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[meudail]

Hello

I joined quite a while ago when I was finding out about the perimenopause but forgot to say hi.

I'm 45 and started hrt patches last October when I was 44. Started to feel a bit weird in my late 30s but thought it was my implant making my hormones a bit funky.

I had gone through months of horrendous mood swings, anxiety, extreme tiredness, heavy periods and my cycle was jumping all over the place. I thought I was losing my sanity. I didn't have the energy to play with my 3 year old, I was miserable. My partner was understanding but couldn't take much more.

Telephone appointment with GP and he listened, going by my symptoms he thought it was the perimenopause and prescribed patches as my mum has a history of DVT and I am overweight. He explained all the risks and I was happy to try it. He didn't request any blood tests.

My prescription as been reviewed every 3 months and BP taken, everything is fine and I feel so much better.

At my last telephone review a different GP was happy that it was working. I saw the nurse for BP, again it was fine, she suggested she would speak to GP to extend my prescription for the extra 9 months. Nurse called me later that day to say that after a discussion with another GP it might be better to keep to 3 months, keep getting my BP checked and to consider looking at weight loss because of my mums history. That was fine with me, I know I need to lose weight and have been trying for the last year but emotional eating doesn't help.

Then, the GP the nurse spoke to called me that evening. She said that the other GPs I had spoken to were locums and really I should have had blood taken because of my age and to see if there could be other reasons for symptoms. She also said that hrt could basically be tricky for me because of my mums history of DVT. She wasn't very understanding and I got the impression that I shouldn't have been started on hrt. Anyway, the next day I went to get blood taken.

GP phoned me earlier with the results. Bloods are normal but hormone to show I was menopausal wasn't high as should be expected. She's going to ask a specialist at a menopause centre about me, I should consider whether hrt is right for me because of mums history and if I did want to come off it, I could cut the patches to wean myself off but my decision. I told her I would carry on with the patches and concentrate on losing weight. She'll get back to me once she has spoken to someone.

She doesn't seem to understand that I feel so much better, I don't want to stop and my partner doesn't want me to either (can't blame him).

I'm so upset and angry, I've finally started to feel normal and would be terrified to go back to the way I was.

[CLKD]

They are covering themselves because they don't know as much as maybe they ought to!  R U keeping on it or have they said that they won't repeat the prescription?

In the meantime mayB keep a mood/food/symptom diary?   HRT will protect your heart and bones ...... have you ever had a history of DVT and why does your Mum suffer?  It mayB totally unrelated to any medication!

Let us know how you get on.

[meudail]

Thanks for your reply.

Said to GP I want to stay on it and lose weight, she said if I needed help with that they could help but didn't mention anything about not getting a repeat prescription, will wait and see what is said when she gets back to me.

I haven't had any history of DVT, my mum has had 3, 1 after an operation and 2 due to leg issues and lack of mobility, she has been taking warfarin for years. I know my weight is an issue but definitely keen to lose some and started low carb recently.

Kept a note of all my symptoms before I started hrt and my progress until now.

Just really worried I'm going to end up back where I began.

[sheila99]

Perhaps do some research and see if you can find some statistics. Transdermal is safer than oral and i think (not certain) utrogeston is safer still as it's bio identical. It's better to be a healthy weight anyway but it shouldn't stop you using hrt. If your gp won't play ball ask for a referral to a menopause clinic or change gp. GPS info may be out of date as most research is from oral hrt. Blood tests on peri are rarely useful because of the peaks and troughs, she should go by symptoms.

[meudail]

Thanks, I'll have a look and see if I can find anything. The GP that first prescribed hrt said patches would be safer for me.

Will be interesting to hear what she comes back with, hopefully I won't have to wait for long but if it's not helpful I'll certainly ask for a referral and/or change GP.

[CLKD]

Do U feel supported by this GP?  It's a learning curve for many.

[meudail]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

No, I don't feel this GP is supportive, I had more help from the locum GPs. She seems to be quite dismissive of my symptoms and no acknowledgement about perimenopause, just that I would be to young for the menopause.

She is going to speak to someone at the NHS menopause clinic and get back to me.  I had a look at the clinics referral system and they only look at women with complex menopausal issues, women on HRT with bleeding problems or side effects etc and not to refer uncomplicated women requesting hrt. Aside from my weight (I'm a size 18) I have no other health issues. My mum suggested that if she is that worried about DVT I should have my blood checked.

At the moment I would happily continue and have a 3 month review until I no longer need hrt because it has made such a difference.

[CLKD]

Quality of Life is so important.

Pick another menopause clinic?  Menopause covers a multitude of sins so if they are being particularly 'picky', it probably shows that there is a requirement for more clinics?

You could, if you don't get a result, send an e-mail to Dr Currie who set up this Forum?  There is a Fee I think details are above?

[sheila99]

I think many menopause clinics are over subscribed. Many people who attend wouldn't need to if they had a gp that wasn't so ignorant about menopause. It's probably the only condition that 50% of their patients are guaranteed to go through so why on earth can't they know enough to recognise the symptoms and to treat them?

[meudail]

I have decided that if she still isn't helpful when I speak to her next, I will request to speak to another GP at the practice or try and change practice if needed, I'm not going to be fobbed off, I know all of the risks but it's working for me and that is the most important thing.

[Taz2]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

My mum suggested that if she is that worried about DVT I should have my blood checked.

I had a new GP who wanted me to consider coming off HRT at 60. She mentioned my late mum's history of DVT and I asked her about testing my clotting factors and she agreed. I tested negative for the common ones so was not taken off HRT. Maybe this would help you too.

Taz x

[CLKD]

There should be on the surgery website a list of GPs and their particular specialilities.  I have found that the Practice Nurses know a bit more about menopause symptoms ........

[meudail]

Thanks, will ask about a test for clotting factors, maybe that would put GPs mind at rest.

Will have a look at other GPs at practice. A practice nurse previously took my BP and she was great, had lots of advice and knew what she was talking about, she didn't have any concerns, just happy that it was working for me.

[CLKD]

MayB she needs to educate the others ;-).  Let us know what you decide.