone making it unavailable for the body to use.

In your position I would change to patch or gel for the oestrogen and you will be getting your progestogen from the Kyleena although this is off-licence for HRT due to being lower dose. Hopefully a menopause clinic will also suggest this and then possibly prescribe testosterone but I wouldn't take it with a tablet HRT.

I seem to recall that the progestogen in the coil decreases SHBG so increasing free T so not sure how this works at the same time as oral oestrogen or even if reasearch on this has been done?

Anyway good luck and with getting a referral to C and W - if I lived near London that is where I would go, and if I didn't have a fantastic gynae specialist NHS GP locally.

Hurdity x

[Beaker]

I can recommend Dr. Sheila Radhakhrishan.  I found her on this (Menopause Matters) website.  She practices in the Royal Free but also privately in Harley St.  Her consultation fee is ?200.  I've been going to her for about 3 years now.  I found her very sympathetic and she sorted out my HRT.